Playback Stutter

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EIS
Posts: 50
Joined: Fri Apr 03, 2015 3:32 pm
Finale Version: Finale 2014.5
Operating System: Windows

Post by EIS » Thu Apr 23, 2015 2:33 am

The Treble staff in the attached .musx file stutters during playback. Why is it stuttering and how can I correct it?

I am using Finale 2014 on a Windows 7 laptop.

Thank you...
Earl
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Home Sweet Home.zip
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Finale 2014.5, Windows 10 and El Capitan


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Peter Thomsen
Posts: 6603
Joined: Fri Jul 25, 2003 6:47 pm
Finale Version: Finale v27.4
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Post by Peter Thomsen » Thu Apr 23, 2015 6:13 am

1) In your attached document the Bass staff does not play back at all.
If you go to
Score Manager > Instrument List
You will see that the Bass staff has been muted - and the Treble staff has been solo’ed.

2) The chord symbols play back with the same instrument sound as the staves.
I would consider using a different instrument sound for the chord symbols.
This is done in the Instrument List.
In the column “Name”, click the little triangle to expand the view of the staff.
You will see that you can choose a different instrument sound for the chords.

3) I am not sure what you mean by your words “stutters during playback”.
But try this:
Selection Tool.
Select All.
Edit menu > Clear Selected Items…
In the dialog box Clear Selected Items, click “None” to de-select all the check boxes.
Then click “Tempo Changes” to select only that check box.
OK.
Mac OS X 12.6.9 (Monterey), Finale user since 1996

EIS
Posts: 50
Joined: Fri Apr 03, 2015 3:32 pm
Finale Version: Finale 2014.5
Operating System: Windows

Post by EIS » Thu Apr 23, 2015 8:24 pm

Peter,

Thank you for your reply.

I had muted the base line to positively identify which line was stuttering.

I tried your suggestion item 3 by clearing the "Tempo Changes" and the stuttering is still there.

An example of the stuttering is the half note B, right after the pick-up measure. It sounds like a B grace note is played immediately before the B half note. The following C in that measure also stutters similarly, but the following E does not stutter. Actually about 60% of the notes in the song stutter.

I can send you a .wav file via email so you can hear the stuttering, but I can't attach it to this post because it is too large, even zipped. The email to you from this forum apparently does not allow attachments so I would need to send the file to you via my regular email.

Thank you...
Earl
Finale 2014.5, Windows 10 and El Capitan

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Peter Thomsen
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Post by Peter Thomsen » Thu Apr 23, 2015 8:40 pm

Did you try my suggestion 2)?
(= choosing a different instrument sound for the chord symbols)
EIS wrote:…Actually about 60% of the notes in the song stutter…
There are 26 tones in the song.
Are you saying that 15 of them stutter?
Mac OS X 12.6.9 (Monterey), Finale user since 1996

EIS
Posts: 50
Joined: Fri Apr 03, 2015 3:32 pm
Finale Version: Finale 2014.5
Operating System: Windows

Post by EIS » Thu Apr 23, 2015 10:32 pm

Peter,

Thanks again for your reply.

I estimated the stuttering notes at 60%. When I counted them, there are actually 9.

I did try changing the voices for the treble and bass clefs and the stuttering is less noticeable, but still there. It is very pronounced with the percussive piano sound.

I don't know how to change the voices for the chord symbols above the treble clef. I didn't realize you could change the voicing on just the chord symbols.

If it matters, the music was scanned in with SmartScore Pro X2 and passed to Finale 2014 via an xml file.

Did you hear the stuttering in the file that was attached to my original post above?

Thank you...
Earl
Finale 2014.5, Windows 10 and El Capitan

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Peter Thomsen
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Post by Peter Thomsen » Thu Apr 23, 2015 11:08 pm

EIS wrote:…I don't know how to change the voices for the chord symbols above the treble clef. I didn't realize you could change the voicing on just the chord symbols…
I explained how to do it in a previous post:
2) The chord symbols play back with the same instrument sound as the staves.
I would consider using a different instrument sound for the chord symbols.
This is done in the Instrument List.
In the column “Name”, click the little triangle to expand the view of the staff.
You will see that you can choose a different instrument sound for the chords.
ScoreManager.jpg
ScoreManager.jpg (21.66 KiB) Viewed 5040 times
EIS wrote:…Did you hear the stuttering in the file that was attached to my original post above?…
No.
I suspect that you are misunderstanding, what you hear, as stuttering.
That is the reason why I suggested clearing Tempo Changes, and changing the instrument sound for the chord symbols.
You may hear the piano more clearly if the chord symbols are played by another instrument.

PS
Another idea:
Disable playback of chord symbols (Chord Tool, Chord menu > Enable Chord Playback)
Mac OS X 12.6.9 (Monterey), Finale user since 1996

EIS
Posts: 50
Joined: Fri Apr 03, 2015 3:32 pm
Finale Version: Finale 2014.5
Operating System: Windows

Post by EIS » Thu Apr 23, 2015 11:33 pm

Peter,

You stated "Disable playback of chord symbols (Chord Tool, Chord menu > Enable Chord Playback)"

That did the trick. No stuttering now. Any idea why I had stuttering with Chord Tool, Chord menu > Enable Chord Playback checked?

Thank you for your help...
Earl
Finale 2014.5, Windows 10 and El Capitan

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Peter Thomsen
Posts: 6603
Joined: Fri Jul 25, 2003 6:47 pm
Finale Version: Finale v27.4
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Post by Peter Thomsen » Fri Apr 24, 2015 6:04 am

EIS wrote:…Any idea why I had stuttering with Chord Tool, Chord menu > Enable Chord Playback checked?…
Since I do not hear stuttering, I suspect that you misunderstand, what you hear (= both piano notes and chord symbols played back with a piano sound), as stuttering.

Changing the chord playback instrument to something else than piano might also do the trick.
Did you try that?
Mac OS X 12.6.9 (Monterey), Finale user since 1996

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