Additional instrument sounds - oddity MuseScore 4.

• May 13, 2023 - 07:29

I noticed yesterday a score sounded with a clarinet part playing throughout. OK- except there wasn't a clarinet part with any notes which should play. I wondered if there was a hidden instrument in the score - but there wasn't.

Today I noticed something similar - with a flute "appearing" in a solo piano piece.

What seems to happen is that if several scores are opened in MuseScore 4, and (say) one with a flute part is played first, then when a score which doesn't contain a flute (or any instrument from the other score), then somehow MuseScore still tries to play instruments from the other score.

This happens with MU 4.0.2 and with files which were converted from MU 3.6. Since this effect maybe only happens when several files have been opened, there isn't a single score which encapsulates this problem.

My system is running Apple MacOS Ventura.

I suspect that closing one or more of the open files clears the issue, but it is odd. I thought that each instance of a score opened in MuseScore 4.xx was supposed to be treated independently.


Comments

You wrote:
I noticed yesterday a score sounded with a clarinet part playing throughout. OK- except there wasn't a clarinet part with any notes which should play.

Was this "phantom" clarinet playing a wacky, completely different tune or did it sound like part of the score ensemble?

I thought that each instance of a score opened in MuseScore 4.xx was supposed to be treated independently.

Yes, each score is opened in a new instance of MuseScore 4 running in its own window. Two different scores can be playing independently (and simultaneously).

In reply to by Jm6stringer

HI - yes that might be the explanation. I'll have to check. Using controls like space bar to start scores may be a problem, and kick off the wrong score, so that when the other starts it sounds as though the wrong instruments have crept in. It would be good if the controls could be more identified with each score, if this is the reason.

In reply to by dave2020X

That is not what is happening. You will get that even if you have only one instance of MU4 open. I do not know what the problem is, but MU4 will often play parts that are not there and at other times it will leave out parts that are there.

When you notice that, save your work, then shut down MU4. When you reopen MU4 and reload your project, it will play correctly (for a while). This is some sort of memory problem in the audio engine of MU4.

In reply to by Jim Ivy

I am sometimes [now quite frequently..] getting some really odd effects with MU4. I compared 4.0.2 with the earlier version of MU4, but the odd effects do affect both.

I have been checking out a lot of earlier files created with MU 3.6.2 or earlier, so wonder if that is a problem.

One of the odd symptoms is selecting notes [not playing the score] and then a very rapid tremolo on that note happens. This has only started to be obvious recently - though that's since I started reviewing older scores. The tremolo effect goes away if the score is explicitly "played", but returns as soon as it finishes.

Some of the other odd effects in MU4 and Muse Sounds still exist. Too many scores show poor articulation, particularly for string music, with slides between notes which are - well - just unmusical. This means I have to use other libraries to get results which are more acceptable, but it's quite a lot of extra work.

What you describe shouldn't be possible - they are completely separate instances - but if it happens reliably, please attach the scors in question and give precise steps to reproduce them problem so others can investigate. As mentioned, though, it's more likely to are hearing something else, like phantom notes leftover from a previous repeat, or notes that were deleted but somehow remained in the playback system.

In reply to by Marc Sabatella

Hello, I'm having the same issue. Using OS: macOS 13.6, Arch.: x86_64, MuseScore version (64-bit): 4.2.1-240230937, revision: d757433

I have only one instance of MS open, even after saving, closing and reopening several times the issue still occurs.

If you click on a contrabass note, there are also percussion sounds happening.

Check out m13.

I have muted or turned all percussion tracks in the score to zero. Even when soloed, several tracks playback percussion sounds where there aren't any.

Arranging the string chords in m63, they were copy-pasted from the Piano2 part, and when one stave is soloed and played back, there are random percussion sounds there, too.

The original file was created in an older version of MU, not sure which one. I opened that file and added the instruments from percussion to the bottom of the score. Then copy-paste to orchestrate in the new staves.

Is there a solution?

Thanks!

Seabass

Attachment Size
Alfred-Banks-Kaleidoscope-Motifs-v5.mscz 139.1 KB

In reply to by Marc Sabatella

I haven't quit and saved since the last post, and now it's not doing it. Did it consistently earlier today.

Happened when I'd click individual notes on the staff, and also during playback. Oh well, we'll see if it happens again.

Thanks for the fast response.

Seabass

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