Topic by stub

  • Avatar
  • stub
  • Member
  • Offline
  • Registered: 08-01-2026
  • Posts: 5

Topic: Note(s) cut off right after I hit play on my DAW

I'm using Digital Performer (v11.35), on a 2022 MBP running Sequoia.

When I have a MIDI track playing Pianoteq, and any time I hit play, the first note or chord to reach PT cuts off very quickly (approximately on the 2nd 16th note of the first beat).

I opened options/MIDI and watched the MIDI activity monitor, Every time I hit play from (from anywhere) I see the note-on(s) as expected, next I see note-offs a fraction of a second later-- based on the displayed time stamp, the note-off(s) have a generic release-velocity of 64. After that, if I hit stop, I see the note-off that are generated by DP when I hit stop, it has the note's actual release velocity of 36.

This happens on any track that I create that is controlling (sending notes to) PianoTeq.

It does not happen for any other software instrument that I've tried.

As an aside, I did have a similar issue with Pianoteq cutting notes off when the release of the previous note and the start of the next note were on the same tick. This was likely an issue with DP, but it mostly affected PT, and not others.

Last edited by stub (08-01-2026 21:38)

Reply by stub

  • Avatar
  • stub
  • Member
  • Offline
  • Registered: 08-01-2026
  • Posts: 5

Re: Note(s) cut off right after I hit play on my DAW

When I play back the same track with Pianoteq 8, (as opposed to v9), the note does not cut off. However, when I look at the MIDI activity monitor in PT8, there is still the extra note-off.

I don't understand how to post an image with my text.

Reply by Wanted7

  • Avatar
  • Wanted7
  • Member
  • Offline
  • Registered: 09-01-2026
  • Posts: 3

Re: Note(s) cut off right after I hit play on my DAW

stub wrote:

When I play back the same track with Pianoteq 8, (as opposed to v9), the note does not cut off. However, when I look at the MIDI activity monitor in PT8, there is still the extra note-off.

I don't understand how to post an image with my text.

Well, I can offer some suggestions, it might be your DAW. For Mac, I'd recommend Logic Pro 11 by Apple, Cubase 15 by Steinberg, or Reaper 7 by Cockos. Beyond those, I can also mention Pro Tools 2025, Studio One 7 by PreSonus, and Ableton Live 12. Reaper has unlimited trial.

Additionally, you may want to calibrate your note-off velocity in Pianoteq 9. If your keyboard outputs a fixed 64 velocity for note-off, use this setting:
Note-Off Velocity = [0, 127; 64, 64]

If your keyboard has a velocity range of 10–127 (the most basic and universal curve), this works better, since some keyboards don't report correctly at x = 0 or values below y = 10 or 15:
Note-Off Velocity = [1, 127; 15, 127]

Reply by stub

  • Avatar
  • stub
  • Member
  • Offline
  • Registered: 08-01-2026
  • Posts: 5

Re: Note(s) cut off right after I hit play on my DAW

It might be related to DP, but as I mentioned, Kontakt nor any of the other VI's I use have this issue.

I've used DP for over 25 years, and have tried several other DAWs (Pro Tools, Logic, MultiTrack Studio, etc) but they all lack deep features that I use often. And I'm really used to the workflows.

As for release velocity, my keyboard produces actual release-velocity. It's unrelated to the issue.

Since my last post, I discovered two things:

1. Pianoteq 9 has this issue, but Pianoteq 8 works correctly.
2. The additional note-off (with release-velocity= 64) is produced upon stopping the DAW transport, and is unrelated to the cut-off note.

Reply by Wanted7

  • Avatar
  • Wanted7
  • Member
  • Offline
  • Registered: 09-01-2026
  • Posts: 3

Re: Note(s) cut off right after I hit play on my DAW

stub wrote:

It might be related to DP, but as I mentioned, Kontakt nor any of the other VI's I use have this issue.

I've used DP for over 25 years, and have tried several other DAWs (Pro Tools, Logic, MultiTrack Studio, etc) but they all lack deep features that I use often. And I'm really used to the workflows.

As for release velocity, my keyboard produces actual release-velocity. It's unrelated to the issue.

Since my last post, I discovered two things:

1. Pianoteq 9 has this issue, but Pianoteq 8 works correctly.
2. The additional note-off (with release-velocity= 64) is produced upon stopping the DAW transport, and is unrelated to the cut-off note.

Use Reaper. If it doesn't work, submit a support ticket at https://www.modartt.com/support?direct=1

Reply by stub

  • Avatar
  • stub
  • Member
  • Offline
  • Registered: 08-01-2026
  • Posts: 5

Re: Note(s) cut off right after I hit play on my DAW

Wanted7 wrote:

Use Reaper. If it doesn't work, submit a support ticket at https://www.modartt.com/support?direct=1

Thanks. I don't have Reaper. I did submit a support ticket. I know Modartt is responsive.

Reply by stub

  • Avatar
  • stub
  • Member
  • Offline
  • Registered: 08-01-2026
  • Posts: 5

Re: Note(s) cut off right after I hit play on my DAW

The wonderful folks at MOTUnation gave me an easy and good workaround.

It was suggested I turn on "Live Performance Mode" to bypass any pre-gen issues, and that resolved it. This isn't a good long-term solution, but it narrowed the problem down to an issue with the way PT9 responds to DP's pre-gen actions. The solution is to open the plugin window's mini menu and enable "Run Open Instances of this Plugin in Realtime" and that solves it.

Last edited by stub (19-01-2026 20:25)