MakeMusic has updated Finale to v25.3, the third free-of-charge update for all owners of Finale version 25. This release includes new features, bug fixes, and significant investments under-the-hood.
New Feature Highlights
The Simple Entry cursor color now reflects the currently selected layer. This provides a little extra visual feedback to prevent you from mistakenly entering notes in the wrong layer.
More control over how things look on the page is now provided. The opening width of short and long crescendo/decrescendo markings are now independent of each other and can be set in the Smart Shape Options dialog box.
It's now easier to use Unicode musical symbols as accidentals in nonstandard key signatures thanks to an added Symbol button in the Symbol List dialog box.
The are several improvements to MusicXML import and export. In MusicXML Preferences "Restrict MusicXML formatting" has been added. This option allows you to import a MusicXML file into a Finale template without overriding formatting options within the Finale file. On the other end of the process, MusicXML Export now supports nonstandard key signatures created with Unicode symbols.
One Mac-specific addition impacts Finder and Spotlight. The metadata used by these apps has been updated to 64-bit. Now you can search through your Finale files by Title, Composer, Copyright, Description, Time Signature, Key Signature, Lyricist, Pages, Page Width, Page Height, Content Creator, Duration, Fonts, Default Music Font, Arranger, Subtitle, Staves, Parts, Instruments, and Tempo.
The Finale User Manual lists all the features that have been added in Finale 25.3 and earlier in these "New Features" sections for Mac and Windows.
Finale v25.3 Bug Fixes
Mac Highlights Include:
- Keyboard Shortcuts: Switching between open windows works automatically when using COMMAND+' (grave accent).
- Printing: Printing custom page sizes no longer crashes Finale.
- Rebeam to Time Signature dialog box: Number of Beats and Beat Duration can now be edited.
The updated Finale User Manual provides a complete list of all Mac Fixes.
Windows Highlights Include:
- File Access: Select Finale files that previously didn't open on Windows 7 machines now open successfully.
- Finale Authorization: Authorization is now successfully maintained on Windows 10 machines.
The updated Finale User Manual provides a complete list of all Windows Fixes.
Infrastructure Investments
MakeMusic continue to make significant investments under-the-hood, improving Finale infrastructure (or code base) to set the stage for additional improvements in the future.
Highlights Include:
- Replacing code Apple no longer supports with modern, forward-looking code. The primary benefit is that Finale will continue to support future Mac operating systems.
- Additional Unicode font work. For example, while users of Finale 25.2 can access Unicode font characters in their music, they can't use Unicode characters in file paths, percussion MIDI maps, plugins, fretboard and fretboard instrument names, and other similar places. Many of these improvements can be seen in 25.3, and more are in development.
A third area of investment is to do with "globals." Read more at www.finalemusic.com/blog/finale-v25-3-is-now-available
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