Re: Staff.midiMaximumVolume and drums

[Alexander Kobel]

Daniel MALIK wrote:
> i try this code for a midi file with drums with a volume low
>
> \score {
>        <<
>        \new Staff {
>                 \set Staff.midiMaximumVolume = #1
>                \NOTES
>                }
>                      \new Staff {
>                 \set  = #0.1
>                \drums {
>                         \repeat "unfold" 98 {  toml2 ss2 ss2 ss2}
>                                      }
>        }
>        >>
>        \midi { }
>                       }
>
> if the is 0.1 or 0.9 the volume is the same !

Hi, Daniel.


First of all, the second \set command misses the (non-optional) 
identifier what value should be set (i.e., Staff.midiMaximumVolume).

Then, the Notation Reference (NR) 3.5.5, "Equalizing different 
instruments (i)" states that "There must be a dynamic mark on the first 
note of each instrument for this to work correctly." So you should add a 
\f or \p or whatever to the first notes. (Not sure whether you need to 
specify the midiInstrument and/or midiMinimumVolume along with this, by 
the way; try to comment out these lines. But I'd guess so at least for 
midiMinimumVolume, s.t. you don't end up with the (default) piano louder 
than your (overridden) forte.)

(=> Should this be changed or more highlighted, for example as a "Known 
issues and warnings" section?)

Next, NR 3.5.6 says that also for MIDI output, you should notate the 
drums in a DrumStaff context instead of a usual Staff (and, thus, change 
the first argument of the \set command accordingly).

And finally I'm not sure about the \drums command; it's not mentioned in 
the command index, although it seems to work somehow. You probably 
wanted to use \drummode.

\version "2.12.0"

\score {
  <<
    \new Staff {
      \set Staff.midiInstrument = #"acoustic grand"
      \set Staff.midiMinimumVolume = #0.7
      \set Staff.midiMaximumVolume = #1
      c\f d e f g a b c'
    }
    \new DrumStaff \drummode {
      \set DrumStaff.midiInstrument = #"drums"
      \set DrumStaff.midiMaximumVolume = #0.1
      \set DrumStaff.midiMaximumVolume = #0.3
      toml\f ss\f hh ss toml ss hh ss
    }
  >>
  \midi {}
}

Works with me.


Cheers,
Alexander