I have: Dell Latitude (laptop), Windows 2000, Finale 2003, Maple midi tools, Reason. I can input notes in Finale utilizing the VDrumline template (which I downloaded), notation appears correct, but have ZERO sounds from Finale in input or playback. (I can set to "Default Midi Device" and hear piano sounds while inputting). Solutions?
-Fred

Here are a couple suggestions...

Launch Maple Midi Tools FIRST. In its "Options" menu, go to MIDI settings, and be sure the "Accept Input from Sequencer or scoring program" is selected.

Then open Reason. In it's MIDI settings, be sure the MIDI input is set to Maple MIDI port 1. Obviously, you'll load your soundfonts into seperate NNXT samplers at this time too, and be sure that each instrument is assigned a unique midi channel (i.e. Snares=1, Tenors=2, etc).

Open the Finale template, and go to your MIDI Setup window. Device OUT, should be set to Maple Midi Port 1. Device IN, should be set to your midi keyboard/driver.

Then go to your "Instrument List" in Finale. Be sure all of the tracks are "play" enabled. Nothing in the "S" column (solo) should be checked, and all staves should be checked in the "P" column. Each instrument should correspond to the channel number that you assigned for it in Reason.

Let me know if these steps help get you on track.
good luck!
Adam

Did all those steps previously yesterday. Did them again this morning in the sequence you outlined (no presets had to change-they were just as you stated)--still no sound. Some other "clues" to my setup: my midi device is a Studiologic/Fatar SL-161 midicontroller running to a midiman midisport 2x2 using both midi cables and USB (the USB was necessary when I first purchased Finale 2 years ago to work correctly on the laptop and I believe it is bypassing the midi cable)-the selection switch on the midisport is set to USB (and I have tried switching to "midi" with no luck) running to a Roland Sound Canvas SC-55 which runs to my Roland MA-12 speakers (I also believe the midi cables are providing sound to my speakers via the Sound Canvas).

As stated in previous email, I hear piano sounds when the midi out under midi setup in Finale is set to "default midi output device," but no sound when switched to "Maple midi out: port 1."

Any ideas?
-Fred

Fred,
Hang in there. There's probably a simple solution for all of this...we just have to find it.

Check this:
Go to your "Control Panel" (in windows) and double-click on "sounds and audio devices" then click the "audio" tab. Be sure that the checkbox that says, "use only default devices" is NOT checked. This may be the trick, so if you had to de-select this checkbox, try attempting the previous steps as before to see if Finale will now access Maple.

If not, try setting the "Default MIDI Playback device" (in the above-mentioned control panel location) to "Maple MidiOut Port 1". By doing this, when you set Finale's output (in the MIDI setup window) to "Default MIDI device", it should to out to Maple. I'm still a bit stumped why setting this to Maple didn't work in the first place, but there may be another variable somewhere that I'm not sure of.

One thing to check out in Reason's "properties" is this. This is a confusing feature to Reason, that may have accounted for some frustration. There's a "MIDI" window and an "Advanced MIDI" window in this preferences area. One of these is for midi input, and one of them is for midi output (I can't remember which one). You might try swapping the settings in these windows just for testing purposes. Reason needs to receive MIDI-IN from Maple. This is because Finale is sending MIDI-OUT to Maple.

Let me know if any of these suggestions yield different results.

Adam

Adam-
You da man! In Reason under Preferences, Switching Midi to "no midi input" and Advanced Midi to "Maple Midi In: Port I" beside Bus A worked!

Next problem: LOTS of reverb with all sounds. So bad that 16ths in snare staff sounds like VERY bad pulsing buzz roll (a la Jr. High player). Suggestions?

Excellent. Glad to have made some progress!

Hmmm...your reverb issue sounds like it's probably coming from within reason. It may also be Delay that you're hearing. You can adjust these elements either by removing them altogether, or playing with the dials in Reason's mixer, or the actual reverb or delay components in the rack.

Adam

Adam-
All systems go-decay/reverb was in Reason...fixed. Last Q? (hopefully): Using the Finale/Reason Template for VD and having the channels in Reason/Finale correct, Cymbals/BD and Tenor in Finale are all reading off channel 3 (Tenors Full) in Reason. Ergo, all I am hearing is Tenor sounds on those 3 staff lines. Suggestions?
-Fred

Clarify that your channels in Finale coincide with your channels in Reason (sorry if I misunderstood). I.E...

-Snares: channel 1 in Finale, channel 1 in Reason
-Tenors: channel 2 in Finale, channel 2 in Reason
etc...

Couple more suggestions:
In Finale's MIDI Thru window, be sure it's set to "Smart".

In Reason's "sequencer" pane (this is usually showing toward the bottom of the "rack"...to be sure, select "detach sequencer window" from the "window" menu. In this window, be sure that none of your tracks have a little MIDI icon on the left (in the IN column). This icon sort of looks like a one-eyed smily face...kind of. :) If you see this icon, click it and it will toggle off.

Using Finale's "smart" midi thru, and having reason so that it can receive midi from any channel, hopefully this will work. Let me know.

AB

Adam-Did all of above. Still "no biscuit" on bd staff sounding like bd and cym staff sounding like cymbals.
-Fred

Snare and tenor staves are working properly, right? If so, this just sounds like the channels don't coordinate between the two progams. I don't want to suggest things you've already tried, but it might be worth verifying what channel you have the BD instrument (the NNXT-advanced sampler unit in Reason) set to. This should be easily seen at the very top of the rack window in reason where you set the MIDI channels for your rack devices. I'm a bit stumped on this. If snares and tenors are behaving correctly, it tells me that Finale and Reason are successfully communicating. So the culprit seems like it would be that some channel settings may have been set incorrectly on the staves in question. Have you seen any other behaviour that seems odd? Or, have these staves ever worked for you?

Adam

Adam-
I've tried all I know to get the BD/Cymbals to sound through my keyboard via midi. Tenors/SD work just fine, but am still only receiving tenor sounds on BD/Cym staff. I've checked Reason/Finale settings--all good, all sync up. I have no idea what is creating my problem. Any suggestions?
-Fred

Hi Fred - I'm a little stumped on this one too. Adam's suggestions all make sense, but it sounds like somehow the channels set in Reason and the channels set in Finale for your bass and cymbals staffs aren't right.

Anyone here have experience with Reason and Finale?
I'm a Sibelius/Kontakt/Giga person myself. Seems like you have things right, so the fact that you are still having trouble with just a couple staffs tells me that there may just be a couple small incorrect settings.

jim

Jim-Could it be there's a problem in the Finale Template posted on the web? BTW-BYU started using your sticks last season--the kids couldn't be happier (and cleaner!)
-Fred

Fred-
Sorry for the delay - I've been out of the country for several days now and haven't been checking the forum recently. I'm not sure about the Finale thing. Have you tried re-downloading the Finale template from the tapspace site? If so, I wonder if that gives different results. I suppose it could be a number of things but it still sounds like there is an inconsistency between Finale/Reason in regard to channel number or playback device settings.

Anyone else have any thoughts?
-jim

Folks-I've tried everything I know to get Bd & Cym sounds from the VD template. However, still nothing. This program, at this point, can only help me with SD and Tenor sounds, so I'm at a loss for what to do for the rest of the battery.
-Fred