A SmartMusic accompaniment file is essentially an enhanced MIDI file. Some of the tips below can help you prepare the best possible MIDI playback (in Finale or SmartMusic) as you notate the score. Other tips address the unique issues of the SmartMusic enhancements and limitations.
Tips for SmartMusic files
- Double-check the playback of the file. To hear how the music will sound in SmartMusic, play the file using Finale’s SmartMusic SoundFont playback (see SoundFonts).
- The playback cursor always follows the accompaniment file - the playback cursor never follows the displayed notation file.
- Page scrolling during playback is designed to give you ample time to look ahead in the music. There are certain combinations of repeats that may not scroll properly in SmartMusic. A possible work-around is to resize the page using the View menu (zoom in or zoom out).
- SMPX files with both a pickup measure and a repeat to the beginning of the piece are not supported by SmartMusic. These files cause problems with the playback cursor and page scrolling. To work around this issue, do not use Finale's pickup measures. Instead, use a measure with a smaller time signature and set it to display an alternate time signature.
- If you have problems with scrolling playback in SMPX files that contain both a pickup measure and repeats, make sure that in the Finale file, the measure numbering starts on the measure following the pickup measure. In other words, the pickup measure should not be included in the measure numbering.
- Check the ScoreManager to make sure none of the tracks are muted. See Instrument List.
- Ensemble SMPX files cannot display on-screen notation.
- If an SMPX file that displays the music on-screen uses music fonts or text fonts not available on the end-user's computer, a default font is substituted.
- Embedded fonts and graphics are not supported in SMPX files.
- Only single-staff instruments/voices are supported for on-screen notation, with the exception of MIDI keyboard (grand staff).
- Remove extra or empty measures at the end of the file.
- Tempos should remain within a range of 20-240 beats per minute for best following.
- Ritardandi and accelerandos applied to the file will help the SmartMusic following create a smoother tempo change.
- Keep tempo changes conservative to allow the musician to create their own interpretation and provide a smoother following of tempo nuances for the Intelligent Accompanist.
- If your file is not playing back properly, try removing grace notes or repeats and re-exporting.
- No controllers except Volume (#7), Sustain (#64), Room Select (#12), Reverb (#91) and Pitch Bend are allowed. See Continuous data.
- Finale and SmartMusic understand transposing instruments and will adjust accordingly. If you wish to double-check the sounding or concert pitch, use Display in Concert Pitch in the Document menu.
- Regardless of instrumentation, fingering charts are only shown for the solo instrument.
- Changing instruments, changing octaves, transpositions by interval, and range checking can all result in vertical collisions on a single staff, between staves in a system, or between systems.
- If you intend to use Intelligent Accompaniment, you must have at least 2 staves when saving an SMPX: one staff for the solo or melody line and one staff for the accompaniment.
General tips for MIDI Files
- You may want to record all tracks by performing them into Finale using HyperScribe or a sequencer and avoid step-entering notes. Performing tracks adds human variation to velocities, durations and note placement which creates a more natural sounding accompaniment. To achieve a similar effect, enable Human Playback (available in the Playback Settings dialog box).
- If you’re importing a MIDI file into Finale, make sure you save it as MIDI Type 1 (tracks become staves), so that all of the channels or tracks are separate.
- When importing a MIDI file, preserve as much of the MIDI information as possible by checking Include Tempo Changes and Continuous Data. See also To import a MIDI file.
- Check your Playback/Record Options. Make sure the four Play Recorded check boxes are checked. If you enable Human Playback, set up the Human Playback Preferences to incorporate all of the User MIDI Data. See Playback/Record Options dialog box.
- Check the tempo playback. Many things can affect the tempo in Finale. Start with the base tempo in the expanded. See Playback Settings dialog box, Expression Designer dialog box and Tempo Tool.
