Sibelius very strange results with SY-ized SE Vol 5 Dimension Strings

[lunar_28664]

Although I've now switched to Dorico, I have a lot of Sibelius projects and a few I want to try out with the Synchronised versions of the Special Edition. Checking with the guide and ensuring I have the latest VE SY Special Edition soundset installed etc, I've Vol 1 and 2 working fine. But the Dimension Strings vol 5 behaves quite bizzarely. In all instruments, it consistently switches between just Short and Dynamics articulations irrespective what I write in the music. It's as if C#1 and D1 simply don't exist in the soundset but of course I've checked just to make sure and I see no errors. I should make it clear I have also been careful to ensure both the soundID and the Programs have Dimension selected and everything looks fine in the mixer. The Dimension strings work fine in Dorico (other than the missing Dimension articulations and instrument switching features obviously as I haven't created a specific EM for Dimension as yet) with my standard SE strings Expression Maps.

What could possibly be going on with Sibelius?

David

[andi]

Hello David!

Such a problem can have different reasons. Maybe you have the wrong instruments from the Sibelius menu "Add or Remove Instruments" in your score. The Dimension Strings presets need Sibelius instruments with “[VSL Dimension Strings I]” at the end of the name.

Further possible reasons for the problem can be found in the Troubleshooting chapter of the "Optimizing Sibelius Playback" manual.

Best regards,
Andi

[lunar_28664]

What an idiot I am! I thought I'd done everything but entirely forgot that as well as the Playback configuration, I also at the "Add or Remove Instrument" level needed to change the old instruments for the Dimension ones. Despite not yet having the benefit of your expert Expression Maps for Dorico, I still somehow find it easier as it doesn't plague you with soundID's and the like....

many thanks, David

[lunar_28664]

Still, I seem not to be the only one making mistakes! The VE SY Special Edition soundset appears to have an error. The Dimension Strings Double Basses have A0/A#0 for Sordino but this is actually mapped to A5/A#5 unlike the other instruments. I attach an amended version which now correctly triggers the mutes. (I apologise if there is a later version which has corrected this but 13/2/20 seems to be the latest I could see)

VEU0020SYU0020SpecialU0020Edition.zip-1696286268562-c9r1x.zip

[andi]

Hello David!

You are correct. Thanks for reporting. This will be fixed with the next Soundset Installer update.

Best regards,
Andi

[lunar_28664]

glad to be of help.

Incidentally, it looks like I've now completed a Dorico expression map for this library that works OK (though I'm sure it's not 100% perfect). The Sibelius soundset was in fact quite useful in giving a few pointers as to how best  include the Sordino patches in the construction. Unfortunately, as was discussed elsewhere, there's no mapping for the player combinations in the soundset. It seems that in Sib you can use technique commands but am I correct in saying that in Dorico, I'l need to use the keyswitches?

David

UPDATE Have added the Tutti and Divisi 1 and 2 player combinations (other than Doublebass) with keyswitches. It's boring but I guess I'll do the desks as well over the next few days. Perhaps I'll post then if no-one has come up with anything better in the meantime.