Finale instrument options for "mandolin" sound

[Jim Imhoff]

I am writing a lot of music while sitting at home these days, but I am completely dissatisfied with the actual sound palette in my Finale program. Writing for mandolin orchestra I have tried strings, plucked strings, mandolin (obviously), harp, and lots of others. I usually do a piano reduction just so I can hear all the lines clearly, but I can't get a good "mandolin" sound. I know there are other programs/software options, Sibelius and so on. But all this stuff is in Finale files. I am a retired choral director and theory teacher, so I have years of work and experience with this program. The mandolin thing is relatively new, and I will probably stay with the software I am used to.
So I am asking if anybody out there has had luck with this? A good mandolin-like setting for instrumentation on Finale?

jim

[Brandon Flynn]

What version of Finale do you have? I think starting in 2012 they were going to have the "Garritan instruments" version sound for mandolin, which I think is a sort of pre-recorded sound that sounds more natural; I have 2011, and the default mandolin sound is a horrible midi. I usually use the Garritan plucked steel guitar as the closest I can get to the mandolin. If you have a version prior to 2012 it might be worth reading up on if they actually got a new mandolin sound. If you are later than 2012, then my post is probably useless.

[Jim Imhoff]

I am not sure about year I installed the software, but I have upgraded it within the past year or so-- probably. And I do have Garratin options, I think I tried that but on your good advice I will try again. Your post is not wasted!
thanks,
jim

[DougC]

Garratin may not be selected in Midi / Audio. Select from the drop down menu 'play thru VST'. Sometimes the Midi option is selected and it sounds horrible. And I think that happens because I was working with an older file.
Hope this helps.

[Jim Imhoff]

I don't see a VST option; I have Play through Audio Units (?) or Play through MIDI. If I select Audio Units I don't hear anything.
I do have Garratin options, keep trying them but as you say, bad sound. I upgraded and that did not change things much as far as actual tone quality--still no VST option. For now, closest i can get to plucked string sound is "elec guitar clean."
Thanks, I will keep trying.

[August Watters]

If you have the Garratin instruments, are you looking in the right place for the mandolin sound? In the pull-down menu under "device" (in the ScoreManager - command-K), you might have chosen options from the "Plucked String" category. But why should mandolin be there? Seems they've put mandolin under "World". . . . I'm not the one to ask since I don't usually bother with MIDI orchestration; to me it's not close enough to bother with anyway. But I know for the persistent, there are much more realistic sounds available. There is a Garratin help group over on the MakeMusic community site.

[Jim Imhoff]

Thanks August; yes I looked several places--device, orchestral, plucked, world... and found different options marked "mandolin," but not a good sound. I just want to hear what I wrote with as closer to a mandolin sound as I can find. I would like to send the score and mp3 to people for their opinions but I don't want to send a bad sound.