Playback issues

• Dec 4, 2024 - 16:17

The latest version downloaded today still doesn't playback properly. It is awful to listen to with distortion, crackles, instruments missing and pretty much all dynamics completely screwed up.

Where do I start here? The ease at which issues occur is so evident. They change instrument banks and sounds so as I had to do today because my shortcut had malfunctioned and the program could not be located on the apps list, I had to download again.

Common issues:

  1. Appalling and unusable playback. It';s so crackly and distorted one cannot hear what is going on. The lack of actual music playing in seconds is so distorted a piece lasting 10 minutes can take up to 13.40 to play in real time. This playback issue has been going on for version after version and this latest one is even worse.

  2. Instruments drop out whenever they so choose. The lag when pressing the play button to hearing anything at all can be 4-5 bars, depending on tempo of the piece. It can last for minutes.

  3. Dynamics can affect all instruments and when using a tied note, the dynamic will distort the note itself causing drop out. This is especially so if you notate dynamics rhythmically.

  4. It doesn't save properly. I have had to try up to 24 times to save. An unknown error is what is noted.

5 It now no longer exports properly.

  1. The instruments are problematic. I was using a solo violin option but this had a built in portamento that I had to rewrite the parts creating very short gaps to stop 16th note or faster runs just sounding like a glissando. Now this option is no longer present meaning I had to spend yet more on samples which are not as good as the original solo violin used.

  2. This program crashes regularly. Shortcuts just stop working and the only option is to remove the shortcut from Windows. There are also what appears to be registry problems where the program isn't even on the apps list when checking after a shortcut failure.

  3. When reinstalling to another version, scores that are saved can no longer be used. Either the instrument sounds are changed, dynamics altered, or the score doesn't open at all.

  4. The dynamic preset levels are often difficult to use and the mixer provides little support Either it's too quiet or loud and one can try and get round this by using accent at a lower dynamic but this rarely works

Playback is dreadful and the response from Musescore is this:

Hello,
Thank you for reaching out to us.
We provide support for the free notation software via the Musescore forums.
You might also find some useful info in our Handbook, How-to articles, or YouTube channel.

You can report an issue or ask questions on forums, Discord, or GitHub (the best option).
Feature requests can be posted in this thread.
You can find the full list of the forum threads here.
So please repost your message in the forums, and members of our community or our developers will help you.

Looking forward to seeing you in our forums!

The last comment is absolutely annoying. Do these people know how long it takes to write a score for full orchestra and soloist then at the final week find out the program no longer works and any saved mscz has to be double checked to see if it works and play as it once did. This is never the case with new download exe files.

  1. Can anyone assist with getting the playback considerably better so it plays in time and with all instruments playing at the correct dynamic?

    1. Can anyone tell me how to get the solo violin option back from previous versions. I've tried downloading older versions but it reverts to the latest. What the heck are slow and fast violins?

  2. Can anyone assist with making sure the mscz files export properly without drop outs?

4 Is there anything that can be done to change the preset levels of dynamic such as ppp; pp; mp; mf etc. When one gets past f, the volume is not altered by fff etc.

The amount of work and time spent on this piece only now to find I have to try and save what I can for a not so good and polished version is really upsetting. This piece has taken 2 months to write.

Can anyone advise? Why is playback such an issue with this latest version as it has been for the last 5 versions I tried?

Comments

• Dec 4, 2024 - 17:04

OK. Where to start?

Did you happen to see the recommended specs for MuseScore 4 that are listed on the download page?

If you have just MuseScore 4 on your computer (BTW, you don't say what OS you have), you already have sounds from the previous version. They are called Basic sounds in the software. Did you think to try Violin Solo 2? Probably not. The numbers refer to playing style, not desks. This is common in notation software. Did you refer to the "How To" in the manual section like the note from the developers said? Doesn't sound like it. There is one for playback issues. Take a look at it and see if it helps. There can be issues with dynamics. However, I do not experience any crashes, problems with saving, or drop-outs. So it is possible. The only time my program crashes is if I open a score that crashes for another user. Never, ever crashes using scores created on my system. I have heard that some user created shortcuts can be a problem. I don't know about that because I only have one, and it still works.

Reply

• Dec 4, 2024 - 17:26

Hi, thanks for the message but I'm not sure how the comment that I haven't was made. The problems I'm having seem to be similar to many other people. Playback is horrible and hasn't worked on any version properly. have referred to the how to manual many times to see if new items appear but the issues I'm experiencing are not mentioned in the how to section The numbering system I am familiar as I have been using music software for over 30 years with such as Finale or Sibelius. The violins in the MS basic option in the 4.2.3 version downloaded has no longer the solo violin option. It has slow/fast violins etc. I'm not sure what those are supposed to be but don't sound right here anyway. So yes I did try the how to but without success.

I have never been able to playback anything smoothly since using this system. My system is Windows 10 and not 11. I'm not sure why the rep here could not pass on the message to the developers as I'm sure it will be just as time consuming to read through forums.

The glissandi effect on the solo violin was a problem but the sound was better than the cine-strings solo versions even with the extra work needed to stop the glissandi effect on faster notes.

So there is no fix only a problem getting worse. Sadly I can't attach an mp3 file to show how back playback is in this latest version.

Reply

• Dec 4, 2024 - 19:27

Yes, the problem is particularly bad with the latest 2 versions. The problems noted are experienced by others so I don't believe it is my OS that causing the problems. Sections of the score crash whether they are ful orchestra or not. Playback has always been an issue as is the lag which is particularly bad on these last 2 versions. But again it doesn't explain the shortcut issues and the program being removed from the registry or apps list.

Reply

• Dec 4, 2024 - 21:20

Please help us help you. Please answer the questions put to you.
Yes, many people have trouble with playback. That's because either they don't have a powerful enough computer, or they don't have it set up properly. Or both. FWIW I have MU4 running on a vastly underpowered old Surface. So it is possible. There are no symptoms listed in the How to. Only a list of settings to change or check. These work in W10 or W11. Even Sibelius suggests turning off Exclusive mode. Don't know what that is? It's in the HOW To. I explained about the violin problem you had. It seems you didn't read it.
FWIW, I have MU4 running on 5 computers. Only one of which meets the specs. The rest only have slight stumble starting playback. I hardly use shortcuts so I can't help you there.

Reply

• Dec 5, 2024 - 09:51

Ok the violin point clearly I did read and tried. But I tried all the sounds anyway so that was a process that didn't reveal the same sound. There are only two solo choices that of " violin & slow violin". But as I have tried those sounds in MS Basic in the new version downloaded which apparently were carried over from previous versions, the sound I had on my previous score which now doesn't load as on the previous version is not there.. I will not reload

My system is powerful enough and i installed and set up correctly. It has worked much better on older versions of Muse 4 which for some reason won't reinstall when tried. The problems cited above come with the latest version which the playback is so poor it's unusable. Distortions in time-line plus missing instruments, poor dynamics and silence going on for bars when a full orchestra should be heard is unknown. As Muse score itself releases fixes with each new version and lists the problems allegedly resolved, in playback issues, this is clearly a problem still on this program. This is the point I tried to make. The exclusive fix and having the mixer showing are doing little here. Equally turning down the master volume and also reducing CPPU usage as standard via the task master have all been done. The fact the mixer makes the sound playback smoother, this surely is a design issue

I would politely ask in future if you respond to any posts made by me you are more polite and don't make accusations of not doing something when you clearly have no idea what I have or have not done to require a post nor the level of use of music programs I have used in the past. The violin problem you allegedly explained was not appropriate or correct and remains so. As I state please be more respectful.

Reply

• Dec 5, 2024 - 10:26

Please don't be upset if some of the posts are a bit robust. We're all trying to help.

I had huge playback problems, not with Mu4 but way back with Mu2. It turned out that my computer was indeed underpowered, and I upgraded to a new computer. Problem solved.

Fast forward a few years, and my "new" computer isn't new any more. But here's my solution: swapping out the spinning hard disk (HD) for a solid state drive {SSD) made a fantastic difference. I can play large orchestral works with Muse Sounds.

So my specific questions to you revolve around the System requirements. Can you really confirm with YES / NO answers that your computer meets each of these specs?
Mu4_system_requirements.png

Reply

• Dec 5, 2024 - 12:36

Hi thanks for your message. The only thing that is not quite up to spec is the CPU but everything else is fine. What I'm finding hard is that previous versions of MS4 have worked moderately well. I only got the odd glitch and exporting was always true to the score. This latest version is causing significant problems and the changes in sounds are disappointing. For example when using the cine strings solo instrument samples, the violin parts are now limited in register and one can't access above high A natural I believe. It may be B natural (B7). This was available and rightly so on previous versions and has meant re-writing parts to accommodate. Anything above is not accessible which for modern music is a problem. Standard orchestral well exceed these so why have they removed this ability to to so.? I don't know

Thanks for the drive solution. I will certainly check this out If improvements can be made with a better Core processor I'll have a look. Yes the obvious thing is to upgrade and I may have to do this as working like this takes much longer and the temp tracks sent over to clients are not as good as one would have hoped.

I must kindly disagree with the perception of being robust. The gentleman I found to be rude and as he had no knowledge of what I had done prior to the post, It's not necessary and was unhelpful.

Thanks once again. Hopefully this can be put right

Reply

• Dec 5, 2024 - 14:57

@camusfearna... Welcome to the forum!
Your very title...
About everything with this unusable program
...and which you posted twice:
https://musescore.org/en/node/372413
https://musescore.org/en/node/372414
...refers to a program that Is successfully used daily by millions of people.
As a result, your title may have induced a "robust" response from the dedicated forum volunteers who try to help here.

See:
https://musescore.org/en/node/309537#Title
...about choosing a good title:
"Remember that the title is read more often than any other part of the bug report."

Reply

• Dec 5, 2024 - 15:41

I'm not sure why I am being bombarded with such matters. Firstly the double posting was not done by me but must be a technical error. If people only read the title then that's a matter for them not for me. It is clear that whilst millions may use this program with reasonable results there are many who do not have that experience. I direct everyone's attention to the assistance needed. Please I do not want critiques from people who offer no suggestions on how to fix but seemingly wish to defend a rude response. Clearly the forum volunteers have support but as I have stated, the gentleman in question had no knowledge of what was done prior to the post and made assumptions. This is not being robust. It is assuming then making comments that do not apply. I won't be replying to any more commentaries on the reasons and content of the post. I stand by it and if anyone (as one person has had) has suggestions on what I can do they will be gladly received. Otherwise please don't respond further.

Reply

• Dec 5, 2024 - 16:17

Forgive me. But if you thought the gentleman in question response was rude, to use your reasoning (which is rude in itself), that's a matter for you not for him. The gentleman in question had to make assumptions because you were not clear. You thought you were clear, but you were not. To get to the root of your problem, more information was needed. For example, you were asked by a few people about your computer specs. Finally you answer. Sort of. Only about your CPU. Then later you mention looking into the hard drive issue. That answer seems to indicate that you don't have an SSD. So the answer ( finally) is no. This makes a difference. Also, we need to know what sounds you are trying to use. That makes a difference, also. You may not think so, but it does.

Reply

• Dec 5, 2024 - 16:38

Sorry to hear you are having issues with playback. To diagnose a problem like this, we actually need some specific information. Specifically:

  • What sample rate is your audio output set to? (I half suspect this might actually be the culprit)
  • When exactly did this problem start for you?
  • What operating system are you using (incl. version number)?
  • What version of MS Studio are you using? (Go to About MuseScore Studio and copy the version number from there)
  • Does it happen for all sound technologies (MuseSounds, VST, SoundFont (E.g. MS Basic)), or just one of them?
  • If it's happening only on MuseSounds, what version of the sampler are you using? (Go to Diagnostics > MuseSampler > CheckMuseSampler).

Playback issues like this are obviously concerning, so we take them seriously. As such, it would be most helpful if you could include the above information in a concise issue report (with screen recording if possible) on our issue tracker here: https://github.com/musescore/MuseScore/issues

As for the rest of this report, it's always preferable to describe one issue per report. Putting so many problems in one issue makes it extremely difficult for anybody to respond in a helpful way, and generally comes across as a complaint rather than a genuine request for assistance (which is what this forum is about).

It's also better practice to describe the issue objectively in the title, rather than make broad judgment calls about a program being "unusable", which only spurs unhelpful negativity.

Thank you for your input, and we hope we can resolve this issue.

Reply

Do you still have an unanswered question? Please log in first to post your question.