Hi,
when editing Expression/Percussion Maps there is this annoying mismach between C4 as Middle C in Dorico and C3 as Middle C in HALion and Nuendo.
In the Expr/Perc Maps MIDI Note Numbers are used exclusively (Middle C = 60) but then you always have to convert in C4 or C3. I always confuse the two, for years now…
Maybe the convention is C4 in England (and the Netherlands) and C3 in Germany and Austria. In Vienna Instruments you can switch between C3 or C4, but in Dorico, HALion and Nuendo you cannot. Anyway, Dorico together with HALion gives a mismatch.
So maybe:
Dorico has to use C3 like HALion and Nuendo (Dorico is Steinberg all the same)
Steinberg has to use C4 on all products, or,
Dorico should have a preference to choose between middle C (MIDI Note Number 60) as C3 or C4.
The latter is the most obvious, I think, in addition it would be great if you could choose between a Naming Format like MIDI, MIDI Note Number or both, as you can in Nuendo preferences.
Some background: we decided to adopt C4 as middle C because that’s the standard used in MusicXML, the MIDI file standard (see the spec) , scientific pitch notation (see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C_(musical_note) ), and Sibelius, among many others.
Unfortunately though, Cubase, HALion and many VST plugins have adopted the C3 standard. Some apps seem to adopt the C5 standard.
This isn’t ideal. Hopefully we can mitigate some of it in the future by offering a preference. We’ve added MIDI learn buttons next to some of the controls that specify MIDI pitches so that you can just hit the keyboard, which is then unambiguous.
There is a definite need for the preference feature you mention, Paul. If one is going to use third party VST’s, it’s a necessity, precisely because (as you point out) different VST’s adopt different standards. Glad you have plans to implement it.
Interesting discussion. According to the American Standard Pitch Notation (ASPN), it is indeed C4. Good article here. I do agree there should be a preference option in Dorico since I’ve found it is sometimes C3 in some apps, as others have mentioned here.
I use Reason and that DAW considers middle C (MIDI = 60) to be C3, just as one example. It drives me nuts when I need to go online and check the range of a particular instrument I might not use often (eg, electric bass, which I’m pondering for a new work), and various sites will indicate the lowest note in terms of the octave number, but I’m never sure if they are then using the C4 or C3 standard. Very confusing, from a practical perspective.
Thanks - that works perfectly, and the playback pitch is not affected. I still think Cubase should offer this, but at least we don’t have to worry any longer about it once it’s in the world of Dorico.
