VDL Template with 88-Key Keyboard

Hello! I just purchased Dorico Pro because I’m far more likely to learn it once I pay for it… I’ve used Finale to write for marching bands and percussion ensembles for about 15 years. Most of that time has been spent with VDL as the percussion workhorse. While I’ve been really unhappy with the state of Finale as of the last several years, I’ve just not wanted to spend the time to learn to use software that, effectively, does the same thing as a program I’m already very familiar with.

I’m, funny enough, under a bit of a time crunch on a project right now, and Finale just refuses to work in a multitude of ways. I figured that, since I’ve not been happy anyway, and since I’m going to have to dump time into fixing the problem if I stay with Finale, and some of the workarounds are complete changes of workflow anyway… I might as well jump ship and reach for Dorico. - I’m loving it so far!

I have watched the discover Dorico videos about the VDL template, and I’ve read the documentation, but I absolutely can not figure out how to get the right mapping when using a full 88 key midi controller. When I change the setting to use the staff position, it works as expected, but, I’m not in a place where I have room to unlearn how the actual instruments work at the same time that I’m learning how Dorico works. Maybe that is silly…

When I play the keys that are assigned to the original VDL map, when the settings are set to “use percussion map,” I hear the correct sounds being produced through Kontakt, but all of the notes show up as the default note (it says Dut 1: Shell for the snare).

I’m sure I’m missing something here. Any advice would be fantastic! I’m sorry for the length of this post. I really am pretty excited to have made this step, and Dorico has already changed how I would have previously handled the melodic percussion parts.

I wish you much luck with your project, but I would never change programs or even versions of the same program when I was on a deadline.

The Dorico percussion maps VDL are pretty specific.

Since I don’t write for bands, and thus don’t really understand the terminology, I’ve been making my own templates for the ordinary orchestral percussion I bought VDL for.

To get to the point, which patches are you seeking a percussion map for? I’m guessing that you’re looking at SnareLine (AutoRL) Also, how have you set up the parts on the score? That info should help folk to help you out.

Paging @John_at_Steinberg… I’ll ask him to pop in here, since he was the one who put the VDL template together.

For the template I made you don’t want to use the input method of ‘use percussion map’, you want to select ‘use staff position’ as mentioned in the documentation file with the template. It’s only currently designed for snare, tenors, bassline and cymbals though, although I’ve been talking to somebody recently (including today) who is working on a full template for all VDL instruments in Dorico - you might want to wait for that?

John