If during playback you notice your audio recordings are offset from the accompanying score, it is likely the audio signal from your microphone is not being transmitted to your computer instantly. This short delay is called latency. Finale's recording settings allow you to compensate for latency. This is a program setting and will generally only need to be set once (unless future hardware changes alter the degree of latency).
- Choose File > New > Default Document. A new single-staff document appears in Studio View. We'll use this scratch document to determine the degree of latency.
- Click the Simple Entry tool
. Then press Enter to place a note on the first beat of the document. This is our reference point. Any note or chord is fine, as long as it rests on the first beat of the document.
- Choose MIDI/Audio > Audio Track > Add Audio Track. An audio track appears above the regular staff, and below the TempoTap staff.
- Choose the HyperScribe tool
.
- Choose HyperScribe > Beat Source > Playback and/or Click. Choose Start Signal
for Recording > None (Record Immediately). This setting tells
Finale to begin recording using the number of countoff measures specified
in the Click and Countoff dialog box.
- Click the first measure, listen to two bars
of metronome clicks, then record a marker (i.e. vocal note or percussive sound).
- Click the score to stop
the recording. The audio you just recorded is visible in the audio
track.
- Click Play in the Playback Controls to listen to your document.
If the audio marker you recorded and the note(s) you entered do not play simultaneously, you will need to adjust the latency.
- Choose MIDI/Audio > Device Setup > Audio Setup. The Audio Setup dialog box appears.
- After Recording Latency, enter "50" milliseconds. This is a common degree of latency and a good place to start, although the exact amount of time varies by machine.
- Click OK. Repeat steps 6 and 7. If the recorded marker still sounds after beat one of the notated music, you will need to enter a greater duration for Latency in the Audio Setup dialog box. Repeat steps 8 and 9, entering a greater value (i.e. 65). If the recorded marker sounds before the notated music, use a lesser duration of latency (i.e. 35). Experiment with the Latency value until the recorded marker and notated music play simultaneously.
