All of a sudden, in all instruments and in both old and new files, when I press middle C, a middle C shows up in the score, but the note that is sounding in Dorico is a pitch and a half lower. It didn’t do this a week ago. My MIDI keyboard is playing the correct pitch, and sometimes another instrument sounds along with the MIDI keyboard. I have spent a long time trying to diagnose this, but have given up. I recently upgraded to version 6.2.30.6245, but don’t know if this has anything to do with my problem.
For instance, many of my arrangements have 4 horns, and when I press a key like middle C on the MIDI keyboard, instead of the piano playing the correct pitch, the trumpet is sounding. To my knowledge I have not changed any settings, and it happens on all arrangements. None of my arrangements are playing properly. Help!
Usually it’s Sample rate, but the way you are describing it (“a pitch and a half”) it might be something else, or as well as.
Here’s one thread on Sample rates, just to make a start (there are many others if you need to search further).
Check in Play, your VST instrument setting for trumpet, presumably it’s now mapped to a piano instrument?
Did you try going to Play > Playback Template and reapply the playback template you want to use. If you’re not sure what to choose, choose HSSE+HSO (Pro) or NotePerformer or whatever and click Apply and Close.
Also are you viewing the trumpet in transposed score or it in concert, because that can be another factor for pitch.
I thought I found a temporary workaround, by setting library/playback options/tuning to 478 instead of 440 to compensate for the pitch shift, but it didn’t work; still off by a pitch and a half, according to my tuner. I am baffled as to what other setting could possibly affect the global tuning. I know I didn’t intentionally make any other changes, and until a week or so ago it was working perfectly. What else could possibly be making this happen? It occurs no matter which VST I am using, so I don’t think it’s a VST setting, either, because as far as I can tell, they are all correctly set to 440.
I know it’s a Dorico issue and not any setting on my MIDI keyboard, because Finale works perfectly. I have restarted Dorico several times with no change. HELP!
Let me answer a couple of the questions posed above.
I do mean a tone and a semitone.
This behavior now occurs on every arrangement I have ever made.
I tried a test as follows: I created a blank file and only loaded a piano sound into it. No transposing instruments in the file. I place a middle C on my MIDI keyboard, and a Middle C appeared on the screen just as expected. But when I play that middle C from Dorico, the sound that is produced is, according to my tuner, about halfway between a Bb and a B.
This should have nothing at all to do with the audio driver, as I have been using the same one with Dorico for several years with no issues. I have always had autosave on.
If you have a midi controller attached, please for a test try to disconnect that. I’ve seen issues on the forum caused by a faulty pitch wheel controller on one of those keyboards, so it’s good to rule that out.
You could post a dropbox or WeTransfer link.
The Dorico team would analyse the diagnostics, but other users could test a short project that shows your problem, were you to upload it.
You have changed to another sample rate and back again right? meaning in Dorico (as you say Finale is correct.) Also check, change/reset any system, interface settings also (even though Finale is fine.)
Your tuner is your reference, do you have another tuner, or download a tuner app just to check it is correct (if it is a physical tuner, does it need a new battery or set to a different internal pitch itself.) (Although my assumption is you used the tuner in Finale which shows you what is correct.)
Also, did you try importing from a Dorico backup folder one of the pieces from a couple of weeks ago. It displays the same problem I would think?
And just to check with you, I see this in Dorico on my Mac, I have it set to 48 but you see 44 in all the options right?
What if you do not use your interface, but use internal Mac speakers similar to my screenshot but set to 44, is there any difference? (You might have already mentioned you tried this above, sorry.)
Arco–You put me on the right track. Somehow–I have no idea how–the CORE audio was set to 4800 instead of 44100 like everything else. When I changed it to 44100, suddenly the playback pitch was correct. Thanks! You cured my migraine.
Did you use Zoom possibly before this change occurred? Zoom will change the setting to 48000, and it doesn’t revert unless you specify it. I’ve been caught by this a number of times.
