MuseScore 4 playback keeps crackling and stuttering even with just rests
I recently downloaded MuseScore 4 with immense excitement and then the playback is just terrible. I don't know if my laptop is just too weak to run MS4 but it was running MS3 just fine. I've already tried increasing the buffer size to 4096 (max) in Preferences>I/O, but it was still the same terrible playback with stuttering. It even stutters when the metronome is on and there are just rests on a new score.
Laptop specs (idk if my laptop is just weak for MS4)
OS: Windows 10 Pro Build 19042
Processor: Intel Celeron CPU N3350
Audio devices: Intel Display Audio, Realtek High Definition Audio
Do you guys have any ideas on possible ways to solve this problem?
Comments
It's a pretty common problem, from what I've gathered. I'm having the same issue on my laptop which I know has the power to run MS4 just fine but doesn't. The new audio engine works by looking ahead a few seconds and figuring out how everything should sound instead of just being "note on-note off" as it comes by, which I verified earlier today. I honestly expect the solution to be wait for the next update, which I'm hoping comes along soon.
In reply to It's a pretty common problem… by Ethan C. Neal
I had/have the same issues, and now it is February '23 and still no resolution or fix. Loved the promo video, but so far, it has been a frustrating rollout. I am glad I still have 3.6, dorky sounds and all. At least the playback gives me something of consistency. Hope springs....
I've been dealing with the same issue. Playback in MS4 is very CPU-reliant from what I can tell. Currently the only "fix" I've found is to restart my laptop. Opening a different score brings back the crackling.
I have a feeling my PC would be able to run MS4 just fine, but I'm still using Windows 7 on there :/
Yes, this is a real issue which is easily reproducible, not related to the hardware or operating system.
Were it commercial software, I'd say: 'why didn't you test this basic function ?', however as it's open source we should be thankful for the new version and hope for a quick fixing of the playback stuttering and crackling blunder.
In reply to Yes, this is a real issue… by hanslik
The function was tested though.. there was a three month public beta.
In reply to The function was tested… by jeetee
I am also experiencing crackling when I load a 3.6.2 file on MS4. I love the new sounds, especially the strings. Is there a fix yet for the crackling?
In reply to I am also experiencing… by fredcooper46
Depends on what's causing it for you.
If it goes away by having the mixer open, then yes, there is a fix implemented for the next release for that.
If it has a different cause then ...
In reply to Depends on what's causing it… by jeetee
Yes, I was searching for help on the stuttering audio; found this -- I did open the mixer and the problem went away. (After closing the mixer to see what happened... I think the audio stayed good).
In reply to Yes, I was searching for… by Bruce Chadbourne
Opening the mixer does help a bit, but I don't want the mixer open when I am playing back a simple melody, or even less when I am inputting notes. The problem persists after I have had the mixer open, and definitely does not go away when I close the mixer. I am surprised that I haven't seen a response from any of the 'big names' in the community, who have always come forward quickly when I have had technical queries in the past. I have an old computer, so I accept that my set up is not ideal, but there are no problems with earlier versions. There must be hundreds of users like me who don't have technical computing skills, so some of the suggested solutions are way beyond my level of understanding. I don't accept that the user should be technically competent to resolve this kind of problem, so I hope that a solution will be rolled out as soon as possible.
In reply to Opening the mixer does help… by Gordon H Taylor
Personally this Musescore 4 and MusHub was released too early. They knew about these potential issues. Also, like Windows 11 and Mac Ventura updates, how many of us can afford to go out a buy a new computer at a whim for free application software. They should have updated the improved fonts and layout in 3.2 version. They are loosing a lot of users. I think it is better to continue with the 3.2, that works, with all of it's quarks and work arounds until they're really ready for 4 and MusHub.
In reply to Personally this Musescore 4… by hadleyclarinet
They should have updated the improved fonts and layout in 3.2 version
"They" did in 3.6
I think it is better to continue with the 3.2, that works
Sure not, 3.6.2 is the latest 3.x release and far better than 3.2
The good thing is: you can use 3.6.2 and 4.0.1 (or later) in parallel
In reply to Personally this Musescore 4… by hadleyclarinet
That's what I'm doing......Musescore 4 playback is terrible and I shall continue with Muse 3 until this is fixed....and put up with the inadequacies of Muse 3. A pity because Muse 4 looks promising.
Same,... even when you click on a note you get that awful crackling. Disappointing. Hope it´s going to be fixed soon, ´cause I really love the new layout.
In reply to Same,... even when you click… by gialafor
I found that by going tot he I/O tab in preferences and clicking on the "Restart Audio Driver and Midi Devices" button it clears the static. But, just for that song.
i am running on a Mac. I haven't experienced the crackling, the actual sound is fine. But the audio will not play in some circumstances. The most obvious one is that it won't play during a repeated passage in a score. There is just silence. I also notice the playback, when I hear it, sometimes gets a few notes out of sync as well.
I was having the same issue. Increasing the buffer size to 4096 gave me little to no improvement. The thing is, when my computer is not connected to the internet, the sound is back to normal. I guess its something to do with the cloud saving trying to refresh every few second(?).
My temporary fix is to write my score without being connected to internet.
For me, it seems to happen moreso when working on larger scores, vs doing solo pieces. And my specs aren't low by any means, either.
OSL Win 10 Pro
Processor: Intel I3-10100F
Audio Devices: NVidia HD
In reply to For me, it seems to happen… by Devyn_Horne
Try some of the suggestions here: https://musescore.org/en/node/339915
In reply to Try some of the suggestions… by bobjp
I have, but there is a way to go around it. A lot of times if you do just a part at a time(by hiding the rest you don't need), and it goes back to normal. But, if you do a larger score, then it starts stuttering.
In reply to I have, but there is a way… by Devyn_Horne
I also use an audio interface on my machines that makes all the difference
In reply to Try some of the suggestions… by bobjp
I tried these suggestions with the Muse Orchestra Demo, which has far more parts than I will normally use. I found that adjusting the master volume in the mixer had the most effect. Turning it way down removed the stutter. (I had to turn the volume on my speakers to max, so just be careful to turn them down before you listen to another score.)
In reply to Try some of the suggestions… by bobjp
Hi, thanks for the link it definitely sorted my specific playback problem, which was that the sequencer wasn't playing back at a constant selected tempo.
My fix was to double up the audio buffer size found in the edit/preferences/ I/O menu. I'm using Linux on a google chrome laptop and the software is Muscore-Studio-4.3.2 and it's working a treat, fingers crossed
I´m not sure if I mentioned this in this thread or in another, but it might help remembering that when I EXPORTED the score to mp3, e.g. (no matter how complex it is) there are no noises, crackles or interruptions of any kind (in my computer, of course...). So (IMHO) this problem could be related to the use of resources needed to handle the interface DURING playback. Another piece of information: it helped (just a little) to lower the overall volume on the mixer (e.g. -12). Another thing: I am pleasantly surprised by the degree of collaboration obtained from the community. Thanks you all...!!!
In reply to I´m not sure if I mentioned… by CDMora
I tried this with a simple score, and it sounded exactly like playback from the .mscz file. Herky-jerky. Back to 3.6 for me...sure wish this would work better!
I can't guarantee it will fix it for everyone, but I found a suggestion elsewhere on the forum. I use a Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 interface. it's usually set to 96KHz. I tried setting it to 48KHz, and Musescore 4 is now more or less happy.
In reply to I can't guarantee it will… by Thogrim
THANK YOU SO MUCH
In reply to I can't guarantee it will… by Thogrim
Omg. THIS!! Anyone using a USB audio interface needs to see this!! My box was set to 44.1, it HAS to be 48KHz.
In reply to I can't guarantee it will… by Thogrim
This makes all my other audio go cracky..
I have an MS Surface Pro that there has been no problem with any previous versions and playback, I have followed the links and advice and I'm a subscription member but the supposed advantage of 4 is totally lost with the playback issue. Sorry to say I have uninstalled 4 and will monitor it's development but 3 works am returning to it.
In reply to I have an MS Surface Pro… by Temora Town Band
I have a Surface Go that runs MS4 fine. But you do have to make adjustments. Please list the things you have tried. I have 4 underpowered systems that can run large scores.
In reply to I have a Surface Go that… by bobjp
I have fiddled with the settings as listed in threads and leaving the mixer open none of which made any great change. 3 works, my surface is stock no enhancements and 3 works. Luckily I only have 1 score with 12 instruments and 3 transposed other parts to re-enter in three. I haven't wasted too much effort with 4. I'm not going to be a beta tester for 4.
In reply to I have fiddled with the… by Temora Town Band
Yes, but did you try all of the suggestions in the link I posted above. I would be greatly surprised if they didn't either fix the problems, or at least greatly reduced them. Different things have worked for different people.
In reply to Yes, but did you try all of… by bobjp
No I probably didn't, but it's not really up to me to tweak my system is it? If I had add-ons and gizmos piled on top of my standard system then yep I would have to accept needing to make changes because I already have altered the original design of my OS. Reduced functionality is not what I want, playback is used with our community choir, the amateur musicians of the band, it is one of the most important things for me as an amateur bandmaster and from the number of complaints about this same issue, why has it not been fixed, acknowledged or re-called?
In reply to No I probably didn't, but it… by Temora Town Band
None of these adjustments change the design of your OS. They are standard adjustments provided by your OS that help it interact properly with software. They are not hidden hacks or at all dangerous to change. They are made to changed. Normally you may never need to change them. People who do heavy duty audio work are familiar with them.
Did you read the minimum specs required to run MS4. My guess is, no. Many here, including myself, did not. We just downloaded MS4 and found out it was unusable junk. Because of our underpowered computers.
However, because there are settings in the OS that are there for just such occasions, most have been able to get MS4 running. Including myself. No functionality is reduced. I can say if this is an issue that needs to be fixed. My desktop that does meet the specs did not need any adjustments.
In reply to No I probably didn't, but it… by Temora Town Band
I agree with you. I'm having the same problem, as are many people, but no one from MS seems to take it seriously. They blame it on our systems, and give us all these things we should do to our computers, but nothing works. The reason is that there is a fundamental flaw in the software, not our systems. It's typical for MS to release a new version that is buggy and unusable in some respect, deny that it's a problem and blame it on the user. They did the same with the change from 2 to 3. When 3 came out, I had to continue using 2 for several months, until they finally fixed it.
I love MS, and when they get it to work it's wonderful, but we'll have to wait until they decide it's a real problem with the software and fix it. It's not they only problem with MS4, which is buggy in other ways, but the playback issue makes it unusable for composition.
On the other hand, when I upload a file to the cloud, it sounds fine. So perhaps the answer is to compose in 3 and upload in 4 to take advantage of the better-sounding instruments (which are wonderful). But give them time, they always get around to doing the right thing and making it work as it should.
In reply to I agree with you. I'm having… by Michael E. Henderson
Thank Michael for being succinct with your commentary of this issue. I remember there being some issues when 3 came out, but it will be fixed true.
I found a solution for my system. I'm using a Focusrite Scarlett interface. set to 96KHz sampling rate. This seems to be what Musescore 4 really doesn't like. I set it to 48KHz, and most of the problems went away.
I have the same problem, to the extent I have had to revert to MS 3. Very disappointing but I am sure it is a bug for which a fix will be forthcoming...right?
In reply to I have the same problem, to… by Ombredunord
So have I, no problem there.
In reply to So have I, no problem there. by Temora Town Band
BTW it is indeed up to you to tweak your system. It's all part of using a computer.
In reply to BTW it is indeed up to you… by bobjp
I am perfectly capable of tweaking my computer and I actually build them. I have been with MS since Day 1 and have not had this problem with any previous versions of MS. Ergo this version unfortunately has a significant bug right out of the gate. If you have positive suggestions on a "tweakage" approach to start obviating the problem on a desktop PC, I would be interested though, as clearly I am not alone!
In reply to I am perfectly capable of… by Ombredunord
There are indeed many issues that need to be addressed. MS4 is more than just an upgrade. It is brand new. And it is intended to run on a fairly hefty computer. At least by most standards. Read the minimum specs and you will see why many are having problems. But I have it running on my vastly under powered Surface Go. Granted, the last piece of the puzzle was an audio interface. About 20 or 30 dollars if I recall. Cheaper than a new computer. Here are some tings you can try: https://musescore.org/en/node/339915
In reply to I have the same problem, to… by Ombredunord
me too, all frustrated and worked up, i have returned to MuseScore 3
In reply to me too, all frustrated and… by ToonK
Not really any need to be frustrated and worked up.
The same, so I have to return to MuseScore 3...
In reply to The same, so I have to… by Xeniadilek
The same here and the people of MuseScore do not respond in any way. Very annoying.
In reply to The same here and the people… by Norbert Mimpen
Where have you tried to contact the people of MuseScore? The forum is where users like you and me try to help each other. There are many times more posts on the forum than usual. Some are bound to be missed. MS4 is far more demanding than MS3 ever was. And there are some bugs to be sure. But good playback is possible. I have been using computers for all kinds of purposes since W95. It has always been the case for demanding software that some system adjustments need to be made. Such is the case for MS4. If you read the suggested specs for MS4 and have a system that matches or exceeds them, than you probably won't have any trouble with playback. Though there are few sure things with any software. If I can get good playback on underpowered machines, you should be able to also.
In reply to Where have you tried to… by bobjp
I have tried every option mentioned in the forums, all that I could find. I have even downloaded the latest version and used the option of using the mixer. With easy scores it works, but with multiple instruments it gets bad again. And I have to use the simple muse-sound otherwise again problems. The check of the MuseScore installation program says it must work. But in the end the only thing that works is MuseScore 3.
In reply to I have tried every option… by Norbert Mimpen
What are your computer specs? I have twenty staff+ orchestra scores working.
In reply to Where have you tried to… by bobjp
What audio interface would you recommend for a simple HP laptop?
In reply to What audio interface would… by Bryndon J. Raschaul
I have a Focusrite Scarlett that works the best. I also have a very old Diamond Sound Tube that was cheap but isn't available any more. You can spend as little as 20 to 50 dollars on something. Much cheaper than a new computer.
I have a very similar laptop to you, if not similar then the same. I have had the same problem and done everything I can about it, I've just gone back to MS3 for now and am waiting for the next update in hopes that it will help.
I've got similar issues tried the tricks in https://musescore.org/en/node/339915 and got a slight improvement. Found if I turn the metronome on it plays ok without the crackling. But obviously with the metronome in the background.
Weird, for me the problem was largely solved by using the mixer and placing it in its docking station.
I didn't have this issue on release. In fact, it performed really well. But yesterday, the first time I used MS in a couple months, I started having this issue. So far, all I've noticed is that playback goes back to normal if I go to another window or deselect the MS window. Because I know my computer is set to cap 3D softwares' FPS at 20 if their window is not selected, I suspected there was something weird going on with that (though it would have to be really weird since I know MS is not a 3D rendering software). I tried to cap MS at 20 FPS no matter what, but that didn't go anywhere as MS isn't recognized by the system as something that can be capped in that respect (for the obvious reason it isn't rendering 3D objects). Keeping the mixer open did fix it. The following day, the issue wasn't resent at all.
In reply to I didn't have this issue on… by BenjaminBCGB
I've been having a lot of trouble from day one on stuttering. I upgraded my memory to 32gb and updated my sound system on my motherboard to current drivers and still it stuttered. I followed your suggestion and left my mixer panel open and it play flawless, even the two samples from Mus Hubb. Thank you! Looking forward for improving updates coming down the pike.
I have just started using MuseScore 4 and have a similar problem with the playback, though I'm not sure if its the same. It seems to play nearly every note twice, and sometimes plays a long note three or four times. Has anyone found a solution?
In reply to I have just started using… by Gordon H Taylor
Try keeping your mixer open during playback. See if this helps.
In reply to Try keeping your mixer open… by hadleyclarinet
Thank you for your suggestion. It does help, though I don't understand why. To be honest, until I read through this discussion thread I had never heard of the mixer, and certainly had not opened it, or used it, but having it open does help a bit with the playback, though it is not perfect. Having the mixer on screen is a distraction, when I don't know how to use it and don't need it open, so I still hope that the developers can smooth it out properly.
I've installed 4.02 and the stuttering and crackling returned. Opening mixer doesn't help. It seems that VST3 has issues with older computers. The average user doesn't have money to buy newer devices. If they do, then they would purchase commercial notation software. My system has 32gb memory, 5 core processor, etc. It cannot be upgraded anymore. Musecore folks do more homework testing and improvements under the hood. Try to get upgrades out faster.
I didn't have this problem until my most recent score. (It's probably a coincidence because y'all have had this problem for some time, but it's the first score I've started since getting Musescore 4.0.2) Revisiting my previous scores, they still don't have the stutter issues, just the newest one. Restarting my PC temporarily solves the problem, but that's annoying.
However, I found an (arguably more annoying) SOLUTION (for my iteration of the problem at least). While the playback is occurring, you need to always be doing something. The most convenient way for me is just to pan around the score in small circles. Alternatively, you could spam-click an empty area on the workspace. At first, I thought it was a placebo, but no, it legitimately works (for me).
I have no clue why it works. How can doing more stuff reduce (what at least appears to be) lag? Very weird...
It only happens for me when I select a note with my cursor. Playback seems fine but apparently conversion to .mp3 also ruins the sounds.
I agree; many of the patches are brilliant and I much appreciate the upgrades...but playback is awful. It's uneven--opening the mixer makes the field cluttered for no reason and it doesn't fix the problem anyway. I don't have an old computer, either. So what gives?
In reply to I agree; many of the patches… by claudinejones
It is just bad programming with Muse. The creators, made this program for Windows 1000 with a processor from out of this world, no one can afford and want to afford. There just trying to make us buy newer devices, for what? They should have just kept 3 version and added muse sounds and not redoing the entire code from scratch. if you can afford the newer devices, the user can afford Dorico etc. Why bother with open source headaches.
In reply to It is just bad programming… by hadleyclarinet
Yeah, just wasted 2 hours of fiddling and even if it wasn't crackling, I finally cannot hear the soprano line even though the piano is fine. Going back to ms3 folks
In reply to It is just bad programming… by hadleyclarinet
One of the biggest problems with Musescore in general is accurate playback with the real world musicians. Sometimes your articulations or dynamics don't work with accurate playback with people, i.e. un-needed staccato markings, etc. Muse4 makes this balance required, far worse than ever, in the real world. As I said with my comments in above, if you can afford a new super computer, why bother with an open source program, use mainline, like Dorico, Syblius, Fianle, etc. Muse 3 is far superior over Muse4, and works with all systems well. Musescore lost their focus with 4.
In reply to I agree; many of the patches… by claudinejones
It's typical of Musescore that the new versions are unusable for months because of defects in the program. The frustrating part is that they deny there is a problem, and that it's the fault of the user or his gear, until they realize it's MS, and finally fix it.
MS 4 instruments are superior, but it's not possible for most people to compose on it because of the playback issue. I've found that an exported file from 4 does not have the problem, so the only viable solution is to compose in 3, import into 4, set up the sound files, and then export to the cloud and then to Youtube.
I found that pulling up the mixer didn't solve my completely parallel problem. Neither did it help to decrease the sampling rate, nor other good suggestions.
However: Shutting down the VirtualMIDIMapper process (not just exiting the application but going through the Task Manager to end the VirtualMIDIMapper process) did the trick. Now I enjoy the great music in Panis Angelicus with o-sounds and a full-tone piano - and without any lagging or disturbing noice.
/Per Hertz
In reply to I found that pulling up the… by hamsel
please guide me through how to do this, i cannot find VirtualMIDIMapper
I believe I've fixed the issue on my system by turning off the reverb for the individual instruments in the mixer. You can use the reverb on the master by itself. (Windows 11, i5-12600K, 32 gig RAM, GTX 1080i).
In reply to I believe I've fixed the… by Jesse Clarke
Your fix worked for me. I have MuseScore 4.4 on an M1 Mac Studio with external speakers.
Lol still not fixed i always use musecore 4 with mixer open at all times, otherwise it dosent work.
In reply to Lol still not fixed i always… by antonsoerense
Does your computer meet the specs needed to run MU4? It is often a question of audio settings rather than MU4 needing to be fixed.
In reply to Does your computer meet the… by bobjp
Yes i have a solid computer i think 16 gb ram i7-7600 and plenty of room
In reply to Yes i have a solid computer… by antonsoerense
SSD?
https://musescore.org/en/node/339915
Just as a point of information, I recently had this problem quite severely although I have a top of the line laptop, but it was entirely fixed by increasing the buffer size of Audio to 2048. That's in Edit -> Settings -> Audio & MIDI -> Buffer Size (set to 2048 as opposed to default of 256). Buffer size of 4096 also worked, but introduces more lag for the bar showing which notes are currently being played.