Changing sound type in Mixer between pitched and unpitched instruments
I'm working on a piece that has a pitched instrument transition into a percussion part using a custom drumset I made (multiple body percussion instruments combined). However, when I first set the instrument change to "Percussion", the default sound set was "Orchestral", so I couldn't get hand claps. As you may know, you can normally change the sound set in the mixer to achieve this, but the problem was that I couldn't select any percussion sounds from the drop-down list on the "Percussion" sub-instrument. So the only sounds in the list were pitched ones, even though it would actually sound like percussion during playback (just with a sound set I didn't want).
I also couldn't actually change the instrument channel in the mixer to allow this, even though the Drumset check box would allow me to check it. Checking the box, clicking on a different instrument, and then looking back at the Percussion one showed the box being unchecked.
I remedied this by setting the instrument change to one that uses the "Standard" sound set first, and then applying my custom drumset there, resulting in proper playback. However, it feels odd that checking the Drumset box on a sub-instrument for a pitched instrument (or vice versa on an unpitched one, as I tested) does nothing and then returns back to its previous state whenever examined again. I feel like the functionality should be added, or perhaps that checkbox disabled in those circumstances if it doesn't properly do anything.
Justen
Comments
Without seeing the score itself, it is difficult to say for sure, but - did you add the actual instrument change element from the text palette? If so, it should let you switch between pitched and unpitched directly in the dialog that pops up, no need to mess with the Mixer.
In reply to Without seeing the score… by Marc Sabatella
I am not sure if it is relevant in this case, but it might be better not to suggest adding a instrument change from the text pallet but rather to do it from the [Add]>[Text] menu until this #320828: Change Instrument Palette Text does not recognise current instrument leading to incorrect transpositions is fixed.
In reply to I am not sure if it is… by SteveBlower
Good point! Probably not relevant here indeed unless transposition changes are involved, and also, as far as I can see it’s a pretty minor issue with an easy workaround (re-add the correct key signature manually), but still, I’ll try to remember to recommend Add / Text in the future!
FWIW, the key signature wasn’t added automatically at all until recently, so you always needed to added it manually in the past. So I’m kind of in that habit anyhow :-)
In reply to Good point! Probably not… by Marc Sabatella
It's minor if you realise the instrument change has added the wrong key signature (not just omitted it) before entering the notes for the changed instrument. If you have added a page or so of clarinet in A with the wrong key signature, adding the correct one doesn't correct the pitches and sorting that out is a real pain.
In reply to It's minor if you realise… by SteveBlower
I see, that possibility hadn’t occurred to me, thanks for the clarification! Probably more likely to happen when copying a score than when composing because the playback is a dead giveaway otherwise.
In reply to I see, that possibility hadn… by Marc Sabatella
I frequently have to re-write hard copy clarinet parts for different transpositions C to Bb, A to Bb, Basset horn in F to Alto in Eb etc. and I have been bitten quite a few times by this.