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  • Vienna Imperial Performance question...

    K
    K

    I think this is mostly on-topic...  Anyway, I use the wonderful Imperial grande as a practice and performance instrument driven by a Yamaha Clavinova (via USB-MIDI).  A Mac Pro houses the software, samples, etc.  I use direct audio connect to the computer.  

    For some reason, at times while playing, the volume slider (and volume) suddenly drops in the VSL Imperial app -- nearly half way.  Very annoying.  It usually happens during loud playing, but not always.  It's random and I cannot repeat the problem intentionally.  My best guess is the Clavinova is sending some strange controller to the VSL software and it is is adjusting downward.  Again, annoying.  I don't think it has anything to do with the computer's volume level or intensity of the polyphony played (set at 128).  On the chance this is something someone knows about, please respond.  

    Many thanks!  

    -William
  • PaulP
    VSL Team
    PaulP

    Hi William, 

    That´s strange. 

    Do you have a sequencer that you can insert the Imperial in, which could record the MIDI data?

    This way we can check what is causing this. 

    Best, 
    Paul

    Paul Kopf Head of Product Marketing, Social Media and Support
  • K
    K

    Sorry, took me forever to reply...

    Problem persists:  The volume level on the Vienna Imperial stand alone client (when intensely / loudly played) sometimes cuts way back to 50% or so... by itself, or so it seems.  What is telling the VSL client to cut the volume?

    So I engaged a sequencer (MOTU Performer 8.0, with the Imperial as a plug-in) and let it record my playing to see if I could "capture" the error.  After a while the error occurred.  The instance of the VSL Imperial (plug-in) retained its volume level at 100% but the slider/volume (MIDI track) on Performer controlling the plug-in was lowered by about 40%.  I looked at the event list and there were no unusual controller characters.  In fact, I readjusted the volume to 100% and played the sequence several times and the audio error did NOT occur in subsequent repetitions.  This is not repeatable...

    This test rules out the VSL client and probably the Yamaha Clavinova keyboard/controller.  But:  My audio out (for simplicity sake) is the headphone port on the Mac Pro.  And the computer's volume is set rather high.  I'm guessing that maybe the built-in audio on the Mac is somehow triggering some sort of overload to either the VSL Imperial client (in stand-alone mode) or Performer (when sequencing).   That's my best guess.  

    Any other ideas?  The Imperial is a gorgeous sound that IMO is better than most any keyboard sound, but it's a bit disconcerting to have the volume cut in half at random times - often at exciting moments.
  • S
    S

    Download MIDI Monitor and check what is being transmitted from your keyboard.  The keyboard may be sending CC data that is being filtered in DP in which case you wouldn't be seeing it.

    If not that, you might have volume data recorded on a track that's being transmitted to the piano.

    I use DP9 and Vienna Imperial and I have no such problems, so be assured the problem is local to your setup and solvable.  Trace it step-by-step and you can find the problem.
  • K
    K

    Interesting, I'll try the MIDI monitor.  thanks.

    If DP is filtering a CC item, that doesn't explain the stand-alone version doing the same thing (unless it also filters out the CC).   My initial question was whether the stand-alone client responded to MIDI commands; perhaps it does.

    I'm pretty sure the Clavinova keyboard is the culprit.  That said, I can find nothing in the myriad of its documentation that suggests it would send a volume reduction command based on the density of MIDI events (i.e., lots of notes played at once).  I had thought that maybe the Mac Pro was at fault, since it is the audio source (i.e., to headphones).  But if that was the case, I would think the Mac Pro would reduce its own volume levels, not the client app's.  In all cased, the Mac system/headphone volume level remains unchanged.

    I'll plug away.  I just wish the problem was repeatable.  The same dense playing that produces a sound reduction in one instance doesn't do it other times.  The usual condition that brings about the reduction, though, is loud, fast, dense playing after a while of playing.  
  • K
    K

    P.S.  One other detail...

    The problem never happens early on.  It only happens after I've been playing for, say, 20-30 minutes.   Even if I start with dense/loud playing, it still takes awhile to happen.  I know... that doesn't make sense.
  • S
    S
    last edited
    last edited

    @Another User said:

    I just wish the problem was repeatable.  The same dense playing that produces a sound reduction in one instance doesn't do it other times.  The usual condition that brings about the reduction, though, is loud, fast, dense playing after a while of playing.  

    Its always difficult to solve any problem if its not repeatable.  However if possible, you can change components such as the keyboard and see if the problem ever re-occurs.  I've seen MIDI keyboards send out spurious MIDI data so this is certainly a possibility.  MIDI Monitor is a great trouble-shooting tool as is DP as long as you are in control of both the view and the input filter.
  • K
    K

    Thanks.   I have used a different keyboard in a different context, and the problem never occurred with the other instrument.  (The Clavinova is a more substantial item and the other keyboard was an inexpensive but usable Casio.)  

    Another approach... Is there any way to somehow get the stand-alone client (or DP) to refuse any and all controller commands?  I don't think there's any way to do this with the stand-alone client, but I imagine there might be a way to have DP ignore any CC's, if that's desired (?). 
  • J
    J

    Vienna Imperial drops the volume when the audio clips. I always assumed that was deliberate, and was a way to set the volume level automatically (by hammering the keys), but never bothered to check whether it can be turned off.
  • K
    K

    I think you're right... I suspected this actually.   The Imperial at 100% (and with the music I tend to play) does clip a little bit, but turning down the volume, while preventing clipping, unfortunately turns down the majority of the volume to an unacceptably low level, IMO.  Is there any way to tell the VSL to not do this?   I imagine the answer is no, but I thought I'd ask.

    Secondly, DP also seems to turn down the volume, and I notice it happens randomly upon clipping.   Not sure if in this case it's the plugin in DP or DP itself that lowers the volume.   

    Thank you!
  • K
    K

    UPDATE.

    Well, I think the culprit may be identified:   A Casio keyboard with a laptop+VSL Imperial does not ever adjust down the master volume, no matter.   The Yamaha Clavinova with the MacPro does adjust down.  And now, the laptop with the Clavinova adjusts down -- which it never did with the Casio.  So it seems the Clavinova is the culprit, sending out spurrious commands to the computer/VSL-Imperial when it thinks the volume is too high.  

    Obnoxious.   I wonder if anyone knows how one might turn off this useless "feature?"