Today, Finale is no longer the future of the notation industry—a reality after 35 years, and I want to be candid about this. Instead of releasing new versions of Finale that would offer only marginal value to our users, we’ve made the decision to end its development.

Effective immediately, we are announcing these changes:

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

After one year, beginning August 2025, these changes will go into effect:

• It will not be possible to authorize Finale on any new devices, or reauthorize Finale
• Technical support for Finale v27 or any other version of Finale will no longer be available

Clarifications on the initial announcement

1. Finale development has ended, but the Finale installer for any previously purchased version can still be downloaded from your eStore account. If your computer crashes or you need to install Finale on a new device, you’re not left without options.
2. We are committed to keeping the authorization process functional for a year. We’ve heard your concerns and are actively exploring ways to extend flexibility in the weeks ahead.
3. We understand that learning Dorico will be a steep learning curve, as it is with any complex notation or professional software. Both our team and Steinberg have developed extensive onboarding videos to guide you through the transition.

EDIT:
Clarifications on the initial announcement (2)

1. Finale authorization will remain available indefinitely: Please note that future OS changes can still impact your ability to use Finale on new devices.
2. Finale v27 to be included with Dorico Pro Crossgrades: We are 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. This will ensure that you can export your Finale files using MusicXML 4.0, the most robust version of MusicXML available. Thank you for your patience, we will provide more information soon.

https://www.finalemusic.com/blog/end-of-finale-new-journey-dorico-letter-from-president/

 

Last edited: Aug 28, 2024

I'm a long time Finale user and although this note carries a tone of sorrow, I think it's a direct consequence of having been stuck in time, while Dorico and Sibelius invested in several fronts that go far beyond music notation. Every time someone complained about Finale's vts playback, its technical support was very quick to invoke the catchphrase "but Finale is a music notation software, it's not a sequencer, for that, use your DAW!" I think it's shameful, they fell behind and simply accepted making this absurd announcement where all that's left is to admit that they were simply destroyed by Dorico's team.
Let's move on. Another giant that falls dizzyingly. But it continues to be a solid notation program with a good MIDI editing implementation (although very tortuous and laborious). Now, we are between a rock and a hard place (between Avid and Steinberg's monopoly) and there's nothing you can do about it.

 

Last edited: Aug 27, 2024

Good Riddance

 

Fair play to them and bad for Finale users (of which I'm not one). At least they're being candid about the end of the software, and even giving a nod to a competitor and a possible replacement.

And in before the "they should just open source it" crowd gets here, I'm afraid it's not that simple and it would cost money (which is obviously the problem here in the first place). It's very unlikely they'd be able to provide something tweakable and usable easily, and god knows what sort libraries they use. Anything commercial there makes it an instant no-go.

 

So, when it won't be available legit next year, could someone finally crack the last version for mac? Since 25.5 there wasn't any...
Reason is, there may easily be users on older macs who eventually need to replace their hardware to an M series mac that can't run old version of Finale. These people won't be able to upgrade their Finale, even trying to migrate their old system, they will be screwed, unable to open their old projects.

 

I remember having heated discussions on Finale forum where we, users, constantly asked for the implementation of better and more fluid MIDI editing (which in the end, was of no use and we were all pissed off with MM's excuses). The last version I bought was version 26.3.1.520. When I saw a series of MIDI implementations being made in Notion, Dorico, Sibelius and even Overture, I simply decided not to pay for Finale anymore. In one of my discussions with staff members (in 2020, I believe), I said that the software was heading for the grave (given all the improvements that competitors were implementing). One of those support staff members laughed, said that I was exaggerating and that it would be okay if I needed to migrate to another software. But everything is never okay, because we get used to routines and work dynamics. Anyway, I would have liked to have seen the face of that dick when he found out that the company was going to sink.

 

Last edited: Aug 28, 2024

More details at:

❝Despite Finale’s prominence and impressive results, from a strategic standpoint, it does not align with the rest of MakeMusic’s modern offerings of interactive practice solutions and its music catalog. (...)
(...) As Finale became anachronistic in MakeMusic’s strategic plan, any development time spent on Finale at the expense of its MakeMusic Cloud products was effectively a money-loser for MakeMusic — especially since Finale has never been a subscription product and thus there is no recurring revenue stream that can be tapped to fund ongoing development.
When viewed through this lens, the business case for winding down Finale makes sense. (...)❞

http://www.scoringnotes.com/news/makemusic-ends-development-and-availability-of-finale/

 

I was nostalgically browsing the Finale forum and came across this gem (from 2018) , from an annoyed user, declaring that he would switch from Finale to Sibelius!

❝Moreover, M.M. insists on a kind of stance where we, users, must conform to the Finale's outdated MIDI editing, when other companies are just fitting themselves to the needs of their users. I believe that in the near future (maybe in 5-10 years or less), this type of procedure will be the default, making the migration to softwares that continue to innovate in the adventure of hybridization between notation and DAW softwares inevitable.❞

P.S. the guy was almost prophetic: (2018-2025—the date of the last nail in the deceased's coffin!—Finale is over!)

http://www.finaleforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=16720&p=61397&hilit=overture#p61397

 

Last edited: Aug 28, 2024

Sorry for them and users. This is some kind of crap though. Why? So they force you to run cracked Finale for ever, even if you bought it.
Well, perhaps there is someone to purchase it ? What ? Nope? I guess so too. We 'll see though.
The whole thing is kinda disturbing though, i dunno. Such a demise.
Yesterday's business model is a guy with the "know what to do and money" would pop in and save the soft reviving the company.
Today's business model is the same guy but lets 'em go bankrupt so buy it for peanuts later.
L8r m8s

 

Create Digital Music (a fun blog to follow, in any case IMO) has an interesting guide for stranded Finale users on migration: https://cdm.link/2024/08/switching-from-finale/

I'm gonna stash knowledge of MusicXML in my memory banks, that might come in handy at some point.

 

Good that there is still some decency and consideration, at least:

❝Finale authorization will remain available indefinitely
We’ve heard your concerns. They are valid. We originally announced that it would no longer be possible to reauthorize Finale after August 26th, 2025. But as a result of our community’s feedback, Finale authorization will remain active for the foreseeable future. Please note that future OS changes can still impact your ability to use Finale on new devices.

Finale v27 to be included with Dorico Pro Crossgrades
We are 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. This will ensure that you can export your Finale files using MusicXML 4.0, the most robust version of MusicXML available. Thank you for your patience, we will provide more information soon.❞

 

Da capo al fine!

 

It's just wonderful how they continue still to fulfill their customers needs and concerns and how they finagled the Finale finale...NOT.

 

Considering the outcome, which is of course bad, they could've said that "all bets are off, see ya", not to mention companies that have folded and disappeared overnight, this is probably the best one the users would get.

 

Now think about it: how can a program that was absolutely pioneering become "anachronistic in MakeMusic’s strategic plan"? Thousands of users who work as copyists and composers in variouson Broadway Shows, Hollywood, Bollywood, Chinawood films, among others, and they simply stopped meeting demands of syncing audio & video and improving the quality of VSTI reproduction to remain in the business of educational sheet music! That is why the shipwreck! Follow the money, pal, unfortunately, that is how it is, Avid and Steinberg are here to prove it, once again, again, (...)!.

Sorry for the outburst, but my years as an avid Finale user were a period of great frustration! In a way, I'm sad because it was a slightly cheaper and competitive option (student discounts, good MIDI adjustment tools, although extremely laborious and impractical ones), but in another way, I have that feeling of "—I told you so, suckers!"

 

Last edited: Aug 28, 2024

Now this is much more gracious, especially for dedicated users that rely upon it to make a living. I'm glad they changed their position and responded quickly, this means that despite their downfall, they still respect their customers and their entitled rights, something which is rare nowadays. Crossgrade with Dorico Pro isn't a bad deal, pro users will have the time to get to grips with Dorico while still working with what they know.
Me? I'm a Sibelius guy hahaha
All the best

 

What´s wrong with a pen and paper?......... naah just jokin ;-)

 

Maybe it had all been planned for a while...
I don't know... reminds me a bit of the story of when Adobe bought FreeHand out of the market by imposing Illustrator.

Probably the Finale's people knew everything and how it was going to turn out and they found their place at the sun with a nice sum of money and... bye bye cruel world: we are going to the sea forever!

 

Yeah, even though they say no, Steiberg has just eliminated one of his biggest competitors... isn't that worth a big fat money?

 

Absolutely, you're right!