With the improvements in C14’s Score Editor, notational elements like playing techniques, articulations, and ornaments (e.g., mute, cuivré, trills, marcato, etc) are now better implemented and more accessible. To make setting up expression maps for these elements more efficient, I would like to suggest an option for automatic expression map creation.
This “Smart Expression Map” feature could pre-fill the text/symbol, attribute/direction, and description fields based on the selected notational element, leaving the user to simply set the desired output mapping. This would make configuring expression maps far more intuitive and efficient, especially for users focused on detailed orchestration.
Thank you for considering this idea to enhance the workflow in the Score Editor.
ps. Second day in, I’m so happy with the new editor, it’s a night-and-day improvement, even if there are still some key elements missing from the original, as I mentioned in another thread.
We were originally looking to incorporate Expression Map features into the Score Editor, but we discovered some major issues. In Dorico, Expression Maps are very closely tied into the notation, and all of playback is driven from them (all Dorico users are Expression Map users, even if they don’t realise it!)
The new Scoring Engine uses Dorico’s model internally and so all playing techniques and articulations are defined semantically. Dorico’s Expression Maps are based on Cubase’s ones, but with the semantic data defined, so that we always know which switch is ‘pizz’, for instance. This sounds pretty much as you are describing.
Cubase Expression Maps don’t have this: each articulation is just arbitrary text, eg ‘VSL vln CS+senza vib 100ms’ (based on a true example) and so it can’t be unambiguously mapped to an item in the score.
We do really hope to find a way to improve Expression Maps in the context of the score editor (as well as the other known issues).
Hi Paul,
thanks and many compliment for this update.
I was one of those users who eagerly pushed for the new score editor, and now I really have to give my compliments because, in my opinion, for a DAW (not a dedicated notation software), it’s already very functional!
I just have one question:
While testing the score editor, I noticed that everything set as a “symbol” in the expression maps works in sync between the score editor and the piano roll.
If I write an articulation on one side, it appears on the other (e.g., staccato, spiccato, etc.).
However, when using techniques in the score editor, these don’t show up in the MIDI editor.
Yet, when exporting the project to Dorico, it recognizes them as articulations and…boom, they work!
Have I understood the current state of the score editor correctly?
Thanks!
Yes, I think you have the general gist. The underlying problem is that because the Cubase expression maps aren’t semantic, we can’t reliably map the articulations to playing technique text in the score. However, the symbols defined in Expression Maps are somewhat semantic in that we know how the staccato dots and accents are defined, for instance. So we have the slightly unsatisfactory situation that some things are connected to the Expression Maps but other things aren’t.
Anything that does appear in the score should be exported correctly to Dorico and should ‘just work’ to play back as expected.
Thank you, Paul!
Great. I completely understand what you’re saying, and it’s normal that there are still some things to improve.
In my workflow, when I start in Cubase, I begin with MIDI, using the piano roll for programming and the score for viewing the notation and add the main notation infos.
So for now, I’m managing to work well, and I think it’s very important that Dorico recognizes what’s been entered and allows the composer (or the orchstrator) to finalize the score!
If I want to start “on paper,” I begin in Dorico and listen from there, then later focus on finalizing playback in Cubase.
Anyway, I believe the path you’re on is truly promising: if you manage to complete the work you’ve started, Cubase (and Dorico as notation “partner”) will be the perfect setup for composers!
