Christopher Smith wrote:
[snip]> I recently did a rather conservative hymn-like choral setting, and
adding a extra eighth note to one of the verses (multiple verses stacked
below one staff) proved to be a real kludge in Finale! The extra eighth
note was reduced in size, you see, and the syllable kept reducing with
it, and if I put it in another layer Finale thought it was a melisma and
added an extension line, and the hyphen didn't work... arrggh! I really
didn't expect to get so hung up on such a simple departure from the
norm. I can only imagine what people like jef chippewa and Dennis B-K go
through on a regular basis.
[snip]
I would like to interject into this conversation an observation I have
made with the help of private message exchange with Bob Morabito (thank
you, Bob!)
Bob had asked for support in making a claim for improvement of Finale's
midi import, specifically when a single-instrument file such as a piano
work is imported, Finale misrepresents the rhythms when additional
voices enter (adding extra note-on/note-off messages for what are
sustained notes in the midi file). I never import such files and have
never run into this problem but he pointed out to me how important the
numbers of complainers are when MakeMusic prioritizes its list of
bug-fixes/new-features/improvements to work on for the next version. He
convinced me that I was being narrow minded in my "it doesn't affect me
so what do I care" attitude as well as in my "MakeMusic doesn't really
give a damn about what we want so why bother" attitude. So I added my
name to those asking for the improvement Bob wanted. I hope it gets
enacted.
The observation I made fits in very well with Christopher's point that
many of us need features only rarely, but when we need them we really
need them, and quite often it is the deciding point on whether or not we
can earn income. I realize that many on this list do not use Finale to
generate income by engraving music for clients, but it is important for
all of us to remember that many of us do (or try to and would like to do
more).
The observation -- we all need to support each other in requesting new
features or bug-fixes or improvements because MakeMusic prioritizes its
list of such things to work on based on numbers of users who have
requested them. I'm sure there are other internal forces at work in
prioritizing such a list, but if only one person requests something they
don't even bother discussing it, I'm sure.
MakeMusic has simplified (thank goodness!) the on-line tech-support
process, so it is very easy to submit feature-requests, bug-fix
requests, bug reports, whatever.
Anybody who is having any problem with any aspect of Finale, whether
it's because you want a new feature to simplify some process, or you
want a new feature which has been lacking, or you want some bug fixed,
should immediately contact the tech support people and add your voice to
those clamoring for something.
And since we are all a big group of friends with a common interest
(sometimes fractious but always friends, I hope) it would be an act of
kindness to add your name to the list of people requesting a new feature
or a bug fix whenever someone complains about it on this list. It takes
all of about 2 minutes to submit the claim and the more people who ask
for something the faster it might get acted on.
So even though I have no quarrels with Finale's lack of graphical score
or circular/spiral score capability, see how important it is to some on
this list, most notably Dennis this time around although others have
complained about the lack in the past, I filed a feature request.
One person complaining can easily be ignored by makemusic -- 500 people
doing so is harder to ignore.
And since for many of us Finale is already at a level where it can do
what we need it to do most of the time, having the development team
spend time on spiral/circular/graphical scores (knowing that some people
will benefit) is much more beneficial than having them add some new
non-functional sales-oriented feature such as micnotator or the
inclusion of BIAB harmonizer or MYBAC rhythm generator, neither of which
have ever been used by me other than to see what they could do. But I
don't mind their inclusion because I do know that some people put them
to great use, just as some people will put the circular/spiral/graphical
score feature to great use, should it ever be included in Finale.
So out of kindness, add your voices to others' feature requests, and
remember that MakeMusic does not monitor this list officially so any
suggestions/complaints/bugs mentioned here stay here and if we want
MakeMusic to act on anything we have to report it to MakeMusic
officially through their web-site.
--
David H. Bailey
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
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