Hi Everyone,

I just upgraded from Finale Allegro to Finale 2011. I bought the VDL 2011 template for Finale 2011 but it doesn't give me the feature that the 2007 template did.

Using the laptops keyboard I was able to go to the ";bass 1"; staff and pick the right hand drum stroke and if I wanted the same stroke on the ";bass 2"; staff all I would have to do is click the down arrow one time. With the 2011 template, I have to scroll through every sound option that bass 2 offers just to get the same right hand sound.

I am not able to get a much done as fast as I was able to with the 2007 template. How can I fix this?


Finale 2011
VDL 2.5


Yes, I have an midi keyboard but I like to compose while I am traveling.

Percussion mapping and layouts went through a major change with Finale 2010. This may be the cause of what you are seeing on the screen. When you are working without the midi keyboard are you using Simple or Speedy entry? It may help in find a solution.

Thanks for your response. I am using simple entry.

Were you previously using the full version of VDL or the VDLite version which is included with Finale? I think what you are seeing is the difference between to the 2 collections. The full version, which is what the templates were constructed for, has more sounds (obviously) which would be mapped to similar staff positions.

I had Finale Allegro which is like a ";lite"; version of Finale. I had to use the full version of VDL in stand-alone mode because Finale didn't allow VST's in that version.

Is it possible to modify the template so that I could have that feature back?


Also, with the 2007 template I could click any staff line and I would get the same sound consistently to choose others I would have to use the plus or minus button. The 2011 template doesn't do that. Every time I click the same staff space I get a different sound.

For instance, tenor staff drum one's first sound would be the snenor sound no matter what. With the 2011 template, the angle I click the mouse on the staff space determines the first sound I get. With 2007 I knew exactly how many times I had to push the down or up arrow to get what I want. I haven't found a way to be that precise with this template without using the midi keyboard.

The 2011 template designers did the hard work. I just want to make minor tweaks that would keep me from having to push the plus and minus buttons a million times per measure.

I think what you're seeing is the difference between the full version of Finale and the Allegro version. The 'feature' you're referring to wasn't built in to the template.

The templates have all of the sounds mapped and laid out for use in a score. You could remove the sounds you don't wish to use but it would take a good deal of time and energy. A simpler alternative might be to use the VDL 1 maps and layouts. For tenor those would be limited to shots, buzz rolls/crushes, stick on stick, and hits. These use the VDL 2 sounds just mapped to the original VDL 1 instruments. The same would work for basses and snares. Another alternative would be to use the Auto RL maps.