A Few More Questions

[MJL54-]

Since everyone - especially Brandon - has been so good with questions, I'm going to ask a couple more.

Now that I've had that problem of 2 souncards sorted out, here's what I did to make sure I would continue on a straight path. I uninstalled the Sound Blaster and actually removed the hardware, so there's no way there'll be any mixup on any level. Now I have only my Delta AP on board, and Cubase is working fine. I can record, listen, etc. I also discovered that Finale has a synth (which I believe either Brandon or someone else suggested it must have, in an earlier post). The synth uses a font, so I just routed it to the best font I have, which I was using with the Sound Blaster. Now I get playback in Finale without the Sound Blaster, which is great!

The only thing is - and this is kind of interesting - I am unable to input to Finale. I don't know why. I'm going to check and see if Finale is the only other program that won't take input, or whether it's other programs as well, besides Cubase. Cubase works fine - I can input OK - I just have to make sure that the Delta Control page is set to the right parameters. But this setup, for some reason, doesn't work with Finale. I've been looking at the possibility of using virtual cables, such as Hubi's Midi Loopback Device, because it would seem that Finale isn't registering the input through the Delta Control Panel.

Other than that, I feel pretty confident about just about everything else on my system. Would appreciate any input. I've been studying all about signal routing, so whatever I learn here will be advantageous.

Thanks.

Mike.

[richiebee]

So, you've gone into MIDI Set up in Finale and the option isn't there to switch to the Delta?

[MJL54-]

Originally Posted by richiebee

So, you've gone into MIDI Set up in Finale and the option isn't there to switch to the Delta?

Actually, it's not quite like that. What shows up in my midi setup under MIDI IN, there's only one choice, Delta AP Midi. Under MIDI OUT, there is an option to select the SmartMusic Synth, which plays back. The other options for output is Delta AP Midi, which is the same as the input. Maybe that's the problem? I get no sound output when I select that.

I checked my other sequencers, such as Cakewalk, and they all recognize the input from my keyboard, allowing me to record. The difference is that Finale is just a midi program, although, since it uses a synth and my soundfont, should that make a difference? I just think it's suspicious, kind of, that Finale is the only one that won't read my keyboard input.

The output from my keyboard is being routed through the AP soundboard, I know, because I can hear it through my speakers. And if I select Input in the sub-panel of Finale, where I select the synth for output, I keep getting a message, something to the effect that my audio is set up wrong and I should install a mixer. So, it seems pretty obviously that it ain't going thru the mixer, I guess.

Thanks for any help.

Mike.

[richiebee]

As I understand it, your problem is that there is no midi INPUT. So forget the output side of it... the input is what you need to fix. In fact, forget sound altogether. What you need to concentrate on is getting notes to appear on the staves in Finale. Does the "base channel" match the output channel of your keyboard (usually channel 1)? What version of Finale are you using?

R.

[brandondrury]

I just think it's suspicious, kind of, that Finale is the only one that won't read my keyboard input.

Bingo. Your troubleshooting tells us that that keyboard and souncard are fine. So there is no use even messing with those. Since Cubase and Cakewalk work fine, do not tinker with the keyboard or soundcard. I'm 100% confident the problem is within Finale itself.

There has to be a setting there somewhere to accept the MIDI in from the M-Audio card.

Brandon

[MJL54-]

Originally Posted by richiebee

As I understand it, your problem is that there is no midi INPUT. R.

Yeah, in fact I can't record into Finale, either - there's a difference, because you can record live and you can input in step fashion, just like any other midi sequencer. The only thing I can do is input notes with the mouse. It's weird.

Originally Posted by richiebee

Does the "base channel" match the output channel of your keyboard (usually channel 1)? What version of Finale are you using? R.

I'm not sure what you mean by the "base channel," Richiebee. Are you talking about where you can set up channels in the keybaord? I know how to do that, but I don't know anything about what to do there. Is it a question of syncing up channels, somehow?

I've got Finale 2006.-

[MJL54-]

Originally Posted by brandondrury

Bingo. I'm 100% confident the problem is within Finale itself.Brandon

Yeah, so am I. I have Sibelius, too, and it's the same problem there.

Originally Posted by brandondrury

There has to be a setting there somewhere to accept the MIDI in from the M-Audio card.
Brandon

Well, I've tried everything, in Finale, I don't know where to look next.

Mike.

[richiebee]

Originally Posted by MJL54-

I'm not sure what you mean by the "base channel," Richiebee. Are you talking about where you can set up channels in the keybaord? I know how to do that, but I don't know anything about what to do there. Is it a question of syncing up channels, somehow?

Crap... I don't have Finale here so I can't refer, but in the MIDI set up is where I found the Base Channel thing - it should at least match what your keyboard is outputting. It might be the problem, it might not be. I'm not sure, but MIDI at this level is pretty simple, and I can't think of anything else that could be causing it.

[MJL54-]

Yeah, I found the base channel dialog box, and it's set to 1. I think I set my keyboard to 1, though I wouldn't really know it because nothing lights up or anything, so I don't know what do to next. I can't find anything useful in the Finale User's Guide. I think I might just post a question on the Finale forum, you never know maybe someone will answer. I basically will only be using Finale to do arrangements, which means inputting note by note, more or less. Now that I have Cubase activated, I'm using that to practice with my playalongs and to record myself.

Thanks for your help, Richiebee.

Mike

[richiebee]

One of my arranger friends uses Finale (despite my recommendation that he buy Sibelius!), and I know he had a bitch of a time doing the MIDI set up. What's more, he found that the latency was way too high to allow him to play live anyway!

I use Sibelius, and since I'm not a great keyboardist, I actually find it faster to input notes by hand. Once you've got the key strokes down, it's really easy (and apparently also in Finale: another composer friend of mine uses manual input even though he's an accomplished pianist).

I've done three piece horn section arrangements in Sibelius and had them printed out before our rhythm section is ready to bash out new arrangements with horns on new tracks.

But, I guess if you want to do it by inputting notes, Finale should be able to handle it for you. I'm sorry I don't have any other answers for you. If you are inputting everything with a keyboard though, you might consider putting your parts in in Cubase. Cubase will give you a much more friendly graphic representation of what you're doing, even if the actual notation side is not as comprehensive. You can export from Cubase to Finale if you want to check the integrity of your parts, although I'd go with whatever sounds right, is right and forget Finale altogether.

I only use notation software where I need to print out parts and give them to real musicians (maybe you're the same). With samples and synths, too much tweaking needs to be done with controllers to get stuff to sound authentic to bother with notation software for this task.

I'm not saying you're wrong to consider using Finale for your input, but just that its not the only way.