Seems like the answer is yes, but here's my specific complaints about Finale (2004):

When entering pit aux parts, it seems to take forever to switch staff styles and
and also do a program change everytime I want to use a new instrument on the
same staff. Does Sibelius make this any process any faster? Are there keyboard
shortcuts?  (Finale seems to have very few). I seem to remember something
about being able to type the program changes right on the score in Sibelius.

On a related note, I'd really like to see an update to VDL2 that includes combo
instruments to help minimize all the switching I'm doing now. Maybe something
like 1 or 2 Pit Auxillary instruments that has as many non-pitched instruments
as can fit -triangle, tambourine, susp. cymbals, concert bass, etc.

Any chance of this happening?

i should say that I'm switching channels, not programs.

I tend to use all 8 channels and sometimes I run out
of channels with this approach.

Sibelius has TONS of keyboard shortcuts and is MUCH more intutive than Finale.  I used Finale for well over 10 years and once you go the initial detox of Finale into Sibelius it is VERY well worth the change.  The sooner the better in my opinion...

My reasoning for not swiching for so long was that I had been doing Finale since 3.5, and I was so good at switching between pallets that I don't need to switch. Key Poulan convinced me to give Sibelius a try. Although it may only take you a few seconds to switch between tools in Finale, take out every one of those ";few seconds"; and you almost cut your time in half!
They offer a competitive upgrade which will get you Sibelius 4 really cheap. I have every upgrade of Finale from 3.5 to 2004, so I gave them my Finale 98 and they gave me Sibelius for like $200 or something.

WELL WORTH THE SWITCH, especially if you are using VDL2.

Registered users of Finale can purchase the ";competitive upgrade"; edition of Sibelius for $199 (rather than the list price of $599).

Available from Tapspace at:
https://www.tapspace.com/sibelius4.html

Sounds good. I'll probably try the demo for a while.

I remembered another thing I dont like about Finale 2004, which is
it uses midi volume as opposed to velocity for cresc/decres,
so they don't play back in VD2. I'm also assuming this
is not the case in Sibelius?

-------------

Does anyone know the answer to my second question. I haven't
been around this forum in a while, but I see there's an update
planned to be released soon. Anyone know if there will be more
combo instruments? I remember a thread over a year ago where
many people (myself included) were asking for them.

One more shout for joy for Sibelius:

When I finally got the hang of Sibelius (it took a couple of weeks -- I was learning VDL2 at the same time), I began to really loathe Finale. It was like Finale had taken up all of this extra time in my life and Sibelius had given it back to me.

When I tell someone to give Sibelius a shot, I discuss the benefit of the program not being tool based. So, in Finale, when you want a crescendo, you have to open a tool that contains the cresc., then select it, then click on the score where you want it. Then you may have to lengthen it or shorten it from there. In Sibelius, you click H. To shorten or lengthen is all about the space bar. Then when you're ready to enter something else, there's no getting out of one tool and into another. You just do it.

Saving that two to three clicks everytime REALLY adds up. And you'll be surprised how quickly you can do things in Sibelius and how much it ";reads your mind.";

Good luck!

I forgot to mention: I've never heard of anyone switching back to Finale from Sibelius and I've never heard of anyone who's started with Sibelius and found Finale to be easier. That fact alone may be the most powerful advertisement for their software.

[quote author=erath link=topic=1259.msg5514#msg5514 date=1153955092]


When I tell someone to give Sibelius a shot, I discuss the benefit of the program not being tool based. So, in Finale, when you want a crescendo, you have to open a tool that contains the cresc., then select it, then click on the score where you want it. Then you may have to lengthen it or shorten it from there. In Sibelius, you click H. To shorten or lengthen is all about the space bar. Then when you're ready to enter something else, there's no getting out of one tool and into another. You just do it.

[/quote]

That settles it. I'm switching. What you said is my main beef with Finale. There's NO reason you shouldn't be able to enter the note value AND maybe an articulation or other item at the same time.

As soon as I'm done with my Fall books I'm buying it. I hate Finale more now that I know this. UGH!

[quote author=dccollins link=topic=1259.msg5518#msg5518 date=1154009854]

That settles it. I'm switching.
As soon as I'm done with my Fall books I'm buying it. I hate Finale more now that I know this. UGH!
[/quote]

You will NOT be disappointed!!

I bought finale 2006 and sib 4 at the same time and I have to say that sibelius 4 is so much easier to write in. It would take me an hour to write a warm up in finale that had diddles, accent and etc.... . It took me a quater of the time to write the same in sibelius. Im always arguing with my buddy who is a music ed major that swears by finale....Are more colleges starting to offer sibelius classes like  they offer finale classes

[quote author=djones link=topic=1259.msg5538#msg5538 date=1154117201]
Im always arguing with my buddy who is a music ed major that swears by finale....Are more colleges starting to offer sibelius classes like�� they offer finale classes
[/quote]

I think that it seems people are very loyal to whichever they are using.  Those of us that have made the switch are finding out the time-saving features and the other cool things about Sibelius just too good to pass up.  I think it was Eric that mentioned this before but it is very true - I have NEVER heard of someone switching to Finale from Sibelius but you do hear of people switching from Finale to Sibelius all the time.  That speaks VOLUMES to me.