The problem is me. I don't really understand how Finale 2011, the internal Garritan MIDI sounds, soft-synth and GPO4 are supposed to work together to create a score that even sounds.
My first score had to be abandoned after I played around with channels for each instrument: screwed up beyond hope.
My revision went better. I added the alto sax I wanted, so I am using the internal softsynth MIDI patches, or whatever they're called. All staves sound, except for the cymbal. I worked on this problem for hours, and I just cannot figure it out.
I have tympani, a glock, a snare drum, bass drum all working. The sax is a "jazz sax" and everytime I enter music on that line, the whole score wants to convert to Jazz notation. I worked on that, to no avail. It's just a quirk. It reconverts to classical engraving once you click on another system.
But the cymbals. I tried adding a percussion system/staff - the general line that Finale uses to employ several percussion items on one staff. No cymbals work. It says I am writing for various types of cymbals, but every sound but cymbals seems to be available to me.
I know there is a MIDI map, and I saw it. It mystified me, even more than how my orchestral score is playing at all. [For now, I am acting as if I do not own a copy of GPO4]. And yes, I tried to use GPO4 just for the cymbals, on several channels, all unused. No cymbals.
It would not matter usually, but I am orchestrating an organ piece that is having a section interpolated, which is a percussion section romp. In this case, the cymbals are essential.
I appreciate in advance wise advice from those who have more experience with PCs than I have. I do not use a DAW, so I'm notation bound, at present. -sylvester
Replies
Arghhh!....Such agony! I have found that the less I interfere with Finale's channels, the better off I am. Problems occur when I add staves -- since I write for full orchestra, Finale has trouble assigning a new channel for the staff, and my instrument will often times pick up an existing channel, and sound like the instrument for that particular channel. All well and good, just change the channel...however, when I attempt to change the channel, the channel changes for all the instruments assigned to that channel. Instead of adding staves, it is best to be able to begin with a score that has all the instruments that one might need. When Final creates the score, there doesn't seem to be any 'channel' problems.
I took a look at your post, because I am interested in using the "African Percussion". I have followed instructions, but have not had any success, in terms of being able to use African Percussion in my compositions. Like you, I am hoping for illumination!
Whenever you add a new instrument, you should create new one in Instrument List too... then give it appropiate patch and channel number.
As for percussion, the easiest way is to use a drum set line... cymbals are as usual there. Everything else works idiotic to say the least.
(I'm on Finale 2007 btw, but heard nothing's improved in this matter for years, so...)