See the Upcoming Finale iPad App in Action!

1/19/2012 6:21:47 PM #

What versions of finale will be compatible with this reader?  Also will the reader have audio playback?  

Ryan Gross

1/19/2012 6:50:39 PM #

I didn't hear anything about editing or creation on the iPad. There are already tons of apps that will view files. I can convert my .mus file to .pdf and upload to any of them. Can this app play the .mus file with proper instrumentation? Just looking at the file isn't enough at this stage of the game. It's not even really "catching up."

Yes, I AM looking for Finale on an iPad!

Barry Wiseman

1/20/2012 12:21:51 AM #

I'm very pleased to see the Finale Viewer for the iPad...it's a great relief to see MakeMusic counting forward with iPad development, particularly with 15 million more devices sold in the last quarter (Apple's earnings report came out today).  Apple's education announcement last week (with $15 textbooks) is only going to bring more people to the fold...especially schools (and thus my continued plea for SmartMusic & Finale Notepad for the iPad...which I know has been heard).

I love the ability Finale Reader to display .MUS files...and it's great to see neumatic notation, the contemporary circular notation, and the Faerie’s Aire and Death Waltz (by the way, I'd love to get a copy of that in a .MUS file).

It's probably too early for product requests, but I'd take a good look at Avid Scorch for iPad and make sure that those basic functions are available (particularly playback and transposition).  I'm a Finale owner and user (have been since the early 1990s), so I've only opened the demo files on that app.

I'd also suggest finding a way to enable annotation (a key for any kind of music reader, in my opinion), and I'm also concerned about page turning or skipping ahead in a score of a longer work.  The ability to resize a size of a staff to user preference would also be very nice (since it's a MUS file and not a PDF).

I'd also request a way to organize MUS files by other metadata information.

As Justin said in the video, there are a lot of features not yet in the app, and it's exciting to see the app actually working.  Keep up the good work.

Chris Russell

1/20/2012 9:09:02 PM #

This is looking really good this far! I am an iOS developer and know what it takes to get performance on these devices, so kudos to everyone on that front. From this video, the scores look absolutely stunning and pretty responsive for the work put in so far.

I am particularly excited about what this app could mean for a potential SmartMusic on the iPad as well.

Will there be playback capability on the iPad app? If so, will the score flip the pages automatically or might it function similar to how SmartMusic does where it displays the next system of music on the staff above the staff you are currently on, thus never really needing a true "page flip"?

In any event, I am profoundly excited for this app and the ramifications it brings. Thank you!

Joe Dakroub

1/20/2012 9:13:03 PM #

Also, are there any plans for annotation capabilities? Being able to add symbols, fingerings, and text notes would be killer for performers.

Finally, a fullscreen option that hides the status bar and entire interface and solely focuses on the music would be fantastic!

Thanks again!

Joe Dakroub

1/21/2012 2:04:26 AM #

Hi all,

The iPad app will support the same .MUS files as the desktop version of Finale.

Yes, there are many PDF viewers out there, but none of them have the ability to directly open a Finale file to view and play it.

All we're announcing now is the ability to view, play, print as per the press release below:

www.makemusic.com/Pressroom/Default.aspx?pid=534

I'd love to expand more, but I wouldn't want to ruin the fun later .

As for editing abilities, I would see that as a separate app, maybe something for the future. As the press release says, this is the vision of the iPad Viewer:

"Viewing music on the iPad frees musicians from sorting and managing printed music, and makes it easy to bring thousands of pieces of music to practice, rehearsals and gigs. Unlike the printed page, this music can play back, facilitating learning and selection of new titles."

-Justin at MakeMusic

Justin Phillips

1/25/2012 8:41:11 PM #

It's about time.  Have you seen the new Notion notation program for the iPad?  I did my last composition on that and exported it to Finale for engraving.  Granted, it was only 16 bars and only had four parts (I do four part a cappella).  But it was easier to enter notes than it is in Finale, and it sounds great.  I can write down ideas on a tablet as they occur to me.  Tablets are the wave of the future, and Finale better play, or it will face competition unlike what it has seen in the past.

HarmonyDanO

1/29/2012 10:10:58 PM #

Whta about an Iphone app that at the very least will play .mus files?

Greg Day

1/31/2012 7:17:03 AM #

An editing app would be perfect. I can't comment on additional future products, but that's something we'd love to explore more as we delve more into the mobile world.

As for the iPhone/phones in general, we may look at that in the future. Right now the iPad's screen size is more optimal for viewing music for performance and general perusal, and this has been what's communicated to us from our users as the priority.

-Justin at MakeMusic

Justin Phillips

1/31/2012 11:59:08 AM #

Do you have any plans on port the app to android?  As a musician who despises Apple I would love to get in on the action without have to buy an iPad =/

Jerome Queen

2/9/2012 5:47:40 PM #

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2/22/2012 11:56:31 AM #

Wow, that's quite a preview.

I would love to see the following features in the final version, which would be quite important for all the performing musicians:
- transpose scores
- view single instruments out of a big score.
- change the view to continuous -- like on the mac
- support with page-turning devices such as the AirTurn BT-105
- if possible: editing functions: most desirable: change individual notes. But if possible edit everything (like adding articulation, change dynamics, change chords and so on!) -> then it would be really usable in a musicians everyday life!

Andi

2/22/2012 2:33:26 PM #

Hi all,

I am a musician by trade and have been using Finale for over a decade.  It is a wonderful tool and I continue to use it with regularity.

That said, I agree with other users above that it is already quite behind the times.  While I viewer is nice, I won't use it unless it allows me to edit.  There are many excellent apps on the market for the iPad that read and allow for annotations.  

In addition, other notation apps are becoming more appealing as I use my iPad for rehearsals and song-writing.  I have been hoping Finale would put Notebook out as an app.  It seems a natural move and would be useful.  

As a consumer, I'm not worried about finding apps to suit my needs.  But as a Finale enthusiast, I am concerned it will be nothing other than a memory in 5 years or so.

jon jenz