Are the speakers turned on (volume knob?) and is the plug connected in the right place... (Of course this is a superfluous question...)
Is MIDI volume set correctly in the mixer of Windows. Most (wav/mp3) music players under Windows do not use the MIDI synthesizer on the sound card, notation software (such as MusiCAD) usually does. Some programs set MIDI sound volume to zero, which silences MusiCAD, while wave and mp3 remain audible...
Is the sound card installed correctly? To do this, check whether a MIDI file plays properly in another program. There are a few examples in the folder "C:\Users\NAME\Documents\My Sheet Music\Examples". Use the windows explorer to find the right place (other midi files are also fine of course). It only makes sense to look for a cause within MusiCAD when other midi files are audible, because MusiCAD uses the MIDI facilities of Windows.
Modern computers often have more than one sound reproduction option (separate boxes, built-in speakers in the connected (HDMI) screens).
In MusiCAD you need to check the following things:
Under [Options|Sound|MIDI|Sound source], has an appropriate playback sound source been selected? The list displayed will also include MIDI devices that can be connected externally. If you have not connected a MIDI keyboard, it remains very quiet when choosing an external MIDI device to be connected... The choice MIDI mapper is a safe one and will usually produce sound.
Is the basic volume under music playback high enough? (default 100)
If dynamics are used, is the corresponding volume under music playback high enough?
Are all part volumes set to anything other than 0 (and not otherwise muted)
If the above doesn't work, use the green button and reset all sound settings.
I can't hear some parts (anymore) when playing. What should I change?
There are a number of possible causes:
Is MIDI balance in the mixer all the way to the left or right?
Are the part volume set to anything other than 0 (and not otherwise muted)
If dynamics signs are used, is the corresponding volume under Playback high enough?
For an external synthesizer, check that the MIDI channels are set correctly. Some sound card/synthesizers use only channels 1-10 for playback. Channels 11-16 are then out of use. For an external synthesizer, also check whether it is set to General MIDI mode.
I want to make a part of the melody audible. How do I specify start and end?
Just select the desired measures with the mouse. The selection will be marked in red, and is ready for playback. Another route to achieve the same: [[selection|select the desired bars on the notation bar, return with <F12> to the main screen and play. As soon as you use an arrow key in edit, the block is deselected. See for other options under playback.
If the number of repeats was set to zero, because then internal repetitions (reprises) will also not be executed. On the notation bar, repeats are never audible...
I don't hear any tempo changes, embellishments, extra MIDI events, Legato, Da Capos etc. Why is that?
In the playback dialog, make sure all desired audible options are checked.
I want to be able to enter tempo changes"absolute" and see it listed instead of relative to my starting tempo.
Which can. Set the basic tempo to 120, then set the desired tempo as the tempo change at the beginning of the piece. You can now also enter all subsequent tempo changes "absolutely". In the header you probably don't want to see tempo=120 now, and you need to run the macro [Options|Head+Foot|LeftCenter] which defaults to $@. To see the tempi in the melody, you may have to change [Options|Music|Tempo indicator].
