"change instrument" buggy with custom drumsets in Musescore 3
Currently, the "change instrument" function, which allows changes of instruments on the same staff is buggy and limited when dealing with percussion/drumsets. 1) when "change instrument" is added to the staff and the new instrument is selected, notes of the effected measures are not automatically changed to the new instrument. One has to reenter the notes manually in order for them to sound properly. 2) Loading custom drumsets into a "change instrument" section of a score has no effect. The default instrument, including note heads remains. As a result, once a "change instrument" has been implemented, there is no way of returning to the original instrument that has a custom drumset.
In the attached score, the Response/Group staff starts off with a custom drumset (surdo.drm). After temporarily changing the staff to Tamborim (actually bongo), I am unable to change the instrument back to custom surdo.drm drumset for the group response. (The same occurs in 3.1 beta. Loading the score in 3.1 has changed my original drumset into a piano notes. Has there been a changed in the assigned midi numbers?). In addition, the staff name (long and short) of the "changed instrument" is not editable which means that it ignores the custom instrument name. For example, in attached score, I have specified the changed instrument as "tamborim". However, the staff name remains "bongo" which is the actual playback instrument being used. I am unable to delete or change name "bon." by the staff. To remediy this, I suggest making the instrument names to the left of the staff directly editable by clicking on them like other text elements. Currently, one can't even hide the default name of the changed instrument. When notating percussion in Musescore, we are often substituting sounds for other instruments. For example, I might use a frame drum as one of the sounds for a surdo (Brazilian low drum).
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Samba breaks.mscz | 22.14 KB |
Comments
I suggest adding the option of loading a custom instrument/drumset directly from the "change instrument" dialogue that comes up when right-clicking the text "change instrument".
A couple of years ago, someone also brought up the same issue of not being able to revert to the original instrument: "Instrument change - back to primary instrument".https://musescore.org/en/node/180366
The "change instrument" function in Musescore, in my humble opinion, needs to be revamped.
In reply to A couple of years ago,… by Sambaji
I have reason to believe someone is working on the change staff type so it will be possible to set properties and change from pitched to unpitched instruments for a section of a staff. If this is true, then this should be included in the fix...I hope.
In reply to I have reason to believe… by mike320
In the meantime, I am avoiding using the Change Instrument command altogether with percussion instruments by creating a custom drumset that includes all the instruments I want on one staff and using staff text to indicate the change instead of the "change instrument" text.
In reply to In the meantime, I am… by Sambaji
Excellent idea.