The End of Finale

After 35 years MakeMusic’s Finale has come to an end.

This means that (according to the letter of Greg Dell’Era, MakeMusic’s President, August 26 2024):

• There will be no further development on Finale, or any of its associated tools (PrintMusic, Notepad, Songwriter).
• It is no longer possible to purchase or upgrade Finale in the MakeMusic eStore [or retailer].
• Finale will continue to work on devices where it is currently installed (barring OS changes).

(Update August 28 2024).

• Finale authorization will remain available indefinitely/in the foreseeable future. 
• Finale v27 is to be included with Dorico Pro Crossgrades.

We are aware that this change has a huge impact on the work of composers, publishing houses, copyists, schools etc. Especially, since music notation is a niche market, only a few applications are able to produce professional scores. Learning how to use new (complex) software will take a lot of time and energy. But there is no way back, the majority of the Finale users should invest in learning a new notation program.

For now, the options are:

1. Do nothing, continue using Finale

• Your last version of Finale is the one you’ll keep. You cannot update or upgrade.
• It will be possible to download and install your latest version of Finale on a new computer and authorise the software.
• Since there won’t be any support and development of MakeMusic, proper working of the software cannot be guaranteed after upgrading the Operating System (MacOS or Windows). Therefore it’s strongly recommended not to install a new Operating System on your computer in the future.
• For safety, please make sure you have a PDF of all relevant Finale files.
• Also strongly recommended is to export all relevant Finale files to a so-called MusicXML file. This type of file will make it possible to import such a file in another notation application. (Technical advice might follow later)

Donemus will try to keep Finale active for as long as possible. Editing files, part productions will be still possible. New compositions made in Finale will be accepted

2. Switching to a new notation program

• This option is the safest one for the ‘longer term’ future, ensuring full support and development, as well as the ability to stay updated with the latest computer technique.
• Out of many notation software options available, currently most suitable for composing are: Dorico, MuseScore and Sibelius.
• Finale recommends migrating to Dorico, but this is certainly not the only option or even necessarily the best option.
• The choice of a new notation program is very personal and there is no objective reasons to choose one over the other. Focussing on Dorico or Sibelius: both applications can produce professional looking scores. It’s highly recommended to install a trial version of both programs.
• All three mentioned programs are able to import MusicXML files. The quality of the import varies from very poor to rather acceptable depending on the complexity of the source file.

The Donemus editing department supports Finale, Sibelius, and Dorico. We can facilitate PDFs from Logic, MuseScore, and others. Most importantly, each composer should use a program that fits their needs and preferences. Again, testing the programs using trial versions is the best way to go, together with numerous excellent tutorials on the Internet.

Donemus recommends the second option because it’s the most future-proof. In the coming weeks, we will offer more customised support and advice to composers who need help adjusting to the new software.