Despise Playback in Musescore 2.0
I don't know if I'm being picky about this, but I despise the playback sounds in Musescore 2.0 Beta, especially the trombones and trumpet. I really prefer the older playback quality.
Don't get me wrong- I'm overjoyed at some of the things Musescore 2.0 has corrected. Including the issue with key changes and copy-pasting phrases with dynamics and such (HALLELUJAH to both of those!)- but the sound quality itself might make me keep working with Musescore 1.3...
Comments
Hold on—what the playback sounds like is based on what soundfont you specify to use for playback. If you don't like FluidR3 GM, then you can reinstall the soundfont that came with 1.3 (TimGM), or download General User GS, or whatever. Read all about it at http://musescore.org/en/node/36171.
In reply to Hold on—what the playback by Isaac Weiss
I had no idea :/ whoops! Thanks for telling me.
Hi Oreo,
I am currently working to improve the default soundfont.
Please will you let me know exactly why you find the trumpet and trombone sounds lacking.
It's possible I may be able to tweak parameters to improve things, or even use a different sample set.
It would be interesting to see the score you are jhaving problems with. While no soundfont is perfect, in general, the soundfont used in 2.0 (FluidR3) is an *enormous* improvement over the soundfont that was used in 1.3 (TimGM6mb) - night and day. It could be something specific to one score you are trying out that makes you hear 1.3 as better, or it could be just a question of familiarity. I do recommend trying out more scores with more instruments and really doing a careful comaprison.
Or, for even better quality overall, check out http://musescore.org/en/node/44941
But indeed, if for some reason you do find the TImGM6mb soundfont better for your particular purposes, you are welcome to use it in 2.0 as well.
In reply to It would be interesting to by Marc Sabatella
I definitely agree that the soundfont is much more realistic. I guess I'm so used to 1.3 that I found it weird and unfitting. Thanks!
In reply to I definitely agree that the by Oreo9238
Well, it's still far from perfect, and specific suggestions for improvement are welcome!
In reply to I definitely agree that the by Oreo9238
After listening to the new playback several times, I can see that it is much better. However, the balance of instruments and dynamics is very different, and again, more realistic. I feel that in a real ensemble that would be accounted for and this is playing the correct dynamics realistically and mechanically, which isn't how I want it. So I'm switching back to the old soundfont. Sorry for being picky!
In reply to After listening to the new by Oreo9238
Being picky is fine, in this case. That's why MuseScore lets you use whatever soundfont you like. ;-) I would definitely recommend, if you've got the bandwidth and storage space, downloading and installing a few soundfonts for MuseScore to use (as per http://musescore.org/en/node/36171#musescore-soundfont-settings) and experimenting. Myself, if I really want good strings sound, I probably prefer FluidR3; if it's important that the percussion is good, I use GeneralUser GS; for brass/winds, I go with one expensive competing software's SoftSynth, which is difficult to obtain on the internet but used to come free with Finale NotePad, so if you have that you have the soundfont. TimGM is far from the best all-around option. Try things, see what you like.
Oh, and just letting you know, there are better, more stable, more recent versions of MuseScore 2.0 than that beta release from a couple months ago. http://prereleases.musescore.org/ is the site.
In reply to After listening to the new by Oreo9238
The dynamics in the soundfont are indeed pretty extreme, but I don't think that's a difference in the soundfont - I think it's just how fluidsynth (the underlying synthesizer used by MuseScore) interprets the MIDI velocity settings. Again, it would be useful if you posted a score you aren't happy with.
I do agree there is something especially odd about the velocity curve for trumpets in FluidR3; this was discussed a while back (see http://musescore.org/en/node/36851). Also, I think overall the trumpets are probably a bit too quiet, the trombones a bit too loud.
I am very sorry to be basically reopening this thread, but the Bb Clarinets (plural) sounds very harsh. The cellos (again plural) has a very crunchy sound at the beginning, as if the cellists are pressing down with the bow and cracking the note.
In reply to I am very sorry to be by xponent
The clarinet is a known problem and is being worked on.
The 'cello sounds fine on my system, but some of the samples used are very gritty in nature, so perhaps you are picking up on this - I will address this when I've finished the new clarinet.