Too many instruments

• Feb 13, 2011 - 20:04

Hello, I am somewhat new here and I have a question. If I score for too many instruments, the instruments down at the bottom end up all sounding like pianos. Is there anyway to change this?

Comments

• Feb 17, 2011 - 01:33

It happens with very large scores, well over 30 instruments. In playback instruments near the bottom of the score do not sound like the instrument, but just sound like a piano. The attached is a score which has the problem. All the instruments to the first violins sound like they should and all the instruments bellow them sound like a piano.

Attachment Size
symphony.mscz 4.25 KB

Reply

• Sep 28, 2011 - 20:00

I'm not sure how MuseScore assigns instruments, but the fact that there are 30 instruments involved leads me to suspect that this is a MIDI channel problem.

MIDI only has 16 channels so if you want to have 30 parts you either have to share them between two MIDI ports or share voices between instruments.

In my backing track programming days I used to get round this by assigning Violin 1 & 2, Viola, Cello and Double Bass to one of the String Ensemble sounds in the GM soundset. Same with saxes and also with Brass. This meant I was squeezing around 14 instruments into 3 channels leaving 12 for other instruments and 1 for percussion.

I shall be following this thread with interest :)

Regards
Michael

Reply

Do you still have an unanswered question? Please log in first to post your question.