I’m setting up a Dorico template for Audio Imperia’s Solo sample library. So, I’ve assigned AI’s Solo Violin VST to the violin and saved that as an “Endpoint.” (I’m new to doing this and feel out of my depth.) My problem: dynamics are missing in playback. As in the violin example here, I’ve checked in Dorico’s key editor, and both dynamics and velocity CCs properly reflect the score’s dynamics markings.
But the violin’s playback is uniformly at one volume level. I’ve looked at the Dorico mixer during playback, and the violin’s VU meter confirms the volume’s uniformity; it’s not just my ear deceiving me.
I’m a complete neophyte with expression maps, playback templates, etc. Until now, I’ve just been using Dorico’s BBCSO template, which has everything “under the hood” set up already. So, I’m way out of my depth. Is there a known series of steps when one is starting from scratch from an unsupported sample library?
Read the manual for your library. This should tell you how different samples are triggered. Normally long sounds have dynamics controlled by either CC1 or CC11, whereas short sounds probably use Velocity.
The BBSO Template is not “under the hood” - it’s just been set up for you! I’d start building an expression map for your Audio Imperia by duplicating the BBCSO Solo Violin map and modifying it as needed.
There are a number of video tutorials on setting up Expression Maps - This one’s old, but a good start.
If you get stuck - ask here. There are many experts on setting up expression maps.
Excellent, @Janus ! New to Dorico this year, I find expression maps and playback templates intimidatingly complex. Taking these starting steps will hopefully remove the “overwhelm.”
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