Hello! I’m trying out Dorico Pro 3.5 right now, and during playback and the play mode, the audio quality of all instruments is terrible, and sounds like an awful synth. I originally didn’t see the download for the large sounds file, but have since downloaded it. Is there any solution? Thanks
Welcome to the forum, Andy.
Are you finding this in new projects, imported MusicXML/MIDI, or the example projects? Have you tried reapplying the playback template from Play > Playback Template?
Thanks for the welcome. I’m finding this in the example projects, imported projects, and new projects. I just tried reapplying the template and I’m still having the issue.
I should mention, I tried using noteperformer earlier but switched back to the default playback template, but even before downloading noteperformer the quality was poor
Please confirm that if you load Steinberg Library Manager (a separate application installed alongside Dorico) it correctly shows that your HALion content is actually installed, like so:
I expect that when someone from the development team sees this thread, they’ll ask you to start a new solo piano project, throw a few notes in, then go Help > Create Diagnostics (which will silently dump a Dorico Diagnostics zip file on your desktop), then upload both the diagnostics zip and the resulting Dorico file here. You might as well pre-empt their request 
Awesome, Ill get that ready. Thank you very much!!
Dorico Diagnostics.zip (444.8 KB)
Heres the diagnosis zip
For Diagnostic.dorico (394.9 KB)
And here’s the Dorico file
Somehow you’ve managed to get playback through the DoricoBleep
Try reapplying the playback template (play->playback template). This should load the correct HSSE instrument.
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I feel like I’m being a bit stupid, but which of these is the correct one? When I switch to any of these the default setting on VST instruments (the HAL…Sonic SE) isn’t playing any sound, only the dorico beep will
Thanks for the diagnostics report. It looks like the sound contents did not get installed properly.
Please have a look under
C:\ProgramData\Steinberg\Content\HALion\VST Sound
as well as
C:\ProgramData\Steinberg\Content\VST Sound
How many VSTSound files are in each of the folders?
Double click on one of the VSTSound files in both folders, which should register the sound files. Then restart Dorico and try again with the “HSSE+HSO(Pro)” template.
If it still does not work, we could maybe have a remote screen sharing session to sort things.
In the VST Sound folder, theres 2 vst files, and the Halion folder, and a folder called VST Sound - Keda Music.
In the Halion folder, there’s no VST sound folder right away, but after going through a folder called “additional content”, theres a VST sound folder with 3 folders called “HALion Resources”, “HALion Sonic SE Content” and “HALion Symphonic Orchestra”
After double clicking on a file in each folder and restarting Dorico, no sound was playing at all with the HSEE+HSO(Pro) template.
I’m happy to do a screen sharing session anytime
Hm, then you are missing (most) of the sound files, though I wonder, because the Library Manager shows them as installed. But let’s find out, please send me a mail to ‘u dot stoermer at steinberg dot de’ and we’ll sort the details for a remote session. Please tell your time zone and availability. I’m in Hamburg, i.e. UTC+2.
Hello,
I too am having the same issue. I have Dorico Pro on my Mac (Big Sur)mand have enabled the Halion Pro playback template in preferences. All of the sound files appear to be there according to the Steinberg library manager but when I try to find the files I’m unable to. I’m really disappointed in the sound quality for this expensive software. I thought that going to the Pro version would improve playback. I’ve also tried playing back through my Yamaha Montage via midi but the Dorico audio engine overrides that of the synth so I can’t use the synth sounds at all. I’ve tried Dorico on my iPad with a similar result. The other software notation tool I use is Staffpad and the built in playback engine is excellent. Please advise. Something is clearly not working properly. Thanks!
It is known that the included HSSE+HSO sounds are not very good. Depending on the kind of music you’re working on, it’s really worth investing in NotePerformer.
You should be able to trigger your synth sounds via MIDI, can you describe exactly how you set this up, so that we can help you get through this as you wish?
Hi @NotaBene, I will be able to help you. For a start, please do in Dorico from the menu ‘Help > Create Diagnostics Report’ and post the corresponding zip file here. Also, send me a mail to ‘u dot stoermer at steinberg dot de’ and we can arrange for a remote screen sharing session.
HI, thanks for the speedy reply. I’ve sent you the requested file.
Hi Marc
thanks for this. I will check out NotePerformer. Perhaps it’s a fantasy, but I thought that if I connected my Montage to Dorico on my laptop via usb and set the Montage as the midi sound source that on playback I essentially would use the Yamaha audio engine as opposed to Dorico’s. All this without having to save a midi file from Dorico first and then importing on the Montage as a means of both hearing the music with a good sound source and also making changes to the score from the keyboard. Perhaps there’s a setting I have overlooked.
Dorico can certainly send midi signals out to 3rd party devices and software; I’m guessing there is a setting in your synth that needs to be enabled (in addition to telling dorico to output the midi signal).
What does your playback template situation look like? Is the montage selected as your audio and/or midi device?