I’m trying to import MusicXML from an application that rhymes with FuseCore Content wise it’s pretty basic stuff really, but I still seem to run into a bit friction, so I’d like to ask the experienced folks here for a little input on what would be the best strategy would be.
Goal: Import score and achieve sound as heard with existing Dorico orchestral templates
I’ve tried two different strategies and have researched the forum, which has been very helpful to an extent. But there are a few things I just can’t seem to get around. Here’s what I’ve tried:
Import directly from the New / Recent screen. In terms of imported content, this seemed to be the best. However, sonically it was based on single players, no or very dry stage, all instruments, placed in the middle etc. I converted string players to sections, tried applying stage and reverb template, which helped a bit, but percussion was stil dry and straight in the middle. In the end it felt like I might have chosen the wrong approach, so I…
Created a new project from existing Orchestra template, imported after and tested both create new players (result: everything silent) and merge with existing players. Of course, from the outset the sound is much better because the settings are inherited from the template… (and here the percussion is smooth , seemingly placed on the stage and has reverb), but I realize a few other issues with the latter approach: Double Basses staff seemed to have been deleted instead of imported, and some instruments are present but silent.
I’m not a stranger to technology, so I understand that the process of matching incoming data can be fuzzy which can be the reason for silent staves (no player matched?). Also, I haven’t tried any midi export / import yet, but that could be a way to go too, of course. I don’t have many scores to import, so I wouldn’t mind a fairly manual approach as long as I can avoid painting myself into a corner in my Dorico project - expect maybe typing in everything again
There’s no issue mentioning MuseScore here. Many of use it alongside Sibelius and Finale, especially importing MusicXML.
MusicXML format contains very little information about sounds, so it’s easy for Dorico to confuse (eg) Solo Strings and Section Strings. Double Bass can sometimes arrive as Bass (singer).
There is very little difference between your two approaches: Import into a new file will apply the Playback Template you have specified in Preferences. Import into an existing file will create a new flow and use whatever Playback Template that file is currently using (more often than not this would be the default anyway!). If you get no sound - just re-apply a Playback Template and sounds will be reset.
If you want to personalise reverb and stage settings for future use, you would need to save the endpoint and use it to create your own Playback Template, which you could then set as default if you wish.
I’d recommend un-checking most of the checkboxes for MusicXML import in Dorico’s application Preferences.
Ironically, not forcing Dorico to obey the beaming, layout, dynamic placement, etc, in the document means that Dorico is free to do its own thing, which you can configure in Engraving Options, etc;
The alternative is that everything that comes in has a manual override on it, and won’t respond to any global changes.
I leave Note durations, Text items, and “other technical playing Techniques” on; and everything else is off.
It was just a feeble attempt to make a fun indirect mention. But it’s pretty obvious I’m not a comedian…
That’s good to know. I may have missed that it could have been placed into a different instrument type.
Ok, I will try that second re-application of the playback template. From a configuration perspective, I would intuitively prefer to import into an existing file, because I’d know that the playback, stage and space templates has been set to produce a specific sound from the beginning. I was just strange to see, say, Snare drum to be seemingly set up correctly in Setup and Play, with the correct notes, but not produce any sound. So I wonder if there’s still an element of manual mapping needed - we’ll see.
When doing import first, it seemed to me that only the default playback template was applied - with single players in the string section, but that was a minor issue I fixed like this. However, with regards to stage, all players where placed in a single point and all was very dry (reverb). I tried to apply stage and reverb, and while some players changed position on the stage, the percussion sounded so dry and raw that I wondered if it really came from Iconica (not lovely suspended). This might be the solution but the response went a little over my head with my current experience, tbh.
Thanks, yes, I watched the video about playback templates, and I’m pretty sure I’ll dive into the details forther down the road. I really like the separation of concerns in Dorico.
I gave it another go today and eventually got where I wanted to be. I took the route of creating the project first, then importing into it. The import result was so so, with some instruments being silent again. (Re-)applying playback template didn’t help. Interestingly there were some reused players and also some duplicate ones between the two flows.
I tried to fix the import issues, but every step I took seemed to get a little worse, like ending up creating a player with two instruments in an effort to convert players. In the end I decided to copy the content from the import flow to the original flow, so at least they’d reside in a working setup. After that I deleted all non-shared players of the import flow and eventually the import flow. Seemed like I didn’t quite reach the unlock process a simple import (I blame myself, not the software), but at least I got there in the end.
A quick follow up question: The snare I use has depth and reverb but the bass drum seems unrealistically close and dry. Neither shows up on the stage. How does one get them on the stage so that they can be manipulated?
Some of the sounds included with Dorico are recorded “in situ” and therefore have their stage position baked in to the samples themselves. Such instruments don’t appear in the Live Stage, since you’d be fighting with the original recording.
Why does Dorico not import the following musicxml correctly?
(The latest version of Finale seems to read it better… Sorry for the comparison. I just don’t want to start Finale again because musicXML is not imported correctly in Dorico):
When there’s an error in the XML, I’ve noticed Dorico doesn’t always seem able to “get back on it” as readily as other apps; and consequently the rest of the file can be a mess.
I would have a look in Finale, and see if there’s a bar with too many notes, or some other problem at the bar where it all goes wrong.
This XML file is not right. When I ask MuseScore Studio to open it, it does open it fine. If I ask MuseScore Studio to export it in XML again… it does not work better in Dorico than the first file
[Edit] Sibelius opens it without an error message… but if I export it with Dolet, the file crashes Dorico, and with the usual Sibelius export, the file appears as corrupted as the first one…
I’d bet the best thing to do is to review the seven or eight spots shown by MuseScore that need to be revisited and export it once it’s been corrected.