Instruments play at correct volume until clicked on

• Mar 14, 2022 - 03:34

This has literally plagued me for years and I can't stand it anymore.
Using the attached project as an example, when I open the project and play from the beginning, the vibraphone should sound very loud and normal. However, once I click on any note the instrument plays, then press play again. it is much much quieter. Another way to trigger this is to place any dynamic markings on any measure of the instrument, which makes dynamic balancing through a bunch of instruments insanely difficult. This happens on every single one of my projects, no matter the soundfont.
The ONLY solution I have found is closing and REOPENING the entire program. No amount of messing around in the synthesizer, with dynamics, or any sound settings seem to fix anything.
And to add insult to injury, when I export the file, it will go back to the correct volume, not the quiet version in the program. So, I have to export the same file over and over again trying to get the dynamics right because they keep becoming quiet and inaccurate in the program.
Please help me, I just want to work on my projects again without getting so frustrated and wasting hours.

Attachment Size
Title.mscz 8.74 KB

Comments

Sometimes I have noticed some differences in volume levels between wav. and mp3. files. The wav. will export volume balances correctly. The mp3 will not.

For example, after a string section at mf, the ww entrance is supposed to be p. This will be true in the wav. file, but the ww entrance will be louder in the mp3 export.

I got to where I will export as a wav, then use other software to make a proper mp3.

I have loaded the score you attach, what do I need to do exactly in order to hear a problem?

Based on what you describe, I'm guessing that on other scores at least, you have messed up your "single note dynamics" settings. Normally everything works fine out of the box, but if you start changing things - using the Mixer to change sounds, loading new soundfonts, altering the playback settings in Staff/Part Properties, or the Dynamics settings in View / Synthesizer - it's crucial to keep it all straight and in sync. Basically, it's all or nothing with respect to single note dynamics. If the staff uses it, then the sound and soundfont and dynamics settings all need to support it. if the staff does not use it (single note dynamic setting turned off in Staff/Part Properties), then you need to make sure to choose sounds that don't use it.

Usually what this means in practice is, don't resort to changing sounds in the Mixer when you should be using Staff/Part Properties (eg, in your example, you have a score where the Staff/Part Properties says piano, but the mixer says vibraphone). Or in cases where you 8do* need to change sounds using the mixer - like to change form one guitar sound to another - make sure that if the original sounds sayts "expr" (for "expressive"), you only replace it with other expr sounds, and similarly if the original sound is not expr.

But again, in your posted file, I don't actually hear a problem, yes, it's wrong that the instrument says piano but the sound is set to vibraphone, but the piano is set to no single note dynamics, and the vibraphone sound is non-expr, so all should be OK and seems to be for me. Unless you've loaded a third party soundfont that uses SND for vibraphone, or have altered your Dynamics settings in View / Synthesizer.

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