I’ve been using Sibelius and VDL for several years, but the new Dorico software written by the old Sib engineers looks like it’s starting to get up to speed with some innovative features. Just wondering if any of you here have crossed over to the dark side yet, and if so, what are your thoughts? Looks like it should be VDL compatible?

Currently, I think the hold up is VST/AU support for third party plug-ins like VDL within Dorica. Also, the percussion mapping support is still under development. I know we have some people on it.

As soon as Dorico fully supports third party plug-ins and percussion mapping, I am sure you will see some movement towards VDL integration. Jim, Murray or Brian may have additional info. But, I think that is the current state of affairs.

I have Dorico, and have been on board since day 1.  In the first year, VDL could not work in any way, shape, or form.  Today it is a slightly different story.  I have been trying to get Dorico to work as seamlessly with Dorico and there are a few things to iron out still.

The big one, is that for 1 instrument , multiple sounds (VDL Snare line Sample), there is a hangup in how the program will eventually work with that.  You can get the notes to display on a single line somewhat easily..... but if you are like me and want the rim to be notated elsewhere on the staff, or to have the back stick sound placed on another space, Dorico is going to struggle with this at the moment.  I have been chatting with Daniel on the forum over there, and he is aware of what some of us need.  So we will see what happens in the weeks to months ahead.

Robby

In hindsight, playing around more with Dorico over the last few days, there is actually some VERY impressive stuff going on behind the scenes.

I have managed to get VDL to interact the way I want it to, although it is still a little work intensive.  Dorico has a very unique way of handling things.

1st - When you create your "Percussion Map" Dorico needs 2 extra bits of information that Finale did not need (at least back in the day when I first created a Finale Percussion Map - ca. 1999).  Dorico needs the NAME of the instrument the sound will be associated with, and Dorico will need the TECHNIQUE that the sound belongs to.  For example (VDL Snare Line Manual), in the percussion map dialogue, I go to MIDI note 81 (the sound for a ping shot).  I have to put that this belongs to a snare drum, and that this belongs to the ping technique.

In the percussion kit setup, you would add your instrument (such as snare drum) then there is a place to "add" techniques (and I believe everything needs a technique, even if it's just "natural"), and here you can add a technique such as "ping", with the different note head.  And since the instrument and technique match against something in the percussion map, you will get the ping shot with the appropriate note head.

Here's the "gotcha".... you add in a series of regular notes, and then have to go back with key commands and change the note you want to the technique you want.  So you would input a series of 16th notes, then go back and change beat 3 to a ping shot.  This isn't terribly time consuming, but it is far more time consuming that just hitting MIDI note 81, and having the ping shot show up notated with the correct note head right away.

There is still room to grow here.  But so far, they have come up with some pretty amazing things.  Dorico runs very well, and the work flow is quite different..... but far better once you get use to it.  I would highly recommend people buy Dorico, and start becoming accustomed to it.  I really think it will be the next best thing out there.

Robby

Once you set up your percussion map is it good to go in the software, or would you have to do that in every score?  Or is it set up in a score like a template?  If so is anyone selling a template to just work off of? 

Once your percussion map is setup correctly, you can export it, and import it whenever you need it in your project. However, the 'instrument' for snares, tenors, basses, will need to be setup each time. To make this easier, you might want to create the battery file once, then save that as "battery template" and open that each time you want to use.

I am still trying to finalize my percussion maps for VDL2.5.5. However, I am not very far. It is rather time consuming.

There is talks about having the ability to create your own instrument. When that happens, I think that might make things easier.

Robby