1. Open the program.Double click the document named “Finale 3.7 -- Double Click Me!” from the desktop. After the program has finished loading it will bring up a blank document.
Table of Contents
I. Introduction
II. Rationale
III. Theoretical Perspective
IV. Activity Description
V. Evaluation
VI. Modifications and Conclutions
VII. References
Composing Music Using Finale 3.7 for Macintosh
Composing music is an art which gives the writer freedom of expression in a unique way. Composing, rather than playing or singing, gives a person the opportunity to map their own thoughts, rather than those of a “famous composer.” In the case of young music students, most know how to read musical notation, but few of them know how to actually construct music themselves. For this activity, I will be focusing on the art of musical composition - not in its traditional paper and pencil method, but composing using a computer. Students will compose a short melody using music notation software.
There are many complex “rules” involved in musical composition. Hopefully integrating technology will help students understand the rules and make composing music fun. It will also reinforce the knowledge (note values, and other theory constants) the students should already have.
A major benefit of composing music with the computer is that one can listen to their progress by using the playback feature. If they don’t like how something sounds, they can simply go back and make a change without physically erasing as would be required with a paper and pencil composition.
Students will receive a detailed instruction sheet which will contain step-by-step instructions. They will have certain guidelines to follow but will get to make many individualized choices along the way. This follows a very directed type of learning, but also incorporates the freedom of constructive methods as well. Students will compose a 16-measure single-line composition, complete in every way. After students are finished with their assignment, they will play their composition for the class.
Composition is an important part of a well rounded education in music. It asks the student to be creative and express himself / herself. Bissel (1998) says that “a new world is often opened up for students when they learn to compose within strict parameters and learn standard notation in a hands-on learning environment.” Composing also makes the student follow and understand the correct rules of musical notation. Some of these rules include the correct use of notes, rhythms, key signatures, time signatures, among others.
Composing music is one of the National Standards for Music Education. These standards were created by the Music Educators National Conference (MENC, 1994). One “content standard” which will be covered by completing my activity is “composing and arranging music within specified guidelines.” Among this standard are two more descriptive “achievement standards” which will also be accomplished:
Several prerequisites toward completing this activity are described in other objectives from another National Content Standard, “Reading and Notating music.”
Four “achievement standard” skills which the student must posses are:
Clark County School District objectives from the Course Syllabus for Orchestra 161/265 are also covered. These objectives fall under the sixth heading, “Composing and Arranging Music.”
6.1 The student will compose a rhythmic composition.
6.2 The student will compose a melody using symbols and traditional terms referring to dynamics, tempo, and articulation.
The target population for this activity consists of either middle school or high school music students who have little or no training in music notation software but do have previous training in singing or playing an instrument and reading music. In addition, students must posses some very basic computer skills. These skills include using a mouse, creating a new document, saving a document, and printing a document.
This activity is very hard to put into any one theoretical perspective. For the most part, the teaching is very directed. This is because the participant will be using a detailed set of directions to guide them through the activity.
In general, I follow a “systems approach” to learning (Roblyer & Edwards, 2000). The students have previous knowledge of the basic material (music notation on paper) then are asked to use that knowledge in a very detailed series of steps. This activity was meant to be done by the student without any teacher’s assistance.
Later, once the student starts “clicking” notes onto the staff (actually writing the music), the activity becomes a very constructivist activity. I believe that implications of Lev Vygotsky’s ideas are incorporated while students are composing music. First, this activity is intended to develop the student’s personality, that is, the freedom to create will bring out the students feelings. Second, I will assume that student’s prior knowledge of music notation will be reinforced from this activity (Roblyer & Edwards, 2000).
Students will create a short sixteen-measure composition on a Macintosh computer using an application program called Finale 3.7. Finale is made by Coda Music Technology and has been the worldwide standard for professional music notation software for approximately ten years.
This activity is intended to be an introduction to Finale and music notation software. Hopefully completing the activity will spark students’ interest in composing, specifically computer-aided composing. It is also intended to accomplish the national and local objectives which were presented earlier.
I will explain the following step-by-step instructions as if they were on a student handout sheet. This will eliminate repeated phrases like, “The student will... .” It will also give the reader a better idea of what is involved in participating in this activity.
Download a PDF file of the student's instruction sheet.
The provided graphics and icons will help you along with the directions:
1. Open the program.
Double click the document named “Finale 3.7 -- Double Click Me!” from the desktop. After the program has finished loading it will bring up a blank document.
Every so often you will want to save your work in case of a computer crash or power outage.
2. Save the document.
Select "save" from the “file” menu and change the document name to something unique, such as “your name’s song”.
This is the main tool palette. It has many different buttons which are different "tools."
3. Add Measures. Double click on the “add measure” tool to add more measures. Since there is already one measure showing, you will need to type “15” in the box to add 15 more measures.
Note: If you would like more or less space between measures, you can click once on the “measure tool” and it will allow you to drag the barlines back and forth.
4. Change the Clef. Click on the clef tool once to highlight it. Next click on the first measure in your song. Now change the clef to the clef that your instrument reads. (Treble, Alto, or Bass clef)
Before closing the window, be sure to choose the “from measure 1 to end of piece” option. If you don’t, it will change the clef for only one measure!
5. Change the Time Signature:
Click on the time signature tool to highlight it. Next click on the first measure of your song. Now change the time signature (using the side-to-side arrows) to either 4/4 or 3/4.
Before closing the window, again be sure to choose the “from measure 1 to end of piece” option. If you don’t it will change the time signature for only one measure!
6. Change the key signature:
Click on the key signature tool. Then click on the time signature in your song. Change the time signature (using the up and down arrows) to either GM, DM, FM, or d minor.
Before closing the window, again be sure to choose the “from measure 1 to end of piece” option. If you don’t it will change the key signature for only one measure!
Click on a button to highlight it, then click in your staff to use it. Special Tools: * The up and down arrows will raise or lower a note (when clicked on) by a half step. This is how you add sharps or flats. * The X button removes any accidentals. * The curved line is not a slur, but a tie. * The dot will add a dot to a note.
7. Writing notes:
Click on the simple entry tool. This tool will bring up the "simple entry palette". The simple entry palette give you “clickable” notes. To select a note, click once on the type of note you want. Then to add it into your song, simply click on the line or space where you would like to put it.
Here is the "simple entry palette".
8. Writing Rests:
Use the simple entry tool and palette. If you would like to make a rest, first make a note, then click on it again and will turn into a rest. Make sure you have the correct number of beats in each measure.
9. Erasing Notes or rests:
If you want to erase a note or a rest, use the eraser tool then double click on any note or single click on any rest. Again, make sure you have the correct number of beats in each measure.
10. Listening to what you have written:
To playback your melody, pull down the “window” menu and choose “playback controls”. This window looks similar to a CD or cassette player controls.
Click “fewer choices” to make the window smaller. Now click the play button to hear what you have written. If you don’t like something you heard, you may use your eraser to change it.
In order to hear the music through your computer speakers, click on "more choices", then check “internal speaker playback”.
Here you can also change your tempo. You can type a "beats per minute" number in the box.
12. Finish composing your melody.
For this assignment, you will need to complete 16 measures of melody.
13. Add Slurs.
From the “window” menu, select the “smart shape palette” tool. This will allow you to add slurs. Click once on the type of slur you would like to add, then double click the notes you would like to slur together. If you don’t like something you just did, you can use the “undo” feature in the “edit” menu.
The "Smart Shape" palette:
14. Add Tempo and Dynamic Markings. Click once on the “score expression” tool then click above or below the first note of your song. Next, choose your tempo from the list and click “okay.”
15. Special Articulations. These include trills, bow markings, lifts, etc. Click once on the “articulations tool,” then click above or below the note you would like to add the articulation to. Choose the desired marking and click “okay.”
16. Add a Title at the top of your page. From the “views” menu, select “page view."
Click once on the “text tool.” Scroll to the top of the page and double click where is says “title.” Double click on the little square, then type in the title of your piece.
17. Add your name as the composer. While still in the “page view mode,” and with the “text tool” selected, scroll to the right hand side and double click on where is says “composer.” Type your name as you would like it to appear on the printed sheet of music.
18. Save your work again, and then select “print” from the file menu. You have now completed your first computer-aided composition!
To test my activity, I could not find any students to complete it. I e-mailed all of my students who gave me their address, but none could make it into school to do the activity. I will have students attempt this activity when school resumes in August. I did have one person complete the assignment, my wife. She has undergraduate and graduate degrees in Vocal Performance and Pedagogy, so she easily meets the basic prerequisites for completing this activity. She had never used Finale, so her attempt would be a good indication of how well I had put the activity together.
My wife completed the task quite easily. It only took her about 25 minutes to complete. This is much quicker than I would expect my target audience to complete the activity, then again she does have two music degrees. Before starting, I told here to write down any problems she had so I could answer her questions and so I would know what problems I would need to fix. She didn't have any questions and had fun completing the assignment. Humorously, she named her piece "Ode To Chuck". Below is the piece.
Since my wife is a singer, she hummed the tune as she was notating it. It is a rather slow piece. Click below to listen to her composition...
In order to listen, you will need a MIDI plug-in for your web browser.
Click here to get the Quicktime plug-in. 
VI. Modifications and Conclusions
After completing the task myself many times and after having my wife complete the assignment, I don't see any modifications that need to be made. I can imagine that there may be a few very minor modifications necessary if I had a middle school student complete the activity.
I am very happy with how the assignment turned out. I am looking forward to implementing this activity into my orchestra class. Since my school has a 5 user lab pack license of Finale, I will be able to run it on all three computers in my classroom.
Hopefully, this basic tutorial on creating a composition will spark interest in students to want to continue using Finale. With experience and some experimentation (and use of the manual), students will be able to create larger and more mature compositions.
Bissell, Patricia M. Tune in to Technology (Music Educators Journal 85:2 [September 1998] 36-41.
Roblyer, M.D. & Jack Edwards. Integrating Educational Technology into Teaching. Columbus, OH: Prentice Hall, 2000.
Music Educators National Conference. National Standards for Arts Education (Reston, VA: MENC, 1994), 97-104.
