I am currently working on creating a custom playback template for my enormous orchestral sample library, a process that has taken several weeks so far. I wanted to request some simple new features that would not only vastly improve default playback, but also improve third-party orchestra library integration.
More playback options for accents
I think that the lack of playback options surrounding accents is greatly limiting realistic score playback. Currently, they play back as merely a louder version of normal notes, but they actually require more interpretation than that, and especially as a band composer, this is disappointing to see. I think accents should have an option for % played-back duration alongside all of the other articulations, mirroring how they should be played with more space than other notes, unless there is a slur or tenuto over the note, in which case the legato duration would take priority. Right now however, accented notes are played really long and there currently isn’t a way to change that without adding more articulations to the note.
Second, an additional interpretation needs to be introduced to accents: a gradual dynamic change (basically a dim.) should be introduced to accented notes to give them proper emphasis, then return to the previous dynamic after the note. And of course, we should be able to control the strength of this change, perhaps even at different dynamic levels.
More playback options for trills
This is a feature that I’ve seen mentioned on this forum before, however I haven’t seen it addressed in any updates so far. I feel like in addition to the option of using exclusively generated trills or using a sample of a trill, there should be an option for triggering the trill playback technique but still playing back a generated trill, and of course, placing it in the Playback Options Override section in the Expression Map Editor so it can be enabled on a per-instrument basis.
Right now, Dorico does not generate a trill if you opt to use a sample, which is perfect for many of my instruments. However for some of them, the fast legato and the trill patches are combined into one, meaning a trill still needs to be performed in order for it to be heard. Unfortunately, there currently isn’t a way to do this, because if you use generated trills, it does not trigger the playback technique. I think this issue would greatly improve compatibility with a lot of users’ libraries because it’s hard to imagine that there aren’t a large group of people who currently can’t use their trill patches in Dorico.
(EDIT: In addition, if there is an accent over a note with a trill, Dorico won’t trigger the trill technique. There might be a way to way to fix this already using mutual exclusion groups, but I haven’t figured out how to do that yet. You could duplicate the trill switches and edit them to include accent+trill, but that’s exhausting to do for many instruments, and it also clutters the switch list. Plus, that raises the dynamic throughout the entire trill duration. My previous suggestion about accents playing back with a dim. would fix this too.)
Glissando playback technique
The glissando playback technique currently does not function. For some reason, I can’t get Dorico to trigger the glissando patch no matter what I do, which is disappointing.
Dynamics as expression map switch conditions
I believe dynamics would be a very useful thing to be able to control patches with. Right now, the only available condition to choose from is note length. That was a good idea, but sometimes articulations need to be interpreted differently at different dynamic levels. For example, I have one patch that I think would sound good for marcato notes that are mp or softer, and another patch that would be great for marcato notes at mf or louder. Honestly, I’m surprised this one hasn’t already been implemented. Note length is the only thing to choose from here at the moment, but they named the dialogue “conditions” as if there were going to be more in the future.
So, that concludes my incessant idea dump that I had stored up while working on my custom playback template. I realize that these are highly opinionated interpretations of articulations, and if I’m in the minority on my opinions, I hope that at least a rudimentary version of these settings would be implemented so those with third-party orchestra libraries like mine can better take advantage of Dorico’s amazing suite. I greatly appreciate anyone reading for taking the time to do so, and I’m very grateful to Dorico’s development team for having already taken into account so many possibilities with our samples.
Jaxon Castro