Compared to other applications (e. g. Quicktime Player or iTunes/Music or even video/audio in web browsers) the playback volume in Dorico is very low by default. Is there a reason for that and is there a way to set a default volume level so that I can equalize it to the others without having to do this everytime for every new project?
You can adjust the main volume of HALse if you click on e in Play Stephan… Check the Mixer as well…
Yeah but the first method is complicated and anyway, I’ll have to do this every time I start a new project. I would like to start Dorico and have a sensible default that is similar to the other applications.
There’s nothing intrinsically about the way Dorico is set up that means it should sound quieter than other applications on your computer. Indeed, many people complain that the CoreAudio2ASIO component that Dorico uses to bridge between the internal ASIO device and your Mac’s CoreAudio output resets the system volume level to maximum, so if anything people usually find that Dorico is too loud compared to other applications on their computer!
One thing you might consider is using an application like SoundSource by Rogue Amoeba. This is an application I use myself to allow me to more easily balance the relative output of different applications on my Mac.
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I also find that Dorico’s default volume is incredibly low.
First of all, the built in mixer volume is -6.02db for all instruments AND the output bus, so volume audio reduction is double.
Doubled with Dorico’s default velocity / dynamic being pretty low, and an unclear velocity randomization, it results in a very quite sound by default.
This really threw me off when I tried to get a first impression of Dorico.
Aloha Daniel,
I realize this is an older post but I would like to know you have a recommendation for a similar app to SoundSource for PC? It seems that EarTrumpet might be one choice, but would appreciate suggestions from someone more experienced than myself.
I’m afraid I don’t know of a Windows alternative for SoundSource, but perhaps our knowledgeable Windows-using forumites have some ideas. Are you sure you’ve pumped up Dorico’s default volume on the Play page of Preferences? Once you’ve increased that setting, you can apply it to the project you’re currently working on via Play > Apply Default Output Level.
Why didn’t someone mention the default volume setting in preferences when the question was first asked?
Because it did not exist back in 2021.
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Yes, it was only implemented in Dorico 4.
One could further ask why the default output level isn’t applied by default, but why bother?
The default output level is applied both when starting a new project and when applying a playback template, but it’s not applied at other times because you might have adjusted the output levels in the Mixer yourself, and you wouldn’t want them to be overridden automatically.