Percussion layout for the didgeridoo?

Discuss playback problems, including VST, Garritan, MIDI, etc.

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Djard
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Finale Version: Finale 26
Operating System: Windows

Post by Djard » Thu Feb 20, 2020 4:04 pm

When I write for the didgeridoo in v26, all the notes play back in the pitch of B1. I need them to be in A1. (Garritan -> World -> Brass -> Didgeridoo.) When I open the document, the following message appears:

Didgeridoo.jpg

The didgeridoo is not a percussive instrument, but do I still need to create a custom percussion MIDI layout? If so, from where, Score Manager or Device Setup?


ttw
Posts: 171
Joined: Sat Nov 14, 2009 2:29 am
Finale Version: 27.4
Operating System: Windows

Post by ttw » Thu Feb 20, 2020 9:56 pm

I just tried loading a didgeridoo; it played fine (but I only tried the low A.) Then range is given as C3-C6. I did load from the Setup Wizard in the woodwind section. It's in the wind section of GWI.

There should be no percussion stuff needed. I normally load the percussion library that Finale recommends (and my own Latin Percussion stuff). You might check if it's loaded correctly. Also check if something funny (staff style or something else I rarely use) is set in that staff.

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Djard
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Finale Version: Finale 26
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Post by Djard » Fri Feb 21, 2020 7:27 pm

I do not know what version of Finale you are using, evidently it is a better version than mine (26.2.1.468), which does not correctly classify the Didgeridoo as a woodwind instrument but erroneously lists under "Brass." So MakeMusic added yet another problem to fix. (It would also be nice if instruments were listed in alphabetical order.)

So in my version of Finale, the range of the Didgeridoo is limited to two semitones, B1 and C1. Good grief! Fortunately, I was able to transpose the audio in my DAW for my current project, but next time I may not be so lucky if the interval is greater than a tone.

I will ask MakeMusic at its ZenDesk if a patch might be released to correct the issue. Thanks for the feedback.

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David Ward
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Post by David Ward » Fri Feb 21, 2020 8:04 pm

Djard wrote:
Fri Feb 21, 2020 7:27 pm
… …which does not correctly classify the Didgeridoo as a woodwind instrument but erroneously lists under "Brass." … …
As a bass trombone player I would liken the didgeridoo playing technique more to brass playing than woodwind. cf The renaissance and baroque wooden instrument known as the cornetto, which despite its wooden material and finger holes is classed as a brass instrument because it uses the player's lip as the ‘reed’ to sound it, while the saxophones, although usually made of brass, are classed as woodwind because the sound comes from a reed very similar to that of a clarinet.

For fun, here's me with a didgeridoo at a kitchen table in the NW Highlands of Scotland, about as far from the instrument's ethnic home as one could get. (I think that's Aussie wine on the table, though, but my glass would have had whisky in it.)
Finale 25.5 & 26.3
Mac 10.13.6 & 10.14.6

ttw
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Finale Version: 27.4
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Post by ttw » Fri Feb 21, 2020 10:57 pm

I'm also using Aria Player: 1.8.72
In addition, Aria Engine: 1.960

This time I found it under brass (which seems correct to me). I can write Middle C up two octaves, however, there's very little difference in the tones. I could also go down a seventh below (to D). Perhaps the Aria Player and Engine make a difference.

(And my bosses used to criticize my habit of inserting release numbers into output my programs created. Thus I could figure out which version committed the error. Fortunate all my programs were Ver 1.01 for 10 years. I'm a very good programmer, at least I used to be.)

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Djard
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Finale Version: Finale 26
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Post by Djard » Sat Feb 22, 2020 3:35 am

Ah, you are correct. The technique for playing the didgeridoo (aka Yidaki) is akin to trombone, a none-reed instrument. Ron is playing one similar to one my father played (waxed). In my collection, none of the expensive ones I have sound as rich as one that I constructed out of paper towel rolls. I slid the rolls up and down, until I found the sweet spot. Then I cut it to that length and covered the mouth end with packing tape.

ttw, are you able to get playback for A1 and A3 notes? And did you write in treble or bass clef?

I can hear the different pitches when auditing the notes on the ARIA Player keyboard; but in the document, all I get is C1 and B1 with playback.

ttw
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Finale Version: 27.4
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Post by ttw » Sun Feb 23, 2020 12:02 am

I created a file for didgeridoo using the Setup wizard. The default was treble clef. I could put in notes from the C below middle C up to the B below. Middle C sounded about an octave low. The next few upper notes were a bit fuzzy.

I tried entering in the bass clef and things were the same. I could play almost a scale. (I tried some chromatics but none sounded different from the notes themselves.)

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Djard
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Finale Version: Finale 26
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Post by Djard » Sun Feb 23, 2020 4:39 am

I think you are referring to the scale below C, which is pretty much unusable as the sound is degraded. E4 and G4 notes play back as B2, and sound authentic. If I write an F#4 and sustain the note, a very good imitation of s kookaburra can be heard.

I am hoping a percussion MIDI map layout can be constructed, so that the two or three dounds can be played in other keys. But I need help. The fellow that offers a tutorial on YouTube, unfortunately, is not a good teacher: he demonstrates assigning various notes to a cymbal plug-in in Finale.

Anybody know how to create a virtual MIDI device and assign pitches to the noteheads?

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