MIDI playback problem after trying Zoom

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

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kbwells
Posts: 12
Joined: Wed Apr 29, 2020 4:37 am
Finale Version: Finale 2014.5
Operating System: Mac

Post by kbwells » Wed Apr 29, 2020 4:53 am

I am a long-term Finale user. I currently use 2014.5 on a macbook pro. I have been able to do work around for playback issues for years (rit. going fast rather than slow, especially in human playback) and have had no problems using tempo markings that playback correctly in complex orchestral/vocal scores. Recently, to prepare for rehearsals of a large work in COVID-19 pandemic era, I tried playback during zoom calls, including on the zoom side adding computer sound during screen sharing and on the finale side, playing back a full score with visual and sound, and to do that entered into MIDI/AUDIO Device Setup, Audio Setup, to change output to zoom as recommended online (rather than internal); while playing back through MIDI (rather than audio units). That worked OK, but afterwards when I went back to pre-settings, Finale became a problem with playback even after checking all the things I know to check. Specifically, when playback is on MIDI, and with human playback on standard (but same when it is off), there playback tempo is about 30% faster than what is marked -- it changes with a new tempo mark but still 30% faster than it should be (quarter = 40 plays at about 60-65). If I change to Audio Units, it is closer to the right tempo -- BUT, the green tracking line is faster and ahead of the sound (at the 30% faster tempo), and then it "piles up" and distorts. I have checked that the marked tempi are at the right playback (like quarter =60 although playing quarter = 90); that the other expressions are not at some incorrect playback marking; it is the same with human playback off; I have checked settings on playback tool, etc., and see nothing off. THis is not about one file -- it is all files. I also tried a new file and entered and playback was again off. So obviously, there is some setting that is asking it to go faster than marked but I don't know what that would be, especially so consistently. Again, it's a MIDI Issue (but that's what works better with a complex score), and across all existing and new files. I've also tried redefine playback sounds -- no luck; in the playback controls though it is not marked to use, at "rest" it says quarter = 80 (when it is marked at 60). Any thoughts about what could be off?


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zuill
Posts: 4418
Joined: Sat Dec 10, 2016 9:35 pm
Finale Version: Finale 2011-v26.3.1
Operating System: Windows

Post by zuill » Wed Apr 29, 2020 3:41 pm

I can't say for Mac, but with Windows, it is generally related to the Sample Rate. Finale can be finicky. Possibly the Sample Rate setting got changed. I generally stick to 44,100.

Zuill
Windows 10, Finale 2011-v26.3.1
"When all is said and done, more is said than done."

djcr
Posts: 1
Joined: Wed Apr 29, 2020 7:23 pm
Finale Version: Finale version 25
Operating System: Mac

Post by djcr » Wed Apr 29, 2020 7:31 pm

I am having the same problem and adjusted the sample rate. It is still happening and I have Finale version 25

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zuill
Posts: 4418
Joined: Sat Dec 10, 2016 9:35 pm
Finale Version: Finale 2011-v26.3.1
Operating System: Windows

Post by zuill » Wed Apr 29, 2020 7:58 pm

With Windows, I actually had to coordinate several internal settings to get them all to match the sample rate. Also, double-check the Zoom settings to see if there is something there that can be reset. I know nothing about Mac, so I'm just reporting on my experience. Having just updated to Win 10, I had a lot of tweaking to get everything to coordinate.

Zuill
Windows 10, Finale 2011-v26.3.1
"When all is said and done, more is said than done."

kbwells
Posts: 12
Joined: Wed Apr 29, 2020 4:37 am
Finale Version: Finale 2014.5
Operating System: Mac

Post by kbwells » Wed Apr 29, 2020 8:51 pm

The sample rate is the 4410 so that's not the issue. I developed another copy of each "movement" for the current work, setting each of the tempo markings to 0.72 for playback of the setting (e.g., for quarter = 100, playback at 72). That "corrected" the playback to the right rate -- though it also required changing both tempo and expression by adding in a playback feature for the expression (that is, for the repeat of the tempo marking in the score for another part like keyboard). However, even so, if I stopped playback and restarted at a measure that did not have a tempo marking on it, it went back to the same fast playing -- in other words, it only corrected playing as along as it was continuously playing back, or if it was stopped on a measure with a tempo marking. So I had to go through and do a tempo marking repeatedly if I plan to use it for a rehearsal. That means that what ever the problem is, the underlying tempo interpretation is still off in MIDI. Somehow, the metronome marking is being treated as though it should be 30% faster than marked -- in all scores.

kbwells
Posts: 12
Joined: Wed Apr 29, 2020 4:37 am
Finale Version: Finale 2014.5
Operating System: Mac

Post by kbwells » Wed May 06, 2020 4:58 pm

Here was the SOLUTION! Suggested by someone online, increasing the buffer to 510 or greater. That restored the correct tempo to all files. Don't know why it was changed but that suggestion corrected the problem.

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