Playback inexplicably soft for several bars

[bj nick]

In this piece the playback suddenly goes soft......to try to defeat this I added FFFF markings, but it did no good. The sound just drops to a whisper.....three different instruments playing. Baffling. Is there anywhere I can check to see what's going on? I've tried the usual, obviously. Doesn't seem like anything is amiss in "playback controls" or the mixer......

[miker]

By “the usual” do you mean clearing MIDI data, and export/import as XML?

[bj nick]

Nope! Not even close. Had no clue about doing this. I will try this when I get home, thank you Mike.

[bj nick]

Sorry.....how do I clear MIDI data, and please explain how/why exporting as XML will work better....I'm unfamiliar with it.

[zuill]

If we can examine the file, we might be able to make some tests.

Zuill

[miker]

Select All > Clear Selected Items... > choose MIDI data in next window

I don’t know why the XML trick works; just that it does, somtimes.

[bj nick]

Okay, tried clearing MIDI, no change. Attached is the score with that section and just a couple bars before and after so the sound difference will be obvious. You'll notice I tried to alleviate it by making things FFFF which is ridiculous. Looking forward to the solution so I learn something!

[zuill]

Sounds the same with or without the dynamics. Without, it doesn't get softer. You have the MIDI velocity at 127 for every note in every part. That means all notes are playing at max volume, so no dynamics will matter.

Zuill

[bj nick]

Yes, 127 set pretty much to default, or else I can barely hear the playback.

"Sounds the same with or without the dynamics."

Huh? I get a huge difference when I set dynamics....it's just not entirely consistent; requires occasional mickey-mousery such as setting dynamics in the middle of phrases so I can hear it played back at the "right volume." It's curious you're not getting the dynamics when playing it on your machine....not sure what to make of that. Maybe didn't understand you correctly.....?

Regarding the original question: you don't get the weird dropoff in those bars??? I've tried to fix it many times, nothing avails. I'm baffled.

[zuill]

Because all the MIDI Velocities are set to 127, which is at the max, that overrides any other dynamic markings, which are all lower than 127.

Zuill

P.S.: See if this sounds a bit different.

[bj nick]

Hey Zuill, no, I don't hear any difference; same drop-off in those bars. I see that you set the velocity to 64. Also, I went back and looked at some old forum posts about velocity.....and I see that you were making the same points back a few years ago, before I was back into Finale. Velocity is something I confess I don't really understand. I always interpreted it as "volume," but I understand it also refers to other settings/factors as well. I can't find a post that really explains velocity in all its glory; I could really use that, obviously.

I remember originally resetting velocity to 127 because it was a continual frustration not being able to get enough volume on playback. Also, when I mark something mf or FF or mp or whatever.....I DO hear a difference, so I'm confused by what you said.

Having said that, I bow to your superior wisdom and I'm going to change the velocity default back to 64. Any further guidance on your part is always appreciated. Sorry, babe in the woods here......