Harp Playback Sounds Like Piano

• Apr 16, 2020 - 15:39

Hello - I have just started using MuseScore 3 so I am a rank novice with its features. I have entered a score for two harps using the instrument selection of a harp but on playback the score sounds percussive like a piano playing. How do I get the mellow sound of a plucked harp during playback? Thanks! Nels


Comments

I don't know exactly what you tried to do. But it works perfectly here : new score for 2 harps via the New Score Wizard.
See, and listen: new harp.mscz
Do it again please (for the record, version 3.4.2)

EDIT: Do you use MuseScore's default soundfont, or another one?

In reply to by Jojo-Schmitz

I don't hear anything special here (apart from the sound of the harp used with the MuseScore soundfont). In the Mixer, it's ok too. If you haven't changed anything else (in the Synthesizer for example), I don't know what else you're hearing at the moment.
Maybe your ear needs to get used to this sound? When you're an instrumentalist, it can be tricky, because you can have high demands, which a soundfont won't necessarily transmit.
Myself, when I hear the sound of the guitar with the default soundfont, I hear everything but a guitar, or a guitar with a strong dose of piano or even harpsichord for the highest notes. Maybe that's what you hear too for the harp?

You wrote:
As far as I know I use the default sound fonts.

To check... open the synthesizer and check the soundfont:
https://musescore.org/en/handbook/synthesizer#overview

Also, be sure you see 'Harp' as the 'Sound' in the mixer:
https://musescore.org/en/handbook/mixer#Opening_the_Mixer

See the following image:

Harp.png

If desired, you can change the soundfont to another which may provide a harp better suited to your liking:
https://musescore.org/en/handbook/soundfonts-and-sfz-files#soundfonts
and:
https://musescore.org/en/handbook/soundfonts-and-sfz-files#list

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