Cymbals & Rack Combo

[megibson]

This is a 2 part question:

1. I read the readme.pdf and am trying to change from marimba/vibraphone to suspended cymbals.  I did an instrument change for the measure, selected Suspended cymbal 18" Constantinople.  I go to config and load the cymbal sound in VDL then go back to the score but all of the sounds are not there.  I want a suspended cymbal roll.  I only get about 1/4 of the available sounds from the instrument none of which are the ones I'm looking for.

I reselect the measure for sus cym roll and select instrument change again.  This time I changed the "select from" list to S7S template 7.1a and select "cymbals" from the list.  I go back to the measure and find the correct sus cym roll from the marimba sound (D7 I think) and everything works perfectly.  My question is: Am I doing this correctly?  Why did I have to do an instrument change and load a S7S general cymbal sound just to go back to the score and use the already loaded VDL marimba/cymbal sound?  It looks correct, it sounds correct.  Is there an easier way?

2nd question

2. I have the Rack Combo B loaded in the score.  The Rack Combo B is also loaded in VDL>Kontakt 5.  When I check the sounds in Kontakt they're all there and they sound correct.  When I notate it in the score, there are incorrect note heads and but correct sounds (input only).  I'm going for a BD/Tam crash.  I get both sounds on input, but both note heads are "regular" note heads and on playback I only hear BD.

Any help would be much appreciated.

Thanks,

[Hugh Smith]

1/2. Are you letting Sibelius auto-load patches for you? Or are you trying to do that yourself? There is an exception, but for the most part, everything in the Mixer should be set to (Auto).

2. Are you using a MIDI keyboard for input? Without looking deeper, sounds like that instrument's percussion mapping has become corrupted. Is this a file you've been working in for a while?

[megibson]

1/2. Does auto-loading patches mean that if I add a staff from the VDL section that Kontakt will automatically load the correct VDL sound?
If so, than yes/no. I was changing as little as possible if it worked the way I wanted it to sound. I would otherwise manually load the rack combo B or BD/Tam combo at the same time.

2. I use a Korg nanokey2.  The file is a merged S7S/VDL template I created from the instructions in the setup .pdf. I've been working on it for about a month. It has all the wind parts entered but very little percussion as of yet.

[Hugh Smith]

With the very rare exception, you shouldn't ever need to manually load patches. If you feel like you need to, there could be something wrong with the .sib file.

Can you send me the file to look at? Sent you a PM.