I have followed Adam Bacon's suggestions as listed in the topic: [b]Dont Know how to do anything! need help!![/b]

Now in Kompakt I don't hear any sounds when I click on the on-screen keyboard.
Also, I don't believe Sibelius is communicating with the other applications. The Test buttons in the Mixer don't play anything nor does the test button on the Maple Midi Ports on the Devices screen.

Help Please.

Thanks,
Michael

Oh yeah,

I also get this message from the Devices window in Sibelius:

[b]Device Not Found[/b]

A MIDI playback device can't be used. You could click
Devices in the Play menu and set only one device to be
used; or if you've changed the MIDI devices installed in
your computer, click Find New Devices.


Now what?

Michael

What type of keyboard are you using? It sounds like the software driver for your keyboard is not installed properly. I know this is simplistic, but make sure your keyboard is turned on.

As for the other problem, I can't answer that right now. I'm on the road and away from my computer with all my music stuff on it. When I get back on Saturday, I'll look into it for you.

The keyboard is the Oxy 8.

It's on and the driver is installed.

When (in Kompakt) I select the USB keyboard as the input device (rather than Maple Port 1) I can operate the on-screen keyboard and hear the samples play back.

Also, in Sibelius' Device window, I can select and successfully test the keyboard.

Thanks,
Michael

Hmm...I'd suggest taking this one step at a time. Don't even worry about Sibelius yet. Just launch Kompakt, load your various sounds, and click on the on-screen keyboard with your mouse. You should hear sounds. If you don't check to make sure your speakers are on, they're plugged into your soundcard's output, and that your soundcard is correctly configured in Kompakt's Audio Setup window. If you can't get positive results here, don't go on. Contact Native Instruments tech support so they can help you get your sampler sounding.

Once that's working, focus on getting Sibelius to speak to Kompakt. For starters, in Kompakt, go to the MIDI INPUT setup, and make sure your Oxy8 is OFF, and MapleMidi port 1 is ON. All MIDI OUTPUT's should be OFF.

Launch Sibelius, and go to "devices". Select the Oxy8 as your input device (meter should light up if it's working properly), and ensure that midi-thru is checked. In your output devices, you should see Maple Midi port 1 as an option. If you don't, somehow it's not being recognized. Assuming it's there, make sure it's "on" in the device window, and exit that window.

Go to the mixer, select your snare staff, and select Maple Midi port 1 as the "device" and set it to the channel you have your snare instrument set to in kompakt. Don't worry about what it says in the "sound" menu...you can just ignore that. If you DON'T see MapleMidi as an option in the devices menu (within the mixer), then click the "reset sounds" button. Once you've done that, it should show up.

Assuming you were successful with the above steps, you should be able to select your tenor staff (for example), tap on your Oxy8 (tap in various parts of the keyboard to ensure your striking keys that have sounds mapped to them), and hear the sounds reacting to it from kompakt.

Please note - in Kompakt you were able to successfully control Kompakt with your USB keyboard by setting it as your midi-in device. I.E. Kompakt is waiting for midi messages from your Oxy8, then responding to your keystrokes. This is as expected. When using Sibelius, you're adding one more piece to the puzzle. The sequence of events would look like this:

1) OXY 8 (USB midi keyboard)
<midi messages sent out of keyboard>

2) SIBELIUS notation program
<receives midi in from Oxy8, then sends out to virtual midi cable (maplemidi, midiyoke, IAC driver)>

3) KOMPAKT Sampler (with VDL sounds loaded)
<receives midi in from virtual midi cable>

4) YOUR COMPUTER'S SOUND-OUTPUT
<sends audio out of Kompakt to your speakers>

When you're entering notation in Sibelius, steps 1-4 in the above sequence are happening essentially instantaneously. If you're just playing back one of your scores (not actually creating/entering notation), basically, you're just experiencing steps 2-4 from above. Still, the path of midi from one application to another is still the same. Sibelius is the conductor, Kompakt is the musician, and the sounds loaded into kompakt are the 'instruments'.

This is weird, but I think the problem might be with Kompakt now.

I'm following your advice and going one step at a time. I'm trying to reload the giga files into Kompakt. Now, in the Browser window, when I click on "Programs", nothing appears in the lower left window. Therefore, there's nothing to drag to the Empty instrument boxes.

I'm going to contact native instruments. When this step is finished, I'll let you know how everything else turns out.

Thanks,
Michael

That is weird. One quirky thing about the Kompakt browser is that when you click on "programs" be sure you're clicking on the actual WORD "programs" rather than the folder icon. Clicking on the folder icon doesn't display the contents of the folder, but clicking on the actual name of the folder does.

I was clicking on the right thing but somehow a setting got changed.

I found it the long way about.

In the Browser, under Tools, is a Show option. Apparently it was set not to show the .NKI programs. After I selected it, I was able to load in the VDL samples. I believe Kompakt is set up correctly now.

Snares, Tenors, Basses, and Cymbals are all loaded. Channels 1-4 respectively.

Under File, Setup, MIDI; Maple Port 1 is turned 'On' under input.
All other inputs are turned off as well as all the outputs. Is that correct?

I saved this as a new 'Multi'.

I'm going to try and run Maple and Sib3 now.

I'll post again in a minute.

Thanks,
Michael

It works!

Now, in Sib3's Devices window, I can scroll through the menu under sound set and find VDL listed. That hasn't been there before.

Oh well, it works now.

To test it out I entered 8 on a hand so I could listen to it. I entered it with the Oxy8 and it went smoothly. Upon playback, however, I heard the inconsistencies in my velocity. If I accidentally tapped the MIDI keyboard lighter or stronger, Sibelius played the note back as a ghost or an accent. Not just on entry, but on play back mode as well. How can this be fixed.

Thanks for everyones help,

Michael Reed

Were you using the hyperscribe feature and playing the music directly in, or were you using the number pad and the keyboard?

If you're using hyperscribe, then any inconsistency in your pressing of the note will play back. If you're using the keypad and the keyboard, then the inconsistency shouldn't be there.

I was using the Oxy8 and the number keypad.

I think I found the solution.

I made sure Sib played in Meccanico (not Espressivo), and I marked the beginning of the exercise with a dynamic marking.

Occasionally there is a blip (hesitation) in the playbacks. Like a stutter during 8 on a Hand. Anyway to fix this? I want to be able to make practice tracks for my students; just needs to be metronomically precise.

Later,
Michael