Tempo

The tempo you set with this procedure is the default starting tempo Finale uses when it plays back your score by “reading” the notated, quantized music. If your score is a transcription of a performance you recorded with the Transcription Mode in an earlier version of Finale, however, you also have the option of hearing a playback with the actual tempo of the original performance, including any fluctuations. For a complete discussion of this process (capturing MIDI data), see To specify playback parameters.

Noteman says: Expressions defined to set the playback tempo (such as those created with the Create Tempo Marking plug-in), override the tempo set in the playback controls.

1. Choose Window > Playback Controls. The Playback Controls appear.
2. Enter the starting tempo in the Tempo text box (next to the speaker icon).

   The number you type here is the standard metronome setting (beats per minute). Use the drop-down menu to set the note value—quarter note, for example.

At any point in the score, you can insert a functional tempo marking (such as Presto or Adagio) that will actually change the tempo during playback. For more information, see Tempo markings.

The word accel. or accelerando is an expression in the Tempo Alterations category, which you place into your score with the Expression tool. If you want to indicate a gradual increase of tempo graphically, see Beaming: feathered beaming.

1. Choose the Expression tool .
2. Double-click on, above, or below the note or measure to which you want to attach the marking. The Expression Selection dialog box appears.
3. Click Tempo Alterations. All the tempo alteration expressions appear in the preview window.
4. If you see the “accel.” expression in the list, double-click it. Finale places the "accel." expression into the score. Positioning is based on the Tempo Alterations category settings (see Category Designer). If you do not see the "accel." expression, continue:
5. Click Create. The Expression Designer dialog box appears.
6. Type “accel.” or “accelerando.” Finale automatically applies the font, size, and style of the Tempo Alterations category.
7. Click OK and then Assign to return to the score. To adjust the marking, drag its handle; to remove it, click the handle and press DELETE.

   You have just added an expression to the expression library - it is now available to use elsewhere in this document. For more details, see Expressions.

Noteman says: To use manually defined tempo or dynamic markings for playback, set Human Playback to None.

Finale’s Human Playback feature automatically recognizes text expressions such as “accel.” and applies tempo adjustments accordingly during playback (see Playback Settings dialog box for details). However, you can also define your own precise tempo changes manually. The instructions below describe how to assign a tempo change to an expression that can be added to the score at any time. To easily record, or ‘conduct,’ a unique tempo change for any region, use TempoTap.

1. Choose the Expression tool . If you haven’t yet placed the mark in the score, double-click any place on a staff. When the Expression Selection dialog box appears, click the desired symbol, click Edit, then skip to step 3.
2. Double-click the expression's handle. The Expression Designer dialog box appears.
3. Click the Playback tab.
4. Choose Type > Tempo.
5. Select Execute Shape, then click the Select button.
6. Click Create to display the Executable Shape Designer dialog box, then Shape ID. You’re now in the Shape Designer.
7. Choose Shape Designer > Rulers and Grid.
8. Click Eighth Notes.
9. Type 1 into the Grid Lines Every: box, and click OK.
10. Choose Shape Designer > Show > Grid. Your Shape Designer drawing area now shows a horizontal point for each eighth-note duration, so that you can specify how long you want the accelerando to last. Each horizontal grid line represents a one-point increase in tempo (from 150 to 151 beats per minute, for example).
11. Click the Line Tool . Click on the small white circle (the origin) and drag toward the upper-right. Watch the numbers in the H: and V: numbers as you drag; stop when H: and V: both say 4.
12. Click OK.

    You’ve drawn a graph (an Executable Shape) of the tempo during the accelerando. For each vertical grid line you crossed as you dragged to the right, the accelerando lasted another eighth note duration; for each horizontal grid line it crossed, the tempo increased one metronome point. Therefore, to make the accelerando last for one half-note, it should cross four grid lines as you drag to the right. To make the tempo increase by 20 beats per minute, you might think you’d have to cross 20 horizontal grid lines on the way up. For now, however, cross only four, meaning the tempo increases by four beats per minute.

13. Click Select to return to the Executable Shape Designer dialog box.
14. In the Level Scale boxes, enter "8:1." You probably wouldn’t even be able to perceive the accelerando if it only sped up by four points during a half note. By changing the Level Scale, you’re multiplying the degree of accelerando. If you enter 8:1, the tempo changes by 32 points—a much more satisfying accelerando.

    Note that at this point you could also specify a different Time Scale, which determines how long the executable shape lasts. When you designed the shape, it crossed four grid lines (eighth notes)—one half note. Change the Time Scale to multiply that amount; a Time Scale of 1:2 would make the accelerando last half as long (a quarter note), and 3:1 would create one that would last three times as long (six beats).

15. Click OK, Select, and Assign to return to the score. Listen to the accelerando and see how it works. If it doesn’t speed up enough, increase the Level Scale. If it lasts too long, decrease the Time Scale. (The effect of the accelerando varies according to the current tempo.)

Finale includes a rit. marking in the Tempo Alterations category of the Expression Selection dialog box which is automatically interpreted by Human Playback. See To assign an expression to a staff.

In Finale a rallentando can be a playback effect, a graphic marking in the score, or both. The rall./rit. marking itself can appear in one staff or several specified staves. Finale’s Human Playback feature recognizes text such as “rall.” and applies tempo adjustments accordingly during playback. See Playback Settings dialog box for details. To use manually defined rallentando markings for playback, set Human Playback to None.

1. Choose the Expression tool .
2. Double-click where you would like to add the marking. The Expression Selection dialog box appears.
3. Choose the Tempo Alterations category from the list on the left. If the marking already appears in the list, click it and skip to the step 6.
4. Click Create. The Expression Designer dialog box appears.
5. Type “rall.” or “Rallentando.” Highlight the text, then choose Text > Font to change the type style (to italic type, for example).
6. Click OK or Select or Assign in each dialog box until you return to the document.

Finale’s Human Playback feature automatically recognizes text expressions such as “rall.” and applies tempo adjustments accordingly during playback (see Playback Settings dialog box for details). However, you can also define your own precise tempo changes manually. The instructions below describe how to assign a tempo change to an expression that can be added to the score at any time. To easily record, or ‘conduct,’ a unique tempo change for any region, use TempoTap.

Noteman says: To use manually defined tempo or dynamic markings for playback, set Human Playback to None.

1. Choose the Expression tool . If you haven’t yet placed the marking in the score, double-click any note. When the Expression Selection dialog box appears, click the desired symbol, click Edit, and then skip ahead to step 4.
2. CTRL+double-click the handle. The Expression Selection dialog box appears.
3. Click Edit. The Expression Designer dialog box appears.
4. Click the Playback tab to display the playback options. Choose Type > Tempo; select Execute Shape, and click the Execute Shape Create button. You’re now in the Shape Designer.
5. Choose Shape Designer > Rulers and Grid. The Rulers and Grid dialog box appears.
6. Click Eighth Notes, type 1, and click OK. Choose Shape Designer > Show > Grid. The grid appears; each imaginary vertical grid line represents an eighth note’s duration; each horizontal line represents a tempo change of one beat per minute.
7. Choose the Line Tool . You’re about to draw a graph of the playback effect of the rallentando marking. To use the Line Tool, you drag it across the drawing area. To make your shape match the one pictured here, observe the H: and V: numbers as you move the cursor, and stop when the H: number is 4 and the V: number is –5.
8. Draw a line, as shown:
   
   
   
   You should have a line that slopes downward from the small white circle (the origin). In this example, its width (the H: measurement) is 4, meaning the duration of four eighth notes; this rallentando will last for a half note. The line’s height, 5, represents the number of beats per minute the tempo will be slowed by this rallentando—at the moment, that’s not much of a tempo change. You’ll have a chance to adjust both of these effects.
9. Click OK then Select to return to the Executable Shape Designer dialog box.
10. In the Level Scale boxes, enter 8:1. You probably wouldn’t even be able to perceive a rallentando that only slowed down by five beats per minute. By changing the Level Scale, you’re multiplying the degree of rallentando. If you enter 8:1, the tempo will change by 40 beats per minute—a much more satisfying rallentando.

    At this point, you can also specify a different Time Scale, which would determine how long the Executable Shape will last. When you designed the shape, it crossed four grid lines (each representing an eighth note duration, for a total of one half note). Change the Time Scale to multiply that rate of rallentando; a Time Scale of 1:2 would create a rallentando lasting half as long (a quarter note), and 3:1 would create a rallentando that lasts three times as long.

11. Click OK or Select or Assign in each dialog box until you return to the document. Listen to the rallentando in playback and see how it works. If it doesn’t slow down enough, increase the Level Scale. If it lasts too long, decrease the Time Scale. (The effect of the rallentando will vary according to the current tempo.)

Finale includes an a tempo marking in the Tempo Alterations category of the Expression Selection dialog box which is automatically interpreted by Human Playback. If you want to define a tempo setting manually for an a tempo marking, follow these instructions.

1. Choose the Expression tool .
2. Double-click on, above, or below the note or measure to which you want to attach the marking. The Expression Selection dialog box appears.
3. Choose the Tempo Alterations category from the list on the left.
4. Click Create Tempo Alteration. The Expression Designer dialog box appears.
5. Type “a tempo.” Highlight the text, then choose Text > Font to change the type style (to italic type, for example).
6. Click the Playback tab to display the playback options. Choose Type > Tempo.
7. Choose the note duration that is your time signature’s beat duration. If you are in 2/4, 3/4, or 4/4 time, choose the quarter note. If you are in 2/2 or 3/2 time, choose half note. If you are in 3/8, 6/8 or 9/8 time, choose the eighth note or dotted quarter note.
8. Select Set to Value and enter the tempo you want it to playback.
9. Click OK and then Assign to add the marking to the score.

TempoTap^® is a feature exclusive to Studio View that can be used to tap or “conduct” a tempo adjustment using an external MIDI device or your computer keyboard. This is the recommended method for specifying a tempo change manually. For example, if you have loaded an audio track into your document, you can sync your music to tempo changes in the imported audio file using TempoTap.

Note that Human Playback interprets “rit.”, “accel.”, and other tempo indications automatically. Tempo changes applied manually with TempoTap will apply to playback with Human Playback because the Human Playback Preferences dialog box is configured to incorporate tempo change data by default.

1. Choose View > Studio View.
2. Indicate the beats you wish to tap by notating durations into the TempoTap staff with the Simple Entry tool (or Speedy Entry tool ).

   If you want to specify a rallentando passage, for example, which slows drastically in a short amount of time, you may want to tap eighth notes instead of quarter notes to indicate the gradual change in tempo for the duration of the passage. To do so, simply enter durations into the TempoTap staff as you would any other staff. Notes snap to the line automatically. For details regarding note entry, see Simple Entry and Speedy Entry.

3. Choose the HyperScribe tool .
4. Click the measure in the TempoTap staff where you wish to begin specifying the tempo. When you click a measure, a green scroll bar appears which tells you Finale is waiting for your signal to start recording a tempo. The first beat you tap is the signal to start recording.

   Therefore, to prepare for recording a tempo, consider counting off a measure or two, stopping short of pressing SPACEBAR before recording the first beat.

5. Tap the tempo using SPACEBAR or a note on your MIDI device. The scroll bar advances at your speed as you tap the tempo.

   Each tap corresponds to the note duration shown directly above in the TempoTap staff.

6. When you are finished, simply stop tapping and click the score. The Last Recorded Tempo dialog box displays the tempo you ended with.

   This tempo is assigned from the point you stopped recording the tempo to the next tempo change.

7. Click OK. Play the score to review the tempo change.