Getting Started in Finale

Today I began copying a handwritten transcription by Joseph Kreines over into Finale. The piece is a transcription for young chamber ensemble of the Nimrod movement from Edward Elgar's Enigma Variations.

Each person has their own technique to writing out notation in Finale or Sibelius. My general system is to tape the music that I'm copying (if applicable to situation) to screen, use my left hand to assign rhythmic values on the num pad, and use my right hand to assign pitch values on my M-Audio Keystation 61. I've gotten pretty quick at it!

^ My set up will always consist of coffee and lots of it.

^Utilizing Kontakt Player and Garitan Aria Player within Finale to some decent sample sounds rather than the stock ones provided with Finale. Even with just a few tweaks, the sounds aren't half bad!

I'm almost finished with the first transcription out of the two I need to turn in to Mr. Kreines next week.