Why doesn't MIDI output work on Musescore 4?

• Jan 6, 2023 - 17:07

It used to work perfectly with the previous version, but now it doesn't work. I double-checked to see if it was a problem with my digital piano or computer, but it isn't, because MIDI output works everywhere else.

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• Mar 11, 2023 - 08:57

I have the same problem.
The midi input/output worked initially, but no longer with the current version v4.0.1.230121751.
Here is a snapshot of my preferences, where I have selected my keyboard as input and output.
When I play the score, it still goes to my PC Loudspeaker instead of my MIDI keyboard.
I have also "Activer input MIDI" in the playback setting, although is should not affect playback, I guess.
Is there any other setting that I should change?
M4_midi.jpg

Note: initially, the selection was totally empty; the pulldown menu was populated with "Aucun périphérique" and "CASIO USB-MIDI", but the latter could not be selected. I found a workaround by first selecting "Aucun périphérique", and then "CASIO USB-MIDI". This is probably an unrelated small bug.

UPDATE: when I set the volume of my CASIO keyboard to maximum, I can hear the notes very weakly. There is also a note (A) superposed to each of the actual notes.
Midi input did not work half an hour ago, but now it does; could this be linked to a test I did with Musescore 3 to confirm that the keyboard worked fine with M3?

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• Dec 23, 2023 - 20:33

Same bug in 4.2: Note on message is bad issued so the velocity is set to 1 or 0. Any hack like using MIDIOX as a midi transformer, could make it sound, but with no expression since volume will be loud or soft depending on the values given to 1 and 0 on traslation. This is unnaceptable and a pretty dumb bug for a released music software.

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• Aug 20, 2023 - 03:37

I can confirm the same behavior: MIDI output does not work properly. If I turn up the volume on the Casio keyboard (with built-in USB port, shows up as "CASIO USB-MIDI" in Preferences), I can barely hear some notes playing, even when there are no notes (only pauses) in the staff. And by barely I mean about the same loudness as the speaker background noise.

MuseScore 4.1.1 on Manjaro Linux with KDE and Pipewire. I don't see any MIDI connection in qpwgraph, which makes me believe it's trying to connect to MIDI directly instead of using JACK/Pipewire.

Some related issues on GitHub:
* https://github.com/musescore/MuseScore/issues/16787
* https://github.com/musescore/MuseScore/issues/18382

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• Nov 27, 2023 - 09:00

I tested again today, with the latest version 4.1.1.232071203 Révision e4d1ddf, on a desktop PC running the latest version of Windows 10.

A good point for version 4.1.1 is that PC playback issues (cracks and other perturbations) are seemingly solved.

For Midi, I have still the same problem as before: Midi input works, but not Midi output, despite performing all selections mentioned by Marc S. Sometimes, I only hear a repeated tiny A4 note in the background, as already reported by other users.

Sequence for testing:
1)- launch Musescore 4
- create a new score, just selecting keyboard/piano/add
- edit preferences i/o: midi menus are empty so I click on the pulldown and try to select Casio midi, to no avail.
using a trick already mentioned last year, I first select "aucun périphérique" (no peripheral) and then reselect "CASIO USB-MIDI" (I already signaled this bug on the pulldown selector on the previous version: it is still there).
so I finally get CASIO USB-MIDI for both Midi input and Midi output.
- check that the playback menu has "Activate Midi input" selected
- click on the first rest and press N
- play notes on the Casio keyboard => the notes appear on the M4 score. => Midi input is workging
- press N to exit the input mode
- click on the first note and press space to play the score => it only plays on the PC Window, not on the Casio.
2) close and restart Musescore, opening the last played score:
- the CASIO USB-MIDI selection and the "Activate Midi input" are still there
- but the Midi output still does not work.
3) Launch Musescore 3.6.0, opening the last recent score
- press space => the score plays on both PC desktop loudspeakers and on the Casio Keyboard.

Conclusion: I will once more stick to 3.6.0 until a new release of M4 is available, hoping that these issues will eventually be solved.
It's a pity because I appreciate the new layout and menus organisation of M4 and I am sure that a lot of good work has been done by the developpers.
Unfortunately, mscz 4 files incompatibility makes it cumbersome to move back to M3 once you edit a file in M4.
Therefore, I do not dare to create (or even edit) my scores in M4 until basic functions like midi playback are reliably working.

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• Jan 11, 2024 - 03:33

I figured out a different way to connect MS4 to midi connections for each instrument in a score to support the following use cases:
1- Connect to non vst3 plugins
2 - Connect instruments to vst/racks in your DAW
3 - Connect instruments to external midi hardware

Using the Element plugin from kvraudio installs a vst3 plugin that can be added to each instrument in the mixer. The Element plugin allows the creation of a workflow where you have multiple options to route and monitor the midi signal sent by MS4. Drag the midi port for your instrument to the editor and link it to the midi input - that is it.
I was cable to configure a piano and a drum track going to a Yamaha P125 and a drum VST in Reaper, properly equalized. When I press play in MS4 the piano plays on the Yamaha and the drum plays on a Reaper track. The DAW is irrelevant. As a side note I tested Dexed (DX7 emulator free) in MS4 as piano VST and was very pleased with the results.

Attachment Size
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• Feb 7, 2024 - 16:49

Tested again today with version 4.2.1
Something new is that I can hear the notes of my score on my midi device.
Previously, it was simply a repeated note.
Bad news ist that the volume is again very very low, barely audible with volume set to maximum level on the device. Changing the setting of the mixer master has no effect on this.
I also noticed that only one note of the chords is played on the device while the full chord is played on the PC loudspeaker.
Just sending this update in case it could help to localise the cause of this issue.

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• Feb 11, 2024 - 06:53

I have the same problem with my Yamaha Arius YDP 143. I can input notes to a score with it, but musescore doesn't output to my piano even though in I/O my Arius is recognised for input and output. So also here I'm forced to keep using version 3 because there it's working fine.

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• Mar 29, 2024 - 12:54

This problem is caused by all note on/off velocity value generated MU4 is 1. It's too small value.
MIDI velocity can take value from 0 to 127, usually around 64.
This occurs in all Ver.4 series. This does not occur in Ver.3.
It's very inconvenient.

See this figure.
https://musescore.org/sites/musescore.org/files/styles/width_740/public…

https://musescore.org/ja/node/338263#comment-1159523

I and some users reported same issue in Japanese forum.
We waiting fix this for a long time.

「[MS 4.1.0] Note On/Off Velocity がすべて 1」
https://musescore.org/ja/node/352572

「[MS 4.0] Note On Velocity がすべて 1」
https://musescore.org/ja/node/338263

「MIDI OUTの不具合」
https://musescore.org/ja/node/340226

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• Apr 9, 2024 - 04:51

Did you check the velocity of the MIDI messages as indicated above?

In any case, to be clear: museSvore is not “MIDI music software” - it is music notation software Thant just happens to employ MIDI for its own internal playback. MuseSvore having limits in its MIDI I/O is no more surprising than your favorite DAW having limits in its music notation.

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• Apr 11, 2024 - 23:45

Sure, but it worked fine in version 3, so it is a feature that have been spoiled somehow during development, so it shoudn't be so hard to fix it, since it is a problem that during building the midi message, the 2nd data byte in NOTE-ON message, which is the note velocity is set either to 1 or 0, instead of the real value. Moreover, it works fine when using the internal synth, so either internally you ar not using standar midi messages or the routines that creates the messages are different for internal and external synths. Attached you will find the Note-on midi message format I mentioned.

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• Apr 12, 2024 - 11:54

Fully supported.
It is hard to understand why it takes so much time to simply recognise that there is a bug.
I would like to ask this question: are there users (running on Windows 10) that do NOT experience this bug ?

Maybe this forum is not the right place for signalling bugs in v4.
I have now posted a bug report on github.

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• Apr 12, 2024 - 23:31

https://github.com/musescore/MuseScore/issues/22354#issuecomment-205254…

By captured MIDI output, I may have found other problem.
This sample score is contain 4 notes, C4, E4, G4, C5.
The corresponding MIDI messages are as follows:

C4 note on/off: 90 3c 01/80 3c 01
E4 note on/off: 90 40 01/80 40 01
G4 note on/off: 90 43 01/80 43 01
C5 note on/off: 90 48 01/80 48 01

But the captured MIDI output also contained the following note on/off messages:

E5 note on/off: 90 4c 01/80 4c 01
F5 note on/off: 90 4d 01/80 4d 01

What are these? How about others?

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MU4_MIDI_out.png 27.2 KB
MIDI_out_test_CDEG.png 16.27 KB

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• Apr 13, 2024 - 13:37

Thanks. I also confirmed it.
I guess from the results of your experiment, these MIDI messages may be for metronome sounds.
In the current implementation, it cannot be turned off... ．
I think this is a bug too.

I think that MIDI messages for metronome sounds should not be output.

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• Apr 13, 2024 - 14:13

Yes, I agree with you, taking into account that they are sent in the same channel (1) of the instrument, in case they sound, piano notes will sound instead of metronome sounds. And what about those pitch bend and sustain pedal events? Repeating this events with 0 value is useless and can eventually cause that a sustain pedal maintained between measures be cut too early.

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• Apr 20, 2024 - 20:00

To have music notation software that "is not MIDI music software", in 2024, is like having a car that is not meant for driving on a road. I'm sorry. That sounds harsh. I mean, if you're going to support control of musical instruments, which is a great idea from notation software, you need to do it adequately. If it's going to be poor, don't do it at all.

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• May 30, 2024 - 17:16

I can think of three (no, apparently just two) examples of "cars that are not meant for driving on a road": a) drag racer, b) full-time 4-wheel drive, and c) well, I had a third example in mind a minute ago. Doesn't make them "inadequate" or "poor". Yes, both can be driven on a road, but they are not meant for driving on a road.

MuseScore is intended to create standard European music notation. If it also does more than that (and it does, a lot more), consider yourself fortunate.

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• May 30, 2024 - 17:46

One of the big issues is that MS3 had this functionality so there was a reasonable expectation that MS4 would be at least as good in this area, if not better.

Notation software has supported MIDI since the 1990s so without it in 2024 is like a car with 3 wheels: there just seems to be something basic missing! (I know that there are 3 wheeled cars but just try driving one around a tight bend.)

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• Jun 2, 2024 - 11:37

I thought that would be implied. Hard for MIDI to be usable without notation software existing.
Anyway, here is graphical notation software, supporting MIDI, from 1988 on Atari ST.
https://www.muzines.co.uk/articles/c-lab-notator/3970

I had a PC at the time. I used Cakewalk for DOS, which was text-mode only and had piano roll,. It supported MIDI.

I recently restored some DDS-4 tapes from the 1990s and the contents includes that 1980s version of Cakewalk. The readme is all about MIDI. Actually, better than that, I just ran Cakewalk Pro under DOSBox staging, and played a MIDI file with Munt - an (MT-32 emulator, running under Windows. Worked perfectly fine. The MIDI file I just played was called BACH1-32.MID , BWV 784, using a harpsichord patch. I recorded this piece on acoustic piano just this year. There was at least one pitch mistake in the MIDI file. Not sure if it came with Cakewalk or not. I need to record it on acoustic my harpsichord also. Just have been too lazy to tune it.
I tried a few other MIDI files from games - one was too large, the other didn't play Sysex correctly. Not too surprising an old DOS program could not handle these.

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• Jun 2, 2024 - 13:27

Re: "I thought that would be implied" : that seems a strange inference to make from what I posted. Marc clearly understood what I meant.

It was also easy for MIDI to be usable without notation software. What about MIDI sequencer software? What about MIDI control keyboards?

That's the same link that I posted so I think you have not read my response properly either.

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• Jun 2, 2024 - 14:09

FWIW, while this is a bit of a tangent, I rather doubt notation software was even a twinkle in anyone’s eye when MIDI first came to be in the early 1980’s. MIDI was developed for digital keyboards and synthesizers to communicate in real time for live performance / recording. It was and is used extensively by many with no reference to notation software or indeed computer software of any kind - just direct cables connecting standalone keyboards and synths. Of course, it wasn’t long because people started realizing it could also be used for other things. But it’s not really accurate to say “hard for MIDI to be usable” without notation software.

Anyhow, while at this point 40 years later, most users of notation software are playing back exclusively via software synthesizers and virtual instruments like Muse Sounds and VSTi rather than via external MIDI devices, no doubt some percentage of MuseScore users do still rely on MIDI output. So, hopefully the issues will be fixed. As always, MuseScore remains open source, so if one of the users who is affected by this cares to try their hand at this themselves, they would be most welcome to! The more users there are that to depend on MIDI output, the more likely that is to happen sooner rather than later.

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• Jun 3, 2024 - 08:59

Thank you for the information. I did not know that JoJo Schmitz had developped this fork.
I had a look to it; unfortunately, I am not developping using github tools, so I am not familiar with terms like artifact and other elements required to install MS3.7, but I read the installation procedure and eventually succeeded in getting the package and Yessss, it opens M4 mscz files.
Thank you Jojo !

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• Jun 2, 2024 - 02:38

madbrain and Marc Sabatella: I think it was me, and my comment that I could think of cars that are not intended to drive on roads. madbrain, I suggest you actually address individuals in a thread of this length, so that such misunderstandings are (at least) less likely to happen.

madbrain: I disagree, strongly. There is no way that MIDI control can be considered "crucial" to this application. "Highly desirable"? Absolutely. "Disappointing that it's no longer there"? Certainly. But "crucial". Not a chance.

And I don't know what "trolling" or "gaslighting" you think I'm doing. I suspect you may not know the definition of those words?

I am saying, quite seriously, that while desirable, even extremely desirable, it is not important to the core of the software. wcobb suggested that the software was "poor" or "inadequate". I was disagreeing and I still do.

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• Jun 2, 2024 - 11:44

@TheHutch,

Car analogies really don't apply. There is no need for condescension. I understand the meaning of those words, and I stand by them. This is a thread about problems with the MIDI support. You may not care personally about the bugs getting fixed, but others do, and you aren't helping fix them.

MuseScore started as a fork of a MIDI sequencer. It had MIDI support even before reaching 1.0 status. If the developers intended to drop support for MIDI, they would have done so, deleted the code, and announced it. That's not what happened. Instead, they kept the MIDI code, and shipped it with bugs that may or may not have been known at the time. All we are asking is for that code to work at least at the same level that the previous 3.x versions did.

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• Jun 2, 2024 - 17:24

Apparently wcobb (who appears to agree with you) felt that a car analogy really does apply. It's not a great analogy (which is what I was pointing out). but it's not horrible.

No matter where MuS started, what it is today makes MIDI non-central to what it does. I agree that it's nice, but I suspect that the user base for which it is "crucial" for what they do is a TINY fraction of the total users.

It's my understanding that, in the creation of MuS 4, including MIDI was difficult enough that they felt it okay to leave it out. Perhaps it will be included later? I don't know; I'm not in on those decisions.

Finally, again you are accusing me of "condescension", just as you accused me of "trolling" and "gaslighting". I'm not being the one, as I was not being the others. I'm merely explaining my take on this issue. And it's an opinion held by (I suspect) the vast majority of MuS users. The fact that it's important to you doesn't make it important per se.

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• Jun 2, 2024 - 13:36

@TheHutch: You are right: it is not actually crucial for the software. It is a deal breaker for some users and a regression compared with MS3 but I'm sure that MS4 will get there, possibly by the time that it becomes MS5, at which time I expect it to be superior to MS3 in all functionality.

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• Apr 9, 2024 - 04:58

Very same thing happened to me! Doesn't recognize a device but did when I originally downloaded Musescore.
I also lost the ability to use Garageband... informs me that there is an e-licenser problem. Even with a native Mac app like Garage Band!

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• May 29, 2024 - 06:01

It also doesn't work with any of my MIDI devices.
- Munt (MT-32 emulator)
- VirtualMIDISynth (another soft synth)
- Fantom XR (hardware synth)
- VK-88 organ, attached to a UM-880

Not a single byte of MIDI is output to any of these devices.
Also, even if this was fixed, how would I prevent Musescore Studio from outputting its own sounds at the same time ?

I tried the mixer, and putting the volume at zero. Some notes still play on the audio device ! There really should be an option to select "none" for the output audio device if one wants to use MIDI exclusively.

I also ran into the issue where everything plays at about 8 times the speed. Ridiculous bug.
https://musescore.org/en/comment/reply/node/337552/comment_forum#page-t…

It is just bonkers to me that so little testing could be done, or the decision was made to still ship with these major problems. Either way, it's not looking good for Musescore 4.3.0 . Seems like this release was rushed. Definitely not baked properly. Last one I had installed was 3.51 . I'll give 3.6. a chance.

Edit: I tried 3.6.0 and 3.6.2 . MIDI playback is also completely broken for me in both of them. It appears it must have been a long-standing bug. I just don't use MuseScore that often and had not run into it.
However, 3.5.2 is fine with MIDI . and the last one that works for me, in terms of being able to on my MIDI instruments at a sane tempo.

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• May 29, 2024 - 22:44

Hmm, MIDI output definitely works for others, so it could be something unique to your configuration. I recommend starting a new thread and giving more system details.

Keep in mind MuseScore is open source, and testing, like development, is a shared responsibility of the entire community. If no other with the same type of configuration as you chose to take part in the extensive testing period for MuseScore 4, that's unfortunate indeed. But it seems that those who did participate did not encounter this issue. There are other issues with MIDI output, including differences in how velocity and continuous controller messages are sent compared to how some MIDI devices expect them, also a metronome channel that you'd need to disable in your device. But overall as far as I have heard it does work. So again if you're not getting output, best to start a new thread with more system details so other community members can help investigate, and if it turns out there is a reproducible bug, help you submit an issue to Guhtb so the developers can fix it.

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• May 30, 2024 - 00:59

It’s definitely possible to get that information if you are familiar with both the MuseScore source code and with the tools provided by GitHub. I know more than a little about MuseScore source, but next to nothing about the I/O code in particular. And I know only enough about GitHub to do really basic things, not look for all differences in entire folders which is what, I think, this would entail. But anyhow, it definitely should be possible.

Again, though, since MIDi output does work in general, it’s still worth starting that new thread to find out what specific aspect of your system is incompatible with whatever change was made on the MuseScore side. Could be something about your specific MIDI driver, your specific patch version of your OS, or some external device in your chain, etc.

Either approach could lead to discovering the root cause of the issue, but investigating it from the perspective of studying the unique qualities of your system could well get to the answer faster, and won’t require anyone with additional skills to do the source diff. It’s something where you could most of the legwork on yourself rather than having to rely on someone else who may or may not actually be available to help.

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• May 30, 2024 - 10:01

Unfortunately, I'm not familiar with the MuseScore source code. I use github mostly to read and report issues, and sometimes to look at the code as well. But I haven't had to do diffs. Chatgpt told me to use the compare button, but I couldn't find it on github. It was however able to construct a diff URL.

https://github.com/musescore/MuseScore/compare/v3.5.2...v3.6

I haven't had a chance to look at it yet. I need to sleep soon. It would help to know which folder(s) the MIDI code is concentrated in, if it is.

I agree it's likely a bug specific to my configuration. I'm just not seeing it in other MIDI applications.
I will list more details about the config in the thread before I forget them, and then sleep.

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• May 30, 2024 - 10:49

Turns out there isn't really a better place in this thread.

Yesterday, I installed MuseScore 3.5.2 and it played MIDI fine. Upgraded to 3.6.0, and it stopped working.
4.3 also failed to play MIDI. This was regardless of which MIDI device I selected.
The symptoms when it stopped working was no audio from soft synths, and the MIDI activity light remaining off on th hardware MIDI devices.

I'm using Windows 10 x64 with current updates.
There is the following MIDI hardware/software :
- 8-in/8-out Roland USB MIDI interface, model UM-880
- Roland VK-88 organ, hooked up via MIDI to the UM-880
- Roland Fantom XR sound module, hooked up via USB
- Munt, Roland MT-32 software emulator
- Coolsoft VirtualMIDI synth, a soft synth
- Coolsoft MIDI mapper

For audio, I use an ECHO Audiofire 8a Firewire. It has 8 analog inputs , and 8 outputs, and a sophisticated audio mixing/routing app. The Fantom XR and VK-88 organ occupy 4 of these inputs. Can't remember off the top of my head what the other 4 are used for, but they are all in use, as are all 8 outputs.

Earlier today, I uninstalled Munt, VirtualMIDISynth, MIDI Mapper, and both versions of Musescore.
After reboot, I reinstalled both 3.5.2 and 4.0 .

I opened 3.5.2 and loaded this score :

https://musescore.com/user/35237410/scores/6189680

MIDI output was configured as "MMSystem.FANTOM-X" .

I then hit play. I heard the sound of two not quite simultaneous harpsichords. One was coming from the Fantom XR. The other from MuseScore. The MIDI light on the Fantom-XR was blinking feverishly. The VU meters in the Audiofire mixer app were showing signal from inputs 3 and 4 as well. So far, so good.

I then closed 3.5.2 and opened 4.3.1 I loaded the same s Icore. I set the MIDI output to "FANTOM-X".
I then hit play. I then heard the sound of one piano. But it was coming from the scrappy speakers of my LG 32UD59-B center monitor, not from the Audiofire's superb DAC. So, I changed the audio device to the Audiofire. And speed picked up by about a factor of 10x. That part is already documented in another thread/bug.
I then turned down the volume for the Musescore built-in sounds to 0 using its mixer.
I then heard a very faint piano sound coming from the speakers that are hooked up to the Audiofire (with a receiver in between). The mixer app shows signal from the Roland between -58 dB and -60 dB.
The MIDI activity light on the Roland is blinking, though perhaps not as fast as with MuseScore 3.5.2 .
The output level knob on the Fantom XR is turned all the way to the max.
I would qualify this as MIDI not working, though it is different from not working at all.
There were other problems playing that score that were not device/MIDI related :

1) 4.3.1 plays piano instead of harpsichord on 3.5.2 . I might have used custom sounds in my original score. However, it should be possible to fallback to a default harpsichord patch, rather than piano. I seem to recall this was a pre-existing issue in the past
2) the trills are all wrong when playing the score on 4.3.1 . For example, the start of measure 5. They are much slower on 4.3.1 than the same measure on 3.5.2. Perhaps half the speed. Neither is actually the result I want to achieve - I wanted 6 quick notes. The score plays 4 quick notes on 3.5.2, and 4 long notes on 4.3.1. .
A recording on my acoustic harpsichord is at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YeDTV8YvwGw .
Correct trills can be heard around https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YeDTV8YvwGw&t=25 .
I would love to know how to fix them in my score. They were only approximations in 3.5.2, but in 4.3.1 they render the score useless. I wish the program had more intimate knowledge of ornaments, so that one could turn them on or off at will. It is typical baroque practice to play the repeats differently, and varying ornaments is a common way, sometimes omitting them. With repeats, there should be a way to automate that. Of course, there isn't going to be any notation change. This would affect playback only. It would be very useful to turn them off when the program plays the ornaments incorrectly, as MuseScore 4.3.1 does.

There is still a crasher bug I have to describe, but it's not happening anymore right now after the software synths and MIDI mapper were uninstalled. Guess I'll try to reproduce tomorrow.

So much for sleep.

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• May 30, 2024 - 17:28

@madbrain

> I then heard a very faint piano sound coming from the speakers
> that are hooked up to the Audiofire (with a receiver in between).
> The mixer app shows signal from the Roland between -58 dB and -60 dB.
> The MIDI activity light on the Roland is blinking,
> though perhaps not as fast as with MuseScore 3.5.2 .

That is because all MIDI note on/off velocity set to 1 generated by MuseScore4.
Several people has been confirmed and pointed out that problem in this topic.
And, the issue about it on GitHub is here.

"Midi output sets velocity to 1 for all notes"
https://github.com/musescore/MuseScore/issues/22354

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• Jul 20, 2024 - 12:42

Musescore 4.3.2: MIDI out still does not work. That's why I'm still working with MS 3.6.
I can't quite understand Marc Sabatella's arguments. Sure, MS it primarily a notation software. So why was it so important to include VSTs and virtual effects, to inflate MS4 and to treat the most essential features like MIDI OUT 2nd priority? The main virtual sound of the piano in MS4 is delayed when you play live (in MS3 the sound reacts faster). I am a music theory teacher and give online lessons via Zoom. I was always very impressed how quickly I could show notation and sound in a live Zoom on the screen. Since MS4 everything has become more difficult. Then I came up with the idea of using the sounds of my digital piano instead of the virtual sound (which works very well in MS3). But unfortunately the MIDI OUT doesn't work here at all. In MS4, many things are being tweaked to make it look more and more like a DAW (like Steinberg's Dorico). This is all praiseworthy if it didn't neglect the most essential features at the same time. I really hope that the MS4.4 upgrade will allow MIDI OUT.

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• Jul 20, 2024 - 13:48

I'm not just saying it's primaril;y notation software - it's notation software that also provides fantastic built-in playback. Also playback via VST. These are all things used by tons of musicians. MIDI output is more seldom used, by an emormous margin. I'm not saying that means it shouldn't ever be supported, just explaining why it so far hasn't been a huge priority. Way more people care about built-in playback than any third party playback, and of the people who do rely on third-party playback, way more people today use VST than raw MIDI.

If you are just using MUseScore as a makeshift virtual keyboard, I'd recommend simply using a different tool for that purpose - MuseScore has never really been optimized for that special use case. Use MuseScore for what it is incredible at - creating and playing back musical scores (including theory handouts and worksheets), and use a virtual piano keyboard program for that specific purpose.

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• Aug 14, 2024 - 11:10

Unfortunately MIDI OUT still does not work on 4.4 -testing (beta).
A small remark:
why there are 2 separate windows to select MIDI IN and MIDI OUT, if it is "not a high priority" you should just be able to select MIDI IN only. Otherwise it is clearly a BUG in the software, isn't it?

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• Oct 13, 2024 - 22:01

Indeed, I tested v4.4 and the velocity is still set to a very low value.
I really wonder why it is so difficult to fix such issue: just imposing a constant (average, not the minimum) value for the velocity would at least allow the user to listen to the music, even if the pp, p, mf, f, ff nuances are not executed. I noted, however that the correct notes are now played, although almost inaudible due to the low velocity value in the MIDI notes, whatever the mixer setting is.

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• Oct 14, 2024 - 14:48

Indeed, I did not find a way to tell my keyboard that the velocity is wrong and should be ignored... ;-)
Actually a simple patch to set the velocity to 64 instead of 1 would probably have avoided 18 months of complaints from the users. Hard to understand considering the excellence of Musescore on lot of other aspects.
I read recent posts on Github: some work is being done on other midi issues, but seemingly not yet to fix the V=1 (on Windows) that I reported on (...)/MuseScore/issues/22354.

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• Oct 14, 2024 - 15:36

Velocity of 1 isn't wrong - it just isn't appropriate if your keyboard takes the velocity setting as a determinant of volume. And indeed, most physical keyboards do by default, but that's not necessarily true of MIDI-based sound libraries, including VST. I suspect some physical keyboards do have a setting to turn off response to velocity in MIDI input, since it would be a useful thing in conjunction with DAW software where people may also be using velocity for purposes other than volume (eg, for sample switching). But probably consumer digital pianos probably don't have such a setting. I don't really know, just speculating here.

Anyhow, yes, obviously, it would be great if someone concerned with MIDI output would volunteer to implement the conversions necessary to calculate a velocity value for each note. But apparently, few users are concerned with this or else one of them would have volunteered by now. It

But note, simply always setting 64 won't be acceptable - then everything will play the same volume if your keyboard doesn't honor the CC messages that MuseScore uses (and I suspect that's true of many keyboards). Instead, you'd need to pull the current CC value in and copy it to the velocity, which appears to be what is done for MIDI export.

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• Oct 14, 2024 - 16:01

Why would 64 not be acceptable? At least the user would hear the notes, and probably very well if his keyboard supports CC.
When a control is not used, I would either not specify it at all or set an average value, not an extreme value.
I really wonder why MS4 did not put the same contents in the MIDI msg (MIDI port) and the MIDI export to file...
Personally, I have programming skills and I had loved to help in the implementation, but my experience is with different tools/languages and I am not familiar with way SW is managed in github, nor do I have the adequated tools/compilers/builders.

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• Oct 14, 2024 - 16:08

64 would be unacceptable because there would be no dynamics. Better than nothing, true, then there would just be an equal number of complaints that dynamics aren't working.

I have no idea why the CC value isn't copied to velocity for MIDI output but again can only assume it relates to what DAW software might be expecting. Or it could be an oversight.

FWIW, you don't need mad C++ skills to contribute to development, especially for relatively self-contained work like this would presumably be. Really, all programming language read about the same, so it's just a matter of matching the syntax and formatting you see in the surrounding code. But indeed, you have to take the time to read through the git workflow documentation and set up a build etc. All the tools are free, so the only limitation here is time and motivation.

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• Oct 16, 2024 - 18:36

Thanks you Marc for this information.
Unfortunately, this would be too much of an effort for me to install the C++ compiler/linking environment and master the git worflow philosophy, just to change a constant in the code. In the old time, I would rather have patched the executable ;-).
Actually I am already very busy with my main activity (private pilot and TKI instructor), and music is a second hobby.
So, despite probably a lot of good ideas implemented in MS4, I will be pragmatic and simply remain with MS3 and wait until the bug is solved before trying to study MS4. I will continue to test new releases, hoping that finally somebody hear the complaint of the many users suffering from this bug and will make at least a basic fix.

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• Oct 16, 2024 - 19:00

As explained, though, merely changing to a different constant wouldn't be an acceptable solution anyhow.

And while MIDi output is a very niche feature - in a world that has Muse Sounds and VST instruments, not many people still rely on external MIDI devices for playback - hopefully as you say there truly are "many" users you rely on it, because that means at least one of them will be sufficiently motivated to fix this,

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• Oct 14, 2024 - 15:13

Do you have any digital piano that works with MS 4.4 MIDI out? I can hear no sound at all on all my digital pianos. And as someone wrotes: MS 4.4 gives out permanently a constant note velocity of 1 instead 64 or 127. Maybe thats the issue. My digital keyboards are working perfectly with all other music softwares via MIDI OUT. So does MS 3.6! I don´t really understand what you mean with "....to control volume". I only want to hear anything, its not about controlling parameters. Why is it working on MS 3:6?

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• Oct 14, 2024 - 15:27

You don't hear anything because if your keyboard interprets MIDI velocity as volume (as most do by default), 1 is the softest possible volume, and unless the speakers are turned all the way up would probably be basically silent.

MuseScore 4 no longer uses velocity as the control over volume over volume internally - that's because it really isn't MIDI-based at all anymore. There is conversion to and from MIDI data as needed. No doubt, it would be great if it would convert its internal representation to velocity data when performing MIDI output, the way it apparently does when exporting a MIDI file. But so far, none of the people who wish to see this happen have volunteered to help implement this (which is how open source software works).

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• Oct 11, 2024 - 10:42

Conclusion. Midi out works great in MS3.6.2. It doesn't work yet in MS4.
This would be unacceptable in commercial software. Thank god Musescore isn't!
Just keep one 3.6.2 installation (or earlier, if it works even better) and one 4.x.x installation on your computer. You can have them both. Just remember that your computer will attach the mscz file extension only to either one. And remember to export to XML file type, if you need to go from MS4 to MS3 to make MIDI output work.

Just to be sure my MS4 and MS3 don't mix any important dll files or whatnot, I have MS4 installed as the standard version and MS3 as the portable version with all needed dll and whatnot isolated in its own directory. Works great.

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• Oct 22, 2024 - 14:41

I have good news on this matter: a test build has been prepared by Casper J with a patch to set the velocity correctly (instead of 1), making the audible. I had a chance to test it and it works.
UPDATE: During my initial tests, the nuances did not seem to work, but after I have been informed that the nuances were also implemented, I tested again on several score and could not reproduce the initial problem.
When the test build changes will have been integrated in a next MS4 release, we will finally be able to play MS4 scores on a MIDI Keyboard. Well done !

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• Oct 25, 2024 - 00:32

Thank you!
The build is prepared by SolfaMode, not Casper J(cbjeukendrup).

Windows:
https://github.com/musescore/MuseScore/actions/runs/11093391357

Linux:
https://github.com/musescore/MuseScore/actions/runs/11093391363

mac:
https://github.com/musescore/MuseScore/actions/runs/11093391370

I could download and run the build(Artifact).
It works fine!
I reported it.
https://github.com/musescore/MuseScore/pull/24944#issuecomment-24364709…

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• Dec 17, 2024 - 19:51

Took a test run of the artifact build for 4.5.0 but no improvement at all. Still no MIDI output at all instead the playback has issues like stuttering or playing notes twice on audio. So instead of fixing MIDI it breaks audio.

Just as a side still working perfectly in MS3.6 and other MIDI playback tools. Its just MS4.x (currently 4.4.4) that is broken in that sense for so many devices as it looks. It's really a tragedy given that MS4.x is out now for how long? approx 2 years and still midi is not fixed one of the most basic functionalities? wasn't MS4 written because limitations in 3.6? But it seems that the architecture of MS4 makes it close to impossible to fix such basic things as MIDI output.

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• Dec 17, 2024 - 21:06

As far as I know, MIDI output does work, but uses velocity 1, which most devices - especially older ones - don't handle well. MU4 doesn't really use MIDI internally - at least not in the naive 80's sort of way where velocity translates directly into volume. See if your MIDI device has an option to ignore the velocity.

But no, this architecture doesn't make it "'close to impossible" to support legacy devices that use velocity to control volume - it just means there is a small extra layer to go through. See https://github.com/musescore/MuseScore/issues/22354 and note the linked PR - there is a proposed change that would allow MIDI velocity to be output the old-school way and thus work with more existing devices. Since 4.5 is still a ways off, the PR hasn't been reviewed yet, but it does seem fairly likely to make it before the eventual release.

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