I’ve looked everywhere. How do we make our own playback engine? Having recently upgrading my machine and purchasing a couple of thousand dollars on libraries, I need to know how to do this.
Hi Douglas,
The very first question to ask is: do you have NP 5.0?
This is the only version that would let you do it (make your own playback engine).
Why I’d ask? Because that version isn’t available anymore, replaced by 5.0.1, which doesn’t have that capability anymore.
I have version 4 and the newest version. Darn. I’m not sure how I missed 5.
Ha, I’m exactly in your shoes 
Anyway, 5.0 is a 1st attempt of a new tech, even 5.0.1 already has bug fixes for it. So I think it isn’t viable for the long run. IMO it wouldn’t very wise to spend time tinkering (creating) v5 playback engine, it might break anytime (because of VST changes etc.; even the creator of NPPE4 wasn’t fond of bug fixing NPPE4).
Welcome to the forum, btw 
1 Like
Thanks for you input. It would be nice if these VSL vendors supplied usable expression maps and the like. I have no intention on learning how to use a DAW. I did my MM 50 years ago. An hours work of chamber music by hand. It took me six months to prepare the parts! I even had a music typewriter, very slow. So, all of this new technology is still a bit of a miracle!!
4 Likes
the problem is that if you haven’t already bought the playback engines for NotePerfomer 4, they are no longer available for sale. Which libraries have you bought? You can make your own Expression Maps for them or use ones created by others. VSL for instance have created presets for their libraries which at the very least can be used as a starting point.
NPPE 4 has unlimited but session-limited trial.
Still usable with its limitations (i.e: better than nothing).
Heaven forbid if later NP (5.0.2 and above) would uninstall NPPE 4, not necessarily an imposibility IMO, given the strongly worded announcement regarding NPPE (5.0), and what’s been said at the launching of NP 5.
good point – the main limitation is, apart from the timeout after an hour, that you can’t mix libraries but it’s possible that wouldn’t be an issue.
You see, I think I understood that when there is a library update and I change a preset, it will no longer work? Am I wrong?
I’m still not sure what you mean by preset, but there is no guarantee that if a library or its host (Opus, Kontakt) is updated Noteperformer will still work, unfortunately. However it might, and we’re not compelled to install the updates anyway - at least until we have to update the OS.
While I think it’s a pity that the development of NPPE ended, I can understand that without full developer support, it makes things very difficult if not impossible to continue.
I always liked the native NP sounds, even if the string quality is lacking a bit, the balance that it gives to me out of the box always gave me a very good idea how things will sound live.
When NP5 came out, I downloaded the file and the User’s Guide, but as I am quite busy at the moment with some projects, I didn’t bother downloading the Playback Engines - Creation Guide. Since it’s not accessible at their page, does someone here have the pdf? If asking for this violates some forum guidelines, I apologize in advance and will remove this portion of my post.
1 Like
Check your inbox.
And welcome
I have BBC Core, EW Opus, Nucleus, Spitfire SO (2024), VSL Synchron Prime. I have 64 GB RAM and 16 core processor. I’ve used VSL wizard for Dorico but it doesn’t sound as good as NP4. I found some other samples for the other products but they either old or insufficient. I’ve gone through the Dorico tutorials on Ex Maps and I understand how they work. However, finding specs on the other products seems impossible. Plus, I don’t have a background in midi at all.
you could install the NotePerfomer 4.5 plug-in for BBC Core and run it for up to an hour at a time. Of course I’d recommend buying it but that’s no longer an option. Certainly , it’s long enough to try and do a mock-up export from Dorico. Your other libraries are also supported so the same thing applies, though the Spitfire SO will likely max out your RAM for full orchestra-- I also have 64Gb but have resisted so far acquiring that library as it would be a struggle with NP4.5. I’ve done Expression maps for the Spitfire Chamber strings and the programming is not particularly tricky – looks like the SSO works in a broadly similar way so I might pick it up next time it’s on sale and see what I can do. Of course I’d rather NP5 was developed as it would run easily under that environment.
Thank you very much!
Too bad Dorico couldn’t make an arrangement with Arne to at least continue to make the Iconica Sketch engine available, as it would benfit both companies; but I realize I know nothing of the burden that might place on Arne even to maintain that engine or the full Iconica engine.
And of course, as Daniel said, Dorico is seeking to provide some of that performance enhancing capability within Dorico itself.
1 Like
Hi, everyone!
Noteperformer 5 is AWESOME! I’m loving using all of my sound libraries with Dorico playback now. Saves me so much time making demos and mockeups. Thank you so much!
I’m not sure if this has been addressed, but I’m having trouble preloading Spitfire Symphony Orchestra (2024). It tells me there is “no sound” in some of the patches, but only a few of the articulations, like “staccato” in the Bassoons. It asks me to make sure I own the sounds, and I do. They load up fine in KONTAKT.
It has loaded my other libraries just fine, including Cinematic Studios, which also run in KONTAKT. Can anyone provide any insight into why this is happening?
Again, LOVING Dorico 6 and Noteperformer 5.
Thank you!
4 Likes
I had that problem with SSO 2024. A re-installation of the SSO library helped. Also use the load 1 at a time setting in the preload menu, it’s slower but more accurate.
1 Like
If any text has ever screamed “I have been written by AI!” at me, this is it 
(No offence! 
)
(Oh, now the text I was referring to is gone…)
1 Like
This issue is a bug and normal. Make sure your samples aka your library is installed on an ultra fast ssd m2 like the Samsung 990pro which has a read speed of nearly 8 gigabytes a second. That has resolved the situation in bbc for me.. because the NP5 player always checks before loading if your vst can play a sound it tests your library..its some sort of drm protection.
1 Like