Midi keyboard can only play 1 note at a time?

• Oct 28, 2010 - 19:21

Hi all,

I'm creating simple vocal arrangements & trying to determine which software is my best option. I just downloaded musescore & love it so far, but I'm running into a problem that I can't seem to find an answer for...

I know how to create chords (using the shift key), and of course I know how to use the playback function, but for some reason my MIDI keyboard is only able to play 1 note at a time when I'm in musescore.

For example, when I try to play a simple triad using the MIDI keyboard (not the playback function), I can only hear 1 note at a time. I'm not able to hear all 3 notes at once.

I know it's not a keyboard issue, because I can play chords fine in Finale Notepad.

Is there something i'm missing? this is a big issue for because I want to know how chords sound together before I put them down on paper/screen.

Comments

[DELETED] 5

• Oct 28, 2010 - 21:22

The current version of MuseScore only play one note. The next version will play the chord.
If you midi keyboard has a embedded synth you should hear the chords from you keyboard. You can also use a synth in between MuseScore and your keyboard. Which operating system do you use ? (Mac or windows ?)

Rich Arnold

• Oct 28, 2010 - 22:29

thanks for the info - i'm using the AKI LPK25 cheapo MIDI keyboard so it doesn't have an embedded synth (at least i don't think so.. not sure i'm really clear what a "synth" is)... the keyboard won't play on it's own, unless i'm in a program like finale or musescore.

I'm using Windows XP - is there maybe some other free program out there that would just allow me to play the keyboard and hear the chords? i could easily jump back & forth between playing around with harmonies and then arranging the ones I want in musescore.

I'm guessing since the latest release of musescore just came out, it'll be a while before the "next version" is released...

love everything else about the software but this one thing issue big for me. i don't have a piano or a real keyboard up here in my tiny new york studio, so all i've got to experiment around with is the MIDI.

xavierjazz

• Oct 28, 2010 - 22:49

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synthesizer

Regards,

Rich Arnold

• Oct 29, 2010 - 00:54

I think I answered my own question..

Found this great free program that lets you hear your midi keyboard without running an audio program:

http://www.pcmus.com/Free-Midi-Software.htm

unfortunately in order for it to run, it makes you close musescore first. so i guess i'll have to buy a separate keyboard if i want to hear more than 1 note from the MIDI keyboard at a time, while using musescore.

if anybody has other suggestions they'd be much appreciated. thanks

[DELETED] 5

• Oct 29, 2010 - 08:21

It's a little bit complicated but you should be able to setup the following workflow.

Uninstall pcmus
Install VMPK and Loopbe1
Plug your keyboard to your computer.
In VMPK, choose Edit -> Midi connection. Enable the MIDI input and the MIDI thru.
For MIDI in choose your keyboard. For MIDI out, choose Microsoft wave table if you want to hear the chords and Loopbe1 if you want to input notes in MuseScore.
In MuseScore, Check that in Edit -> Preferences-> I/O, Loopbe1 is used as the Midi input.

I made a quick video to explain. My VMPK is in french but it should be the same.
http://screenr.com/YCZ

Rich Arnold

• Oct 29, 2010 - 16:16

this is a great work-around solution.

If I push the VMPK player off the bottom of the screen & just leave the menubar visible, i don't lose too much valuable screenspace in musescore. And I can just hit "edit - connections" whenever i want to jump back & forth to hear triads.

MUCH appreciated!

Rich Arnold

• Mar 21, 2011 - 00:37

edit - question unnecessary, i just figured it out on my own.

love the new updated version!!

perdman

• Dec 1, 2011 - 15:27

Hi, i just discovered and downloaded MuseScore. When it could only play one note at a time it took me quite a while to figure out that it wasn't a problem with my keyboard or computer, since I've not used either for music ever together (new computer, new keyboard). But then I finally tried it in GarageBand and it the keyboard worked fine. Finally I found this post.

Not only does it only play one note, it does not sustain the note for more than about 1 second, even with the key held down. In the past I've used Finale, which let me play anything I wanted. I've switched to Mac and seem to be perpetually short of $$ for the Sibelius crossgrade I want to get, and then today I found out about MuseScore. I still used note-by note (or chord-by-chord) entry for precision (and because I'm not the best keyboardist) but I like to be able to play around.

When can we expect this new version? This post is from a year ago, and the feature has still not been implemented.

My setup is:
Mac OS 10.6.8
Musescore 1.1
M-Audio Oxygen49 (MIDI controller containing no built-in sounds)