External MIDI instruments
I would like to play external MIDI instruments, but am unsure if this is currently supported. I am using the MOTU micro express interface on a Windows 10 machine. Any advice would be much appreciated.
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Welcome. Already had a look at: https://musescore.org/en/handbook/note-input#midi-keyboard ?
In reply to Welcome. Already had a look… by Shoichi
Thank you very much for the welcome. I have looked at the section of the handbook you suggested, but it appears to only address MIDI input. I would like to output to external (bass, percussion, piano, etc.) hardware MIDI instruments.
In reply to Thank you very much for the… by trreed
Then also see https://musescore.org/en/handbook/preferences#midi-in-out
In reply to Then also see https:/… by jeetee
Many thanks. It looked promising at first, but again seems only to address MIDI input (with a particular MIDI output option selected), to ensure proper sound output through the software synth.
In reply to Many thanks. It looked… by trreed
MIDI output is definitely there. Just select your device in the MIDI Output dropdown in Edit / Preferences / I/O and MuseScore will now output its MIDI data to it during playback.
In reply to MIDI output is definitely… by Marc Sabatella
Thanks for your help, Marc. I appreciate it!
In reply to MIDI output is definitely… by Marc Sabatella
It worked for about 5 minutes on my Yamaha DGX-640 connected to my iMac. I can't get it to work anymore.
In reply to It worked for about 5… by TechDAWg
Also check the playback toolbar's 'Toggle MIDI Input:
https://musescore.org/en/handbook/3/play-mode#playback-toolbar
In reply to [inline:restart.png] Also… by Jm6stringer
j,
Why do I not find a "Toggle MIDI Input" control mentioned in that passage on the playback toolbar?
Thanks.
Doug
In reply to j, Why do I not find a … by Doug Kerr
That icon resembling a 5 pin DIN connector. If you don't have it Help > Revert to factory settings should bring it back
In reply to That icon resembling a 5… by Jojo-Schmitz
Jojo,
Yes, I have it. And I would have guessed what that is. I was just concerned that it has been mentioned in a User Guide section and didn't seem to be. But I now see it is mentioned - just not described.
How does this fit in with playback? Is it to set whether, during play, input from the input MIDI port is added into the score material and delivered to the output MIDI port?
Thanks.
Happy new year
In reply to Jojo, Yes, I have it. And I… by Doug Kerr
yes, that's what it should do, in addition to re-scanning and re-enabling sound output
In reply to yes, that's what it should… by Jojo-Schmitz
Interesting about the "re-scanning and re-enabling sound output". I'm not sure I fully understand that, but it sounds valuable.
Doug
In reply to Interesting about the "re… by Doug Kerr
It basically does the same as clicking "Restart Audio and MIDI Devices" in Edit / Preferences / I/O. When you think about it, thus is pretty logical - once you disable MIDI and wish to re-anble it, MuseScore needs to do scan anew for available devices.
In reply to It basically does the same… by Marc Sabatella
Makes sense.
But when we click that icon, does it also turn off MIDI output?
If not, when we turn it OFF, then ON, is it input devices that are scanned for, or both input and output devices? That is, does it in fact do "Restart Audio an MIDI Devices" when it is turned ON?
Doug
In reply to MIDI output is definitely… by Marc Sabatella
A valuable addition would be the ability to disable the internal synthesizer (as while using an external MIDI device). Today I have to do that with the Windows Mixer by muting the output from MuseScore.
Doug
In reply to A valuable addition would be… by Doug Kerr
I note that if I "activate" "Toggle 'MIDI Input' " both input and output MIDI device selections are gone. If I then "de-activate "Toggle 'MIDI Input' ", I can re-assign a MIDI device to input and/or output (but see below).
I note that when I do this, it does not seem from the dialog that the selection "sticks", and the selection does not "work", but if I close MuseScore and then restart it, those selections are in effect and working.
This latter was reported some while ago.
Doug
In reply to I note that if I "activate" … by Doug Kerr
I suspect that when we make a selection for input MIDI device and/or output MIDI device on Preferences/I/O, it is entered into the MuseScore "registry" (we can see it on Preferences>Advanced) but is not actually put into effect. The display seen on Preferences/I/O may come from what is actually in effect, and so if we close and re-open Preferences/I/O we see no selection in effect (and in fact the selection we made does not work).
Then if we close MuseScore and restart it, it loads the values from its "registry" into where they will actually affect operation, so they work. And then we can see them on Preferences/I/O.
Maybe.
Doug
In reply to I suspect that when we make… by Doug Kerr
I further note that if I "activate" "Toggle 'MIDI Input' ", both input and output MIDI device selections as seen on Preferences/I/O disappear, and the MIDI output (at least) no longer functions.
If I "deactivate" "Toggle 'MIDI Input' ", neither device selection reappears, and the MIDI output function (at least) still does not function.
If I then close MuseScore, and then restart it, the two selections appear on Preferences/I/O and the MIDI output function (at least) again operates.
This is consistent with the conjecture I previously described.
Doug
I notice that the MuseScore Mixer allows assignment to different MIDI ports, so that (in theory) one should be able to address multiple external devices via different port assignments (connecting the devices to different
MIDI ports). However, the I/O section in Preferences seems to allow selecting only one port at a time (of multiple ports if your MIDI interface supports them).
If that is the case, it seems that addressing must instead be through channel number within a single port.
However, I am not sure. Any insight would be much appreciated!