The Sibelius Forum

I'm sure this has got to be easy but I can't find out how to do it! I'm using ver 7.5.

I want to completely mute (i.e. cut out the sound from playback) for some instruments in some bars even though notes have been written for them. Obviously I can turn down the volume to zero in the mixer but then I won't be able to hear these same instruments later on in the score without turning it up again.

Is there a toggle (like Hide/Show) to turn off sound? Or if not, is there a way to turn the mixer volume down temporarily?

The reason I'm doing this at the moment is that I'm writing harmonics for the string section: I prefer to use a notation Sibelius doesn't understand (showing the open string value as a normal-headed note with a second diamond-headed note above it denoting the sounding harmonic). My current solution is to duplicate each instrument, use Sibelius' own notation (the little circle above each sounded note) and - hopefully(!) - cut out the volume of the instruments which use my notation. Any better ideas welcome...

As I see it, you have some choices to make.
If you can actually reproduce your notation in Sibelius, and this is not for playback, go for it. You have your score to print out.
If you need playback, then your score has to be what Sibelius understands.
It is not unusual to have two scores. One for printout (real players), and one Two get Sibelius to do what you want. This seems less confusing that one combined score that will make Sibelius more confused that it already is.

But to answer your question, read through the manual about the Inspector and the section about live playback.

Using the Inspector, you might be able to turn off Play On Pass for the sections you don't want heard. Live Playback can turn on visual velocity bars for notes. You can turn down individual notes.

Thanks Bob - the last piece of advice re inspector sounds interesting but what you say about having two scores makes more sense, think I'm going to do that from now on

When making band parts I did com across one trick - making bars-and-bars-and-bars of Cue-notes for untuned Percussion (so players wouldn't miss the Ker-Plonk!) . Converting real notes to cue notes does ensure silence, and is easily reversible.

For the bars you don't want to play, select them and untick all of the play on pass boxes in the inspector.