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  4. Harmonics playback in Dorico
  • CadenzaC
    CadenzaC
    @andi said:

    Hello Cadenza!


    As far as I can see Dorico treats artificial harmonics like natural harmonics. They both use the same "Playback Technique" "Natural harmonic 1". In the expression map there is an entry for artificial harmonics to sound an octave lower to compensate the octave shift in the preset, but unfortunately this "Playback Technique" does not get assigned to artificial harmonics. Natural harmonics are played correctly, so adding an entry for natural harmonics to sound an octave lower, would make the natural harmonics sound in the wrong octave. If you are only using artificial harmonics in your score, you could edit the expression map and transpose the Natural harmonic entries down by 12 half-tones.


    Best regards,
    Andi

    Hi again,

    I thought I solved the problem, but when I checked the harmonics playback it wasn't. Since I'm using both natural and artificial (see screenshot), it's quite complicated - what do I have to change in the expression map to get both sounding right?

    Best,
    Anders

  • andiA
    VSL Team
    andiA

    Hello Anders!

    As mentioned in my previous post, Dorico uses the same playback technique for artificial harmonics and natural harmonics. Unfortunately this means that it's not possible to have them both sound in the correct octave. At least I wouldn't know how.

    Best regards,
    Andi

    Vienna Symphonic Library
  • mducharmeM
    mducharmeM
    last edited
    last edited

    Have you tried using the octave shift property for the clef change? It was just an idea that came to mind.

    It is normally meant for the ottava clefs to allow you to control whether they adjust the octave or not, but I think the setting is available for all clefs.
  • CadenzaC
    CadenzaC
    @mducharme said:

    Have you tried using the octave shift property for the clef change? It was just an idea that came to mind.


    It is normally meant for the ottava clefs to allow you to control whether they adjust the octave or not, but I think the setting is available for all clefs.

    Hi and thanks, but it didn't help me since there's no alto clef with transposition upwards, only an octave below. I managed though to make the artificial harmonics to sound right with an octave line, but then I can't hide the line itself - if I do the notes jumps up an octave. So I guess the only solution to this is to write all harmonics as natural ones and trust the musicians to play those which are not natural as artificial.

  • mducharmeM
    mducharmeM
    @Cadenza said:
    Hi and thanks, but it didn't help me since there's no alto clef with transposition upwards, only an octave below.

    I suspect you may not quite understand what I mean. I don't mean the octave clefs. Every manually added clef has an "octave shift" property in the properties panel when you select it.

    The default is 0 (at pitch) but you can set octave shift anywhere between -3 and +3 octaves.
  • CadenzaC
    CadenzaC
    @mducharme said:
    @Cadenza said:
    Hi and thanks, but it didn't help me since there's no alto clef with transposition upwards, only an octave below.

    I suspect you may not quite understand what I mean. I don't mean the octave clefs. Every manually added clef has an "octave shift" property in the properties panel when you select it.



    The default is 0 (at pitch) but you can set octave shift anywhere between -3 and +3 octaves.

    Aha, thanks! I'll try that.

  • M
    M

    I have recently been copying a number of movie scores and none of the SY Strings Pro harmonics worked as written. All only sounded when raised at least an octave.

    When I was correcting the EM for the new String Pro/Strings I integration, I noticed that in the VSL EMs for Dorico there is a -24 transposition, the top right entry in the map, for harmonics. Setting these to 0 (there are four harmonics lines I think) make all of them work correctly as written.
  • andiA
    VSL Team
    andiA

    Hello Mavros!

    I have re-checked the harmonics settings in the Dorico expression maps for Synchron Strings Pro. They seem to be correct. Please note that we have only recorded fourth harmonics. The sound of these is two octaves higher than the base note. So if you have written lower harmonics, they will remain quiet.

    Best regards,
    Andi

    Vienna Symphonic Library
  • M
    M

    Thanks Andy for the clarification. Is there any documentation on what harmonics are exactly registered in SY Strings Pro?

    Apparently there is an alternative notation method used in the score I was copying. It shows the pressed rather than the sounding note and in a legend asks for fourth harmonics only (so perfect for SY Strings Pro). On top of this it uses the "natural harmonics" circle also for artificial harmonics. So to reflect what the score is asking for, I have to use an alternative EM without the -24 transposition.

  • andiA
    VSL Team
    andiA

    Hi Mavros!

    The harmonics part of the library manual is here:
    https://www.vsl.co.at/instruments/synchron/strings-pro#harmonics

    We don't have an extra documentation for the expression map.

    Best regards,
    Andi

    Vienna Symphonic Library
  • M
    M

    Thanks Andi, Maybe a few phrases about the notes recorded should be added. I don‘t think there is any mention that only fourth harmonics were recorded.