The video gives explicit instructions on the process of creating vocal rehearsal tracks from Finale files. Below are links and step by step instructions for additional help.
1
You will need Finale software to read and edit the files.
2
You will need the JW Staff Polyphony Plugin for Finale. Installation instructions can be found by clicking the DETAILS button for the plugin.
3
Purchase and download the Finale file for the song from LifeWayWorship.com
4
Purchase and download the Finale file for the song from LifeWayWorship.com
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5
Unzip the LifeWayWorship Finale file, and open the piano/vocal file (#####_pno.mus) in Finale.
6
Under the WINDOW section of the Finale menu bar, open four items:
- Tool Palette
- Mixer
- Score Manager
- Playback Controls
7
Add a staff above each of the vocal staves.
- Click on the staff icon on the tool palette.
- Select the ladies’ vocal staff.
- Choose from the menu bar STAFF | New Blank Staves, click okay to add new staff above existing ladies’ staff.
- Repeat the previous steps for the men’s staff.
8
Optionally, you may delete the messy groups and brackets: STAFF | Groups and Brackets | Remove
Optionally, you may clean up the spacing: STAFF | Respace the Staves | click OKAY.
9
Separate the two ladies’ and two men’s parts to be stems up and down. Choose PLUG-INS | JW Staff Polyphony
Select the ladies’ staff. Choose the options in the following graphics and click APPLY. Select the men’s staff and do the same.
Separate the two ladies’ and two men’s parts to occupy one staff each.
Select the ladies’ staff. Choose the options in the following graphics and click APPLY. Do the same for the men’s staff.
10
Assign individual channels in Score Manager by double-clicking the channel numbers and reassigning them.
11
Assign voices to the vocal tracks by clicking on the label under the fader on the channel strips for each track. The video suggests using 49 Strings.
12
Set Playback/Record options according to the photo below. (This box opens when you click on the Playback Controls bottom right button. Make sure you do not have a checkmark in the IGNORE REPEATS box.
13
In the mixer, solo the two piano channels and the vocal channel you want to feature in the audio file to export. Adjust volume levels so the vocal part can be clearly heard over the piano part.
14
Export the audio file. Select FILE | Export | Audio File. Choose the destination of the file and give it a name. Choose the format. In this example, mp3 was selected. Repeat the process until you have exported all four rehearsal tracks.
15
Distribute the files to your worship team to prepare their music ahead of time.
At $600, Finale is rather expensive. Do you know of any way to convert Finale files to MusicXML or other open formats so that free software like MuseScore can be used instead?
While still expensive, churches can purchase Finale for $350 (academic/theological)–a pretty good savings over the full price. Otherwise, Finale files are proprietary and the only way I have found to export to MusicXML other than through Finale is through their Windows-only free Notepad software. You can see instructions here. I do not know if MuseScore can output mp3s in a similar way.
Unfortunately, the free Finale NotePad 2012 software can only read older format Finale files (version 2012 and earlier). I’m not sure when that Techwalla article was written, but how likely is it that LifeWay’s Finale files are of an older format?
I’ve recorded MP3’s from MuseScore by using it to play the sheet music and having Audacity (another free software package) record it through the Windows WASAPI interface. It’s slightly more complicated than Finale’s Export feature (and more time consuming as it’s recording in real-time), but it’s free.
Each LifeWayWorship song indicates the Finale file date. Many are 2012 or prior, but some are later.