Human Playback Dictionary

When you begin a document with the Setup Wizard, a template, or new default document, all of the existing expressions defined for playback are performed by Human Playback (though their playback definitions are substituted with Human Playback’s interpretation based on the style chosen). Human playback recognizes articulation and all other standard performance markings in your score (see Human Playback). In addition, Human Playback looks for any expression or Smart Shapes that contains common words used for tempo and dynamic changes such as "rit." and "cresc.". These expressions, which can be typed into a new expression, are also interpreted during the performance. The following list includes the words Human Playback will recognize and perform. Note that any dots, extra spaces, parenthesis or brackets are ignored as Human Playback looks for these words in the score. For details on adding expressions, see Expressions. To add text as a Smart Shape, use the "Left Start"option to add text in the Smart Line Selection dialog box. If defining or editing a Human Playback style, ensure the appropriate item is checked under Interpret in the Human Playback Custom Style dialog box.

Tempo

("rall", "acc.")

acc, accel, accelerando, accelerato, affretando, incalzando, ristringendo, stringendo, string, stretto, en pressant, pressez, en accélérant, faster, beschleunigend, eilend, drängend, belebend, rall, rallentando, calando, rit, ri, ritar, riten, ritenuto, ritenente, ritardando, slargando, morendo, ritardo, allargando, allarg, retenu, rallentir, en retenant, en cédant, cédez, zurückhaltend, breiterwerdend, breiter, a tempo, tempo, on time, au mouvement, zeitmass, zeitmaß

Dynamics

cresc, crescendo, en augmentant, augmentez, erhebend, aufschlagend, dim, dimin, diminuendo, decrescendo, decresc, decr, perdendosi, smorzando, smorz, en diminuant, en s’éloignant, en atténuant, abnehmend, nachlassend, nachgebend, fz, sf, sfz, sffz, rf, rfz, fp, fp, sfp, ffp, fpp, ffpp, ffpp, sfpp

All of the above can be combined with the following, which can be used to modify the playback effect:

poco a poco, peu à peu, nach und nach, little by little, sempre, toujours, always, immer, molto, moltissimo, moltiss, très, beaucoup, much, un poco, poco, pochissimo, poch, un peu, légèrement, etwas, a little

In addition to text, Human Playback also recognizes musical characters from the Finale music fonts (Maestro, Engraver, etc.), including symbols like trills, accents and turns. You can even combine characters in the Expression Designer. For example, entering a turn with accidentals above and/or below, such as

, will be recognized and performed. For this example, you would simply add the characters into an expression as you want it to appear and then attach the expression to the desired note. Similarly, you can add an accidental to a trill character or other such symbols to customize the performance.

Abstract of ornaments caught: Trill (short, long), trill on several notes or several layers, trill with changing notes behind (long piano trill), trill with specified accidental (as articulation or within the Smart Shape/expression), trillo (short baroque trill), mordent, all Bach/Couperin ornaments (mostly found in November font), including cadenza and coulé, gruppetto (with specified accidental(s) or not, can be combined with mordent like in Bach), Baroque appoggiatura, classical acciaccatura, timpani/drum trill, all Jazz Font ornaments (pre-bend, bend, doit, fall, …) as articulation, jazz shake (wavy line), guitar expression tremolo (wavy line).

Maestro font (or any Maestro map-compatible font, such as Petrucci, November, etc.):

Abstract of tremolos caught: TG tools piano tremolos (measured or not), string tremolos (as articulation), including harmonic tremolo, xylophone tremolo (alternate notes, written as diddle as in marching bands), percussion diddles, tuplet based/dotted tremolos.

Gruppetti: Gruppetti

(Music Font char. 84), d (November Extra char. 100) or g (November Extra char. 103) are tracked by Human Playback.

Baroque Ornaments (articulations): Popular ornaments are lower mordent

(char #77) and trillo (=upper mordent)

(short trill, char#109),

(char #181) long trillo.

Basically, symbols above are French and German baroque ornaments, and Human Playback takes a great care of their interpretation.

If option Baroque Ornaments and Grace Notes is checked, the symbol "+" (char #43 and 246) plays back either as lower mordent, or trillo (if not checked, it is used for Trombone stopped notes.)