If you are working with a document like a lead sheet that has a voice staff, lyrics, and chords, but would like the chords on this staff to playback with a piano sound, there is an easy way to accomplish this using the Instrument List.

Go up to the Window Menu and choose Instrument List - this will open the Instrument List Window.

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This error isn’t really an error, I guess that’s why they called it a “message”, and is caused by instruments within the Instrument List sharing the same channel.  Finale prefers all of the instruments, even left hand/right hand piano parts, to be on separate channels for optimal playback.  In the most recent versions of Finale the instrument channels are set-up for you by Finale, pre-2005 versions did not set unique numbers to duplicated instruments , so the error was quite prevalent.   To fix the issue just go up to your Window Menu and Select your Instrument List.  Within the Instrument List Window you will have to change the channel using the Instrument Column.

Here is how:

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