Better layout of patches in the mixer

• Apr 21, 2015 - 09:11

Now that we can use multiple soundfonts in MuseScore 2, a weakness in the current mixer patch list has emerged.

Currently the list runs through all the patches in the soundfont in numerical order and then if there are other banks of patches as in FluidR3 it lists those after it, again in numerical order. It then does the same with the next soundfont in the list.

Consequently if you are looking for a particular trumpet sound, for example, you have to scroll through dozens of instruments you don't want.

I propose that we create a two tier sound list; the first listing the type of sound in GM order ie beginning with Pianos and ending with Sound Effects, and the second listing the actual sounds available for that category in each bank and soundfont.

I am familiar enough with the Soundfont format to be able to interrogate a soundfont file and extract Patch, Bank and Patchname information. If someone is able to help me with the C++ coding we can get this done relatively simply, although it's pretty certain we will be able to modify the existing patchlist creation code.

Comments please!

Comments

• Apr 21, 2015 - 18:21

I have scant love for the patch dropdown. I find I often have changed its patches by accident, and there is no way to "revert" what you might do accidentally. It is, as you note, very difficult to navigate. The worst manifestation is the ability of the dropdowns to stay "selected" in such a way that moving the mouse elsewhere over the mixer quietly (no visual feedback) and irreversibly changes the selection, leaving you with chaos, when you think you are done changing the patch. The mixer panel needs a lot of loving care (I find the vertical gestures needed to turn the dials counterintuitive and frustrating no matter how well "I get it."); the removal of the nilpotent Chorus and Reverb dials might be a first step.

Excuse, I had to get that off my chest.

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• Apr 21, 2015 - 19:34

I'm happy to help with this, Michael, although I'm pretty busy next few days and am not sure if this something we could realistically get done for 2.0.1. And for 2.1, it's conceivable that there might be bigger mixer changes in store. I guess there isn't a ton a support for the idea I have seen floated of combining it with the instrument list, but there is more for the idea of making the mixer handle multiple voices, also getting channel effects working, I think there were other things being discussed too.

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