Percussion Map Designer

How to get there

Click the Staff Tool $image\Staff_Tool.gif$ . Double-click a staff handle. Select Percussion from the Notation Style drop-down list if it’s not already selected. Click Select. Click Edit or Create in the Percussion Map Selection dialog box.

What it does

Use the Percussion Map Designer dialog box to create or edit a map for percussion notation. Each note definition you create or edit for a percussion instrument (such as a hi-hat, bass drum, snare drum, and so on) has a particular notehead shape and occupies a specific space or line on the staff. You can also specify a MIDI note for playback that is different than the MIDI note entered in the score. If you’ve specified that Finale should use the note definition (Notes to Use is selected), Finale automatically applies these settings whenever that note is entered on the staff. For example, you might follow the common convention of notating hi-hat cymbals with X noteheads that always appear above the top line of a staff. When a note definition is in use for a note that you enter using Speedy Entry with MIDI, HyperScribe and Transcription Mode, or Import MIDI File, Finale knows to display it as an open or closed (depending on the note’s duration) X notehead above the top line of the staff, without any further action on your part.

If you enter notes without MIDI, Finale looks in the percussion map assigned to the staff for note definitions on that line or space on the staff. If you enter notes with MIDI, Finale looks at the MIDI note entered (MIDI Pitch), and uses that note definition. Whenever a staff is played back, Finale automatically refers to the MIDI Playback note to play the correct percussion sound.

To make it easy for you to set up a percussion staff, we’ve provided a Finale library that includes some percussion maps based on General MIDI, or on standard notation practice. You can use the maps as they are, or customize them for your percussion staves.

Map. Enter a name for the percussion map. You can use this map for any staff in your score, and select which notes you want to use in each particular staff.
MIDI Pitch • Playback • Noteheads • Name. This list box displays all your note definitions for the current percussion map. The list always contains 128 items, numbered 0–127, which correspond to MIDI note numbers. These are actual MIDI notes that are used during MIDI entry. For example, the MIDI note numbers on a full 88-key keyboard range between 21 and 108. In Finale, MIDI note number 60 is equivalent to C4, which is middle C. To set up a note definition, click the item that you want to change. For example, if the percussion sound you want to change is on MIDI note 35, scroll to 35 in the list and select it, then make your changes in the Note Definition text boxes by entering values in the text boxes or by dragging the handle in the Notehead display area. Each item in the list box shows the current settings for each note.

Note: Finale updates the selected list box item to reflect your changes.

Note Definition: Name. Enter a name for the percussion instrument (snare drum, bass drum, cymbal, and so on) that the note represents. Finale doesn’t use this name in the score—it’s simply there for your reference.
Note Definition: Playback Note • Listen. This text box defaults to the same MIDI note number as the item you are editing in the list box. Change the Playback note if you want to use a different percussion sound during playback once you’ve already set up the note definition. Enter a new number to specify a different MIDI note, or click the Listen button and play the desired note on your MIDI instrument. During playback, Finale plays the sound corresponding to the MIDI note number that you entered rather than the actual pitch you entered.
Note Definition: Staff Position. This text box shows the line or space on the staff on which the notehead is placed, measured (in lines and spaces) from the first ledger line below the staff. Positive values place the notehead above the ledger line, and negative values place it below. Enter a new value or drag the handle in the notehead display area to change the note’s position.
Note Definition: Closed Notehead • Select; Open Notehead • Select. Enter the character that you want to use for the note in the list box. Or, click Select to display the Symbol Selection dialog box, which shows all the characters in the notehead font in a graphical palette. Finale supports open and closed noteheads on each staff line. The type of notehead used depends on the duration of the note. Closed noteheads are used for quarter notes or smaller, and open noteheads for half or whole notes. By default, the closed and open noteheads for each entry in the list box use the standard quarter and half noteheads. The list box changes to reflect your selections.
Note Definition: Notehead Display Area. Drag the handle up or down to raise or lower the noteheads. Open and closed noteheads are placed on the same line or space. Finale updates the Staff Position value as you drag, increasing it as you drag the handle up, and decreasing it as you drag the handle down. The list box item is updated to reflect your changes.
Notes to Use: Highlighted Note. If a checkmark appears to the left of an item in the list, the settings are turned "on" for the note, so the note definition will be used for the current staff. If no asterisk shows, the settings are turned "off" and Finale will use standard notation for any note on the current staff. Click this checkbox to select it if you want Finale to use the note definition for the note selected in the list box. If the checkbox is selected, click to deselect it and Finale will ignore the note definition for the note and display the note in standard notation.
Notes to Use: Highlighted Note. If an asterisk appears to the left of an item in the list, the settings are turned "on" for the note, so the note definition will be used for the current staff. If no asterisk shows, the settings are turned "off" and Finale will use standard notation for any note on the current staff. Click this checkbox to select it if you want Finale to use the note definition for the note selected in the list box. If the checkbox is selected, click to deselect it and Finale will ignore the note definition for the note and display the note in standard notation.
Notes to Use: All Notes • All Named Notes • None (Clear). Use these buttons to change the Notes in Use. Click All Notes to select all of the notes for use in the map. This may lead to numerous overlaps and should be used with caution. Click All Named Notes to select notes if they have a name defined for them. Click None to remove the selection for use for all of the notes in the map.
Go to Note: Listen. Instead of scrolling to the note that you want to edit in the list box, click the Listen button and play the desired note on your MIDI instrument. Finale selects the corresponding item in the list box.
View Only Named Notes. Check this box to display in the list box only notes that have a defined name. Uncheck this box to display all notes in the list box.
Done. Click this button when you’ve finished creating or editing the percussion map. You return to the Percussion Map Selection dialog box.

Use Note

If an asterisk (*) appears to the left of the number in the MIDI Pitch column, the settings are turned "on" for the note, so the note definition will be used for the current staff. If no asterisk shows, the settings are turned "off" and Finale will use standard notation for any note on the current staff. Think of it like a light switch. If it’s "on" then you can see the room and use it; if it’s "off" then the room is dark and can’t use it.

Think of the Percussion Map as characteristics of a car. The MIDI Pitch is like the car frame. It’s the foundation and thus what Finale looks at. The MIDI Pitch is the note you play in to be mapped and what all other parts are attached to. The Playback is like the engine. It’s the sound generated by Finale. If you want a note to have a unique sound, edit the Playback. Make it sound like a SAAB two stroker, a VW Beetle or a Chevy V-8. The Notehead is like the body style. It’s what the note looks like and what the drummer/driver sees. You can make the Note look like an AMC Gremlin, a BMW Isetta or a Nash Rambler. The Name is like the model name, what you/the car maker calls it.

Tip: All templates that incorporate a percussion staff have the percussion map already defined for General MIDI notes.