Playback in 2.0

• Nov 9, 2014 - 04:00

Playback in 2.0 is a whole lot less loud than in 1.3. Is that because I'm using a different sound font in 2.0? I'm using the default sound font. As far as I know, it downloads and installs with 2.0.

Lemme see here... In 2.0, I'm using FluidR3Mono_GM.sf3

In 1.3 I've been using FluidR3 GM-2.sf2

I've tried all the things I can think of to make playback louder with 2.0, even set the instrument to double forte. It's an older MacBook, running Yosemite. It's never been very loud, but most sound sources, at maximum volume are quite a lot louder than MuseScore playback in 2.0.

Any suggestions?

Should I try the .sf2 sound font?

Thanks in advance,

Artie


Comments

Some background:

SF3 is a new format for compressed .ogg samples (SF2 is uncompressed). However, clicks would often appear, so I think to rectify (please correct, if wrong), a mono version was produced, largely reducing these. See this and this: #21814: Playback of SF3 features loud pops.

I'm not an audio expert (I'm sure ChurchOrganist could explain better), but it does seem to be having an effect elsewhere - scores are quieter, or samples sound very different (e.g. Fantasia).

Hopefully, we will have a proper solution before the final release.

In the meantime, you could perhaps try increasing the volume in 'View'>'Play Panel'.

Whilst probably not related to this topic, I did once complain about differences between 1.3 and 2.0 (see this ) - maybe this is due to possible changes to Fluid (the synthesiser, not soundfont) and the change is for the better?

In reply to by chen lung

Just for the record there have been no volume changes to the soundfont in FluidR3Mono, apart from the extra normalisation added to prevent the clicking problem already mentioned.

In general overall sound level is much quieter in MuseScore 2 beta. ISTR it was reduced because of people complaining about distorted playback when they turned their volume up to 11 :)

In reply to by ChurchOrganist

I'm using FluidR3Mono_GM.sf3

I have a dim memory of distorted playback when volume is turned up to 11, but at least, in that case, I have the option of turning the volume down. Now, I have no way to turn it up, except to plug in an amplified external speaker. I liked it the old way better.

Be sure you are comparing apples to apples here. Previous releases had pretty quiet sounds by default too, to avoid distortion at high dynamic levels. So it's likely you long ago turned up the violume in your Synthesizer settings and then forgot about it.

Also, different instruments have different relative volume levels in different soundfonts. A flute playing middle "C" in real life is much quieter than a trombone playing playing that same note with the same dynamic. The soundfont 1.3 was not very realistic about this. The soundfont in 2.0 is much better in this regard. So some instruments may sound quieter than they did before, but others will sound louder.

In general, there should be little or no difference in overall sound volume across all instruments between 1.3 with the default settings. If anything, I think 2.0 sounds louder overall for most instruments. Try doing a factory reset on your 1.3 installation (run "mscore -F") to hear what it sounded like before you turned up the Synthesizer volume.

The note selection volume is much louder than the score playback volume. I would like make them about the same volume. Is there a way to do that?

Sorry I accidentally posted this to an ancient thread.

Musescore 2.0.2

In reply to by glentek

The playback volume depends on the dynamic level set of the score at that point. if your score has a "pp", it will play quietly, but selection will still be normal. If you'd rather not have dynamics during playback, you could delete them all I guess. If this doesn't sound like what is going on, please attach the score you are having trouble with and give precise steps to reproduce the problem (eg, which note you are selecting, which part of the score you are playing). Also say what soundfont you see in View / Synthesizer, and where the volume is set. And if possible, update to 2.0.3, although 2.1 is also right around the corner.

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