[Harp-L] Finale NotePad 2012

[philharpn@xxxxxxx]

If you are having trouble find backing tracks, make your own.


I recently encountered the free Finale software program called Finale NotePad 2012. As some of you may know, Finale has a series of of music software programs -- Finale ($600), Finale PrintMusic ($119), Finale SongBook(free iPad app), Finale Songwriter ($49).


This program--Final NotePad -- is free and requires minimum Vista for windows and OS X 10.5 for Mac.


You don't have to really read music to use this program but you do need to be able to cipher notes---  if you are copying a second line note (G) on the treble clef you need to put it on the second line and with the same kind of note -- half - whole - quarter, eighth etc.


As I have mentioned before, <www.harptabs.com> has a list of harmonica tablature and useful esources. One of the resources is Tab Rulers. This link <https://www.harptabs.com/ruler.php> provides pdf files that will help you convert music notation into harmonica tab.


This Tab Ruler handy if you have a music song book that you use primarily for the lyrics even though the songs include music notation.


Want to get Juke in your mind's ear? Look up Leap Frog in a fake book and type in the notes and play them back. If you can find Juke, type that in. The advantage of using Note Pad is that you get the notes of the tune -- without the other instruments.


The chief advantage is that it frees up the harmonica player to make her or his own tablature without having to rely on somebody else's version. (I have found several tab versions listed on the web with wrong notes when I was pressed for time and wanted to offer a tab version for my Harmonica 101 class. Even legit published tab sometimes includes mistakes in the tab. That is why I prefer harmonica books that include notation AND tab because the notation is usually correct.)


The advantage of using Note Pad is that you generate a sound track -- the notes will play back through MIDI and you can determine the sound you want. Sax, flute, trumpet. Piano. try them all and don't save them. 


Plus, you can use the  "lyric" palette to insert harmonica tab: 3, 3bb, 3''  and so on.


Say you acquire a blues fake book that does not come with a CD. Make you own tracks of the tunes with Note Pad. 


Did I mention it is free. 


Hope this helps.


Phil