Dorico -> Cubase and viceversa: Playback Template and Expression Maps

Dorico
1

Hello everybody,

I have a question regarding Playback Templates and Expression Maps . I have started building an orchestral template for switching between Dorico and Cubase and viceversa.

I am creating it in Vienna Ensemble Pro and I am using Spitfire Symphonic Orchestra, which is my main library in Cubase for certain type of jobs.

Dorico → Cubase: my idea is to have a set of tracks in Cubase, so that I am able to open the MIDI file coming from Dorico and have a starting point for improving a mockup or preparing the sessions for live musician overdub or replacing certain sections.

Cubase → Dorico: given that in Cubase I work on more tracks than staves in a score, the same set of tracks (up above in the project) would work for polishing the MIDI before opening it in Dorico and preparing the score there. They are just empty MIDI tracks in which I can drag and drop regions from the more elaborate MIDI sequence below.

I am using Expression Maps that I have set up in Cubase and that now I am conforming to Dorico requirements in Dorico. My main concern is to conform the dynamics to CC1 so that playback dynamics have a common ground between Cubase and Dorico and working with the Spitfire UACC system (CC32 as articulation switch).

It seems to me that the process is working quite well so far, but I have encountered an obstacle. Maybe I am trying to do something that it is not possible or probably I am doing it the wrong way.

In Cubase, I usually create a playable double or triple of my first chair by detuning the instrument in Kontakt (let’s say +2 semitones) and correcting the whole transposition from the Cubase inspector (+2) so that I have something that works like a new set of samples.
Recently I have tried using the transposition correction from the Expression Map itself and it works in Dorico, too.

The problem is that if I place an accent on a note, it reverts to the original pitch. I suppose the ‘pitfall’ of my approach lies in the fact that Dorico needs another Switch for the accent containing the adjusting transposition. I have tried this but it doesn’t solve the problem.

Maybe I am trying to do something impossible or too complicated! :slight_smile:

Or am I simply missing something or doing it wrong?

Many thanks for your help.

Alessandro

2

Posting an update about this playback template with the “transposition trick”. …

If I set up combinations of playback techniques, like Trill + Accent etc., I get the correct “double transposition” I want.

Do I have to go down this route and set up all the possible combinations?

3

AFAIK they’re working on this now so whatever approach they have is probably baked. I think I heard Daniel say the priority is on Cubase-Dorico which is unfortunate for me, but probably a nod to all the film composers that compose in the DAW.

4

Alessandro, this kind of situation is what add-on switches in expression maps are before: an add-on switch will allow you to add another temporary technique without defining every possible combination (which is a different approach to that employed by expression maps in Cubase).

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5

Thank you very much, Daniel. I will try this!