Click and Countoff

Use the settings in the Click and Countoff dialog box to define the metronome click played when you’re recording with HyperScribe or playing back using Playback Controls. Specify the number of measures, if any, you want counted off prior to recording. Set when you want to hear a metronome click, whether a MIDI note or a MIDI event will be played for the click, its exact sound, how hard the note should be “struck”, its duration, and whether Finale should wait for a start signal before starting countoff and recording. If you have selected Tap as your Beat Source Finale will ignore the settings in this dialog box.

For more information about click and countoff settings, see Click and Countoff dialog box.

To set up countoff measures and the metronome click (for Playback and HyperScribe recording)

1. From the MIDI/Audio Menu, choose Click and Countoff to display the Click and Countoff dialog box.  
2. Choose an option from the Countoff popup menu to set when Finale will provide a countoff of measures before starting to record or play back. Choose Never if you never want a countoff; choose Always if you always want a countoff when you’re playing back and recording; choose While Playing or While Recording if you want a countoff only while playing back or only while recording, respectively. Finale will always sound a click when playing countoff measures.
3. In the Measures text box, enter the number of measures that you want Finale to count off before recording or playing back music. Enter zero if you don’t want any countoff, 1 if you want one measure counted off, 2 to hear two measures, and so on. If you’re only playing back, Finale uses the time signature of the first measure that you’re playing back to determine the time signature of the countoff measure. If you’re recording, Finale uses the beat duration set in HyperScribe’s Quantization dialog box.
4. Choose an option from the Click popup menu to determine when the metronome click will play. Choose Never if you never want a click; choose Always if you always want a click when you’re playing back and recording; choose While Playing or While Recording if you want a click only while playing back or only while recording, respectively. Regardless of this setting, Finale will always play a metronome click during countoff measures.
5. Choose Internal Speaker, MIDI Note or MIDI Data from the Source popup menu, depending on whether you want a MIDI note or MIDI event as the clicks. You can specify different MIDI signals for the down beats and other beats. To have Finale automatically fill in the MIDI settings for you, click Listen, then play the MIDI note or activate the MIDI event; Finale will fill in all the settings for you, except for Duration. If you prefer, type the MIDI information into the text boxes. For details, see Click and Countoff dialog box.
6. Click OK to return to the document. When you record, Finale will use the settings you just made.

To setup a click with a non-percussion playback device

1. From the MIDI/Audio Menu, choose MIDI Thru. The MIDI Thru dialog box appears.
2. Click Smart and click OK.
3. From the MIDI/Audio Menu, choose MIDI Setup. The MIDI Setup dialog box appears.
4. Click the Advanced button. The MIDI Setup dialog box expands.
5. In the first MIDI IN slot (above Hide Advanced Settings), select the driver for your MIDI IN device (usually with MPU or MIDI IN in its name.)   
6. In the first MIDI OUT slot (above Hide Advanced Settings), select the driver for your MIDI OUT device (usually with MPU or MIDI OUT in its name.)      
7. For the second MIDI OUT slot (below Hide Advanced Settings), select the driver for your computer speakers (usually with the words Synth or FM in its name.)    
8. Set the base channel to 17. Click OK.   
9. Click the HyperScribe Tool . The HyperScribe Menu appears.
10. From the HyperScribe Menu, choose Beat Source, then Playback and/or Click.
11. Click on the Click and Countoff button. The Click and Countoff dialog box appears. See To setup countoff measures and the metronome click (for Playback and HyperScribe Recording) above for more details.
12. Enter 26 in the Note box for both Down Beats and Other Beats. Leave the other boxes in their default values. See General MIDI Percussion Map Table for more information.