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Writer's picturetarokoike
Aug 287 min read

Switching from Finale to Dorico: The key is handling MusicXML files

【Updated 2024/12/23】There is a sequel to this article, please check it out.


We have also added at the end of this article information on how to obtain the English version of Finale v27 when purchasing a Dorico crossgrade version from the Steinberg online store in Japan.


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On August 26, 2024, US time, MakeMusic, Inc., the developer of the music notation software Finale, announced that it would end development and sales.


MakeMusic recommends switching to Dorico, and Steinberg, the developer of Dorico, will provide various information to support this in the future.


One of the most important support information at this point is the four videos “Switching from Finale to Dorico” published on the Dorico YouTube channel on August 26.


Perhaps the biggest concern for Finale users is how to migrate the .musx files they have created to Dorico. Specifically, files will be exchanged in a file format common to music notation software called MusicXML, and the third video focuses on this theme.


Import MusicXML into Dorico | Switching from Finale to Dorico


The main points of this video are as follows.


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(1) Dorico preferences should be basically left untouched (0:27)

Dorico preferences have an item called “MusicXML Import”, where you can set import conditions with seven checkboxes, but unless you have a special reason, such as wanting to import dashed ties as is, it is better to leave these unchecked as much as possible.


(2) Changes in music layout (2:45)

When importing, there may be issues with vertical spacing between staves, resulting in staves overlapping vertically. This is due to differences in product specifications, where headers and page numbers can be placed outside the page margins in Finale, while they are displayed inside in Dorico. After importing, you need to reduce the margins in Dorico by going through “Library Menu > Layout Options > Page Setup > Page Margins”.


(3) Changes in symbol import category (4:07)

Some symbols are imported into unintended categories. For example, expression symbols such as forte are imported as dynamics as expected, but text expressions such as “cresc.” are imported as text, so they need to be redrawn as dynamics in Dorico.


(4) Not transferring file information (5:18)

Text information written in Finale's Score Manager is not imported just as is into Dorico, so some sorting is required.


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In addition to the issues listed above, there are many other cases where MusicXML migration does not work well.


For example, during our testing, we found that when a grace note with a slur was placed at the beginning of a beam, the slur would become misaligned depending on the positioning of the surrounding elements. In cases like this, it seems like the proof-reading work required to identify all of the problem areas would be very difficult, even before any corrections could be made.

However, since migration via MusicXML is essentially the only way to continue using Finale files in Dorico, it looks like we'll just have to continue researching this method while waiting for the MusicXML functionality in Dorico to evolve.


Steinberg's "Finale to Dorico Pro crossgrade: FAQ" explains it this way:


  • The transfer is generally of high quality, but certain graphical tweaks to individual items tend not to transfer.

  • Dorico has detailed options for how much of the information in MusicXML is preserved and how much is recalculated, and it is generally recommended to enable as many of Dorico's automatic features as possible.

  • Compared to Finale, Dorico's MusicXML support is somewhat less mature, but Steinberg is constantly working to make both the import and export functions more complete.


The Scoring Notes, a representative site for music notation software in the English-speaking world, has posted a Q&A with Mr. Jason Wick, product development director at MakeMusic, which is considered to be the official view from the Finale development team at MakeMusic.



Here, Wick answers the question, “Are there any improvements to batch converting Finale files to get them into Dorico?” by saying, “The best thing I can suggest right now is to export a MusicXML folder from Finale and import it into Dorico.” ※



According to Wick, MusicXML is designed for interchange, and a lot of layout decisions are handled by the programs themselves. In fact, when I loaded the above file in Sibelius, the slurs were different from the original Finale file, but they looked more natural. Given these circumstances, it's important to remember that Dorico is not necessarily the only product that Finale can migrate to.

As a bit of a side note, Dorico is a SMuFL font-compatible product, and the music font Finale Maestro, which was newly introduced in Finale v27, is included with the purchase. You can switch to this in the “Library menu > Music Fonts” to get closer to the familiar Finale-like look. (The example music used in the previous slur problem uses Finale Maestro as the music font. For more information on SMuFL fonts, please see this article.)


PS (2024/8/28): On the morning of Wednesday, August 28th (Tokyo time), MakeMusic sent two important pieces of news to registered users. (For details, please see the Finale Sunset FAQ.*)


The first is the lifting of the one-year limit on the license authorization service and its continuation for the time being. This means that at least English Finale users directly managed by MakeMusic will be able to activate Finale on their new computer's OS and continue to use it for the time being, even if they replace their computer after August 26, 2025, as long as the OS of the new computer supports Finale.


The second is a relief measure for users of v26 or earlier when migrating to Dorico. MakeMusic is currently working on a solution for all customers who have purchased or intend to purchase a Dorico Pro crossgrade to be able to download Finale v27. If this is realized, users of v26 or earlier who only have MusicXML 3.1 or earlier will be able to export their Finale files using the improved MusicXML 4.0 in v27.


*IMPORTANT: Please note that at least for now, these are measures for users of the English version of Finale directly managed by MakeMusic. Finale sales and license management vary by country. Please wait for an announcement from the general distributor in Japan regarding the Japanese version.


▼Regarding the end of development/sales of Finale (Finale domestic distributor: Genelec Japan Co., Ltd. FAQ site)


PS (2024/10/1): For the past month, it has been unclear how to obtain the English version of Finale v27 if you purchase the Dorico crossgrade version from the Steinberg online store in Japan, but on the evening of September 27th, official information on this matter was finally released through the domestic distributor in Japan. Please see the FAQ article below.


▼I want to crossgrade to Dorico


If you purchase the Dorico crossgrade version from the MakeMusic online store, the English version of Finale v27 will be provided immediately, but if you purchase it from the Steinberg store in Japan, you will need to contact MakeMusic individually, submit the necessary documents, and request the English version of Finale v27.


However, unlike when you purchase it from the MakeMusic store, you can receive support in Japanese for Dorico purchased from the Steinberg store in Japan, so although there were some twists and turns, in the end I think that purchasing the Dorico crossgrade version from the Steinberg online store in Japan was the best response for Japanese users to take this time.


Also, I have heard many requests to obtain the Japanese version of Finale v27 rather than the English version, but Finale was originally released in English, which has undergone the most testing and is therefore highly reliable, so we should consider it a blessing to have had this opportunity to obtain the English version of Finale.


In past versions of Finale, there were quite a few problems such as garbled characters when certain dialog boxes were translated into Japanese. Although these problems specific to the Japanese version have been significantly improved in v27, in principle, I don't think that the Japanese version, which is a modified version, can surpass the original English version in terms of reliability.


If you are simply exporting a MusicXML file, the English version of Finale is sufficient. For details on the procedure and points to note, please refer to the separate article “Notes on obtaining Finale v27 and file migration via MusicXML”. (This article also touches on how to deal with garbled characters.)


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Finally, there is a lot of information flying around online about the Finale sunset, but we will post a source of information that you will need to know in order to respond practically.


[Official announcement from MakeMusic]

▼The end of Finale (Message from the CEO)

▼Finale Sunset FAQ (Specific response)


[Official announcement from Steinberg]

▼After sunset: your path from Finale to Dorico by Daniel Spreadbury | Aug 26, 2024 (Message from Steinberg's Dorico Product Marketing Manager)


[Official announcement from Genelec Japan, the domestic distributor of Finale]

【Announcement】

The Dorico intensive course is being held in parallel on Wednesday nights and Saturday mornings. Click here for details. (Lecture is given in Japanese. ) 

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