I'm sure they must be on this website somewhere, but try as I might I cannot find pictures of a piano keyboard with the corresponding VDL notations overlayed on top. For example, the video tutorials regarding the Sibelius Template v1.0.5 state that R and L snare hits are inputted with the G# and F# keys - how does one know this without prior experience, and more importantly, what do all of the other keys on a MIDI keyboard do when they are pressed and certain VDL instruments are selected?

The closest thing I see are readme pps. 29-39, but I don't yet understand how the numbers listed on those pages correspond to the piano keys on a MIDI keyboard. Perhaps it is just because I am new to Sibelius, VDL, and MIDI in general.

Keymap diagrams are included in the VDL2.5 manual. There isn't any place that you can download the manual. (yet...?)

Hugh also made up some diagrams which you can find here: http://members.cox.net/oldhands101/keymaps.html.

For the time-being, the VDL 2.5 User Guide is only available in PDF format from within the ";Documentation"; folder of your VDL 2.5 installation. Not every keymap is included, but all the complicated ones are.

That would explain it, then - VDL is still in the mail.

Any plans to put the PDF manual online? Pre-purchase or pre-delivery reading is always nice.

[quote author=Joe link=topic=2470.msg13189#msg13189 date=1211229287]

The closest thing I see are readme pps. 29-39, but I don't yet understand how the numbers listed on those pages correspond to the piano keys on a MIDI keyboard. Perhaps it is just because I am new to Sibelius, VDL, and MIDI in general.

[/quote]

Hi Joe

Welcome to the forum!

The Readme you refer to above primarily deals with the Sibelius 5.1 Template. The numbers underneath the noteheads only corresponds to the notehead numbering within Sibelius. (Zero thru 30 are the defaults, 31 thru 63 are ones that were created so we could map all the instruments in the Template.)

Since you are going to be using Sibelius, you may end up not learning very many aspects of MIDI since the program will be doing a lot of it for you. If you decide to delve into other applications, then you can generally find the information you need here on this outstanding forum by doing a search/browsing for various topics. There are plenty of knowledgeable people that can get you going if you still have problems beyond that.

And again, if you follow the link Josh provided, looking at the Keymaps may help you further understand how/where all the sounds are laid out on a keyboard.

Happy VDL-ing!

I also just sent Joe an email to give him a head start on the User Guide. How much longer before information overload sets in! I'm usually there by about noon daily... :)

[quote author=Jim Casella link=topic=2470.msg13195#msg13195 date=1211238107]
I also just sent Joe an email to give him a head start on the User Guide. How much longer before information overload sets in! I'm usually there by about noon daily... :)
[/quote]

Ha ha! Yeah, for those of you who are up by noon. ;D