For all of my scores the playback doesn´t work anymore. That means the playback doesn´t even start. If I press the start button, nothing happens . I can´t even change the playback template , because this option is grayed- out in the menu. It doesn´t help, when I change the audio output target. Even with the internal output, it doesn´t work. I have tried a new project with a piano template, which works fine. Of course I tried a new start of Dorico and even the computer. But it didn´t help.
I´m on Mac OS 10.15
Dorico Diagnostics.zip (1.0 MB)
When you open your project, I assume the “power button” on the toolbar doesn’t light up, to show that the project is activated for playback? Try clicking it – click it just once, and then wait a moment, because it will only light up once the plug-ins and sounds have been loaded and Dorico is ready for playback. Does it now light up correctly and then allow you to play back your project?
If so, go to the Play page of Preferences to check the options for project activation. You probably want to set Dorico to activate the first project Always.
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Hi @wibem1 , at the time you create the diagnostics, you had a project loaded and in that all channel gains were at 0, that means minus infinity. So with all faders closed, no sound would come out. Is that the problem you have?
Thanks for your answer. Daniel: the project is activated. Ulf: yes, I often have the problem, that Dorico sets the volume faders in the projects, which I load, to Zero . I don’t know, why. But in this case I have turned the faders up. So, that couldn’t be the cause of the issue. And even if they would be turned down, the playback should start. How is it even possible, that the playback doesn’t start and the option for the playback templates in the menu is grayed-out, if the project is activated?
Perhaps you should post the Dorico file, or an excerpt that demonstrates the problem so we can get a better look.
Menuett in d.dorico (1.1 MB)
Here is one project, with which I have this issue. But as I said, it should not depend on the project, because I have the problem with all.
If you go to the Play page of Preferences and look for the Default output level slider, you’ll find that it is pulled all the way to the left. Pull it to the right and click Apply then Close. Now in any project where you get no playback, choose Play > Apply Default Output Level to reset the output levels to your new default.
When the green line does not move or the play button does not turn green., then either the audio engine crashed or deadlocked. In your diagnostics I could not find crash files, so I assume it is deadlocked then. Would you please check that the VSTAudioEngine in such case is still in the list of processes? Thanks
The VST Audio Engine is active and I can even hear a sound, if I click on a note. Just that the playback doesn´t start , if I press the start button.
If I try to export the score as midifile, I get the message, that the playback function has to be activated. What does that mean? The project is activated. Here is a score, with which I have this issue…
Scarlatti Sonate Nr. 9 4.Satz.dorico (1.2 MB)
It means the project playback must be activated (ie blue)…
Activating playback is done by this button in the toolbar
When I loaded your project this button was off and therefore the play buttons greyed out. Not sure if that is the same on your side, but that enabled the playback.
However, when I activated it the setting in Play mode is loading Halion Sonic, so I assume that is what you use, but the VST Interface was empty. No instrument loaded on the two channels.
I loaded some arbitrary instruments and immediately got the sound.
Exporting as MIDI also works without issues
Of course it seems that the project wasn’t activated, but that’s not the case. My activate button was blue and “on”. So, that couldn’t be the problem.
@wibem1 , have you read Daniel’s posting in this thread?
Thanks Ulf, but I’ve done it already. But that doesn’t help. As far as I know, everything is activated and turned on. I really don’t understand, what’s going on. Why is it even possible, that the project is activated, there is a sound ( if I click on a note), but the playback doesn’t start? Why is the option for choosing the playback template in the menu grayed- out? For me it seems as if the project isn’t activated , although the activation button is turned on and blue. Is this possible?
My guess is that it has something to do with the installation of Halion 7. I had installed a trial version of Halion 7 , but the trial period has expired. And now Doricos can’t handle this situation That means it tries to get connected to Halion 7 , but this doesn’t work anymore. Even if I choose Halion Sonic as sound source, it seems to quite irritating for Dorico that Halion 7 is no longer reachable. How can I delete or deinstall the trial version of H7?
Hi @wibem1 , in regards to HALion 7, you can solve this already via Dorico’s preferences.
Open the Dorico Preferences window and choose the Play tab, the 2nd and 3rd option there are decisive. As Default HALion plug-in simply select use preferred and in the following option you choose HALion Sonic as the preferred HALion plug-in.
And I had a look again at your Scarlatti Sonate project, that one does not contain any audio engine data. It appears as if you applied the Silence template on it. So there is no information in the project, which VSTinstrument to use, how the virtual mixer device would look like, all this is missing, so certainly that project will not utter a sound in 100 years, unless you apply an appropriate playback template on it.
I hope this helps you
Thanks Ulf, but I have chosen Halion Sonic as instrument. Nevertheless the existence of the trial version of Halion 7 seems to make some confusion. So, I would like to reinstall it. But how? Just deleting the files would not be enough, because it it registered in the activation manager.
I did not choose the silent template, because it wasn’t even possible to choose a template at all ( this option was grayed-out) . I guess that Dorico has decided to choose this template, because he couldn’t connect with Halion 7.
If you are on Windows, you can uninstall HALion via Start > Settings > Apps & Features. Look for Steinberg HALion in the list of installed products.
On macOS, unfortunately there’s no one-click uninstallation procedure, but our support team have provided this information:
Removing HALion 7.vst3 from /Library/Audio/Plug-ins/VST3/Steinberg is the most important step.
Thanks for these hints. But I don’t know , if it’s enough to delete the Halion 7 files, as long it is still registered in the activation manager.
I had a look in the Steinberg ID account associated with your forum account and there’s no HALion 7 license (expired or otherwise) in your account. Try clicking “refresh” in Steinberg Activation Manager.
But in any case, if the VST3 plug-in isn’t on your system, Dorico won’t attempt to use it.