Using Cubase Expression Maps in Dorico?

[HeiPet]

Hallo,

today Steinberg released Dorico 1.0.10, which introduced the ability to import VST Expression Maps. Will the Cubase Expression Maps work in Dorico?

Heiko

[andi]

Hello Heiko!

As far as I could see the Expression Maps are still rudimentary in Dorico. Some expressions will work, but most will not.

Best regards,
Andi

[J.Hall]

There is an option to import Cubase Expression Maps, but I get an error when trying to import the VSL Expression Maps, but it might just be my computers. (Happening to me on both Mac and PC).

Trying to set up my own Expression Maps for VSL are very buggy and for some reason only the tenuto keyswitch is working. Dynamics seem to work though (but I didn't get crescendos to play back). As I said this happens on both my PC and Mac so I guess it's most likely the program being bugged. 

[Cyril Blanc]

@andi said:

Hello Heiko!

As far as I could see the Expression Maps are still rudimentary in Dorico. Some expressions will work, but most will not.

Best regards,
Andi

 

Reading Steinberg forum I have seen this :

Re: Dorico 1.0.10 update now available

by PaulWalmsley » Mon Nov 28, 2016 6:34 pm 

Current status - what to expect for playback of Playing Techniques and Expression Maps

What should work (in general)
Note articulations

• staccato, staccatissimo, tenuto, accent and marcato articulations should trigger keyswitches/controller switches for instruments whose expression maps support them (including HSO for some instruments)
• staccato, staccatissimo and tenuto will also shorten/lengthen the default played note length 
• accent and marcato notes will increase note velocities for instruments that use note velocity for dynamic level

Dynamics

• hairpins and dynamic markings control the note velocity or mod wheel controller of instruments, according to the expression map

Playing techniques

• playing techniques such as pizz and arco which have keyswitches in the expression map should play back

Known issues:
Objects and techniques that don't yet play back:

• slurs and legato
• grace notes
• trills
• tremolos
• glissandi
• ornaments
• fermata

Other bugs and current limitations:

• instruments that respond to modwheel dynamics don't yet play back accents (this is already fixed for the next update)
• modwheel instruments sometimes don't play back with dynamics if the first dynamic change occurs after the start of the score
• there isn't yet a user-controllable mechanism for specifying the priority and mutual exclusions of multiple concurrent playing techniques, or triggering different switches according to the current dynamic level
• Some playing techniques such as guitar harmonics are not reset by 'nat.'
• The last note with an articulation plays back without it under some circumstances
• Controllers are not always chased when playing back from part-way through the score
• Playing techniques at the very start of the score don't have any effect on playback
• Alternating notes with accents aren't played back

[Acclarion]

Thank you for this update, Cyril. I'm getting ready to dive in to a 30 day trial of Dorico, but based on your info, I shouldn't expect it to operate seamlessly this early in its development. I'd really like to trade in Finale for Dorico, based n the perceived simplicity/intuitiveness of its workflow, but I fear that may still be a few years away as Dorico matures and irons out its bugs. Dave

[J.Hall]

A bit of a status update on this, for those interested.
As of 1.0.30, Dorico is starting to work better with Vienna. I made an Expression map for flute with staccato, "natural" (set to sustain) and legato. All also had dynamics set to CC2 (Set to x-fade in VI) and it played back remarkably well. The Expression Map Setup window is a bit buggy though and sometimes changes doesn't stick.

Even crescendos work but it seems you have to input all of the dynamic info in the same pop-up (as in writing for example "p<f" for a cresc. from piano to forte, rather than inputting one dynamic and adding a crescendo later). So the dynamics work but could be less buggy, I would like to be able to get hairpins to playback even though I add them later on, but it's ok.

I'm looking forward to future updates of Dorico and hopefully some premade VSL expression maps when Dorico has gotten more fleshed out. 

[dbudde]

You can use the existing Cubase expression maps and presets.  You'll need to set the Volume Dynamic to CC11.  It's easy enough to do that with global string susbstitution.  See this thread:

https://www.steinberg.net/forums/viewtopic.php?f=246&t=113952