Hello Forum People, VDL Gods, Ladies and Gentlemen,

I have been trying to resolve the last few issues I have with Sibelius/VDL and have had great luck here on the forums coming up with solutions to most of them. At the moment I am a bit stumped and could use some outside thinking caps to help resolve my current issue.

I am new to both Sibelius and VDL and I am trying to get used to the methods for achieving different sounds. What I am trying to accomplish is a simple test. The test consists of bars of eighth notes on tenors played with each bar having a different sound or stick.
When I use my midi keyboard to input the notes I always get note head numbers 51 and 29, regardless of the modwheel setting. However the correct sound is played back from the controller when inputting notes. Of course when you play it back the sounds are incorrect for anything other than rimshots. I then added the controller info (first picture), and then the first three bars would play back correct but not the last two. This threw me for a loop for quite a while.

[img]http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2288/3535355836_6aa6c2b610_o.jpg[/img]

I then discovered, after snooping around House Style->Edit Instruments... that the note heads expected for dreads and rods were different than the ones being input from my controller. Once I discovered this I changed the note heads and it played back correctly (second picture). However you'll notice there is no controller info either.

[img]http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2123/3534539001_0a49bcdd64_o.jpg[/img]

So this is confusing to say the least. I need a controller with a mod wheel to hear different sounds. I hear those sounds when I input notes. Those sounds don't playback until I enter controller info. I enter controller info and then only some of the sounds playback. I then change note heads and everything sounds as intended. Further investigation finds that I in fact don't need the controller info for the sounds in which I changed the note heads.

When I hear explanations of this process, it always sounds a bit easier than what I am experiencing. I am also having an issue with Keyswitching, but that will be another post.

Do you think I have a config or preference setting issue?

I am going to assume that you are using ";VDL Template 5.2.5";. The first thing you need to do is [b]thoroughly re-read the entire Readme[/b] file that came within the template pack you downloaded. (File is labeled ";VDL_README_5.2.5.pdf";.)

Next, review the video tutorials that cover this version of the Template: [url=https://www.tapspace.com/pages.php?pageid=29]https://www.tapspace.com/pages.php?pageid=29[/url]

This is a good one too: [url=https://www.tapspace.com/support/tutorials/sib51VDL/8-Noteheads.mov]https://www.tapspace.com/support/tutorials/sib51VDL/8-Noteheads.mov[/url]

The various modwheel sounds in the Tenor and Bass instruments only require that you change the notehead after entering the value in the score (review the mapping diagrams in the documentation). The sound set contains the controller change information that KontaktPlayer2 needs to trigger the correct sound. Again, all you need are the correct noteheads in the score. Tutorial video number 9 (TriggerTest vid) will give you an example of how this works.

It's OK if you are new to Sibelius and VDL - we all were at some point. Just be aware that it will take a little while to figure out how this works, or at least how it will work for you. Be patient and enjoy your opportunity to learn.

Late

Yep - As long as you're using the Sibelius 5.2.5 template and soundset (in Sibelius 5.2.5), there is no longer a need to manually enter the cryptic ~C1 controller changes. The noteheads communicate with the sound set so Sibelius handles the mod-wheel action for you in the background. This is one of those elements that require a new way of thinking about how controllers interact with the host program. In this case, less manual intervention is required.

As you've already discovered, entering notes via the MIDI keyboard defaults to the main notehead(s) of a given range of sounds. In these cases, you might also find it just as effective to enter notes via the qwerty keyboard or with your mouse, then changing the noteheads for rims/dreads/rods after the fact. Maybe it's six versus a half-dozen...

[quote author=Jim Casella link=topic=3087.msg16344#msg16344 date=1242679110]
Yep - As long as you're using the Sibelius 5.2.5 template and soundset (in Sibelius 5.2.5), there is no longer a need to manually enter the cryptic ~C1 controller changes.
[/quote]

It is a cool system, and is working great!

[quote author=Jim Casella link=topic=3087.msg16344#msg16344 date=1242679110]
As you've already discovered, entering notes via the MIDI keyboard defaults to the main notehead(s) of a given range of sounds.
[/quote]

Now that I know I am not nut's, I'll be fine.

[quote author=chznvrt link=topic=3087.msg16337#msg16337 date=1242518314]
I am going to assume that you are using ";VDL Template 5.2.5";.
[/quote]

That is a correct assumption, and I have updated my signature to reflect that for the future.

[quote author=chznvrt link=topic=3087.msg16337#msg16337 date=1242518314]
The first thing you need to do is [b]thoroughly re-read the entire Readme[/b] file that came within the template pack you downloaded. (File is labeled ";VDL_README_5.2.5.pdf";.)
[/quote]

Thank you, I did that and it did indeed provide answers for the issues I was having.

[quote author=chznvrt link=topic=3087.msg16337#msg16337 date=1242518314]
Next, review the video tutorials that cover this version of the Template: [url=https://www.tapspace.com/pages.php?pageid=29]https://www.tapspace.com/pages.php?pageid=29[/url]
[/quote]

I had seen all of these [url=https://www.tapspace.com/pages.php?pageid=24]Using VDL and Sibelius 5.2[/url]. I didn't know there were videos specific to 5.2.5.

[quote author=chznvrt link=topic=3087.msg16337#msg16337 date=1242518314]
This is a good one too: [url=https://www.tapspace.com/support/tutorials/sib51VDL/8-Noteheads.mov]https://www.tapspace.com/support/tutorials/sib51VDL/8-Noteheads.mov[/url]
[/quote]

I mean come on, couldn't you do better than provide a video to the actual problem I was having. You guys are slacking. :)

Thank you very much for the help. It has got me on my way and I am thinking about music again rather than tech.

--

I'm thinking back and trying to remember why I didn't read through the Read Me more thoroughly and how I missed some of the great content, since that seems to be a big issue here on the forum. I know that I read through the installation section and then I must have gotten caught up in the rest of the installation and update process since I was installing everything (Sibelius, VDL, Kontakt, Controller and Audio drivers) from scratch. I did go through the User Manual for VDL and most of the Readme info was not in there (I think it should be). I also watched all the videos on the Support page here;

[url=https://www.tapspace.com/pages.php?pageid=24]Using VDL and Sibelius 5.2[/url]

except for the conversions since I have nothing old to convert. There is no video for the trigger test or a link to the 5.2.5 videos on the Support page. I just wouldn't have thought to go to the 5.2.5. template sales page to find the tutorials. And I certainly wouldn't have thought to look in the 5.1 area for a relevant video which is where the awesome notehead video came from.

I am rambling a bit, but I just wanted to give you the perspective of a new user coming in from ground zero. I am a competent computer and audio geek having been a recording engineer for 20 years. I am used to lots of gear being around and pulling the info I need from user manuals. I did read the manual and I did watch the videos on the support page and yet there I was stuck, not knowing that the key info was in the Readme.

Is this my fault? Absolutely. I am not passing out blame or anger, just talking about my experience.

I just think the User Manual should be updated and sent out with the 5.2.5 Template (since we are paying for it), and the Support page links should be updated.

Not that you care about all this babble, I just wanted to let you know how this went down for me, in case it would be useful.

Thanks again for the help and I hope to be able to pay it back on the forum in the future.

Cheers,