'Sib. 7.5: Separate dynamics don't work for separate voices (except with Piano sound)'

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Sib. 7.5: Separate dynamics don't work for sepa... - Christopher Avery, 28 Feb 09:24PM
     Re: Sib. 7.5: Separate dynamics don't work for ... - Laurence Payne, 28 Feb 10:10PM
         Re: Sib. 7.5: Separate dynamics don't work for ... - Christopher Avery, 28 Feb 11:26PM

Sib. 7.5: Separate dynamics don't work for separate voices (except with Piano sound)
Posted by Christopher Avery - 28 Feb 09:24PM
Hello esteemed Sibelius forum,

When I'm working with anything other than a piano staff and I have two different voices playing on the same staff at the same time (two horns, two flutes, two whatever), I cannot get Sibelius to recognize and play a different dynamic level for each of the separate voices. This should be as simple as selecting each voice and assigning the desired dynamic level for each of them ("ff" in blue for the top voice, and "pp" in green for the bottom one, for example) but NO dice!

Multiple dynamic indications seem to work perfectly fine with a piano score, but not with other instruments (see the attached example). With other instruments it seems like the dynamic level of both voices ends up being governed by whatever dynamic the top voice is given.

I'm still using Sibelius 6.2. I use NotePerformer for my sounds, though I don't think the sound library is relevant since I got the same result using the Sibelius Sounds. Perhaps this just isn't possible with the current state of technology? Hopefully it's just a matter of changing some hidden setting, or upgrading to the latest version of Sibelius.

Thanks in advance for any advice you may have,

Chris
Attachment Dynamics Test.sib (30K)
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Re: Sib. 7.5: Separate dynamics don't work for separate voices (except with Piano sound)
Posted by Laurence Payne - 28 Feb 10:10PM (edited 28 Feb 10:11PM)
Daniel hath spoken:

"All the notes on a staff are played back by the same channel. Some instruments use note on velocity to control volume, which means that every note can have a different volume (even different notes in the same chord); this is typically the case for percussive or non-sustaining instruments, e.g. a piano.

Other instruments use channel volume or expression to control volume, which means that all notes sounding at the same time will have the same volume; this is typically how things are set up for sustaining instruments, like wind, brass and string instruments."

So, we can have per-voice volume, or we can have cresc/dim capability. But not both. And the choice seems to be hard-wired into the sound.

I'm sorry this isn't the answer you wanted to hear.
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Re: Sib. 7.5: Separate dynamics don't work for separate voices (except with Piano sound)
Posted by Christopher Avery - 28 Feb 11:26PM
Thank you for the response, Laurence (and "Daniel").

Very disappointing to hear, indeed. Strange. This is not an uncommon requirement in writing/arranging.

Dare I ask if other programs out there have solved this issue?

Best,
Chris
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Messages in this thread

Sib. 7.5: Separate dynamics don't work for sepa... - Christopher Avery, 28 Feb 09:24PM
     Re: Sib. 7.5: Separate dynamics don't work for ... - Laurence Payne, 28 Feb 10:10PM
         Re: Sib. 7.5: Separate dynamics don't work for ... - Christopher Avery, 28 Feb 11:26PM