Recording with HyperScribe

Finale allows two types of recording with HyperScribe; A real-time MIDI transcription recorded using an external MIDI device such as a MIDI keyboard, or an audio track recorded using a microphone attached to your computer.

When you’re recording a real-time MIDI performance using HyperScribe, you can provide the click yourself by tapping a note on your MIDI keyboard, a foot pedal, and so on (if Tap is selected in the Beat Source submenu). Or, another computer or MIDI device can provide a time code that Finale will sync to (if External MIDI Sync is selected in the Beat Source submenu). If you prefer, however, you can have Finale provide a metronome click, which can be triggered by playing a certain MIDI note (if Playback and/or Click is selected in the Beat Source submenu).

When you're recording an audio track, the live performance must be in real-time and match the desired playback tempo. For details, see To record an audio track.

Note: If you are using Kontakt for Finale with GPO as your playback device, to get a metronome click, you will need to load a percussion instrument and select the patch manually. See To use a metronome click with VST.

To record into one or two staves

1. From the MIDI/Audio Menu, choose Quantization Settings. Adjust the settings, then click OK. See Quantization Settings dialog box for more information.
2. Click the HyperScribe Tool  . The HyperScribe Menu appears.
3. From the HyperScribe Menu, choose Beat Source, then Playback and/or Click. The Playback and/or Click dialog box appears. (See Playback and/or Click dialog box) 
4. Click the note duration you would like to use for your beat. Type in the number of EDUs for any duration that is not available from the palette.
5. If you know what tempo you want to record at, click Use This Tempo and enter the tempo into the Tempo text box. If you prefer to have Finale calculate the tempo for you, click Listen, then tap any key on your MIDI instrument in the desired tempo. Finale will enter the tempo you play. You can select Use Playback Tempo to respect all playback indicators (Playback Controls, Expressions, etc.) while you record.
6. Choose a start signal from the Start Signal for Recording drop-down list. Finale will delay starting the countoff measures and recording until it receives a start signal. Choose None (Record Immediately) if you don’t want to use a signal to start recording—Finale will immediately start recording (after playing the countoff if one was specified); choose Any MIDI Data for Finale to start recording upon receiving any MIDI signal that’s played; choose Current Metronome Sound to use the same MIDI signal as the metronome click; choose Standard Sustain Pedal or Nonstandard Sustain Pedal to signal the start by depressing the foot pedal; choose Other to define an alternate MIDI signal as the start signal in the MIDI Event dialog box (see MIDI Event dialog box).
7. Select Play Staves While Recording if you want all the staves set up in the instrument list to play back while Finale provides a click.
8. Click on Click and Countoff to set up your click and countoff options. For details, see Click and Countoff.
9. Click OK.
10. Choose Record into One Staff or Split into Two Staves from the Record Mode submenu of the HyperScribe Menu.
11. If you choose Split into Two Staves, the Fixed Split Point dialog box appears. Enter the note that will serve as the split point for the staves. Or click Listen, and play the note on your MIDI keyboard. Click OK. See Fixed Split Point dialog box for more information.
12. Choose HyperScribe Options from the HyperScribe Menu and change the Receive On information if you’re sending information on an alternate channel. Change other settings as needed, then click OK. See HyperScribe Options dialog box for more information.
13. From the HyperScribe Menu, choose Record Continuous Data. Then click Listen and play the continuous data you want to record during your HyperScribe session (or make your selections from the drop-down). Then click Done and OK to dismiss the dialog box. See Record Continuous Data dialog box for more details.
14. To start recording, click the measure in which you want Finale to begin recording. Signal Finale to start (if you selected a start signal). Click a measure. Or, choose Playback Controls from the Window Menu, if it isn’t already selected. If you have selected split into two staves, click on the upper staff in which you want recording to begin. Change the measure if necessary, then click Record in the Playback Controls.

If there are repeats in the region you are recording, Finale will jump back to the beginning of repeated sections (as it would during playback). While recording, the second pass of a repeated section will overwrite the first pass.

Note: If you click a measure to start recording, Finale will start recording into the measure you clicked, not the measure displayed in the Playback Controls.

15. When you’re finished, (if you are providing the beat), give one extra tap. The extra tap is required to fill out the beat, for the benefit of Finale’s quantization feature.

Note: If you stop in the middle of a measure, Finale automatically fills the rest of the measure with rests. If you’re HyperScribing over an existing passage and accidentally play partway into an existing measure that you wanted to preserve, ctrl-click to end the recording; Finale won’t transcribe the new notes you’ve played in the half-completed measure.

16. Click anywhere on the screen to stop recording and exit the HyperScribe dialog box (if it is displayed). If the quantization or split point settings weren’t quite right, change them; then click the first measure and try the performance again. HyperScribe will overwrite whatever music is already on the staff. If you can’t seem to find a split point that works to separate the music into the proper staves, use the Note Mover to correct any split point errors (see To correct split point errors, below).

To use multitrack recording (HyperScribe)

When you’re using multitrack recording, remember to specify the recording options in the Instrument List window, otherwise Finale won’t know which staves to record into, or which channels to receive from. As with other HyperScribe record modes, you can have Finale wait for a click (Tap or External MIDI Sync is selected in the Beat Source submenu). If you prefer, however, you can have Finale provide a metronome click, which can be triggered by playing a certain MIDI note (if Playback and/or Click is selected in the Beat Source submenu).

1. Choose Quantization Settings from the MIDI Menu. Adjust the settings, then click OK. See Quantization Settings dialog box for more information.
2. Click the HyperScribe Tool  . The HyperScribe Menu appears. The first decision you have to make is whether or not you want Finale to provide a click.
3. From the Beat Source submenu of the HyperScribe Menu, choose Playback and/or Click. The Playback and/or Click dialog box appears. (See Playback and/or Click dialog box) 
4. Click the note duration you would like to use for your beat from the Beat Equals palette. Type in the number of EDUs for any duration that is not available from the palette.
5. If you know what tempo you want to record at, enter the tempo into the Tempo text box. If you prefer to have Finale calculate the tempo for you, click Listen (the Listen to Tempo dialog box will appear), then tap any key on your MIDI keyboard in the desired tempo. Finale will enter the tempo you tapped. See Listen to Tempo dialog box.
6. Select Play Staves While Recording if you want all the set up staves in the instrument list to play back while Finale provides a click.
7. Choose a start signal from the Start Signal for Recording drop-down list. Finale will delay starting the countoff measures and recording until it receives a start signal. Choose None (Record Immediately) if you don’t want to use a signal to start recording—Finale will immediately start recording (after playing the countoff, if one was specified); choose Any MIDI Data for Finale to start recording upon receiving any MIDI signal that’s played; choose Current Metronome Sound to use the same MIDI signal for the metronome click; choose Standard Sustain Pedal or Nonstandard Sustain Pedal to signal the start by depressing the foot pedal; choose Other to define an alternate MIDI signal as the start signal in the MIDI Event dialog box (see MIDI Event dialog box).
8. Click on Click and Countoff to set up your click and countoff options. For details, see Playback – Click and Countoff.
9. Choose Multitrack Record from the Record Mode submenu of the HyperScribe Menu.
10. Choose Instrument List from the Window Menu, if it isn’t already selected. Click the appropriate P (Play) or S (Solo) columns to determine which staves will play back as you record. (For more information, see Instrument List window.)
11. Click in a staff’s R (Record) column to specify that music will be recorded into the staff (a black triangle appears in the column). To record into different layers of a staff, expand the staff list by clicking on the control arrow next to the staff name, then click in the Record column for each layer you want to record into. Click again to remove a triangle from a staff or layer previously selected for recording.
12. Enter the channel number that will be recorded for each staff or layer in the RChan column. To specify different channels for the layers of a staff, expand the staff list by clicking on the control arrow next to the staff name, then enter the channel numbers into the RChan columns for those layers. Finale displays the word Mixed next to the Staff name in the RChan column, indicating that Finale will be recording into one or more layers of the staff, from more than one channel.
13. Close the Instrument List. Clicking on the minimize icon in the upper right corner.
14. Choose Playback Controls from the Window Menu, if it isn’t already selected. See Playback Settings dialog box.
15. In the Measure text box, enter a new measure number to indicate where to start you transcribing.
16. When you’re ready to start recording, signal Finale to start (if a start signal was selected). Click the Record button in the Playback Controls. Or, click a measure in your score where you want recording to begin. Finale will use the settings in the Instrument List to determine which channels to receive from or which staves to record into, then begin countoff and recording.

Note: If you click a measure to start recording, Finale will start recording into the measure you clicked, not the measure displayed in the Playback Controls.

17. When you’re finished, (if you are providing the beat), give one extra tap. The extra tap is required to fill out the beat, for the benefit of Finale’s quantization feature.

Note: If you stop in the middle of a measure, Finale automatically fills the rest of the measure with rests. If you’re HyperScribing over an existing passage and accidentally play partway into an existing measure that you wanted to preserve, ctrl-click to end the recording; Finale won’t transcribe the new notes you’ve played in the half-completed measure.

17. Click anywhere on the screen to stop recording and exit the HyperScribe dialog box (if it is displayed). If the quantization or split point settings weren’t quite right, change them; then click the first measure and try the performance again. HyperScribe will overwrite whatever music is already on the staff. If you can’t seem to find a split point that works to separate the music into the proper staves, use the Note Mover to correct any split point errors (see To correct split point errors, below).

To use a metronome click with VST

MIDI instruments and VST instruments cannot playback simultaneously. Therefore, if a VST product (like Kontakt for Finale with GPO) is chosen as your playback device in MIDI Setup, extra steps are required to sound a metronome click during your HyperScribe Sessions:

1. From the MIDI/Audio Menu, choose Instrument Setup >  VST Instruments. The VST Instruments dialog box appears.
2. Click the 1-16 drop-down menu and choose Instruments for Finale 2009 (if it’s not chosen already). Then click the Edit button to the right. The Aria Player for Finale appears.
3. For channel 10, load the Basic Orch Percussion sound. If all eight slots are full, replace one of the instruments with the Basic Orch Percussion sound and reassign the replaced instrument on a different set of channels.
4. Closethe player and click Close to dismiss the dialog box. Setting the channel to 10 ensures the metronome click will play normally if MIDI is set as the playback device.
5. From the MIDI/Audio Menu, choose Click and Countoff. The Click and Countoff dialog box appears.
6. Change the Note fields for both Down Beats and Other Beats to 56. This will produce a side drum hit when using the Aria Player for Finale and a cowbell when using MIDI.

Note that you could use a different VST product instead of the Aria Player for Finale, although the sound and patch number for the click sound would be different than the one used for these steps.

To record an audio track

1. From the View Menu, choose Studio View. Audio tracks are only visible in Studio View.
2. From the Document Menu, choose Playback/Record Options. Ensure "Chase from First Measure" is selected under the Dynamics and Markings drop-down menu. Click OK.
3. From the MIDI/Audio Menu, choose Audio Track, then Add Audio Track. An audio track appears above your instrument staves, and below the TempoTap staff.
4. Choose the HyperScribe Tool . At this point the steps are basically the same as recording a HyperScribe session.
5. From the HyperScribe Menu, choose Beat Source, then Playback and/or Click. Click the drop-down menu to the right of Start Signal for Recording and choose None (Record Immediately). This setting tells Finale to begin recording using the number of countoff measures specified in the Click and Countoff dialog box.
6. Click the first measure, listen to two bars of metronome clicks, then begin recording into the microphone.
7. When you are done, 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. Click on the audio track again to record over the original recording. If there is a delay in the transmission from the microphone to your computer, you can adjust the audio latency to resolve the difference in all future recordings. See To Correct Audio Recording Latency

Finale allows a single audio track in any document. For more advanced options, such as editing the reverb of the audio file or recording multiple voices; use audio editing software, save as aWave, and import the audio file into a Finale document's audio track. See Audio.

To Correct Audio Recording Latency

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).

1. From the File Menu, choose New > Defaut Document. A new single-staff document appears in Studio View. We'll use this scratch document to determine the degree of latency.
2. 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.
3. From the MIDI/Audio Menu, choose Audio Track, then Add Audio Track. An audio track appears above the regular staff, and below the TempoTap staff.
4. Choose the HyperScribe Tool .
5. From the HyperScribe Menu, choose Beat Source, then Playback and/or Click. Click the drop-down menu to the right of Start Signal for Recording and choose None (Record Immediately). This setting tells Finale to begin recording using the number of countoff measures specified in the Click and Countoff dialog box.
6. Click the first measure, listen to two bars of metronome clicks, then record a marker (i.e. vocal note or percussive sound).  
7. Click the score to stop the recording. The audio you just recorded is visible in the audio track.
8. 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.
9. From the MIDI Menu, choose Audio Setup. The Audio Setup dialog box appears.
10. 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.
11. 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.