Percussion Issues

[megibson]

Finale 2011b.r2
VDL 2.5.2
Kontakt 5
Windows 7
TWS Outdoor Template Fin2011

Good afternoon,

I have the Rack Combo B assigned to the "percussion" staff on the template.  In instrument list I have Rack Combo B assigned to Layer 1, 3 & 4 on ch.8 and BD/Tam combo assigned to Layer 2 and Ch. 10 (for rolls and variations on bass/tam hits)
I have rack combo B and VDL BD and Tam Tam (combo) assigned to the corresponding layers in the Perc. MIDI Map

The problem...
I have written a BD/Tam whole note hit (in layer 1 rack combo B) and it is not notated correctly (shows up as 2 orange whole notes WAY below the staff). 

I left the notation as it was and selected staff tool, right clicked on the measure and selected "027. VDL Rack Combo B".  This did nothing.

Again I right click on the measure and selected "Apply Staff Style to Score and Parts" and again selected "027. VDL Rack Combo B".  This did nothing.

I then right clicked the measure and did "define staff styles" and the "available styles listed:" was Rack Combo B.  I see notation style is listed as "percussion" and I click the "select" button and choose "Rack Combo B" and ensured that the notation for BD and Tam are correct.  After applying this everything is still incorrectly notated.

Summary:  I hear the correct sounds when entering a BD and Tam hits (simultaneously) for Rack Combo B (while in Layer 1) and the notation is incorrect (orange notes way below the staff)

Thanks for any and all information/help

[TBoliske]

From what you've written it appears as though you're doing all of the steps correctly.

A couple of questions though. Are you applying the staff style prior to entering notes or after? Applying the staff style prior should help with the layout issue (orange noteheads). Also, when setting up the instrument list, are you creating a new instrument for the bd/tam combo?

You could also use text expressions for instrument changes and percussion midi map changes rather than using layers. I'd even go so far as to suggest applying the staff style in layer 2 for the measures using the combo and using a text expression for a percussion midi map change prior to entering notes.

Let us know if you have any questions or need further help. 

[megibson]

Thanks for the reply.

I have the "percussion" staff set up in instrument list as Rack combo B with layer 1, 3 & 4 and BD/Tam combo as Layer 2.  When I set up the BD/Tam combo I created it as a new instrument.  All of the channels are correct (I hear the correct sounds when the correct layers are selected).  The BD/Tam combo layer 2 hasn't been the issue.  The issue now is Rack Combo B in Layer 1,3,4.

I took your advice and applied the staff style prior to entering the notes this time and they still come up as orange note heads way below the staff.

I understand how to create text expressions and all but I don't know how to go about applying them to VDL sounds and note heads etc.  This is an area of templates/VDL that is new to me.

Since I just started writing our opener and only have about half of it done, I'm going to start over with a fresh template and redo  sound assignments etc.  Hopefully I can make this one happen.

Any suggestions would be welcome.

Thanks again for your help,

[TBoliske]

Somewhere, we're missing a step. Would you attach a copy of the file? That will allow me to look closer.

[megibson]

Will do. I'll post a file when I get home.

Thanks!

[megibson]

Here's the file.

Thanks again!

[TBoliske]

Thanks for the file, it was a help in seeing how you have things set up. This is what I'm seeing.

There are 2 instruments, the bd/tam combo and instrument 17 both assigned to midi channel 10. Although instrument 17 is not used in this score. Instruments 12-14 and 18 and percussion are all assigned to midi channel 8. Instruments 12-14 and 18 are on different levels of the marimba, xylo, and percussion staves. The percussion instrument is appearing on the percussion staff layers 3 & 4, not on layer 1 with the rack combo b on layer 2 and on the vibes layer 2. The vibes layer 2 does not have a percussion midi map assigned for use.

I'm also seeing crotales and xylo/glock both on midi channel 5. Both are used on the xylo staff.

From looking at the file, I'd say the problem is in the number of midi channel conflicts. Multiple instruments assigned to playback on the same channel and several of them don't have instrument names, just numbers. To solve the issues, first make sure all instruments have easily identifiable names, remove any instruments you know will not be used for this file or others for the show, and assign percussion midi maps and layouts to all of the non-pitched percussion instruments.

Let us know if this helps or if you have any further questions.