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Order of entry

Recommendations for efficient score production.

In general, you can make the most of your time by creating your documents in the following order. Save your work frequently. The list below is just one possibility; you may find a different order suits your style better.

  1. Use the Setup Wizard or a template to define the instruments and basic layout of your piece. If needed, add, delete or edit staves with the Staff tool.
  2. Enter the music using the Simple Entry tool, Speedy Entry tool, or HyperScribe.
  3. Edit the music with the Simple Entry tool. Get familiar with the time-saving keystrokes. Remember, you can right-click) any entry to edit it with a context menu, or CTRL-click) to select any note and use a modifier keystroke to edit the note. To see a list of keystrokes, choose Simple > Simple Edit Commands.
  4. Using the Playback Controls, listen to your piece to check for mistakes.
  5. Put in the lyrics using either Type into Score or Click Assignment.
  6. Use the Repeat tool or one of the Repeat Plug-ins to place any repeats.
  7. Add chord symbols.
  8. Put in all the expression markings: articulations, dynamics, slurs, and so on. Assign your most frequently used markings to Metatools.
  9. Verify that the music is spaced correctly (see Music Spacing); if necessary, use the Music Spacing commands in the Utilities menu.
  10. Use the Resize tool to specify the overall size of the music (by clicking the upper-left corner of the page).
  11. Look the piece over in Page View. Fix bad page turns or system breaks, using the Fit Measures command under the Utilities menu. Use the Selection tool to move measures up or down systems as necessary using the up and down arrows.
  12. Hide empty staves in systems, if necessary, by using Staff > Hide Empty Staves.
  13. Add rehearsal marks with the Expression tool.
  14. Add subtitles, and page numbers with the Text tool.
  15. Review and edit parts.
  16. Use the Page Layout functions to make final adjustments to your score and parts.
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Finale 2014 for Windows

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