Audio Export Problem...

[Saylor57]

I use NotePerformer and export audio a couple dozen times a day. A couple days ago Sibelius stopped exporting the audio. Instead of exporting a file it merely plays the score - which sounds fine - but nothing is exported. If I let it play to the end I receive a message that reads "MP3 conversion failed. Please check that a file with the name you have chosen is not open in another application and that you have permission to write to the chosen location." Choosing another file name doesn't help, nor does writing to another location, such as an external drive. So I don't think either suggestion in the message is the problem.

As far as I know, I haven't made any changes to the program or my computer, so I'm at a loss to figure out what is causing the problem. I use Windows 10. There was an update of some programs on my computer the day before the problem first occurred but the computer had already rebooted and exporting was working fine. So it doesn't seem like that is the problem. I checked to see if one of the updates was a Windows update, so I went to roll back the update but found the last Windows update was more than 10 days ago. So it seems it wasn't a Windows update that caused the problem.

Here are other things I've tried:

1) I updated from Sibelius 8.4 to 8.5. Nothing changed.
2) I re-installed NotePerformer. That worked long enough to export about 6 files then it stopped exporting again. I reinstalled again and it worked a few more times. After doing this each time I needed a file, this no longer worked after about the 4th or 5th reinstallation. So, that's a puzzlement.

Does anyone have an idea as to what might be causing this?

Thank you, in advance, for any suggestions.
Maurice Saylor

[bobp]

Will Sibelius export a WAV. file? Will it export using Sibelius sounds instead of NP. Is the bitrate set properly?
Do you completely delete NP before reinstall.

[Saylor57]

When it's not exporting it won't export MP3 or wav. I am unable to try exporting using Sibelius sound as I don't have the virtual instruments loaded.

I haven't changed any of the export setting - bitrate and such. I tried the other settings and it made no difference.

I did not completely uninstall either NP or Sibelius when I reinstalled. That seems a good next plan of action if the problem persists.

Thanks for the suggestions.

Maurice

[sherryL]

I wonder if the program just needs a re-install. I'm trying to remember how to do that..go back to Avid most likely?

[jcpratt]

Was this ever resolved?
I just installed NotePerformer a few days ago.... I've got Sib 8.4.0 on a W-10 Surface Book.
exported one .wav file but it was too big so tried again with reduced sample settings, etc. First it created a 1 K file that was not openable... tried mp3 but I get the "create failed" message. Very strange.
Thanks for anyone's help.

[Saylor57]

JCpratt,

The problem still happens now and then - it happened again just a few days ago. Sometimes it happens a few times, sometimes it's out for a day or two. I have never been able to detect a pattern in what causes it. I also have never found a reason why it works again. It just does.

A puzzlement...

Maurice

[bobp]

Here's the thing.
NP was developed for Sib 6. I assume they made is work for 7 and 8. But it was not developed by Avid. There can be no guarantee that it will work perfectly. It's true that the sounds that came with 6 were not very good. So NP seemed like a good idea because it seemed to make playback sound better. Then came Sib 7 with 36 GBs of sounds unlike 1.2 for 6. I was actually right with them until I heard on the NP web site where they made a Baroque trumpet concerto sound like a modern jazz piece. And they were proud of this. What you get with NP is someones else's idea of what your music should sound like. Not yours. Aside from that,a good chunk of what you pay for with Sibelius is the sounds. Why would you throw that away? When you open an orchestra score and load default sounds, That's what you get. Yup, not always very good. Sibelius doesn't know what you want until you tell it. For example, the software loads default trumpet. But there are some twenty other trumpet sounds to work with. There are many ways to adjust the default violin section to make it sound like you want it. And much more. There are so many more possibilities within Sibelius to choose from. And ways to adjust them. Far and above what NP has to offer. If you don't want to do that much work (isn't your music worth it?) or are happy with what NP does, that's one thing. But don't be surprised if the program doesn't always work

[jcpratt]

Maurice, & Bob,
Interesting. I was able to get NP to export by switching my score back to Sib sounds config, making sure I could export from that, then, switched back to NP and it's been working since then.
Bob -- would you be so kind as to point me towards some documentation regarding the configuration of the Sib libraries? I cast about for days looking on Avid & google for some hints. No joy. Avid customer support suggested changing from Sib 7 sounds to Sib 7 sounds lite. No perceptible difference. Given the library size I really would expect Sib's sounds to be better than what I've heard... and, they are great for small ensembles.... it's just when I tried to arrange one of my scores for small orchestra that the quality seemed to go south.
JcP

[Saylor57]

JC,

Thanks for the tip. I'll try that the next time the problem occurs. I find the sounds of NP superior, and easier to use, than the Sib sound though I too am interested in Bob's mention of tweaking the Sib sounds. I have never had any luck with that - though most of my efforts have been in tweaking percussion sounds.

Maurice

[bobp]

Not much documentation on adjusting sounds, but I'll give you some help when I get some time.

[bobp]

In general, the Mixer is your best friend. Learn everything you can about it. Use it to control reverb and volume. Learn how to change instruments. Or styles within an instrument group.
For example, create a five line orchestra score. Open the Mixer. Sibelius will have loaded a default sound and setting for each line. Click on the double arrows below the fader for violin one. Smart knobs appear. Raise the value of Release and Legato Release to about 60%. Do this for all string parts. It will make notes flow together better. Experiment with the other knobs to fit your taste. Many percussion instruments have detailed mic adjustments. I wish other instruments had the same.
Another example is the the trumpet that Sibelius loads. It is not your only choice. Select the instrument name above the fader and drill through the menu to trumpet. You will see many choices. Select legato or vibrato legato for a more natural sound.
In any event, you don't have to settle for the instruments that Sibelius loads.
Learn how to mark your score to make Sibelius playback the way you want. I often have two scores in progress. One to hand to real musicians, and a different score for playback.
There are also ways to control the volume of every note. But that's a lot of work.
And there are many more things to tweak. It can be very time consuming. Yet I think that it is interesting that Sibelius give you all that control.
Nothing wrong with NP. It's supposed to play your score more like real musicians. That's why it sounds better. But I'm too cheap to buy it. Plus I'd rather my score played back more like I want, rather than how some programmer decides my music should be played. Maybe not the best excuse. Nah, I'm just cheap.

[Saylor57]

Thanks, Bob. I'll give this a try. When I've tried changing percussion sounds in the past I could never get the sounds to change. I'm not sure what I was doing wrong but I'll try again.

Maurice

[jcpratt]

Yes, Thank you, Bob. I did not know the mixer could do all that!