Uploading SoundFont Audio

• Mar 29, 2018 - 01:23

When I use a soundfont for an orchestra, or even just one piano, and I check the box "Upload Score Audio" in the Save Online tab, it loads loads it into MuseScore, but then it says that it can't upload the score to MuseScore.com because the file is too big, even if I just use one instrument with the soundfont. But then it actually uploads the score, but the instruments are way out of wack and the strings are playing percussion parts and the brass are playing the sitar and harpsichord! Am I doing something incorrectly, or am I just dumb and missing something? Please help.


Comments

Are you looking for a vote as to why it's not working? Just kidding. It would help if we know which version you are using. 2.1 or 2.2?

From what you're saying, you can make an mp3 file out of the MuseScore file and you have installed lame on your computer. What happens if you simply save your score as an mp3 and play it?

In reply to by ThePianoGuy22

I just looked closer and see that you do not have a pro account on MuseScore.com so it has to do with the sound font being used by MuseScore.com is causing the problem. You are the first to mention this issue.

BTW, I just listened to Batman the first time and i does sound GREAT! I don't notice strange instruments playing in the first 30 measures or so.

Something has happened that the instruments in the mixer (F10) has changed from the expected instruments to what you currently hear. I would suggest that you make sure your version you created on your computer has the correct instruments and replace the online score with that to see if it fixed the problem.

FYI, I tested a couple of my older scores that have been uploaded for a while with no audio uploaded, and they play back correctly. I made sure to check scores that have strings playing since this is where you seem to be having a problem.

In reply to by mike320

Maybe it would help to explain what I am doing. I think I might be getting the soundfont mechanism mixed up. I am downloading the soundfont, then in the mixer I change the instruments to sound like the new soundfont. Should I stick with the original instruments and then apply the soundfont, not changing them? For example, I would change the original, say, violin, to the new "solo violin" that the soundfont offers. Should I skip this step and not change it?

In reply to by ThePianoGuy22

You probably missed the post from Thomas (the web master) who said I was mistaken about needing to be a pro subscriber to upload your sound with your score. It would be nice if @Thomas would address the difficulties you are having since your audio should be correct.

In reply to by ThePianoGuy22

Maybe, if you explain what exactly the problem is, I at least haven't got it so far

If you have a score that uses a soundfont different from the default (and you can export to Mp3, which MuseScore 2.2 for Windows can, others need to so an extra step), on doing a Save online there is an extra checkbox to also upload the audio, use that and your score should sound the same on MuseScore.com.
There is a problem though: sometimes that upload doesn't work and that indeed is a bug we've not been able to hunt down and fix yet. But give it a try and report back success or failure.

In reply to by Jojo-Schmitz

That's what I normally do. I'll walk you through the process and if it sounds correct to you then there's definitely something wrong.
First, I open the File tab and click "Save Online". Then, I put a title, description and tags. Next, I click the checkbox "Upload Score Audio". Then, I save it online. It has a loading screen, and when it hits 100%, it goes back to 0%, and then it says "Sound File too large. Cannot upload score." And it supposedly does not upload the score, but actually it does, but without the soundfont and the instruments are mixed up.

Also, if this does work, how come I don't come across an orchestrated score that has an different soundfont applied like Sonita Symphony Orchestra? Is this just for your playback purposes only?

In reply to by ThePianoGuy22

Hi,

Did you tried using the Portable MuseScore version? The 2.1 version, currently at https://musescore.org/en/download/musescore-portable.exe , works well for me.

You can hear a sample using Sonatina that I've uploaded with this Portable version at https://musescore.com/mdi1972/scores/5046136

ps: one question, @ThePianoGuy22. For this score (The Avenger) , what Soundfonts are in your Musescore (View->Synthetiser->Fluid window, and in which order they appear (if more than one is loaded)?

In reply to by Jojo-Schmitz

Hi Jojo,

I won't upgrade my full MuseScore installation to 2.2 or 2.1 yet. And as the save online audio works with 2.1 or later, I just tried minutes ago and this feature (with the Portable) - and, at least at this time of the day and with this version, - it works nicely, very well.

I hope there will be a 2.2 Portable, as Anatoly-os commented in another thread.

ps: to be clear: I'm not suggesting the full 2.1/2.2/2.2.1 MuseScore installations are worse than the 2.1 portable for this issue (audio upload) . It's just that I cannot/won't upgrade to that full installations for the moment.

In reply to by Jojo-Schmitz

Jojo,

You're right, didn't thought of it - keep the older as a portable. Is available a 2.0.2 portable?

The main reason I'm not upgraded yet to 2.1 or the latest 2.2 is that honestly I don't like how it sounds the new "General MuseScore" soundfont (or the 2.1 FluidR3 Mono) soundfont, due to some subtle changes I perceived in the internal fluid synth workings (I guess), not in the soundfont itself. I score mainly for the Strings instrument, and I like how they sound in MuseScore 2.0.2.

You would say that is ridiculous, given that really large list of bugs fixed since 2.0.2, but Jojo I can tell you that for the amateur use and the simplicity of my scores, 2.0.2 works more than enough, for me. Ocasionally I use my private build of the "hpfmn's CC11" work (the dynamics over single notes, you know).

In reply to by Shoichi

Hi Shoichi,
They don't overwite each other, are you sure? (if there is an existing MuseScore 2.0.2 installation, for example)

I know that the Nightlies can be installed without problem on its own folder (I regularly download and check them). I'm refering to the 2.2 Release.

In reply to by mdi1972

You can only have one released MuseScore 2.x version installed. Another 1.x version can be installed parallel.

But there are portable apps available for 1.1 (nothing before that though, unfortunately, not sure why, I know that a 1.0 portable app exists, I have it on my machine), 1.2. 1.3, 2.0. 2.0.1. 2.0.2. 2.0.3 and 2.1, all via the download page (https://musescore.org/en/download#Older-versions). I believe we will have a 2.2.1 version there soon too, and maybe even a 2.2 one.
And you can still continue to use the 2.0.2 soundfont with any of these, just grab it (e.g. from one of those potable apps), copy it into your soundfonts folder and use it in your synthesizer settings

In reply to by mdi1972

On this pc (old Vista) I created the folders: MuseScore Master and MuseScore Nightly

18040707.png

When I download Zip Files I choose: Extract to...
A new version I fear will overwrite the previous one. A new version I fear will overwrite the previous one but I think it can be installed on a USB stick as portable.

In reply to by ThePianoGuy22

Hi there,

Seems the thread was somewhat mangled with my long "sub-thread".

I think, as @mike320 said, that it would be good if you can recheck the order of the soundfonts, and if you could post a print screen of your Mixer (with the desired settings) it would be nice, just to check them. I could upload a very short score using Sonatina as said above, but as your score is much more bigger, perhaps my test isn't relevant for the fault you noticed uploading your's.

I downloaded your Avenger score, and it sounds OK in my MuseScore. Now I will reuploaded it (as a private score of course), just to see if, with your score, I suffer the same problem.

@ThePianoGuy22, give me some minutes, and I'll publish here the "secret" link, if I can upload the audio correctly -- as said, this is just for a test. I will delete it afterwards.

...

I uploaded it okay (sounds okay i think): https://musescore.com/mdi1972/scores/5046369/s/e9876c

The correct order is as you said, first Sonatina, then FluidR3.

So, perhaps, if you try again, with the Portable 2.1 MuseScore (that's the version I used) , it gaves to you the same error??

In reply to by Jojo-Schmitz

Well, I'm deleting my copy of this score, it's not mine, and it passed an hour..

To summarize,

1.- I was able to upload to musescore.com a copy of @ThePianoGuy22 "Avenger's Theme" score, which uses Sonatina & Fluid, without any problem, using (in my case) MuseScore 2.1 Portable for Windows.

The audio uploaded ok as well, with no strange sounds (ie: the horns were from Sonatina horns, etc.)

2.- It happens that I'm having a good network connection to musescore.com site. The score and the audio uploaded after 1 minute or so (the MP3 generation which shows MuseScore in the progress bar, lasted some 2 minutes). Maybe this is a factor.

3.- The audio size doesn't seem a factor for the upload bug (in my case, it uploaded very quickly). Maybe a slower Internet connection would trigger the upload error, this could be an explanation.

4.- I don't necessarily tie my successful attempt with the fact I'm using a different version of MuseScore (@ThePianoguy22 don't use a portable version, as he explained above).

I think the ideal environment for testing further would be 2 or three different people doing the same test with @ThePianoGuy22 score, at the same time if possible.

In reply to by mdi1972

Alright. So you were able to upload the score audio with no problems whatsoever? That is interesting. My internet connection is usually at 3/3 bars (sometimes 2/3), and I make sure that it is 3/3 when I attempt to upload the score. However, this always fails, and it only uploads the FluidR3.Mono soundfont. I do think that further testing would be applicable, but I'm a bit tied up in writing new scores (on paper) and cannot access MuseScore at the moment. Would it be of your convenience to send me a link to your corrected version of my score? That would be very much appreciated.

In reply to by ThePianoGuy22

Tell me one thing. When you try to upload, how much time (in minutes) you wait until an error pops?

ps: and note: I didn't touched your score atall (no changes in it , in the mixer, nothing, so no "corrected" version). The only thing I've done is adding the Sonatina sf. in the Syntethiser.

In reply to by ThePianoGuy22

5 minutes, but 5 minutes counted since MuseScore ends to generate the MP3 (so it's the "upload" phase that last 5 mins.)? it's important to confirm this detail.

ps: And the exact error message. I've read you don't have currently access to a MuseScore installation to retry, when you do, please take note of the exact message and tell us

In reply to by mdi1972

Alright, sounds good. I will definitely tell you the error message when I have access to MuseScore. The upload phase takes 5 minutes (the percentage bar goes from 0 to 100%, and then another bar pops up, and it goes from 0 - 5%, then back to 0%, and then the error message occurs). Thanks for all your help.

In reply to by ThePianoGuy22

nah, disregard. Once you got access to your MuseScore, and be able to try again, take note of the times and told us.

But, if it last 3 minutes to upload, it may well be the problem stated in the begining of the thread - which seems related to the speed of the transfer.

Can I delete my copy of your score?

In reply to by ThePianoGuy22

my pleasure ;). Well, I think that the speed of the connection, definitely, has a impact on the error.

I would be very surprised that error were related to the size of the audio (unless between the date/time you first posted the problem, and today, the admins or developers at musescore.com tweaked something) Because I'm sure I've generated the exact size as you, and mine's went ok.

At any rate, once in contact with Thomas, if you have the chance to test the upload using other computers(networks connections, I recommend you recheck. The MuseScore Portable can be put in a USB stick, so it would ease these tests, I don't know.

So I got back on MuseScore, and I uploaded a new score with the Sonita Symphony Orchestra SoundFont. This time, no error screen occurred, and I thought it was all good. But at first I could not even play back the score on MuseScore.com, and then it resorted to it's original buggy behavior again.

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