Real-time (Automatic) note entry via MIDI keyboard

• May 21, 2022 - 06:14

It seems like I always hit a block when experimenting with real-time recording in MuseScore. But I thought I'd try again today because it's my preferred method of input, and there's so much to like about MuseScore.

I plugged in my Evolution MK-449c USB MIDI keyboard, but didn't hear it in MuseScore on trying Real-time(Automatic) input. I checked various settings. The Toolbar's MIDI button was active. In checking MuseScore Preferences>I/O>MIDI Input or MIDI output didn't see my keyboard listed. So I quit MuseScore and restarted. Still no luck.

For comparison, I fired up Overture for real-time MIDI input the first time in a couple of years (via my Evolution MK-449c USB MIDI keyboard) and everything worked great: I created a new Overture document, pressed the record button, got a full measure of metronome lead-in click, played along, and perfectly captured the melody I performed. Simple as can be.

Positive results in Logic, GarageBand and Encore.

Generally I prefer real-time keyboard entry (to a metronome) above other entry methods, and I don't want to have to go back to Overture for that option.

Any suggestions? MacOS.

Scorster

Is the work on improving Real-time(Automatic) note entry in MuseScore v4.0?


Comments

Are you saying restartng MuseScore fixed it? It's true indeed that MuseScore generally requires MIDI devices to be connected and turned on before starting. Sometimes toggling the MIDI button on the toolbar might get it to recognize a new device.

There are no changes planned for real-time input, so extremely unlikely for 4.0. Certainly possible for sometime after that though.

In reply to by Marc Sabatella

Marc wrote >> It's true indeed that MuseScore generally requires MIDI devices to be connected and turned on before starting. Are you saying restartng MuseScore fixed it?

I tried restarting MuseScore but that did not remedy the sitatuation. Tellingly my keyboard still did not appear in the I/O Input or Output menus.

Marc wrote >> Sometimes toggling the MIDI button on the toolbar might get it to recognize a new device.

I rried that initially too, and a various stages of troubleshooting. As well as the Restart Audio and MIDI devices button. Nothing made a difference.

Seems odd that three other apps see my MIDI keyboard but MuseScore does not.

Marc wrote >>There are no changes planned for real-time input, so extremely unlikely for 4.0. Certainly possible for sometime after that though.

Thanks for the report. Seems like the basic functionality could be simpler. Overture is often a good example of simplicity. It's downfall is that it has too many longstanding bugs, and is subjected to sluggish and erratic development that often produces two bugs for each one partially fixed.

Scorster

In reply to by scorster

Could be your device uses 32-bit drivers and MuseScore requires 64-bit. or the drivers aren't compatible somehow with the I/O libraries MuseScore relies on. Hardware isn't really my area, so I can't really say.

Also, while going a bit beyond things I actually know about - my understanding is that the main reason real-time note input in MuseScore is so limited is that it does not have basic real-time processing built into its architecture. The playback is handled by third party libraries. and that doesn't allow for real-time input processing. So the real-time input in MuseScore is limited to what was possible to "fake" without true real-time processing facilities built in. That's my rough understanding, anyhow.

In reply to by Marc Sabatella

I don't see any drivers for the Evolution MK-449c USB MIDI keyboard. I recall it's considered class compliant. Hardware is not my strong suit so I don't fully understand that ... but I think it means the keyboard is plug-and-play, and that Evolution supplies no drivers, because the keyboard uses drivers native to the OS.

Marc write >> the real-time input in MuseScore is limited to what was possible to "fake" without true real-time processing facilities built in. That's my rough understanding, anyhow.

Okay. So now I'll need to resort to Overture for real-time input.

Scorster

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