Creating a new document from a template

Finale comes with more than 30 different kinds of templates (piano-vocal scores, choral setups, chamber orchestra scores and so on) to help you get started. Not sure how to set up your score for a shape note hymnal? Just use the template we’ve provided. Not sure what size to make your concert band score so all of the instruments fit vertically on a page? Use the template. Occasionally write a pop lead sheet that doesn’t use classical formatting? Use the Lead Sheet template. If you find you use a particular template every single time, you may wish to make it your default file—the template the Setup Wizard uses.

We’ll start this tutorial with the Lead Sheet template and create an arrangement of the folk song “Oh, Susannah.” If you haven’t already started Finale, do so now. Close any documents that may be open or cancel out of the Wizard.

1. From the File menu, choose New, then select Document from Template.   
2. In the Templates folder, double-click on General Templates, then scroll down and select Lead Sheet. Click Open. The Document Setup Wizard appears, giving you the option to specify the title, composer, and other information.
3. Type “Oh, Susannah” in the Title text box and click Next. The final page of the Setup Wizard appears. We will leave these settings alone for now.
4. Click Finish. Finale opens a new, Untitled file with one staff and thirty-one empty measures.

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