MIDI Channels issue

• Mar 8, 2019 - 00:58

Hi, Gang!!!

I use MuseScore 3.0.4 in Ubuntu Studio 18.04.2 LTS (64 bit Linux).

I discovered something that I don't know if it the same in the prior versions and I think this is not the best way to perform this.

When I have a (let's say) trumpet staff, which is an instrument that could produce two different sound: open and muted (MIDI patch number 56 and 59 respectively), MuseScore uses more than one MIDI channel to this.

Let's say, if the main trumpet is on the MIDI channel number 1 (bank 0, patch 56), MuseScore uses the MIDI channel number 2 to the muted trumpet sound (bank 0, patch 59).

We can, clearly, see this in the Mixer panel, in the box where the MIDI channel number is shown. When you expand the trumpet channel, you will see two new subchannels. Each of them shows different MIDI channels (number 1 to the open trumpet, and number 2 to the muted trumpet).

But, that is "weird" (to say something), because we don't need to use another MIDi channel to change the sound.

In simple words, MuseScore should keep using the MIDI channel number 1, and only this one, to the trumpet staff, and MuseScore just has to send the specific "Patch Change Byte" to the MIDI port with the new patch number (in this case: 59). When the mute effect part ends, MuseScore can send the "Patch Change Byte" to the MIDI port with the open trumpet patch (56).

This is the "normal" way to work into the MIDI world, intending to have all the others 15 MIDi channels free to use with another instruments.

However, in the channel label, below the vertical linear potentiometer (volume slide control), you can see the MIDI information, indicates that MuseScore understands and recognizes enough MIDI data about this, so...

I want to know why MuseScore works in this "weird" way (which is not necessary).

Maybe... Changing this issue, in a future version, could help to fix more than one MIDI problem... Maybe.

I adjust a simple sample with this.

Blessings and Greetings from Chile!!!

JUAN

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