Recent forScore updates have apparently eliminated the ability to send MIDI System Exclusive

[cassdad]

I am running forScore on a fairly new iPad Pro, also relying on it to send MIDI messages to my Yamaha MOXF8 during live performances.  I send both MIDI Program Change  and MIDI System Exclusive messages (embedded in each individual song file).  The MIDI System Exclusive message changes the "Mode" (for those familiar with the MOXF - I use "Voice" or "Performance"), and then the MIDI Program Change message chooses the specific voice or patch.

 

Recently, forScore automatically performed at least 3 updates, finally resulting in the latest software  version 13.1.4    Since these updates, it appears that forScore no longer sends MIDI System Exclusive messages.  (It does continue to send MIDI Program Change messages.)  I have tried contacting forScore via various methods, with no response to date from them.  I resorted to the old Yamaha Motivator forum, and found a user in Sweden with a nearly identical setup to mine, and his has also now stopped transmitting MIDI System Exclusive messages (since the updates).  [Link if it works:  http://motifator.com/index.php/forum/viewthread/482648   }

 

There have been no updates to the Yamaha MOXF, and forScore previously worked flawlessly.  My live performances are based around this functionality for several reasons, so I am at a loss, hoping for some help:

 

1)  Do any of you have any "pull" or a good contact at forScore who I can contact to get forScore to investigate / resolve the problem?

2)  Do any of you know how to "roll back" the latest forScore updates so maybe I can regain the lost functionality?

3)  Have any of you likewise experienced this problem, and maybe found a solution?

 

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Docbop]

Since worked in computers for so long and did developer support and network support I thought I'd take a look at forScores support page this it what it said where you can send a message to support...

 

"Please read our support policy here. Support is offered as a courtesy and replies are not guaranteed, especially for topics already addressed on this page."

 

A company would never get away with that back in my day.  Sure people weren't always happy with the answer they got, but at least we would give them an answer.   

[AnotherScott]

6 hours ago, Docbop said:

Since worked in computers for so long and did developer support and network support I thought I'd take a look at forScores support page this it what it said where you can send a message to support...

 

"Please read our support policy here. Support is offered as a courtesy and replies are not guaranteed, especially for topics already addressed on this page."

 

A company would never get away with that back in my day.  Sure people weren't always happy with the answer they got, but at least we would give them an answer.   

OTOH, it's a $20 app. Which still isn't cheap in a world of 99-cent apps, but is still cheap compared to the what apps have typically gone for in the computer world. They have actually addressed this with their optional $10/year pro subscription, one benefit of which is:
 

Quote

 

Subscriptions are great for allowing developers like us to offer ongoing services that a single, up-front purchase can’t otherwise justify. There’s no better example of that than customer support, and with every release and feature addition our app gets more and more complex—while we’re always happy to help any way that we can, it’s impossible for us to provide personalized support for all customers in perpetuity.

If you need more detailed or immediate support than we can offer for free, forScore Pro allows us to spend more time working with you to answer your questions and make sure you’re getting the most out of forScore. Just choose “Support” from forScore’s Tools menu, tap “Contact Us,” and use the pro support function there to get in touch with us.

 

 

https://forscore.co/pro/

 

But still, for the issue at hand, I would say an acknowledgment is called for, whether "thanks for reporting the issue, it is not intentional and we will look into it" or "sorry to say, the app no longer has that capability, due to technical issues" or whatever.

[DovJ]

Previous Page has also become completely unreliable when using a network MIDI connection (I haven’t tried hooking my iPad more directly to my MIDI network). 
 

I have verified multiple times that the message is arriving completely reliably. forScore has simply stopped responding to this message since the first of the two updates. 
 

I contacted them a week ago, then followed up. There has been no response. 
 

This is one of the reasons I have moved almost completely to hardware. It works! It doesn’t get updated unless I install the newest firmware, so I know what’s going on. 

[AnotherScott]

6 minutes ago, DovJ said:

This is one of the reasons I have moved almost completely to hardware. It works! It doesn’t get updated unless I install the newest firmware, so I know what’s going on. 

Updates with no way to roll back is one of the most despicable things about iOS.

[benj2017]

I use the band helper app for this purpose with my MOFX6 to select master mode patches.

 

With this app it’s possible to create an excel spreadsheet with midi presets with your sys ex messages in hex code and then import that using a laptop.

 

I imported 128 midi presets into band helper for the Moto XF6 and it took me like about an hour to create the spreadsheet and then instantly upload it.

 

You can then also create individual song patches in an Excel spreadsheet which can link up to previously created midi presets and pdf documents. 
 

So anyway, this might be a solution if you’re looking to replace forscore quickly.

 

I can probably share the master mode patches I created, and then you could potentially link each master mode patch to the voice or performance you want to call up.

 

[rickzjamm]

I use Forescore for only loading, reading & editing charts so it does what its supposed to do for that, that being said they're not the only game on the playing field...

time for a new platform??

[ElmerJFudd]

Have you reached out to the developer?  I have to assume it’s a small operation 1-5 people maybe.  Is it possible the feature set is there but was broken with the update?  In which case they’d have to be made aware of it to fix.   If it’s an area they aren’t focused on at the moment because it’s nit as widely used as others, they need to hear from users that it matters to them.  

[Adam Burgess]

This is one of those reasons that 'pro' software like QLab is worth a look. It's not cheap - compared to a 99p/shareware app - but it doesn't crash and is so well supported.

They're a smallish team, but they are so pro-active in adding features. If the feature doesn't yet exist, or is still on their to do list, there's some amazing guys who will happily offer a script to do all manner of things! OSC and AppleScript is amazingly complex, but there's not much audio/MIDI/file wise it can't do.

In one band a few years back, we ran multitracks, MIDI program changes to my keys, an X32, and the lighting rig. All the gear was offstage and the iPad remote is excellent. We had to get a basic + audio license to use more than a stereo out and MIDI, but I think MIDI is available free now with QLab 5. Will have to check! 

It'll happily display or scroll text, PDFs, PNGs, JPEGs, etc., too. 

EDIT: No - MIDI is still a paid feature 😞 so $500 USD. But, for reliability and support - I'd take it!

EDIT 2: Just reading about people using spreadsheets… the cues in QLab can reference external files, such as a PDF chart, or cells in an open spreadsheet and use those as variables for a SysEx string, say. 

So you could use the same QLab show, and just replace the spreadsheet if you need to use your "B' keyboard rig. The cue would just read the different value. 

[benj2017]

2 hours ago, Adam Burgess said:

EDIT 2: Just reading about people using spreadsheets… the cues in QLab can reference external files, such as a PDF chart, or cells in an open spreadsheet and use those as variables for a SysEx string, say. 

Just to be clear, when using band helper you just use the spreadsheet to import your midi preset data or song data or similar type parameters. At that point you stop using the spreadsheet and it becomes saved to your user account.

 

The app is pretty stable, and the developer is really responsive, however it is a one-man shop for the most part, so there is always the risk that it goes under for some reason.

 

Pricewise, it’s very cheap something like $15-$20 for a years subscription.

 

I’ve been using it for two years for weddings and it’s pretty great for calling up a song on the fly which is how pretty much all of the bands I play with roll. 

 

 

[stoken6]

1 hour ago, benj2017 said:

Just to be clear, when using band helper you just use the spreadsheet to import your midi preset data or song data or similar type parameters. At that point you stop using the spreadsheet and it becomes saved to your user account.

 

The app is pretty stable, and the developer is really responsive, however it is a one-man shop for the most part, so there is always the risk that it goes under for some reason.

 

Pricewise, it’s very cheap something like $15-$20 for a years subscription.

 

I’ve been using it for two years for weddings and it’s pretty great for calling up a song on the fly which is how pretty much all of the bands I play with roll. 

 

 

+1 on BandHelper (or the non-subscription Set List Maker). Arlo Leach provides good support and I'm happy to pay him for that.

 

Cheers, Mike.

[obxa]

I've usually had good experience with the  Forscore Dev responding in a few days. 

 

  I know this almost sounds comical to say;  but have you tried completely rebooting (powering down and back up) the Ipad?

There's always some voodoo stuff happening with the IOS cache and midi stuff.   I've had a similar prgrm change Midi issues with Forscore,  and some of my other apps after doing updates.   

I know no other way to clear it- but it's always worth a shot.

 

Also under Ipad settings,  Scroll down to the apps ( you'll see all your installed apps below "TV provider").  Click Forscore- Then check if there are any access permissions - "allow Forscore to access...."  that need to be re-enabled, (i.e local network, media, and  background app-refresh).  That one has screwed me up a couple of times.  Forscore used to also have  a "work around"  button on various releases that may need to be enabled if you see it. 

[cassdad]

UPDATE:

 

Here’s the latest:  I just received the following response from forScore:

———————————————————————

“On Sun, Oct 2, 2022 at 6:12 AM forScore <support@forscoreapp.com> wrote:

Hi Keith Scott,

This is a bug with a recent update that should be dramatically improved, if not fixed completely, in our next update.

 

Apple does not allow users to re-install older versions of app after updating to the current version.

 

Best,

Isaac W

forScore Customer Support”

——————————————————————-

 

I have replied requesting them to please send me an old version so that I can uninstall the new version, and install the old one. I am waiting for their response.

[cassdad]

18 hours ago, obxa said:

I've usually had good experience with the  Forscore Dev responding in a few days. 

 

  I know this almost sounds comical to say;  but have you tried completely rebooting (powering down and back up) the Ipad?

There's always some voodoo stuff happening with the IOS cache and midi stuff.   I've had a similar prgrm change Midi issues with Forscore,  and some of my other apps after doing updates.   

I know no other way to clear it- but it's always worth a shot.

 

Also under Ipad settings,  Scroll down to the apps ( you'll see all your installed apps below "TV provider").  Click Forscore- Then check if there are any access permissions - "allow Forscore to access...."  that need to be re-enabled, (i.e local network, media, and  background app-refresh).  That one has screwed me up a couple of times.  Forscore used to also have  a "work around"  button on various releases that may need to be enabled if you see it. 

 

Thank you, Chris:  Yes, I have repeatedly rebooted, and also checked the noted settings.  No difference.  Also, in the response I received today from forScore, they acknowledge the bug, saying they might fix it in the next release.  I’ve asked for them to provide me a prior version so I can uninstall the current version, and install the old.    - Keith

[Adam Burgess]

On 10/1/2022 at 9:39 PM, benj2017 said:

Just to be clear, when using band helper you just use the spreadsheet to import your midi preset data or song data or similar type parameters. At that point you stop using the spreadsheet and it becomes saved to your user account.

 

The app is pretty stable, and the developer is really responsive, however it is a one-man shop for the most part, so there is always the risk that it goes under for some reason.

 

Pricewise, it’s very cheap something like $15-$20 for a years subscription.

 

I’ve been using it for two years for weddings and it’s pretty great for calling up a song on the fly which is how pretty much all of the bands I play with roll. 

 

 

Yes, I get ya.

QLab is very similar, just sort of the other way around.

The QLab project will just reference which ever spreadsheet, or a text file, or PDF or… … you need.

So, the front end for the user doesn't change. All of Song A's settings always look the same no matter what file(s) you're referencing

Just need 2x identical projects that the set list points at.

No affiliation, admittedly a fan boy. I just find it an amazingly 'Apple-like' program, unlike Mainstage which is not, strangely! 🙃

 

Cheap is always good, but when it can't afford to go wrong - I'm happy to pay.