Muse Choir still performing poorly after new update
Hello!
Back again to say that muse choir is still entirely dysfunctional in the new update, even after multiple posts across many updates wishing for a fix. Rhythms are consistently performed inaccurately and dynamics are way too intense. These are both after a fresh install of both Musescore 4.4, MuseSounds, and the new Muse Hub. Here's every single bug I've noticed so far (thats currently in the latest version, 4.4.0). For reference, my system is a 2022 M2 Macbook Air running MacOS Sonoma 14.2.1.
- Choir dynamics are way too intense (roughly 25db of variance from piano to forte, for reference the muse grand piano only has about 18db of variance)
- Choir dynamics vary between voice types (sopranos are consistently louder than other voice parts)
- Choir sounds are universally too quiet (piano peaks at -18db, choir peaks at -36)
- Choir doesn't perform rhythms accurately (I've noticed this the most with straight 8th notes, but the problem is everywhere)
- Choir consistently comes in roughly a 16th note too early
I appreciate the bone that was thrown to us choral composers with this update and the default dynamic placement in projects being on top, as well as the new lyric features, but this is still really frustrating to deal with. Would love any kind of recognition that this is a known issue with any fix on the way, since I haven't been able to find any.
Comments
I fully agree. The choir audio is hopelessly bad for p and pp dynamics. Sounds like the voices are put into a closed box. As far as I remember it ways at least acceptable in MuseScore 3.
My workaround is to disable playing of dynamics altogether.
Yes, choir sounds have problems. But so do all the muse sounds.
Notation software can't playback notation as accurately as we would like. It isn't made to.
I have al bit older copy of Sibelius. Even it has problems. Sibelius has far more control over note duration, dynamics, and attack. And still I had to have two scores for any given project. One I would hand to real players. And one re-written to get the playback I wanted. Whatever it took.
In MU4, I often have to run the choir channels hotter in the mixer. Turn off the reverb. Use one of the EQ's from the HUB. Shorten note lengths. All kinds of things to get the playback I want. Things you'd think I shouldn't have to do. I have a choir vst that is better for somethings. Sometimes.
I've heard that some people say voices come in early. I notice men's voices can come in a tad early with repeated 1/8th notes. But nothing like a 1/16th note. Which doesn't make it right.
At least staccato notes seem to be together. Which is more than I can say for some instruments.