How to 'balance' a drumset.

• Dec 20, 2018 - 18:23

The various instruments in a drumset have preset relative volumes. For some scores, I'd like to emphasize one or more of the instruments, but the only way I've found to do this is to create multiple drumsets or add single line staves which isolate the instruments. Does anyone have other ideas for controlling the amplitudes of individual instruments, besides using articulations and dynamics?


Comments

The Inspector allows you to change MIDI velocity directly. So, for instance, right-click a given drum note, Select / More / Same pitch, then add an offset to the velocity, to change the volume of all snare notes or whatever.

In reply to by Marc Sabatella

I think the question here could be: Is there a way to make your own general volume settings for BD, SD, HH, CYMB, Toms etc?
Because: When you lower the default volume on the note itself, the dynamic signs will not work properly. And in my case I often just want to lower the general volume on the hi-hat to get a more groovy drumset? And then make dynamics.
A third, but time-consuming, way is to give each note its own dynamic sign (and then make the dynamics invisible afterwards) In this score Modul 46 I have made the signs visible for you to see

Attachment Size
Modul_46 (4).mscz 67.18 KB

In reply to by DIM

Velocity settings are relative and should still honor the dynamics. So that's really the way to go. Select one drum note you think is too loud or too soft, figure out what velocity adjustment works, then right-click the note, Select / More / Same pitch, and apply the setting.

In reply to by Marc Sabatella

Hi, how do you 'add an offset to the velocity?' Is it via the Properties panel?

I'm rather late to the party with regards MuseScore 4 and the version may have changed since this thread started. Is the Inspector the Properties Panel now? If so, having gone through 'Select / More / Same pitch' and got all the same pitches (Tambourine in this case), I click on the Playback icon in the Properties > General tab, and the velocity option is there. If that's the one to adjust, it doesn't seem to change anything, even when altered really low or high. Am I missing a click somewhere?

Thanks!

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