Instrumentation
I have a few requests regarding instrumentation. 1. Added Instruments
I have a request for some added instruments:
-Slapstick
-Boomwhackers
-Djembe Drum
-Drumline Instrumentation (see below)
2. Enhanced Percussion Sounds
There is a lot of percussion I am very unsatisfied with. I would like to enhance:
-Suspended Cymbal
-Roll
-Scrape
-All percussion
-A buzz (“Z”) articulation
-Gong/Tam Tam
-I know for a fact that there are better gong and tam tam sounds out there. Finale and Sibelius both use a gong soundfont, as I have heard both either from using it, or listening to recordings made in it
-Wind Chimes
-Wind chimes that will make a lasting glissando sound that sounds real
-Brake Drum
-Better sound
3. Drumline
I have been using this drumline soundfont made by another user here: http://musescore.org/en/node/8223. I think it is fantastic (maybe could use improvement on the bass drums and the tenor buzzes, but it works well for me.
4. Toggle Instrumentation Within One Stave
It would be phenomenal if you could change instrumentation within the composition within one stave. As a percussionist, this is very important, as instrumentation changes frequently. For example, the original instrumentation could be Glockenspiel, but then within the song, you can change it to Timpani.
HTH
nrh2110
Comments
Can you provide samples for the insturments you wish to add or enhance?
In version 2 we will have multiole SOundfont support which will make life much easier for guys like you :)
If you can provide samples, then we can potentially do something about custom soundfonts.
You will also be able to change instrument in the middle of a astave too in 2.0
If you head over to the SOundfont forum, you can reaqd the discussions we are having regarding providing new sounds for MuseScore 2.0 - if you would like to contribute samples to this initiative that would be awesome :)
In reply to Can you provide samples for by ChurchOrganist
i will try, but the ones I may provide might kinda suck since I can't listen to them, unless I can provide mp3 to be turned into sf2
In reply to i will try, but the ones I by nrh2110
That is a lossy compression algorithm.
Unless you intend to use a bitrate of 160kbps+ you are going to lose or distort high end artifacts in the 10-20kHz range - most important in a lot of percussion, particularly cymbals, gongs etc! In fact some engineers I have known claim to be able to hear artifacts in mp3 samples recorded under 320Kbps.
If you want to compress your samples it is best to use FLAC. We do have unlimited filespace at Filefactory.com email me via my account here if you'd like the details for uploading samples.
I don't understand why you can't listen to PCM samples? There's no need to turn them into Soundfonts - there are other MuseScore users with that capability.
If you record with Audacity you will be able to play back the sample to assess whether it needs to be done again.
In reply to Eek - MP3! by ChurchOrganist
Here' a link for a sound font pack with bd roll, snare roll, slap stick, tam tam, gong, wind chimes: http://soundfonts.darkesword.com/fonts/roland_orchestral_rhythm.sfpack
Cymbal Rolls:
Cymbal Rolls.zip
(Don't know how they sound)
In reply to Here' a link for a sound font by nrh2110
I suspect that the Roland soundfont is ot open source.
Just because it is available for free download doesn't mean that it is not copyrighted.
If it is subject to copyright then we will not be able to use it in the SoundFont Project.
Where did the CYmbal rolls come from??
In reply to I suspect that the Roland by ChurchOrganist
I got them with off of a website in which i found in google search
Technically this is only partially directed to the OP. It is directed at both OP and the programmers. I didn't want to open my own discussion because it seems to fall into what the OP was saying.
Percussion is always the hardest to do, simply because there is so much debate about notation, etc. I vote that notation for percussion be added or improved. By this I mean that some things, like tubular bells, etc., use the wrong note heads. This is extremely bothersome to change every single time. For things like wind chimes, there is no way to notate it at all (partially because the instrument does not exist in the GM banks). I think we should have full support for all percussion notation. If you don't know what I mean, just look up wind chime glissandi on Google. You'll find one. You also forgot to mention timpani rolls. The Roland timpani is extremely impressive, and comes with a realistic roll (well, it would be if dynamics worked properly on MuseScore).
Anyway. With things like cymbal roll and wind chimes, the playback would be very difficult to do. Not only would you have to make it sound realistic, it would have to build and decay realistically. For example, the merlin_gold soundfont has a reverse cymbal sound that I often use for suspended cymbal roll, but it has a set duration for the build and decay. It literally will only sound right if you have it on one specific duration, which is quite annoying.
As for sounds for percussion, I think ALL common percussion should have an improved sound. Things like wood blocks, rain stick, etc.
Regarding changing mid-staff, I believe that is being implemented in version 2.0. There is currently a workaround, though it is hardly satisfactory. I use the merlin_gold soundfont for just about everything, as it comes with a few extra sounds (timpani roll, reverse cymbal, etc.). I generally set mallet percussion as violin and set it in the mixer as glockenspiel (arco), vibraphone (pizzicato), and tubular bells (tremolo). Timpani is violoncello, with arco set as timpani and pizzicato as timpani roll. I have my percussion all in percussion 1, 2, and 3. As I said, percussion notation is far from satisfactory. I have percussion 1 as crash cymbal, ride cymbal, etc. Percussion 2 as snare, bass, wood blocks, and all the other sticked instruments. I have percussion 3 as violin. Arco is set to reverse cymbal (for a suspended cymbal sound) and pizzicato set to Roland gong. This is extremely frustrating, as they belong elsewhere. They should be with the others in percussion 1. I should be able to use percussion 3 for other auxiliary instruments, like rain stick or wind chimes. Anyway, I said all that to say this: percussion notation is extremely important, and I think it should be high on the priority list.
Sorry for the long post. . . Just my thoughts.
You guys seriously have no idea how frustrating it is for me. The Percussionist. Cloud Dance has so many gaps that are silent, because they're filled by cymbal/timpani/snare drum rolls. All of which have a crescendo. I would also suggest that maybe the orchestral snare drum sound more realistic? Perhaps? It doesn't sound much like the snare drum you hear in a professional recording of one of Richard Saucedo's compositions (That's my example of a orchestra snare that sounds good). I would also say the same for bass drum. It's too quiet. And you don't get the boomier sound of an orchestra bass drum compared to the drumset bass drum that currently holds that place. And also, crotales? Somebody forgot to mention them.
Really, I just hope to see a massive improvement in percussion sounds in general.
In reply to Agreement with the discussion by Percussionist6
MuseScore already allows you to install different soundfonts, as documented in Soundfont . The one listed as FluidR3 - which is much better than the default in 1.3 - is going to be ome the default in 2.0, but you can install and use it right now. And if that doesn't suit your fancy, you can search online for others - there are zillions of options available.
Also, while rolls will play back automatically in 2.0, you can force them to in 1.3 by simply writing them out as 64th notes or whatever. Normally not worth the effort for most people, as the norm is to care more about the appearance of the score than the computer playback. Ut if fr some reason you do care about playback a lot, then this becomes a good option.