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Topic: stuck notes (NOT hanging ties) (Read 11752 times) previous topic - next topic

stuck notes (NOT hanging ties)

I am working on a big band chart containing drops in all of the horn parts.
When the score is playing (whether or not Note Chase is on), one of the drops causes a "sticking" of the music.  It sounds as if there is a "traffic jam" and some of the notes can't get through, so others have to wait for them to catch up.  After about 6 seconds (of a 3-second passage), either eveything clears up and plays normally, or the music simply stops (as if I had pressed F6). 
Is there something I can do to eliminate the problem?

Re: stuck notes (NOT hanging ties)

Reply #1 –
G'day Kevin,
I assume you're creating the drops with MPCs so if you delete the offending MPC does all come good?

If so, can you copy an equivalent MPC from another staff into that location - does it still cause problems?

What if you delete one from another staff and leave the offending one in place?

Finally, what level of polyphony are we talking about and can your soundcard/softsynth really handle it?
I plays 'Bones, crumpets, coronets, floosgals, youfonymums 'n tubies.

Re: stuck notes (NOT hanging ties)

Reply #2 –
Hi, Lawrie,

I'm using MPCs for the diminuendo during the drop but actual notes for the pitch part of the drop (tried MPCs for both simultaneously - problem was worse...).
The drops in the earlier portion of the chart are fine so I'm focusing on one particular drop.
I've eliminated one MPC at a time, two at a time, etc. - can't find the offender.
The drop happens in 5 saxes, 4 trumpets, and 4 trombones, which I have done in other charts without problems.
Hey!  Maybe I'll attach the file to see if you have problems also.
The problem is in m.97, but if I start playing around m.90-ish everything's okay.
It's only when I start at the beginning.
 

Re: stuck notes (NOT hanging ties)

Reply #3 –
G'day Kevin,
I had no problems at all mate, once I realised I needed 2 synths configured :)  Couldn't figure out where the drums were...

Anyhow, it all played just fine.  No stuck notes or anything.

Does anyone else have a problem I wonder?  I'm sure others have/will download it to listen.

What sound card and synth's are you using?  I suspect you may have a problem in this area.

BTW - is it supposed to be an NWC1 file?
I plays 'Bones, crumpets, coronets, floosgals, youfonymums 'n tubies.

Re: stuck notes (NOT hanging ties)

Reply #4 –
It sounded fine on my lap top. No stuck notes or anything of that sort. Did bring back lots of great memories though.

Keith
Illigitimi Non Carborundum

Re: stuck notes (NOT hanging ties)

Reply #5 –
Quote from: Lawrie Pardy –
Does anyone else have a problem I wonder?  I'm sure others have/will download it to listen.
I don't hear any stuck notes, but my setup is 1 port, 16 channels.
I have been known to push the visual edge of NWC, but I must say that you are pushing the audio edge here. It could well be a polyphony problem.
Registered user since 1996

Re: stuck notes (NOT hanging ties)

Reply #6 –
Quote
I had no problems at all mate, once I realised I needed 2 synths configured :)  Couldn't figure out where the drums were...
Oops - I have no idea how the drums ended up on port 2.
I made a big band template with everything on port 1 so I could send MIDI files to all of the band members without worrying about configurations.
I thought that might be a cause so I just switched them to port 1.
This time the "hang" happened in m.46, and the one in m.97 was minimal.
Quote
BTW - is it supposed to be an NWC1 file?
Yup.  I'm still using v.1 (long story...). [And I had intended to post in the General Discussion area - don't know why it ended up in the v.2 {Maybe Eric could move it?}]
Quote
It could well be a polyphony problem.
That was my first thought, I have done this in other charts without problems.
Quote
...but I must say that you are pushing the audio edge here.
Oh, but you should see hear some of the other things I've done...

Re: stuck notes (NOT hanging ties)

Reply #7 –
G'day Kevin,
I'd still like to know what sound card/synths you're using.  It really sounds like a polyphony problem.  You're "moving" of the problem to bar 46 from 97(?) when you went to a single MIDI port seems to confirm this...

I plays 'Bones, crumpets, coronets, floosgals, youfonymums 'n tubies.

Re: stuck notes (NOT hanging ties)

Reply #8 –
Changed everything to Port 1 (SBAWE32 - Win98SE), no problems.
When I get over to XP, I'll try some other combinations.

No problem as a Type 1 Midi either. I ran it through a script I wrote that calculates the running time. Gave the correct time. You might check how it sounds as a midi.

Or mute all the staves with no mpc's in the area. If it plays OK, then a problem with how your card handles polyphony would seem more likely.
Registered user since 1996

Re: stuck notes (NOT hanging ties)

Reply #9 –
Hi, all,
I have had a bit of an accident - I'm typing with one finger right now.
I'll be back in a few days...

Re: stuck notes (NOT hanging ties)

Reply #10 –
Hi, KAT -

Hope all goes well and you're touch typing again in no time.
John

Re: stuck notes (NOT hanging ties)

Reply #11 –
Ditto
I plays 'Bones, crumpets, coronets, floosgals, youfonymums 'n tubies.

Re: stuck notes (NOT hanging ties)

Reply #12 –
Thanks for the support, guys.

Okay, so here I am at my wife's computer at school, and everything works fine.
Her machine is much older than ours at home, but the operating system is newer (XP pro).
At home we have (don't laugh) ME [will be upgrading soon...].
Sound card is SB Live!
I haven't had too many problems with drops before, and I have all 13 horns shaking repeatedly in another chart (with even more pushing the audio edge)with no problems.
After I started having this sticking problem I thought maybe a defrag was in order, so I did that one night and the next day the sticking problem was still there.
I just don't get it...

For those wondering about the accident, I wanted to provide a link the the story, but it's not on any news service I could find.  Even the local news just glanced over it.
You'd think that if a house fell on some guy it would be a little more newsworthy...
 

Re: stuck notes (NOT hanging ties)

Reply #13 –
A house fell on you?  I've heard of a musician bringing down the house, but that's usually a good thing.

Even if you can use only one finger, but you must tell us the story.  Please.

Re: stuck notes (NOT hanging ties)

Reply #14 –
Quote from: K.A.T. –

For those wondering about the accident, I wanted to provide a link the the story, but it's not on any news service I could find.  Even the local news just glanced over it.
You'd think that if a house fell on some guy it would be a little more newsworthy...
 

All right K.A.T., more information is definitely required!
I plays 'Bones, crumpets, coronets, floosgals, youfonymums 'n tubies.

Re: stuck notes (NOT hanging ties)

Reply #15 –
Okay, so, I'm with this group of kids who do community service (not court-ordered - they do it because they believe everyone should be invested in their community and take responsibility for it).  This particular event was on a highway that runs through town.  There happens to be a factory nearby that makes potato chips and other snacks.  At the factory, a minor explosion occurs (that part was on the news); drivers are startled and some lose control of their vehicles.  One of the vehicles is a massive truck transporting a pre-built house, which is on the flatbed, but has a built-in crane to lift the house into position when it arrives at its destination.  As the vehicle swerves, the crane lifts the house and swings it out to the side of the road where we were working.  The crane snaps from the force, the cable releases, and the house goes flying.  All but two kids and I were out of the line of fire.  BAM!  House lands on us, pinning us but not crushing us.  How is that possible?  There was so much mulch where we were that we were simply buried in it (I can still taste it...).  And because of the way the house swung out "in slow motion," it landed on us rather slowly.  We were held overnight in hospital and released the next day without any visible physical evidence of the accident, but were we exhausted from the ordeal (I had to be fed the following day...).  Needless to say [then why say it?], Noteworthy-ing Caravan seemed totally unimportant for a few days.
Oh, yeah, Caravan.  I just got rid of the MPCs to solve the problem.
Still don't know why it was happening...

Re: stuck notes (NOT hanging ties)

Reply #16 –
G'day K.A.T.,
mate, that's not a bad story - glad no one was seriously injured!  Think maybe you was bein' watched over, huh?  You realise that you can probably dine out on that for at least 6 months?  ;)

RE Caravan and sound card - you haven't told us what sound card/synth you're using at home yet...

You've proven that the SB Live! at the school copes OK - I assume it was using either one of the sound font equipped hardware synth's, the SB softsynth or the m$ softsynth...

What do you use at home?
I plays 'Bones, crumpets, coronets, floosgals, youfonymums 'n tubies.

Re: stuck notes (NOT hanging ties)

Reply #17 –
I think KAT would be safer dining in than than dining out.  Wow.  Glad you're ok, KAT

Re: stuck notes (NOT hanging ties)

Reply #18 –
Hmm, now that I know you like house flies (groan), you might be interested in these two old and strange houses in the province of Jämtland, Sweden (halfway up the country, and near Norway).

http://flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id=440949735&context=pool-90919855@N00&size=l

http://flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id=440948844&context=pool-90919855@N00&size=l

Re: stuck notes (NOT hanging ties)

Reply #19 –
Quote from: Lawrie Pardy –
RE Caravan and sound card - you haven't told us what sound card/synth you're using at home yet...

You've proven that the SB Live! at the school copes OK - I assume it was using either one of the sound font equipped hardware synth's, the SB softsynth or the m$ softsynth...

What do you use at home?
Quote
At home we have (don't laugh) ME [will be upgrading soon...].
Sound card is SB Live!

I'm very lucky.  Two years ago when using a chainsaw for the first time, I cut through my shoe and shredded my sock.  Foot was UNTOUCHED!
I could tell you more stories, but it's [glow=green,2,300]dinner[/glow] time right now...

Re: stuck notes (NOT hanging ties)

Reply #20 –
Chainsaw - Mate!  You really are bein' looked after!

RE Sound card - SB Live! should be OK...  If you are using an onboard synth, perhaps you might try increasing your soundfont bank cache in the soundfont bank manager - select "MIDI Devices" ...

If you're using a softsynth - like the Creative one that ships with the live maybe you need to select a hardware one instead.

Final thought - if you're using the shipping driver you should definitely upgrade it.  Creative have a reasonably easy to follow driver update section on their web site.
I plays 'Bones, crumpets, coronets, floosgals, youfonymums 'n tubies.