Our support contact form is found
at the bottom of this page.

QUICKSTART GUIDE

To download your purchased software again, please click here.

MAC INSTALLATION

  • If you've purchased NotePerformer, please download the full version installer using your personal download links.
  • Run the installer and proceed through all steps. The full version overwrites the trial version.
  • Open a score in Finale, and go to:

    MIDI/Audio ▸ Sound Map Priority

    and move NotePerformer to the top. This makes NotePerformer your default choice of sounds in Finale, when creating a score or when running "Reassign Playback Sounds".
  • Set playback to be through Audio Units plug-ins:

    MIDI/Audio ▸ Play Finale Through Audio Units
  • For existing scores which are already assigned to other sounds, please run:

    MIDI/Audio ▸ Reassign Playback Sounds
  • NotePerformer may be uninstalled by running:
     
          /Library/​Application Support/​NotePerformer/​Uninstall NotePerformer.command
  • Our installer overwrites previously installed NotePerformer versions.

PC INSTALLATION

  • If you've purchased NotePerformer, please download the full version installer using your personal download links.
  • Run the installer and proceed through all steps. The full version overwrites the trial version.
  • Open a score in Finale, and go to:

    MIDI/Audio ▸ Sound Map Priority

    and move NotePerformer to the top. This makes NotePerformer your default choice of sounds in Finale, when creating a score or when running "Reassign Playback Sounds".
  • Set playback to be through VST plug-ins:

    MIDI/Audio ▸ Play Finale Through VST
  • For existing scores which are already assigned to other sounds, please run:

    MIDI/Audio ▸ Reassign Playback Sounds
  • NotePerformer may be uninstalled from "Add/Remove Programs".
  • Our installer overwrites previously installed NotePerformer versions.

GETTING STARTED IN FINALE

  • Open MIDI/Audio ▸ Sound Map Priority and move NotePerformer to the top.
  • This makes makes NotePerformer your default choice of sounds in Finale, when creating a score or when running "Reassign Playback Sounds".
  • If our sound map is missing, please run the NotePerformer installer again.
  • This is usually necessary when you install a new version of Finale.
  • You must use Default Prefs as your Human Playback Configuration.
  • This is the default setting in Finale.
  • We extend your Default Prefs configuration with NotePerformer's custom Human Playback Preferences.
  • Location in Finale for this setting is:

    MIDI/Audio ▸ Human Playback ▸ Human Playback Preferences...
  • Make sure Attach to "..." is NOT selected.
  • We recommend the Custom... Human Playback Style and deselecting everything under Advanced.
  • The "Advanced" options produce inconsistencies and unwanted note accents.
  • Human Playback interprets the musical symbols in your score and converts them into MIDI signals for your playback device.
  • Always use a Human Playback Style. The "None" style turns off dynamics and articulations. Please don't use it.
  • To get the correct sound for a staff you simply select the appropriate instrument from the Score Manager.
  • After making changes from the Score Manager, you must also run:

    MIDI/Audio ▸ Reassign Playback Sounds
  • Using our supplied FinaleScripts we add support for a few techniques such as a2, a3 and non vib which are not described by Human Playback. These can be assigned manually to an expression whenever you wish to use them.
  • For each technique, there's also one that cancels that technique (for example, "a2" is cancelled by an expression to which you've assigned the "UNISONS ‑ solo/default" FinaleScript).
  • To assign playback for an expression, select the handle and run the appropriate FinaleScript.
  • We also include a FinaleScript for assigning tenuto to its articulation, if you wish to use tenuto, because tenuto isn't otherwise detectable in Finale. We've assigned tenuto to the lowest possible note velocity, which is 1.
  • Opening the NotePerformer interface from Finale reveals our own high-resolution mixer.
  • In Finale, our mixer is opened from the dialog:

    MIDI/Audio ▸ VST (Mac: Audio Units) Banks & Effects...

    By clicking the small "pencil" icon next to each respective NotePerformer bank.
  • The mixer is initially empty, but is populated with instruments when you initiate playback.
  • If you delete staves from the score, you can remove the lingering slot by clicking the instrument name and selecting Special > (delete slot).
  • Solo/mute, volume and reverb work globally across all NotePerformer instances.
  • Channels are automatically grouped and color coded according to instrument family.
  • Double-clicking restores the default value for a parameter.
  • Instruments have different pan defaults, reflecting orchestral seating.
  • NotePerformer supports custom organ registration by inserting a MIDI CC message into the score.
  • Please use our online calculator to determine the MIDI CC message. You can find it here:

    noteperformer.com/stops
  • In Finale, you may attach a MIDI message to your own expression.
  • Go to Expression Designer ▸ Playback.
  • Enter Controller "103", and Set to Value according to our calculator.
  • Clicking an instrument's name in the mixer allows you to override the sound for that MIDI channel.
  • This provides access to sounds that are not mapped by your notation software.
  • Or simply for using a different choice of sound for a staff.
  • Or for accessing additional drum kits such as rock, brushes or electronic drums.
  • For reference, you may add custom MIDI CC events to any expression in Finale.
  • This is done by editing the Playback settings for that expression.
  • The Send Patches to MIDI Device on Playback option must always remain selected.
  • It's a per-score setting, found under Document ▸ Playback/Record Options...
  • If you deactivate it... the NotePerformer mixer is never populated, and you only hear trumpet sounds.
  • We sometimes encounter Finale documents where note lengths are incorrect or playback is distorted.
  • You can try to repair a problematic score by the following steps, in order:

    1. Select the entire score.

    2. Go to the MIDI Tool.

    3. Run MIDI Tool ▸ Apply Human Playback...

    4. Choose the Clear MIDI Data option, click "Apply" and then Close the dialog.

    5. Run MIDI Tool ▸ Clear.

    6. See if playback works. If not...

    7. Export to MusicXML and import as a new document.
  • We do a few tweaks to your Default Prefs global playback preferences, which may be good to know about if you want to change these settings yourself.
  • The default value for Hairpin Pair Emphasis is changed from 50% to 30% (for a custom setting, use any value but 50%).
  • The default value for Auto Expression Emphasis is changed from 40% to 0% (for a custom setting, use any value but 40%).
  • We make sure that Optimize Attacks for Garritan Libraries hasn't been deselected.
  • Start/Stop Time is set to "No HP Effect" to preserve the written length of notes.
  • Tremolo Minimum Speed is increased from 12 to 30 to improve our unmeasured string tremolos and percussion rolls.
  • Humanize Rolls and Trills is deselected because it introduces unevenness.
  • With older Finale scores the volume of the first bank is sometimes set to zero, for unknown reasons.
  • In which case instruments from the first bank will not produce any sound.
  • You can fix this problem from the Banks & Effects dialog:

    MIDI/Audio ▸ VST (Mac: Audio Units) Banks & Effects...

    by setting the volume of all banks to 100.
  • If there's no sound, while NotePerformer's mixer levels are moving, you could have an undesired Output Source set in Finale.
  • You change this setting from the Audio Setup dialog:

    MIDI/Audio ▸ Device Setup ▸ Audio Setup
  • The Output Source must be set to match your desired speaker or headphone output.
  • In Finale, out-of-range percussion notes that were entered from a MIDI keyboard are assigned by their MIDI note value rather than by their sound.
  • Older documents having this problem may produce the wrong percussion sounds, when you switch to NotePerformer.
  • You can fix this problem by running Utilities > Transpose Percussion Notes... with the faulty notes selected. Use Change Selected Note to assign those notes to their appropriate instrument sound in Finale, rather than a MIDI note number.
  • Staff Sets have only limited support for Human Playback.
  • Articulations and dynamics won't playback within a Staff Set, unless the first staff is also included.
  • When playback is of importance, we advice against using Staff Sets.
  • With a Rent-to-Own subscription, you receive a subscription-related email each month.
  • The email includes a link to manage your orders, where you can update payment details or cancel your subscription.
  • There is also a link to access your invoice. To download a .pdf, click the icon in the upper-right corner of the invoice.
  • Older Rent-to-Own subscription emails look different.
  • There is a link to manage your subscription beneath "X Additional Payments of $10.75 every Month".
  • If installation on macOS fails unexpectedly, Apple's Installer application may have insufficient disk privileges.
  • Installing from a Dropbox folder is a potential cause.
  • Granting Full Disk Access privileges in System Settings resolves it.

KNOWN ISSUES IN FINALE

  • Since Finale 26.3.1, the issue below has been resolved.
  • The playback line in Finale is way ahead of what you hear.
  • The playback line is off-beat by one second because Finale doesn't currently latency compensate.
  • Since Finale 26, the issue below has been resolved.
  • When entering notes with your mouse or keyboard, there is a one second delay before you hear the sound of the note.
  • It happens because Finale doesn't currently report the transport playback state to plug-ins.
  • The result is that NotePerformer's read-ahead algorithms always remain active, even when playback is paused, causing a delay in sound output.
  • Glissandos may not playback correctly.
  • In the Human Playback Configuration, we must set Start/Stop Time to "No HP Effect", to preserve the written length of notes.
  • Unfortunately, the same switch negatively impacts glissandos.
  • Since Finale 27.3, the issue below has been resolved.
  • If your Windows User Account was named such that it includes non-English characters Human Playback Preferences becomes inoperable in Finale.
  • So, if you login to Windows by the name of (for example) François, Jörg, or 伟, you can use only the built-in sounds in Finale.
  • The only workaround that we know of currently is to create an alternative Windows user account using only A-Z characters to run Finale from.

ARTICULATIONS IN FINALE

NO MAPPING
available in Finale

NO MAPPING
available in Finale

May be triggered by MIDI using
NOTE ON Velocity = 1
NO MAPPING
available in Finale

May be triggered by MIDI using
CC26=14 ······ CC26=0
NO SUITABLE
mapping in Finale

May be triggered by MIDI using
CC24=31 ······ CC24=0
NO SUITABLE
mapping in Finale

May be triggered by MIDI using
CC26=19 ······ CC26=0
NO SUITABLE
mapping in Finale

May be triggered by MIDI using
CC26=70 ······ CC26=0
NO MAPPING
available in Finale

May be triggered by MIDI using
CC16=54 ······ CC16=0
NO MAPPING
available in Finale

May be triggered by MIDI using
CC64=127 ······ CC64=0
NO MAPPING
available in Finale

May be triggered by MIDI using
CC20=6 ······ CC20=0
NO MAPPING
available in Finale

May be triggered by MIDI using
CC20=5 ······ CC20=0
NO MAPPING
available in Finale

May be triggered by MIDI using
CC20=18 ······ CC20=0
NO MAPPING
available in Finale

May be triggered by MIDI using
CC26=13 ······ CC26=0
NO MAPPING
available in Finale

May be triggered by MIDI using
CC15=83 ······ CC15=0
NO MAPPING
available in Finale

May be triggered by MIDI using
CC15=81 ······ CC15=0
Range: X=1...64...127
(-63 cents ... 0 cents ... +63 cents)

CC102=X ······ CC102=0
Range: X=2...8
(number of players)

CC104=X ······ CC104=0
Range: X=1...64...127
(scale by 0% ... 100% ... 200%)

CC105=X ······ CC105=0
Range: X=1...64...127
(scale by 0% ... 100% ... 200%)

CC106=X ······ CC106=0
Turns all notes into
full-length notes

CC108=1 ······ CC108=0
Range: X=1...64...127
(377 Hz ... 440 Hz ... 503 Hz)

CC109=X ······ CC109=0
Range: X=1...64...127
(shift -2 ... +2 dynamic levels)

CC110=X ······ CC110=0
USE OUR SCRIPT

noteperformer.com/stops
Use portamento for legato

CC111=1 ······ CC111=0
OVERRIDE THE SOUND
FROM OUR MIXER

Or trigger by MIDI using
CC26=30 ······ CC26=0
USE OUR SCRIPT

noteperformer.com/stops
Range: X=0...64...127
(100% ... 0%)

CC112=X ······ CC112=0

PERCUSSION MIDI MAPS IN FINALE

ORCHESTRAL PERCUSSION
0  Low conga (open)
1  Low conga (mute)
2  Low conga (muffled)
3  Low conga (slap)
4  Low conga (slap, mute)
5  Low conga (slap, muffled)
6  Low conga (finger, open)
7  Low conga (finger, muffled)
8  Low conga (harmonics)
9  Low conga (bass tone)
10  High conga (open)
11  High conga (mute)
12  High conga (muffled)
13  High conga (slap)
14  High conga (slap, mute)
15  High conga (slap, muffled)
16  High conga (finger, open)
17  High conga (finger, muffled)
18  High conga (harmonics)
19  High conga (bass tone)
20  Low bongo (open)
21  Low bongo (muffled)
22  Low bongo (slap)
23  Low bongo (slap, muffled)
24  Low bongo (finger, open)
25  Low bongo (bass tone)
26  High bongo (open)
27  High bongo (muffled)
28  High bongo (slap)
29  High bongo (slap, muffled)
30  High bongo (finger, open)
31  High bongo (basstone)
35  Bass drum (concert)
36  Sticks
37  Snare (crosstick/rim click)
38  Snare (snares on)
 
39  Snare (side stick, snares on)
40  Snare (rimshot, snares on)
41  Snare (snares off)
42  Snare (side stick, snares off)
43  Snare (rimshot, snares off)
44  Hi-hat (closed)
45  Hi-hat (pedal)
46  Hi-hat (open)
47  Wind gong (20 inch)
48  Tam-tam (medium, 18 inch)
49  Cymbal (clash, medium)
50  Cymbal (clash, high)
51  China cymbal (18)
52  Crash cymbal (suspended)
54  Tambourine
55  Cymbal (splash)
56  Tam-tam/Large gong
57  Opera gong (down)
58  Opera gong (up)
60  Tom-tom (very low)
61  Tom-tom (low)
62  Tom-tom (medium-low)
63  Tom-tom (medium)
64  Tom-tom (medium-high)
65  Tom-tom (high)
66  Tom-tom (very high)
71  Hand clap
72  Güiro (short)
74  Güiro (long)
75  Claves
76  Anvil
77  Finger cymbals (open)
78  Sleigh bells
79  Castanets
80  Triangle (muted)
81  Triangle (open)
 
83  Cowbell (medium-high, open)
84  Cowbell (medium-high, muted)
85  Cowbell (medium, open)
86  Cowbell (medium, muted)
87  Maracas (right)
88  Maracas (left)
89  Cabasa
91  Ratchet
92  Vibraslap
93  Whistle
94  Agogo (medium)
95  Agogo (high)
96  Timbale (medium-low)
97  Timbale (medium-high)
98  Egg shaker
99  Whip
100  Ride (bell)
101  Ride (high)
102  Ride (medium)
103  Wood block (low)
104  Wood block (medium-low)
105  Wood block (medium)
106  Wood block (medium-high)
107  Wood block (high)
108  Bar chimes
109  Bell tree
110  Rain stick
111  Finger cymbals (muted)
112  Taiko (medium)
113  Taiko (low)
114  Taiko (very low)
115  Temple block (low)
116  Temple block (medium-low)
117  Temple block (medium)
118  Temple block (medium-high)
119  Temple block (high)
DRUM SET (STICKS, ROCK)
31  Sticks
36  Kick drum
37  Side stick
38  Snare
41  Tom-tom (very-low)
42  Hi-hat (closed)
43  Tom-tom (low)
44  Hi-hat (pedal)
45  Tom-tom (medium-low)
46  Hi-hat (open)
47  Tom-tom (medium)
48  Tom-tom (medium-high)
49  Crash Cymbal
50  Tom-tom (high)
51  Ride cymbal
52  China cymbal
53  Ride (bell)
54  Tambourine
55  Splash cymbal
56  Cowbell (medium, open)
76  Wood block (high)
77  Wood block (low)
80  Triangle (muted)
81  Triangle (open)
100  Rimshot
101  Cross stick (rim click)
DRUM SET (BRUSHES)
31  Sticks
36  Kick drum
37  Side stick
38  Snare
41  Tom-tom (very-low)
42  Hi-hat (closed)
43  Tom-tom (low)
44  Hi-hat (pedal)
45  Tom-tom (medium-low)
46  Hi-hat (open)
47  Tom-tom (medium)
48  Tom-tom (medium-high)
49  Crash Cymbal
50  Tom-tom (high)
51  Ride cymbal
52  China cymbal
53  Ride (bell)
54  Tambourine
55  Splash cymbal
56  Cowbell (medium, open)
76  Wood block (high)
77  Wood block (low)
80  Triangle (muted)
81  Triangle (open)
100  Rimshot
101  Cross stick (rim click)
102  Swirl
DRUM SET (ELECTRONIC)
31  Sticks
33  Hand clap
35  Kick drum (2)
36  Kick drum
37  Side stick
38  Snare
40  Snare (2)
41  Tom-tom (very-low)
42  Hi-hat (closed)
43  Tom-tom (low)
44  Hi-hat (pedal)
45  Tom-tom (medium-low)
46  Hi-hat (open)
47  Tom-tom (medium)
48  Tom-tom (medium-high)
49  Crash Cymbal
50  Tom-tom (high)
51  Ride cymbal
52  China cymbal
53  Ride (bell)
54  Tambourine
55  Splash cymbal
56  Cowbell (medium, open)
76  Wood block (high)
77  Wood block (low)
80  Triangle (muted)
81  Triangle (open)
100  Rimshot
101  Cross stick (rim click)

SUPPORT FOR FINALE

Name
E-mail
Subject
Software
Operating system
Finale version
CPU speed
RAM memory
Audio interface
NP4 Playback Engine (legacy)
Message
NotePerformer by Wallander Instruments
Copyright © by Wallander Instruments AB and original authors. NotePerformer™ is a trademark of Wallander Instruments AB. Windows® is a trademark of Microsoft Corporation. Mac®, Apple® and macOS® are trademarks of Apple Computer Inc. Sibelius® is a trademark of Avid Technology, Inc. Intel Core™ is a trademark of Intel Corporation. Finale®, Dolet® and MusicXML™ are trademarks of MakeMusic, Inc. DORICO® is a trademark of Steinberg Media Technologies GmbH.