Mod Wheel
I use Virtual Drumline on MS4 since I don't really like using finale considering it's difficult understanding. Though there's a price to pay when switching. The play back in finale sounds way better with dynamics from pp-ff. In MS4 it sounds like everything is forte but the volume knob on the mixer is different. Also if I would want to do a mod wheel change with finale all I do is go to expression text and it changes the mod wheel with an expression text. If I want to do that with MS4, I have to add instrument and manually change the mod wheel and now I have a whole new line just for 1 new playback enhancement. As for marimba as well, I have to change the mod wheel if I want a tremolo. If this isn't a possible change I understand, but if I want to use VDL to it's maximum potential I would need things like this.
Comments
Now that I have been dragged out of Finale kicking and screaming, I am also in this same situation. My solution with Finale involved writing my own scripts to process the Mod Wheel dynamics (if those are present) and interpolate them with velocity accent tap ratios that I felt were good for the dynamic.
Currently there is an open issue in github centered around the midi output of museScore always sending midi velocity of 1. It's close to being merged (and fixed), but there are a few hangups. I just joined in to help, but am still getting my bearings with everything.
If you are using the internal VST instruments, through museScore, I'm not sure exactly how the MIDI playback would differ. I also think there is some midi 2.0 magic that happens internally. Right now, from what I observe, I see museScore interpreting dynamics through velocity on percussion type instruments, but using modwheel dynamics on wind instruments. The test I ran was using dynamics with two different instruments. The Oboe sends values to CC1 (mod wheel) on dynamic changes. FFFF was 127, and PPPP was 32. However, the Marimba did not send any of those CC1 values. Instead it expressed the dynamics by scaling them.
I am still searching the code for what parameter actually changes these values, and am curious if there are ways to override this globally, so I can gain better control of the MIDI output. It would be a HUGE saving in time, because I often find myself having to rewrite the piece in sequencer for publication, which takes almost as long as writing the piece.
In reply to Now that I have been dragged… by chrisroode
@chrisroode
I hope you will find some time to write about your findings.
It's a pity there is no documentation.
Many new things are developed in orther to get the musesounds working.
But the price for the moment is proper user midi velocity - midi out - and proper vsti functionality.
It would be nice if those things worked according to spec and could be documented.