Conga setup/playback

[cccm]

I have created a conga part and in play I have this:

the JABB percussion drums have the correct midi notes assigned but do not sound.

In write mode I assigned four notes to a drum kit

here is the drumkit

In write there are four notes but not from Garritan JABB, not sure where they came from.

what am i missing to get the JABB congas to sound?

[DanielMuzMurray]

Just check that you have the correct octave for these MIDI notes. Maybe just try one of them first. Sometimes they can be an octave higher or lower than needed (due to Middle C being C3 or C4).

Also, for the time being, maybe remove the Expression Map but leave the Percussion Map.

[DanielMuzMurray]

Also, you only have two different Conga instruments in your Perc Map: Quinto and Tumba. And these have different Playback Techniques that don’t seem to be notated in your score.

Make sure you have the four different Congas as per your Percussion Kit, and that the Playback Technique is set to Natural in the Edit Percussion Kit dialog.

Otherwise, you might be sending data from your score to the Requinto or “Tumba with a Slap technique” that have no reference in the Perc. Kit.

[DanielMuzMurray]

If you attach your blank project, and list which MIDI notes trigger what in your VST, I will do it for you.

[cccm]

Conga.dorico (522.0 KB)
Will this work for you?

[DanielMuzMurray]

I don’t have your VST and so I can’t be sure. Follow these steps and see if you get anywhere…

This is the Instrument that you have in your Conga Player, not Conga (Tumba):

but is not currently in your Percussion Map:

Select the MIDI note F#3 and in the Edit Drum Kit Note section, change the Instrument to Conga (don’t forget to click Apply):

This is how it should look. Note the Playback Technique next to the name is Natural:

Assuming F#3 is an appropriate MIDI note to trigger the Conga sample in your VST, it should sound.

[cccm]

Thanks, I would never have figured that out on my own!

[DanielMuzMurray]

Did it work?

[DanielMuzMurray]

Here is a recent video about this topic. There are lots more in this series about Playback Templates.

Create a percussion map | Dorico Playback Templates

[cccm]

I was able to set up the congas, as per your direction, to play in play mode, but in write mode I can’t get them to sound. Here is the drum kit setup

Here is a screen shot of the score. When I input notes there they are not the JABB congas and sound only 3 notes. JABB has 4.

[cccm]

Here is the scorescreen shot

[DanielMuzMurray]

Can you screenshot:

the MIDI note assignments in the Edit Percussion Kit dialog?

ALSO

The track inspector of the Conga channel? This is in the Left zone in Play mode:

Track Inspector

[cccm]

Here is the percussion map

I don’t see midi channel assignments in the edit percussion kit dialog

Here is the track inspector and Aria player

[DanielMuzMurray]

In your first two screenshots (which are the same one, I think) you have the Conga instrument assigned to four different MIDI Notes.

But if you look at your tracks in Play mode, the instrument is actually CongaS: a Percussion Kit containing two Conga instruments

See the top and bottom choices:

I’m assuming that your Congas Percussion Kit looks something similar to this?

If so, these are the instruments that need to be in your Percussion Map, one per MIDI Note (depending on which instrument you want to trigger which MIDI Note)

[cccm]

Yes I did copy the screenshot twice. Here is the percussion kit

Is it as simple as choosing the instrument name to congas from conga?

[DanielMuzMurray]

In my custom Perc Map, I’ve done each instrument individually. I’m not sure what the result will be if you choose Congas.

I would advise doing the four instruments separately, as they are labeled in your Kit.

So if you want the VST sound triggered by F#3 to be the lowest conga in your staff, change the instrument to Conga (Super Tumba) to match it.

[cccm]

I am sorry I am not getting this. I changed the percussion map renaming the instruments as in my drum kit

The sounds have not changed in Write mode and the none of the conga instruments sound in Play mode which they did before.

[DanielMuzMurray]

Well, G#3 and A3 are only going to be triggered when you have a Playing Technique for Muffled and Slap (respectively) notated in your score, on those particular congas.

The instruments assigned to F#3 and G3 I am not sure about as they should both be triggered when playing back “natural” notes.

Do you have a screenshot of your VST screen and mappings? Perhaps there’s some confusion happening.

[cccm]

This a screenshot of the aria player, is this the vst screenshot you wanted

Should I make all the conga sounds like muff and slap natural?

[DanielMuzMurray]

I just had an idea.

Maybe try routing your instrument to a different VST, one with just a piano sound would be sensible, and assign your JABB Percussion Map.

If you press play, you should hear each conga as a different pitch on the piano.

At least you will know if MIDI notes are actually being triggered or not. If any are not being triggered (i.e. there’s no sound) then that narrows down our problem.

I can’t stress enough to make sure the Playback Technique for each of the four MIDI Notes you’re using in your Percussion Map is set to Natural. This is not permanent; it’s just to help diagnose and make sure there’s a connection.

If you send me an empty project, I can even do this for you.