Okay, so I'm using Finale 2004 and a MIDI keyboard to input VDL notes. However, the MIDI keyboard I'm using only has 37 keys, with no control on it for changing octaves. Apparently, the "I, K, and ," keys change octaves in speedy, but it doesn't seem to work for me. No fun to write music when I can't get at anything but a couple dreadlock hits for snares...heh...

Okay, I figured out that the keyboard commands don't work because it will only accept input from the MIDI keyboard...
apparently the solution is to transpose the music to the octave I want after putting it in. How do I do this?

You can use Finale's "transpose function (mass edit tool?) to change octaves. I can't remember if there's a keyboard command for this. It's a snap in sibelius, but I'm not sure if there's a shortcut for Finale. What kind of midi keyboard are you using. Most will allow for quick, easy octave changes before you enter notes.

AB

I'm using an eKeys 37, which doesn't have a function for changing octave. I change it diatonically with Finale, but nothing happens, and I'm pretty sure I'm doing it right...

Select 'Mass Edit Tool'
Highlight the part you wish to transpose
Under the 'Mass Edit' menu (it is a pull down located in the top bar) go to 'Transpose' select the interval for transposition (unison, second, etc.) the last diatonic interval is the octave
hit 'OK' or enter

This should take care of you.

Also, check your keyboard controller for anything like 'OCT SHIFT' with 2 arrows. Additionally, look in the device manual for information.


Ted Boliske

Let me be more specific: I'm entering gigasample sounds - and I want to enter left and right hits for the snare. They are placed on F sharp and G sharp of the fifth octave. I'm entering F sharp and G sharp on the 4th octave. So, I highlight the measure afterwards, go to MassEdit, then Transpose, then I make sure that it's set to "Diatonically" and "Up." The interval is set to "Octave," and I have "Plus 1 Octave." I have "Preserve original notes" unchecked. After I click okay, nothing happens. The notes stay as dreadlock hits, even though they should have been transposed up.

As for the MIDI controller - it doesn't have an onboard function for switching octaves...(it's a cheapy $50 keyboard).

If you're using a template that has percussion notation, you may not see any visible change in the note placement. If you use speedy and try to drag the notes up and down, you might not see any difference.

Fuzzy, what is the range on your keyboard? It's rare that a MIDI controller doesn't allow you to switch octaves. Have you checked the manual to be sure it doesn't allow this? If so, that's a drag. The best solution would be to get a little better keyboard. But if that's not in your budget, it might be worth creating a customized percussion map in Finale so that the keys available on your keyboard are set to access different sounds in the Virtual Drumline keymap. Are you familiar with how to do this?

Yes, but where are the values for the Gigastudio samples? It would be a lot easier to make one from scratch than to move ones around from the default template.

[quote="Fuzzy"]Let me be more specific: I'm entering gigasample sounds - and I want to enter left and right hits for the snare. They are placed on F sharp and G sharp of the fifth octave. I'm entering F sharp and G sharp on the 4th octave. So, I highlight the measure afterwards, go to MassEdit, then Transpose, then I make sure that it's set to "Diatonically" and "Up." The interval is set to "Octave," and I have "Plus 1 Octave." I have "Preserve original notes" unchecked. After I click okay, nothing happens. The notes stay as dreadlock hits, even though they should have been transposed up.

As for the MIDI controller - it doesn't have an onboard function for switching octaves...(it's a cheapy $50 keyboard).[/quote]


It looks as though you are doing everything correct for the transposition. However, using 'plus one octave' could be the problem. This in effect transposes things up 2 octaves. There is another option for you to try. Using the MIDI edit tool, send a midi controller message. Midi controller #77 is undefined/pitch transpose. This might help. You would place the controller message either at the beginning of the score or prior to the change. If you were in fact switching from dreads to sticks. Something like this actually works better within a sequencing program rather than Finale.


Ted Boliske

If you do decide to create your own customized percussion map in Finale, the keymap assignments for the Gigastudio instruments can be found on the last couple pages of the help file that was included with Virtual Drumline. It's worth printing those two pages out for reference.

AB

The reason the Mass Edit Transpose function doesn't work is that it will not work when you are using percussion maps (a function that is assigned by double-clicking a staff with the Staff tool). Since percussion mapping is essential to using Virtual Drumline in an effective way, this can be a little bit of a drag, but these are limitations of the notation software.