Patch mappings

• Apr 25, 2019 - 22:34

I've just discovered MuseScore and it's awesome! My particular interest is Early Music and I was astonished to find that the templates include Early Music instruments - lots of them! And when I select them I get sensible mappings to the standard midi patches. Are these mappings following an external convention or has someone gone to the trouble of figuring out that a bass crumhorn sounds like a baritone sax? And is there anywhere I can see the complete set of mappings? I could try each one out and see from that, but it's going to take a very very very very long time ....

Comments

jotape1960

• Apr 26, 2019 - 00:15

Unfortunately, this is not a MuseScore issue itself.

MuseScore uses soundfont files, which is something external and not full controllable by MuseScore.

Worst: most soundfont files follow the General MIDI standard list of instruments, list which didn't make with the instruments you want to use.

There are a lot of instruments this list doesn't include!!!

BUT... If you have enough free time... You can look for some soundfont file with those old instruments, in the web!!! Good luck with your search!!!

mike320

• Apr 26, 2019 - 00:18

Here's the GM Soundfont list: https://www.midi.org/specifications-old/item/gm-level-1-sound-set.

As Juan indicated, there are a lot of soundfonts out there, and you'll probably be able to find one with the sound you want.

gilesh

• Apr 26, 2019 - 09:20

Thanks - but this is not the issue (nor is it a problem). I actually do have soundfonts for some Early Music instruments and have loaded them in MuseScore with no problem. But, someone at MuseScore has included a list of instruments and when you select them to build a score they are already mapped to GM instruments (for example, a bass crumhorn comes through mapped to a baritone sax). I would like to get access to the map because then I can standardise on my Windows XP machines that control my samplers but won't run MuseScore.

To see what I mean, create a new score and select "Choose instruments". By default you are offered "Common instruments" to choose from, but you an also choose "Early Music" by clicking the down arrow. Then you can choose "woodwind" etc, and you get crumhorns and the like, instead of clarinets and oboes. Because MuseScore doesn't have soundfonts for the crumhorns etc. it creates a score with GM patches i.e. modern instruments that are somewhat similar. I would like to get the map that is behind that.

jeetee

• Apr 26, 2019 - 09:42

The mappings used by MuseScore are part of the instruments.xml file. See https://github.com/musescore/MuseScore/blob/v3.1beta/share/instruments/… for the version as included in the latest release (v3.1-beta)
Search on "earlymusic" within that file to locate the instruments included in the Early Music category. For example:

            <Instrument id="baroque-oboe">
                  <longName>Baroque Oboe</longName>
                  <shortName>Bq. Ob.</shortName>
                  <description>Baroque Oboe</description>
                  <musicXMLid>wind.reed.oboe</musicXMLid>
                  <clef>G</clef>
                  <barlineSpan>1</barlineSpan>
                  <aPitchRange>60-83</aPitchRange>
                  <pPitchRange>60-86</pPitchRange>
                  <Channel>
                        <program value="69"/> <!--English Horn-->
                  </Channel>
                  <genre>earlymusic</genre>
            </Instrument>

You're looking for the longName (the instrument as it appears in MuseScore) and the comment of the program value for the linked General Midi Sound

gilesh

• Apr 26, 2019 - 10:05

Thank you - that's exactly what I need.