Percussion
I'm not sure whether this should be here or in Feature Request, but here goes:
As usual, I'm writing for symphonic band, but I have need for a specific piece of percussion (which is surprising, because I rarely ever use percussion). I need a suspended cymbal. I'm sure you already know what it is, but if not, it's a cymbal "suspended" by a rod, usually, on which percussionists play a roll at an increasing dynamic at the music's climax to build to the resolution. This song feels rather empty without it, so I'm wondering: did I just overlook it? Or is it really missing?
Comments
Emulating this instrument in General MIDI is problematic.
In order to get a smooth roll, you need at least 4 crash cymbals on separate channels, and even then it's likely to sound wrong.
In my backing track programming days I used to use the Reverse Cymbal sound and then fiddle with amplitude envelope until I had it sounding OK, but I was using XG sound modules which allow you edit the attack, decay and release sections of the amplitude envelope using System Exclusive messages.
This is way beyond the scope of MuseScore's MIDI capablities right now :(
In reply to Emulating this instrument in by ChurchOrganist
Presumably, though, somewhere there is likely to be a (non-GM) Soundfont that has a suspended cymbal in it already as a basic sample. Assuming one can find such a Soundfont, it should work just fine in MuseScore with no tweaking required.