Muffled issue with MIDI SF2 and VST in the piano roll

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Hey, y'all
I'm facing a very weird problem and maybe you guys can help me out.
I've been trying for ages to create a realistic piano/orchestral sound in LMMS and I could never get it quite right, because the instruments always sounded kinda muffled and damp. So I went and tried installing different VSTs and it turns out I'm having this weird issue in which the notes sound different in the plugin from the instrument interface, or the plugin interface. I've recorded a video to illustrate what I mean: https://www.loom.com/share/84cf70185ac0 ... 34a5902a71, but in a nutshell the VST's interface delivers a clear, loud and refined sound, while the piano roll or the instrument window (where we can add effects, modify the envelope etc.) delivers this low, muffled and artificial sound.

And checking the recording now I could notice that the volume came out way lower than I was listening at the time I made the recording. Any thoughts? Thank you so much for the time and the comprehension.
Hitigo wrote:
Mon Aug 17, 2020 3:48 pm
Hey, y'all
Hi, Welcome to the Forum Hitigo !
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I'm facing a very weird problem
piano/orchestral instruments sound muffled and damp.
Tried installing different VSTs
Notes sound different in the plugin from the instrument interface, or the plugin interface.
I've recorded a video
Unfortunately very poor sound quality in your video, but i can definitively hear significant difference- So something is not right
You are using windows, so the first thing to check is your selected sound-device.
https://lmms.io/wiki/index.php?title=LM ... o_Settings
It should be SDL

After that has been confirmed(?), the next obvious reason could be effects on the FX-tab
https://lmms.io/wiki/index.php?title=In ... The_FX_tab
Do you have any?

Lerts start with those 2 first
Let us know the outcome :)
Hey, Musikbear, thank you so much for your thoughtful reply and your concern. I had already posted an introduction because I had read some queries to see if I could spot the solution to my problem.

So, my audio settings were correct, and I had no FX linked to my plugin. Since the last recording was truly awful, I recorded it again and this time I did it on a different computer. I used my laptop and I had the exact same problem: https://www.loom.com/share/fcdc84810d22 ... f45202bc0c. This time it's very noticeable. What I find weird is that it's not an issue linked to the computer, because I've tried on two different machines.

A quick add: in this new recording I show the muffled problem in the soundfonts too, and compare it with a song from an external source. And I used Sonatina because it's a recognized plugin for LMMS.
Hitigo wrote:
Wed Aug 19, 2020 12:48 am
my laptop has the exact same problem: https://www.loom.com/share/fcdc84810d22 ... f45202bc0c.
it's very noticeable.
Indeed! -But i have a guess. In you video, you use your mouse to press the keys. That can be the reason!
This keyboard
Image has an advanced feature. It is velocity sensible. This has been implemented as a dependency of mouse-click-position on the actual key-icon. The key is sensible for the distance between the lower-border of the piano, and the precise click y-position of the mouse! The VST-interfase keyboards, would not be velocity sensible, so they would sound different.
Could you try and activate the key by pressing a pc-keyboard-key, instead of using your mouse to click on the key?
Thank you for your quick reply! As a matter of fact, the VST interface is indeed velocity sensitive just as the instrument, so even if I press the keyboard key it sounds different, and it will prioritize the window that is selected at the moment. If the instrument interface is selected, it will play the note loud and clear, and if I select the VST FXs/LMMS window, it will play the muffled note. Not only that, but the same keys play a different note depending on the window selected.
Hitigo wrote:
Wed Aug 19, 2020 2:07 pm
Thank you for your quick reply! As a matter of fact, the VST interface is indeed velocity sensitive just as the instrument, so even if I press the keyboard key it sounds different, and it will prioritize the window that is selected at the moment. If the instrument interface is selected, it will play the note loud and clear, and if I select the VST FXs/LMMS window, it will play the muffled note. Not only that, but the same keys play a different note depending on the window selected.
This is so strange that i need to see the project
upload the project, AS MMP! -and send me the link as PM (just right-click my name in byline and choose Contact musikBear), i will take a look at it.
Hi, Musikbear, I think the problem is in your audio editor, try using Fl Studio for example. You can also try a less resource intensive and more professional piano plugin like this one for example: https://vst-platinum.com/vst-instrument ... 4-win.html
Best regards for you
Jazzman43 wrote:
Fri Aug 21, 2020 4:45 pm
Hi,
Hi, Welcome to the Forum Jazzman43 !
Here are all important links:
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=4740
-A few rules and useful forum instructions
If you like to introduce yourself, to the community, go here:
viewtopic.php?f=4&t=4480
I think the problem is in your audio editor, try using Fl Studio
:) You are missing the point. I'm here to find and solve bugs in LMMS installed by our users. It would not help anyone in LMMS to use FLs instead :p
musikbear wrote:
Sat Aug 22, 2020 1:23 pm
:) You are missing the point. I'm here to find and solve bugs in LMMS installed by our users. It would not help anyone in LMMS to use FLs instead :p
Exactly, and I think it's pretty sweet of you, MusikBear, to give such a polite answer. Clearly the guy is teasing us and mocking us around the fact that we are using user-driven platforms instead of paid ones. Sure, I could migrate to a different, "professional" one, actually I've tried the plugins and VSTs on Reaper and they worked perfectly. But I still want them to work properly on LMMS because I really love the interface and I am more used to it.
Hitigo wrote:
Sat Aug 22, 2020 3:51 pm
""
Well i have looked at this, and it is complicated :p
In the end i felt that best way to dissect this issue was a video, also because this issue actually has general connection to base-features, so its really for everyone :p
Its an interesting issue, because it also place either question or exclamation -marks next to one of lmms base functionalities
There may be something 'different' needed
Anywitch, the video:
https://youtu.be/oCw-SKjt6jo