Playback volume when inputting notes with MIDI keyboard

Dorico
#1

I’m having trouble with Dorico sending unwanted CC1 information when inputting notes and selecting notes during playback. I have disabled auditioning during note input and selection from the settings.

The music I’m writing is mostly in p or pp, but whenever I input notes with the MIDI keyboard, dorico sends out CC1 signals that play back what sounds like ff in this context. Same happens if I click on a staff during playback: Dorico sends some kind of default CC1 value to that instrument (and usually it’s way louder than the current dynamic).

I’ve had this behaviour both with note performer and vst instruments, but at the moment it is especially bad as the music I’m writing is in such a quiet dynamic.

So my feature request would be that no unnecessary CC1 values would be sent during note input and selection during playback.

EDIT: Here are my steps to reproduce the problem:

  1. Input notes with your mod wheel in a quiet dynamic. Dorico will send CC1 values that jump the dynamic back to mf (or f) after every inputted note.

  2. Play back your music written in pp dynamic. While playing back, click on a staff where instrument is playing. Dorico again sends out CC1 that jumps the dynamic of that instrument back to mf or f.

#2

Do you have the option Use fixed velocity to play selected notes on the Note Input and Editing page of Preferences set? If so, that might account for the fixed dynamic level you’re experiencing.

2 Likes
#3

Thank you, I’ll check this tomorrow!

#4

Unfortunately no, here is a screenshot of my settings:

Screenshot 2021-02-20 at 11.59.21
Screenshot 2021-02-20 at 11.59.212268×1406 376 KB

I think I’ve tried every possible combination of tick-boxes, even assigning a fixed volume value of 1, but nothing seems to affect the behaviour when inputting notes or selecting notes during playback.

I’d really appreciate it if someone could take a look and if possible fix this behaviour. The steps to reproduce that I posted in the first post should work with any setup.

#5

I’ve made a note of this and will investigate further when I get a chance.

1 Like
#6

I find this in general works as advertised and cannot reproduce the problem on demand but have certainly had some issues, particularly with the BBCSO. I have never found that the “fixed volume” setting is completely ignored so I have to wonder whether possibly something in the dynamics programming in the Expression Maps for instance could be confusing Dorico where the problems occur?

I assume that the dynamic which the auditioned note is supposed to follow is the primary dynamic of the relevant articulation? Is this correct? If so, it could be velocity generated or some other CC – don’t see where CC1 comes into it other than as an example with a specific VST.

One thing to be aware of is the vagaries of MIDI chase. Some libraries are noticeably worse than others (VSL is reasonably well behaved for the most part) and do not always immediately pick up the correct dynamic when playback starts or when auditioning notes. Incidentally @SampoKasurinen , you wrote under step 1 to reproduce “input notes with your mod wheel”. I assume you mean keyboard here as elsewhere?

#7

Yes, I’m talking about inputting notes with an external MIDI -keyboard in the first case, while the modwheel (CC1) is in a quiet dynamic.

Usually the first case hasn’t bothered me that much, but I’ve been writing with Cinematic Studio Solo Horn and there the difference between pianissimo and the “default forte” is just too much for my ears.

The problem in the first scenario is, that I can play with the instrument in a quiet dynamic when not inputting notes, but when I start inputting notes it is not so quiet anymore because after every new note Dorico resets CC1 (mod wheel) to some default value. Same happens when selecting notes during playback, dorico sends out default dynamic values to that instrument (which can also be quite a distraction). Especially the latter case has been bothering me with noteperformer for as long as I can remember, so if there really is a fix to it (or others can’t reproduce it) I’d be very happy to hear about it!