Questions & Answers

How to assign a General MIDI instrument to a staff for playback

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asked Mar 3, 2018 in Notion by richardsutcliffe (150 points)
I would like to assign a staff to a General MIDI instrument and then have it played back using the computer's MIDI synthesiser. I am on Windows. I have:

1. File - Preferences - Audio = Default

2. File - Preferences - MIDI IO - MIDI Output Port A = Microsoft GS Wavetable Synth

3. For a staff, Tools - Staff Settings - Instrument = External MIDI, MIDI Port A, Channel 1

This indeed plays the Piano on that staff, generated by the Wavetable Synth. How can I set it to some other GM instrument? In other score programs you get a list of the 128 GM instruments to choose from.

When I change to Channel 10 I get the GM percussion sounds (all other channels remain as piano). So I must be very close.

I should explain that for most staffs in the score I am using sampled Notion Instruments. I just want to add some extra GM sounds.

Sorry for the basic question, many thanks for any help!

richard

1 Answer

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answered Apr 18, 2018 by TechSupport77 (195,990 points)
 
Best answer

Hi Richard,

The problem is that you need to send program changes to switch banks of instruments in the Microsoft GS Wavetable Synth.  Notion does not support the use of program changes.  I just looked at it myself and am getting the same exact results that you are.  In this day and age, we usually recommend using VST plug-ins and send keyswitches via rules to change patches.  

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