Why do the mixer settings revert to default every time?

• Jan 19, 2023 - 00:11

Why is it so that almost every time when I save any one of my newly-edited MS4.1 files, the mixer settings (panning and volume) are reverting back to their default values (zeroes)?

Now I have to record those values on a piece of paper before saving and closing my files after editing. And I start every new editing session by firstly restoring the settings for each file according to my paper notes. That's kind of cumbersome.


Comments

In reply to by bobjp

The "stone2test.mscz" opened correctly (with special non-default panning and volumes). When I wanted to close it, the system asked me to save it first. So I saved it and closed it. Then I opened it and it was again fine (that is, with special non-default panning and volumes).

Here is a test score from me:
test.mscz

In reply to by bobjp

Yes. Same with me. But I am sure that if I venture into developing it (while saving it every day by using "File -> Save as..."), one morning I will wake up to open the latest copy and will see all its panning and volume settings to have reverted back to default. I guess it has to do with my computer.

Or maybe I should try making new copies not from the MS4 software's interface, but rather from outside of it, that is, taking the usual way of using my computer's explorer.

In reply to by bobjp

This morning it happened again - I opened one of the files I was working on yesterday only to see all the panning and volumes to have reverted to zeros. However, I discovered something, which hopefully could be a workaround - as soon as I discovered that the defaults were back I decided to right away close the file and not save it, after which I reopened it and this time all my pan and volume settings miraculously reappeared!

@innerthought... Regarding saving scores, you wrote:
I just click on 'Save' icon.
then later you wrote:
...saving it every day by using "File -> Save as..."

Be aware of the difference between using 'Save' and using 'Save As...'
One possibility of not being mindful and cautious of the difference is that you should check to see if you have similarly (or even identically) named scores existing in different folders. One score may retain the correct mixer settings. Another one (from a different folder) may still have the bogus mixer settings - because the bogus file was never overwritten, but rather 'saved as' to a different folder.
So, you may be opening (or even re-opening) a different copy than the one you intend to open.
You say the file bobjp attached works fine. That's because it's the only copy you have.

In reply to by Jm6stringer

Sorry, for the created confusion. I meant 'Save as' when I said I clicked on 'Save' icon. I am going to edit that message now. I am sure all my files are being saved in the same folder and I know that the saving procedure is correct on my part because this switching to defaults doesn't happen all the time. Sometimes things are just fine. It looks like my system doesn't always fully load MS4 into operational memory, thus, opening my scores with default settings. Closing the file right away, that is without editing it, and then re-opening it seems to solve the problem.

In reply to by innerthought

I think Jm6stringer is on to something. I'm not sure how MS4 could not open fully. I know MuseSounds take a bit to load. But I don't know why that would cause an opening file problem. We all operate differently. I will open a score, let's call it "George". I make major additions and changes to George. When I am done I have two choices. I could hit "save", and George becomes updated. But I usually don't do it that way. Instead I hit "save as". Then I can rename the file "George_1". Now I have two scores cluttering up my Scores folder. By the time I'm done, I might be up to George_9. I know you know all of this. But my point is that I have a record of changes that were made in case I want to go back for some reason. I think that as an experiment, you should try this number idea.

Take or create a score and "save as" some name. Then make mixer changes and "save as" some name_1. Make changes changes and "save as" some name_2. Repeat another time or two. Now close the score. If you are asked if you want to save changes, select don't save changes. Close MS4. Restart your computer. This clears everything out. Open MS4. Let sounds load. Open the original score and check that it is correct. Close it. Open, check, then close each score. This means that you would need to have a record of what changes you made to each score.

I think that this might tell us if there is some problem with saving on your system. Especially if my file still opens correctly.

In reply to by bobjp

You, in fact, have described exactly the way I go about working on my files. That's exactly what I do - I create the first file and name it as 'name_00' and then as I complete some changes in it I save it as 'name_01', then do some changes again and save it as 'name_02' and so on. Yes, sometimes I open the latest file and it opens up just fine, but sometimes when I open it all the volume and panning settings default to zeros. I noticed that in that case the name of the score tab (not the name at the top of the screen) then appears with an asterisk, that is, it looks like '*name_12' as if it is not saved yet. It is really strange - the file (that I saved and closed properly in the end of the previous session) has just been opened and I haven't done anything with it, not even tried to play it back, but it already looks like some fresh changes need to be saved.
Or, what's worse, I sometimes open the latest saved file and the system tells me that it is corrupted and, thus, I can't open it, which means that all my latest modifications are gone and I need to go to the previous file version and perform them again from my memory. Now, besides saving the latest version by using "Save as" I also save it in .pdf format as I can't be sure that it will be saved securely in .mscz format. Every morning when I start a new session I am "in fear and tremble" while opening my last night's work praying that this time the latest file opens properly.

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