While trying to find a midi instrument that most closely sounds like a harmonic or artificial harmonic on the violin, I started working on a nwctxt file which would have all midi instruments on it. I run from patch 00 thru 99. Did I miss any? Are there any near the end which are redundant?
Base synths run from 0 to 127 for 128 instruments
Sound font based synths can have 128 * 128 instruments
DLS and other advanced synths can have 128 * 128 * 128 instruments (Bank, MSB, LSB), but rarely have more than a thousand (600 is typical)
Then there are percussion instruments ...
So yes, I'd say you missed a few.
G'day Warren,
Rick has a point...
However, given that one can't guarantee that someone else has a synth that matches your own, it's probably best to keep to GM when sharing files.
Nevertheless, even in this context I think you've still missed a few: 100 to 127. Some of them may be redundant but that list also includes things like a banjo and a sitar.
Good job by the way. This should be quite useful - reckon Rich would like it for the Scripto
Just modified the attachment to the first message to include 100-127--also changed the width and placement of instrument change commands.
Nice, Warren. My first thought was that you should add the GM names of the patches, but on consideration I think not. This way, users can test any bank of sound fonts by checking "send bank select" and entering the appropriate MSB and LSB.
And by the way, I agree completely with Lawrie re sharing files. Sticking with GM is necessary to avoid getting some really weird sounds. Example: in the bank of fonts I usually use with my Audigy II card, the cello is at patch 54. In GM, that's "synth voice." A bit unexpected if you only have GM available.....
I was going to hold off sending it to Rich until someone was able to substitute the instrument names into that file. Since the concensus seems to just want patch numbers for flexability and compatibility, Rich has my permission to use that attachment as is in Scripto.
I could have used something like this several times in the past but until nwctxt, it would have been very tedious creating it from scratch.
At any rate, use it in good health.
HNY