MakeMusic released the update to Finale 2012b today, which includes several new features:
- Range Checking. Finale now alerts you when notes are outside of an instrument’s range.
- Automatic Transposition while Copying. Music is now pasted into the most appropriate octave when copied between instruments of different registers. Also, music is transposed into the most appropriate register when changing instruments with the ScoreManager.
- Accessible Text Inserts. You no longer need to venture into a dialog box to edit text inserts. You can now edit them directly in the score like a regular text box. When you do so, the text insert’s definition is updated respectively.
- SVG Graphic Export. You can now export Scaled Vector Graphics from Finale.
- EPUB Export. You can now export EPUB files from Finale for viewing on mobile readers.
- New Finale Lyrics Font. This font improves lyric spacing, and is the new default for scores created with the Document Setup Wizard.
- Automatic Font Annotation. Finale can now automatically generate Font Annotation Files to accommodate files with 3rd-party music fonts.
- New Aria Player. Finale includes the latest Aria Player from Garritan.
There have been some interface changes since the release of Finale 2012:
- “Program Options” have been renamed “Preferences.” To access the Preferences, choose Finale 2012 > Preferences.
- The File menu has been reorganized. Several File menu commands have been moved into new Import and Export submenus, as well as new commands added to 2012b. See “File menu” in the User Manual for details.
- Undefined text inserts appear gray and do not print. Undefined text inserts, such as those that appear in the first page header after finishing the Setup Wizard, are now gray in color, indicating they will not print. You can update these inserts directly in the score using the Text tool. See “Text Inserts” in the User Manual for details.
- Staff Styles now (again) support staff transpositions. The ability to include staff transpositions in Staff Styles has been restored (allowing Staff Styles to be an alternative method for creating mid-score instrument changes). See “Staff Styles dialog box” in the User Manual for details.
Finale 2012b also includes a number of bug fixes, including:
- Audio – Audio files saved using Vienna Symphonic Library (VSL) no longer stutter.
- Fonts – (1) The missing Seville font has been added to MacSymbolfonts.txt. (2) Problems with results from Change Chord Suffix Fonts have been resolved. (3) The Font menu now reports all missing fonts correctly.
- Inserting – Inserting stacks no longer cause a crash when Automatic Update Layout is unchecked.
- Keyswitches – (1) Expressions with keyswitches are now correctly chased during playback when Chase from First Measure is selected in the Playback/Record Options dialog box. (2) JABB (Garritan Jazz and Big Band) trumpets and trombones now respect keyswitch commands for all muted sounds.
- Preferences– Folders – Finale no longer defaults to the MacOS folder if the specified folder is missing.
- Staves – Problems deleting multiple staves in Scroll View have been resolved.
If you have been thinking of purchasing the Finale 2012 update, now might be a good time.
Makemusic’s upgrade sale price of $99 has been extended through July 9th, 2012.
