Call me blind, but I can't find the option to set an instrument change patch to channel 10.
Go into staff properties and then click on the midi tab.
You'll find it there.
Ah, thanks. I guess that wasn't ever even a part of the instrument patch. :D
Sometimes it would be very useful to be able to change a channel on a staff in the same way that you can change an instrument patch. But unfortunately, you can't.
I'm thinking of the instances where you have an overload of instruments and you share a channel between a number if staves for the parts of the music where it doesn't matter and then reassign a new channel where the music dictates that it needs a "solo" channel - examples could be first and second banks of an instrument for example.
Or a piece for large orchestra in which all the strings are sharing a single channel set to "string ensemble" and you suddenly need a solo violin. I've actually had this happen. The workaround is to use a layered staff set to a channel that isn't being used at that point in the music. Not difficult. But the ability to change MIDI channels in mid-staff would be useful.
I suppose ultimately that you could need 16 different layers to have something available for every channel that might be needed for the odd few measures that you can't quite fit in at any particular point.
The other option of course is to have two play back devices, but that gives difficulties when providing the nwc file to other people.
I wonder if there is some reason that a midi channel cannot be changed once it has been assigned to a staff. I suppose it would make life difficult on export to a midi file.
I see a few problems that could easily outweigh its value. For example, what should Da Capo do? Restore the original channel? What happens to a pitch bend? What happens to a Volume (or other controller) sweep?
So do I. That doesn't mean it wouldn't be useful, only that it's not very likely to be instituted, and I'm not going to cry if it isn't.
There is actually another option that avoids adding extra layers. Place the notes in the staff where you want them to appear in the printout, mute them, and then put them in as invisible (but sounding) notes in any staff whose channel isn't being used at the moment. Instrument changes fore and aft for the invisible notes complete the job. If you want rests to appear in the "borrowed" staff, you'll have to use rest chords, which somewhat limits what you can write. Or if the borrowed staff has more than one layer, you can put the notes in one layer and the rests in another. (If you're using hidden audible staves and muted printing staves, as I often do, the rest problem disappears and you can borrow any unused staff at will.)
Sorry, I've been away from the forum for a while, so I'm late for the party.
Rich wrote
Another use is preparing parts for someone who doubles and must switch instruments during one song. This is common in big band reed sections, in pit orchestra reed sections, and likely in band writing where you want the oboist to double cor anglais or the tuba to double string bass.