How to use MIDI Setup

To get you started, we’ve provided basic instructions for setting up Finale to work with the CoreMIDI system of OS X. Refer to the Installation for Macintosh for basic instructions on setting up your MIDI hardware.

 

Note: The settings you specify in the MIDI Setup dialog box are saved with your Finale preferences. The Output and Input Device, and Receive MIDI Sync From settings for the currently selected MIDI system are saved with preferences when you click OK in the MIDI Setup dialog box. Be sure to choose Save Preferences from the File menu to save any other settings that you made for other MIDI systems. (If “Save Preferences When Quitting” is selected in the Program Options dialog box, Finale will automatically save these settings—along with all other program settings—when you quit Finale.) Once you save your MIDI Setup preferences, you can switch between MIDI systems without having to reconfigure the settings each time.

To use CoreMIDI

In the MIDI Setup dialog box, for MIDI System, choose CoreMIDI. Finale provides eight banks of Finale channels (numbered 1-128) to choose from for sending and receiving MIDI information. You can select more than one device for a bank of channels. If you are using OS X 10.1.x, CoreMIDI is configured for you automatically, and available MIDI ports appear in the Input Device and Output device pop-up menus. If a port does not appear, ensure you have installed your MIDI interface device. If you are using OS X 10.2.x or later, you can name a MIDI device and configure additional settings in the Audio MIDI Setup dialog box. To do so, follow these steps:

When you start Finale, the device names and input/output settings for each device are reflected in the MIDI Setup dialog box. You are now ready to use CoreMIDI to manage MIDI input and playback.

To use Inter-application MIDI

You can either use Inter-application MIDI, which Finale 2004 and later supports, or an IAC Driver (OS 10.3 and later) to use MIDI signals to communicate between applications.

When a program supports inter-application MIDI (e.g. Finale, Digital Performer, Unity DS-1, etc.), you can instruct it to publish its virtual drivers/ports. Details on how to enable these virtual ports/drivers are provided by the manufacturer of the application. (To do so in Finale, check Enable Inter-Application MIDI in the MIDI Setup dialog box). Once these virtual drivers are enabled, they can be selected as a MIDI Input and/or Output in other MIDI applications that support inter-application MIDI.

If you have published another program’s virtual ports/drivers, you can choose that device for output in Finale’s MIDI Setup dialog box. In the case of Digital Performer for example, you would select "DP Input" in the MIDI Output Device list in Finale. In Unity DS-1's case, you would select "Unity Destination".

To use OS X’s IAC Driver

When one of your MIDI applications does not support inter-application MIDI, you may be able to link them using an IAC Driver. The IAC driver is OFF by default in OS X, therefore you will first need to configure it. To do so:

  1. Go to your Hard Drive >> Applications >> Utilities, and open the "Audio MIDI Setup" control panel.  
  2. Click on "MIDI".  
  3. Double click the IAC Driver icon to get the IAC Driver Properties window.  
  4. Expand the window by clicking on the "More Information" arrow.  
  5. Click the "Ports" button in the lower section.  
  6. Make sure that you see at least one "IAC Bus 1" port in the list. If not, click the "Add Port" button.  
  7. In the upper section, check "Device is Online".  
  8. Click APPLY.  
  9. Close the window.  
  10. Quit the Audio MIDI Setup.  

Now, in your MIDI Applications, select the "IAC Driver" for MIDI input and/or output. In Finale, when you go to the MIDI/Audio menu >> MIDI Setup, you will see "IAC Driver IAC Bus 1" listed under moth MIDI Input and Output. If you use the "IAC Driver IAC Bus 1" for Output in Finale and you select the IAC Driver for input in a software sampler/synthesizer (like Reason) or MIDI sequencer, Finale communicates with that software and send its MIDI data to it via the IAC Bus.

 

 

 

 

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