The original version of this page can be found at : http://forum.makemusic.com/default.aspx?f=11&m=67070
Posted By : Choirchris - 11/19/2003 12:16 AM
Is there anyway i can convert pdf files to finale2003?  i had heard i could use finale notepad but either i am doing it wrong or it can't be done.        

Posted By : Craig Keyes - 11/19/2003 12:49 AM
You need to first convert the PDF file to a .tiff file using a graphics program like Adobe Photoshop (or others).


Convert to B & W (not greyscale) .tiff and then use SmartScore Lite in Finale (File >> SmartScore) to import it into Finale.


From there, Finale will analyze it and convert it to a music file. (I personally have not done this, but I know it is possible.)


Good Luck.


Craig Keyes
F2004a/TGTOOLS/WINXP(HOME)
HP-PAV9795c/1.4GHz/1GB RDRAM


Posted By : john.poole - 2/17/2004 10:58 AM
Alhtough I have not tried it, if the format of the music within PDF is in postscript rather than a rasterized image, then it may be possible to bypass the image scanning/OCR as suggested previously. PDF is simply a container of various formats (e.g., gif, tiff, jpeg, eps), and although it is likely that what the poster has is a pdf containing a rasterized image which is appropriately handled as described above, the possibility that the music is natively represented as postscript within PDF should not dismissed. I just felt it important to not forget this point as sometimes knowing of a possibility can allow for a different approach.

Posted By : Diminution - 5/1/2004 8:49 AM
I must say, I just tried this with several resolutions, all in 1 bit B&W, and the result is about the same as for the other images I've tried scanning into Finale with SmartscoreLite:crap. If you try this and it works for you, please tell me what you're doing, because I'd really like to learn how to scan into Finale properly.

Posted By : Michael Good - 5/1/2004 8:43 PM
If you're on Windows, you might try using a different scanning program like SharpEye Music Reader. It's available for a 30-day free trial at:
 
Recordare LLC
 


Posted By : rod 1 - 6/22/2004 7:08 AM
I have been using 'Sharp Eye', with the Dolet reader, for a few months now with a large degree of success. There are limitations, but it is infinately better than the Smart Score Light which came with Finale. Editing is easy once you get used to it and only yesterday, I scanned in a shortish four part bass clef score and only had 1 mistake or, extra note. This has been my best result so far.I was able to re-install it and fit the 'Keys' within the last few days after I changed computers, and its all working again. I am delighted and recommend 'Sharp Eye' with the Dolet reader. Top value. Rod

Posted By : **Rimas G. - 6/23/2004 4:34 PM
Yes, of course SHARP EYE can read musical text from TIFF file format most accurately and have best possibilities for musical text editing. Today I don't know any more progressive.

**Rimas G.


P4-1.4GHz/512MB RAM/ 40+80GB HD/SB Live/
WinXPpro/Fin2004/
Roland ED PC-180a MIDI keyboard controller


Posted By : eggpie - 9/18/2004 9:40 PM
Craig Keyes said...
You need to first convert the PDF file to a .tiff file using a graphics program like Adobe Photoshop (or others).


Convert to B & W (not greyscale) .tiff and then use SmartScore Lite in Finale (File >> SmartScore) to import it into Finale.


From there, Finale will analyze it and convert it to a music file. (I personally have not done this, but I know it is possible.)


Good Luck.

can you give me the step by step on how to convert it to B & W...thanks blush

Posted By : Michael Good - 1/22/2010 12:14 PM

If your PDF file was created from a music notation program, then you can use PDFtoMusic Pro to convert the PDF files into MusicXML format, which Finale can read. This software is new since this question was last addressed 6 years ago. It is available with a free trial from:

http://store.recordare.com/pdftomusicpro.html

For PDFs created from scanned images, you'll still need to use optical music scanning software as mentioned above.


Michael Good
Recordare LLC
 


Posted By : mm - 4/3/2010 12:03 PM
Michael Good said...
If your PDF file was created from a music notation program, then you can use PDFtoMusic Pro to convert the PDF files into MusicXML format, which Finale can read.


this works very well! ... except for text boxes (and apparently some graphic items such as sytem dividers), which will not be recreated
but all the musical content was very well converted

the trial version is free, you can only do one page at a time
I just reconstructed a corrupted Finale .MUS file from a .PDF file I had (14 pages) which, with a little patience, was easily accomplished by importing single saved XML pages and then combining them with the merge score feature

unless you need to do this a lot, $199 for the registered version seems a bit steep ...


Finale 97 - 2005, 2008, 2009b, Cubase Essential 4, Pro Tools 8, Fujitsu-Siemens AMILO Xi3650 laptop, 18.4 in. HD display, Intel Centrino2 Duo CPU P7350 @ 2.00GHz, NVIDIA GeForce 9600M GT graphics, Realtek High Definition Audio, 4GB RAM, Vista HP (32-bit), Digidesign Mbox 2 Micro, M-Audio 49+25 Keystations


Posted By : Monty Craig - 3/17/2011 10:56 PM
I use PrintMusic 2011 with the smart score guitar pro version, and it rocks! Very much worth the extra $100 dollars. (Would be willing to pay an extra fee to have it installed in 2012`version Finale) I covert pdf's(printed music works the best, hand written is a little harder, but you can work with the scanned pdf line by very easily with the new convrted version and make changes, convert to tiff then to finale. I use this a lot in teaching my college jazz classes. A Coltrane solo on a pdf gets turned into a study for all instruments in 15 minutes, or a Coltrane solo/licks in all keys!

Posted By : Michael Good - 7/14/2011 11:22 AM
Mscz files are MuseScore files, aren't they? Can't you just open the Mscz file in MuseScore and print to PDF? MuseScore can also export MusicXML files so you can bring them into Finale too.


Michael Good
Recordare LLC