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Finale 2011 is now shipping. And I think its probably the most underwhelming update in years. Which does make me quite disappointed because I've worked in Finale for so long and I'm so used to the workflow.
Here's the two (yes only two) main new features:
•New Staff Layout capabilities make it simple and intuitive to hide, move and edit staves, groups and brackets. Musicians are now free to work in any order they wish.
•Lyrics are more easily entered, instantly appear exactly as they'll print out and are automatically spaced with even greater precision.
I really can't leave Finale since I'm so good with it. I even played with Sibelius for a day and couldn't have been more frustrated. Oh well. Here's to hoping 2012 is when they decide to really start making some nice new features that make things easier for the user!
cheers,
ea
Mac Pro 12-Core 2.93ghz 64gb ram | macOS 10.12.6 | Focusrite Scarlett 18i20 | DP 9.52 | VE Pro 6 | Dorico 2.2
2016 MacBook Pro 2.6 ghz i7
Yeah, I was really waiting for a 2010c update, as 2010b is still a little buggy. I've never been happy with lyric entry (in any version) and although it appears they've spent a lot of energy in this area, it seems to be the same old tools. Move on folks, nothing to see here.
Phil
DP 11.23, 2020 M1 Mac Mini [9,1] (16 Gig RAM), Mac Pro 3GHz 8 core [6,1] (16 Gig RAM), OS 14.3.1/11.6.2, Lynx Aurora (n) 8tb, MOTU 8pre-es, MOTU M6, MOTU 828, Apogee Rosetta 800, UAD-2 Satellite, a truckload of outboard gear and plug-ins, and a partridge in a pear tree.
Haven't tried 2011 (or ordered it) yet, but the new staff layout actually looks very useful to me. F2010 has also worked out good for me although most of my heavy lifting was done in F2006. F2007 and 2008 never made it on to my Mac and F2009 worked OK.
I've worked in Finale since 1995 or so and also bought Sibelius a few years ago but just couldn't wrap my head around it. There are a few others on the site working in Finale who are not happy with the bugs. Either I'm lucky or just don't place the same demands on Finale. In 2006 I did three major scores for the Chicago Symphony and they all came out just fine. F2006 was a champ for the most part.
Regardless, I will be updating to F2011 at the end of the month in preparation for a commission due in late August. Hopefully things will work well, but I won't prejudge the release until I try it for myself...
2013 Mac Pro 32GB RAM
OSX 10.14.6; DP 10; Track 16; Finale 26, iPad Pro, et al
MIDI Life Crisis wrote:...but the new staff layout actually looks very useful to me. ...
The problem I've had with Finale is that ALL of their features *look* good in their ads. It's not until I get a new version purchased and installed that I realize how many long-estabished and reliable features don't work any more.
I still miss my "little red truck" after all these years.
OK, I'm lost. Just yell a measure number at me please.
Phil
DP 11.23, 2020 M1 Mac Mini [9,1] (16 Gig RAM), Mac Pro 3GHz 8 core [6,1] (16 Gig RAM), OS 14.3.1/11.6.2, Lynx Aurora (n) 8tb, MOTU 8pre-es, MOTU M6, MOTU 828, Apogee Rosetta 800, UAD-2 Satellite, a truckload of outboard gear and plug-ins, and a partridge in a pear tree.
Now I KNOW I missed an ending somewhere for sure. Just scream,"Coda!" when we get there. I'm completely lost.
Phil
DP 11.23, 2020 M1 Mac Mini [9,1] (16 Gig RAM), Mac Pro 3GHz 8 core [6,1] (16 Gig RAM), OS 14.3.1/11.6.2, Lynx Aurora (n) 8tb, MOTU 8pre-es, MOTU M6, MOTU 828, Apogee Rosetta 800, UAD-2 Satellite, a truckload of outboard gear and plug-ins, and a partridge in a pear tree.
Phil O wrote: Just scream,"Coda!" when we get there.
Or would that be "cream soda"?
This is what happens when software updates set you back $100 or more a year only to find that the update removes your favorite tools and replaces them with ones which may or not be more expedient to use-- or those that don't even work as they should. I mean, we're only talking $2 a week, but that adds up over time. When you sacrifice a couple of car washes, a few tanks of gas, a healthy trip to the grocery store and still wind up using an early version of the software as other users are underwhelmed by their investments, it starts to feel a little like a waste of money.
I'm still on 2009 and bought the good and bad with that version for $119. The solution suddenly became a matter of spending another $119 just for what should have been fixed already. Now we have 2011 for another $119 being met rather tepidly. That's $357 plus shipping-- and I'm still using 2006c about half the time.
Makes one want to hang onto their potatoes and cream soda for as long as possible!!
