Articulation sample selection - Alternative to keyswitching

• Jul 8, 2020 - 00:04

This request is for MuseScore 4 when VST support is added.

I'm new to using notation software with third party VST libraries and it's a huge pain to set up templates for them to play back properly. It's clear that the current keyswitching system was designed for DAWs and their implementation of notation software is an afterthought. I would love for a notation software that had an option that ditched the MIDI mapping thing and allowed unlimited possible samples in a document (depending on one's hardware of course).

Imagine this: Instead of selecting keys that link the VST plugin samples to your software and going back and forth on your plugin, there would be an option for each staff that allowed you to customize which articulations activate which samples. For instance, clicking on this tool for a trumpet staff would bring up a menu with visual representations for each articulation. You would click on an articulation (staccato for instance) and there would be an option to assign the staccato articulation to a particular sample. This would open up your VST plugin and you would select whatever staccato sample you want. Now, every time you put a staccato on a note, it will play from the staccato sample you selected. You would have to do this for every articulation you need on every staff, but the payoff with a template would be great. Perhaps a similar system could be used for dynamics - You assign each musical dynamic to a particular position that you want the sample to play it back at.

The drawback is that it would hurt compatibility when you try to export something to a different program. But oh well. It would be so worth it to power users.

Why haven't notation softwares added something like this? The fact that they're still pandering to how DAWs work instead of making more musical representations in today's age is kind of shocking.

Do you still have an unanswered question? Please log in first to post your question.