I have Finale 2011, VDL 2.5, a Macbook pro with 4gb of ram, Kontakt player 2, and the Finale 2011 template from the write score. I make sure the MIDI ports I'm using are on the right channels and I open VDL inside of finale. Whenever I try to put in any notes on the staves I end up getting a ton of options for custom notes (which when I use them, I get no playback sound), and it seems like I'm missing a lot of sounds too. I'm not sure if this is my only problem too. I just got VDL for christmas and I'm trying my best to work with it. Does anyone else have this problem?

Thanks for the information about your set up. It helps in problem solving.

Have you changed any of the battery instruments from the defaults in the template? If you have, make certain that the percussion midi maps are the same in the instrument list and in staff attributes.

How are you entering notes? Simple or Speedy Entry?

Check also the MIDI/Audio Menu > Device Set Up > MIDI Thru (should be checked).

Let us know how things develop.

All the midi channels match the channels the instruments are set up in.

I'm using simple entry.

MIDI thru is checked.


Just wondering, I've seen pictures of Kontakt libraries that have Sibelius (and I think) finale plug ins. Like they have the F/S logo next to the VDL logo. Is it a problem I don't have that?

And would the VDL Demystified DVD have more solutions/guides to these types of problems?

**Edit, Can Finale 2011 work with Kontakt 5? I downloaded it and not sure if I should use it yet.

Still having problems

Kontakt 5 or the Kontakt Player 5 work fine with Finale.


Just to help my understanding:

- You open one of the VDL 2011 templates (indoor, outdoor, or battery only)
- The MIDI channels in the Instrument List match the MIDI channels to which you've loaded an instrument in Kontakt (doesn't matter if it's a Player or Full version, just 2 or higher). Remember, you have to load the instruments into Kontakt, this is not done for you.
- In the Instrument List, the Percussion MIDI Maps match the instruments you've loaded into Kontakt and in the Staff Tool under Edit Staff Attributes for Notation Style, it should say Percussion. There is a button next to Percussion that allows you to change the Percussion Layout. This Layout must match the instrument loaded into Kontakt for each non-pitched percussion.

It's working now, thanks a lot!

Good to hear. What was the problem?