Lute Soundfont - Playing Unlisted Instruments in MuseScore?
Is there a way to play the soundfont of an unlisted instrument (not selectable in the list of instruments for creating a new score)? Lute and other historical music instruments, perhaps?
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General MIdi supports only 128 different instruments. They are listed, among other places, here: http://www.musiccenters.com/gmidi.html The easiest thing to do would be to use a guitar and just change the name of the instrument on the score. Since the guitar sounds bad, maybe it'll sound like a bad lute too. :-)
If you can find a non-general midi soundfont that you want to use just for your lute work that may get you closer to what you're looking for, but only one soundfont at a time is supported, so it wouldn't be that great for ensemble scores such as vivaldi lute concertos.
In reply to Soundfont? by MDMilford
I've found a couple of lute sf2 files. I've tried changing the sf2 directory, but it doesn't show up. I'm guessing it's because the sheet music instruments aren't set to lute -- but how do you add a new instrument choice to musescore?
In reply to I've found a couple of lute by ina_
But if I had to make a completely random guess.... If your soundfont contains just the lute, it probably uses that as the same midi patch number as grand piano. Try adding a piano to the score, removing the bass clef, and changing the name to Lute. Might work, probably won't, maybe someone who actually knows can answer, or let me know if it works for ya.
In reply to well I don't really know by MDMilford
Nope. :-( Tried that and a few other combinations. No sound!
Switching back to my fluid sf2 for now...
I am unable to find documentation on how to install new instruments or modify the instruments xml file (my guess at how to change instruments). Help appreciated!
Incidentally, are there other programs to use to play lute music?
In reply to Nope. :-( Tried that and a by ina_
I'm not into lute music at all, so I'm not sure it's the result you want to achieve.
I downloaded this soundfont, unzipped, pick it up in Preferences->I/O. I restarted MuseScore and the demo score is played with a lute or a guitar but not a piano.
This soundfont contains only a lute. See Display -> Mixer and the dropdown menu.
If you had no luck with other soundfont, please link to them.
In reply to Lute Soundfont by [DELETED] 5
Ah, *this* soundfont works! Thanks lasconic!
Corollary question... is there an easy way to change soundfonts - instead of having to update the path every single time, define shortcuts perhaps?
In reply to Nope. :-( Tried that and a by ina_
Probably the easiest way is to create your own file as suggested by MDMilford and Lasconic and then save it in the templates folder as described in the "Templates" section of Create new score .
I use a concertina soundfont. I simply put in in a folder and pointed MuseScore to it. It plays against the piano staff. Obviously I have to rename the staff.
Had to restart MuseScore for it to use the new soundfont, of course.
I'm trying to change soundfont in preferences I/O, but there is no Default SoundFont space at the bottom where I have to give soundfont file
is there any way to activate it?
In reply to I'm trying to change by hjiji
Open Menu item: Display / Synthesizer - then at 'Soundfont' you can browse to select your new soundfont file.
Regards.
In reply to To change the soundfont... by Jm6stringer
Thanks,
I added Phils_luth.sf2
to folder : /Applications/MuseScore.app/Contents/Resources/sound/
instead of TimGM6mb.sf2
but the sound disappears
In reply to Thanks, I added by hjiji
...the sound disappears?
Can you see the soundfont as a choice in the Synthesizer: 'SoundFont'? or it disappears there?
If you can select your soundfont in the synthesizer:
Try to play the 'Reunion' example score - if it sounds like a lute (instead of piano) your soundfont is using the piano midi channel for lute.
So... if you create a new score, just choose piano and edit the instrument name to 'Lute'.
Regards.
In reply to What do you mean... by Jm6stringer
thank you
It's working !
Regards.
In reply to Thanks, I added by hjiji
If you mean you deleted the TimGM6mb.sf2 file, then no surprise sound wouldn't work any more - that's what MuseScore relies on until you you tell it otherwise. Instead of deleting the original soundfont, you need to go to Display / Synthesizer and change the soundfont from TimGM6mb to your new one.
Since it is presumably not GM-compatible, don't expect any other instruments to play correctly. I would expect most instruments to not play at all by default, since MuseScore won't know what patch to use for them. But you should be able to go to Display / Mixer and select appropriate patches for the instruments in your score - it will list as choices the actual patches provided by the soundfont you loaded.