Inconsistent Drum 4 On All Tenors

[Houston Youngman]

This problem has been here since I bought everything for VDL, however, since I've gotten into bigger projects, this is starting to change the way I write. In any score that I write, any tenor drum samples that I choose have are normal. When writing notes, all drums play, everything sounds fine. However, whenever I play the score back, there are certain measures where drum 4 does not play. Sometimes it's not even a full measure, just count 3, or 1, etc. I'm sure this has to be happening to at least one other person; I was wondering if there was an easy fix to this problem. Thanks a ton!

[Hugh Smith]

I'm sure this has to be happening to at least one other person; I was wondering if there was an easy fix to this problem.

Houston, you seem to be the first to mention a drum 4 issue. With the limited amount of information you've given me at this point, my guess is that some of the mappings in your file have become corrupted (Sibelius added these if they're there). Please elaborate more fully in what you've done and how things are behaving - attach a screen shot of your Playback Configuration and other elements that my be pertinent.

[Houston Youngman]

I apologize, my playback configuration is uploaded. I'm not sure what other things to include. I'm sorry I can't help you understand it better. It's such a random selection of notes it happens to that I can't find where the problem is. Sometimes it's the full measure and sometimes it's only certain notes. However, if there is any more information that you need, I will get it to you ASAP. Thanks.

Also, since this is probably a mapping issue and there's no need to create a new topic for this, I'm having some drumset problems as well. Note heads play wrong notes, the wrong sounds are on the wrong lines and such, and dictionary text does not do anything. I figured since this mapping issue with the tenors could get fixed, maybe it would do the same for the drumset. I'm sorry to throw so much at you constantly, I hope we can work something out with these maps. I really appreciate it!!

[Hugh Smith]

The Playback Configuration looks good. Can you send me the file? (Sent you a PM.)

[Hugh Smith]

Hi Houston

Looked at the file. On drum 4, notehead zero with a tenuto has been mapped as a Hand Muffle Input Variable. Please review the Maps file for further information.

Options to "fix" current file:
1) Remove the tenuto from the score.
2) In that (any) specific file, remove the Drum 4 Hand Muffle Input Variable - notehead zero with tenuto. To edit mapping, navigate to Home > Instruments > Edit Instruments > - VDL Template 7.0a > Drumline Battery > Tenor Solo > Edit Instrument > Edit Staff Type. Scroll over to the drum 4 notehead zero with the tenuto, after selecting it, the Best Sound should read "D4 Hand muffle". Delete, OK, OK, Close. Done.
3) In the above Edit Staff Type dialog, change the articulation to something else.

By the way, what you have in the score is actually making a sound, it's just quite faint compared to the other notes around them.

Also, since this is probably a mapping issue and there's no need to create a new topic for this, I'm having some drumset problems as well. Note heads play wrong notes, the wrong sounds are on the wrong lines and such, and dictionary text does not do anything. I figured since this mapping issue with the tenors could get fixed, maybe it would do the same for the drumset. I'm sorry to throw so much at you constantly, I hope we can work something out with these maps. I really appreciate it!!

Similar to the above situation, this may also be a user issue. After you've reviewed the mapping diagrams in the Maps file, go ahead and send me the file if you still have problems.

[Houston Youngman]

Wow, thanks a ton! I really appreciate it!

[Joe]

Hugh,

I never realized the tenor mappings included different playback for the tenuto articulation for drum 4. I often use tenuto marking in my battery writing; I teach my students that tenutos are "mini-accents", regular accents are just that, and marcato accents are "super-accents". Admittedly drum 4 doesn't get this articulation much, if ever, in my writing, since I think I would have discovered the playback problem similar to how Houston did.

Perhaps a different articulation could be used to trigger muffled drum 4 samples in future templates? Maybe the plus/closed marking? Nothing about a tenuto mark implies "muffled with hand" to me, especially when the marking means something else musically and plays back differently for all of the other tenor drums.

[Houston Youngman]

I'm a student, and my teacher also teaches us that a tenudo is a smaller accent. So, I like to include that in my writing to add more contrast and such. I just changed the mapping to the open/harmonic articulation, but I think I agree with Joe on this one. I guess it's all a matter of teaching, however.

[Hugh Smith]

I never realized the tenor mappings included different playback for the tenuto articulation for drum 4.

It's been like that since its release in January 2012.

Perhaps a different articulation could be used to trigger muffled drum 4 samples in future templates? Maybe the plus/closed marking? Nothing about a tenuto mark implies "muffled with hand" to me, especially when the marking means something else musically and plays back differently for all of the other tenor drums.

I just changed the mapping to the open/harmonic articulation, but I think I agree with Joe on this one.

I've never had music to read like that, nor written/taught it. It does make sense though. I'll see if I can put it on my TODO list for changing the Input Variable's articulation to something else.

Thanks guys!