Annoying old bug, can't remember how to solve it

Hello community, the situation is this: I start to compose a piece, often I require a certain articulation that utilizes a different VST instrument, thus I create a new voice. I then channel the required voice in Play mode. All good so far! This goes on for a while, then I change my mind and delete multiple bars, including those that had the “funny” articulation. The problems:

  1. The previously added voice that gets deleted, does not disappear from the Play window.
  2. When I open the project the next day, there are random notes that play in the channels that were deleted, often simultaneously with the correct channel.

I know I have encountered this many times and I thought I had found a solution, but can’t remember. Things I’ve tried:

  • Selecting the whole score and changing to Upstem Voice 1, closing and reopening Dorico.
  • Changing Playback configuration and then changing back.
  • Making sure all the extra voices in Play mode have no player/VST and/or channel selected.
  • Deleting the VSTAudioEngine cache.

The only workaround I’ve found is to start a new file and copy/paste everything across, but this is extremely time-consuming.

Any thoughts?

Note: this is using the default Expression Map i.e. the stock empty one that just has Natural
Note 2: The Playback template is just one instance of VE Pro

I think you have answered your own question! The Expression map is the connection between what is written in Dorico and how that is interpreted by your particular VSTs.

It is essential that you create (borrow/adapt) an expression map that fits your own particular VSTs.

Personally I don’t use Vepro, so I can’t help you with that specifically. But there are many threads here that do discuss this topic and many vepro ‘experts’. Also there are a number of excellent tutorials on setting up Expression Maps.

No, no… That has nothing to do with it, because the lack of expression maps is not triggering anything. If I had an expression map that told Dorico so-and-so articulation is in channel X, then your theory would make sense. As it stands, Dorico knows nothing and I’m doing everything manually i.e. triggering keyswitch and such via other staves,

Which is a curiously masochistic strategy.

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Ha, ha, ha! True… But the only way to get a ‘musical’ performance out of software…

Once the voice really is no longer used anywhere in the flow, it will be deleted the next time you open the project. If you’re finding voices sticking around even after there are no more references to it, then it really does suggest that something is still using them. The other possibility is that you’re using divisi sections: Dorico won’t delete empty voices in divisi sections when independent voice playback is switched on.

If you’d like me to investigate, I’d be happy to: you can send me a project and let me know which voice(s) are supposed to be empty and thus no longer appearing, and I’ll see if I can figure out what’s going wrong.

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I think an investigation is warranted if only to remember how to solve it. The voices are not getting deleted despite not being used and there are no divisi either. Can you remind me where to send you the file?

You can email it to me at d dot spreadbury at steinberg dot de, or you can attach it to a private message here.

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