I’ve been having some playback issues with harmonics. Basic touch-4 artificial harmonics don’t seem to work (stopped pitch with a diamond up a perfect fourth). Maybe I’m just not understanding it, but also just natural harmonics like touch 5, 4, or 3 harmonics. I like to notate them based on the fingered pitch, not the sounding pitch, which I’ve heard my string players prefer.
I’ve never managed to get them to play correctly, it’s either the natural or the ‘touched’ but not both. To be honest I haven’t tried very hard. But my understanding and the way I’ve used them for 26 years, in 3 continents, is that ‘natural’ sounds as notated and ‘touched’ sounds 2 octaves higher.
artificial harmonics.dorico (403.8 KB)
This plays back correctly for me with a number of different VSTs including Dorico default and NP.
Correct. Though if the lower note is an open string it can usually be omitted.
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That’s bizarre… Your project plays perfectly, but none of mine do… 
You say this is just default, no expression maps or definitions anywhere?
Nothing applied to the default playback templates.
Bizarre… It’s not important for me anyway, but good to know. Thanks!
Hi.
Sorry to bother, just wondering if you ever managed to get correct pitch playback for harmonics to work and if so how?
I’ve had no luck even after re-installs etc.
Thanks
No bother at all. To be honest I don’t even remember this problem, so my guess would be that I did solve it.
Are you having issues with VSL specifically?
No, it seems dorico just not just not sending correct midi pitches regardless of whatever playback template used. Just sends the notated pitch. Trying to get this: https://youtu.be/thGCUQlEn98?t=1160
Just wondering if you had figured out a fix so no worries. Thanks for replying
Well, the first thing we need to determine is whether the virtual instrument you are using has the harmonics mapped in a different location. Second, we need to know what notation are you using, is it natural harmonics or artificial (stopped) harmonics?
I suggest you play a C5 (an octave above middle C) using a regular sustain patch, then test each type of harmonics and tell me what notes you’re getting.
Thanks. It just ignores the harmonic and plays the original base pitch. Doesn’t matter what harmonic type or which partial designated. It’s like as if dorico didn’t support correct pitch playback for Harmonics. I’ve tried included playback templates like iconica and halionSO also noteperformer but I don’t see why this should matter because the problem has to do with correct sounding pitch for playback not the timbre selection. Video link above demonstrates what should happen.
I’m hopeful support might reply to me some day…
So no worries.Thanks for replying. All the best…
Oh OK, but it sounds to me like you don’t have the correct expression map for the virtual instrument you are using…
if you have NotePerformer, I suggest attaching a simple project demonstrating your problem. I know for a fact that NP does play harmonics at the correct pitch for supported partials. For instance the most common 4th partial artificial harmonic should sound two octaves above the base note. Is this not what you’re getting? Natural harmonics of course should play at the notated pitch.
So after yet another re-install it’s now working. I’m totally mystified. Thanks very much for your responses - much appreciated
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