Skip to main content ↑ ↓
Topic: MIDI output volume. (Read 5331 times) previous topic - next topic

MIDI output volume.

I have a MIDI electric piano, and like to play Noteworthy songs out to the piano. The trouble is, the volume is always set to maximum (127), regardless of the Staff volume setting. This is frighteningly loud with the piano's volume knob in its "normal" position.

The only way I seem to be able to override it is to put a dynamic marking at the beginning of the score (eg, "p"), but as soon as Noteworthy encounters an "f", it's way too loud again. Of course, I can use the volume knob on the piano, but is there a way to set the general MIDI output volume, either from Noteworthy or Windows?

I have a Creative AWE64 sound card.

Thanks.

Re: MIDI output volume.

Reply #1 –
It is not clear what problem you are having with MIDI volume. MIDI Volume is totally under your control, not set to 127 as stated. You can set the volume from the following places:

- in Staff Properties
- in a Dynamic expression
- in a multi-point controller

If you are unhappy with a volume setting, you should change it in one of these places.

Re: MIDI output volume.

Reply #2 –
I am trying to control the volume using the Staff volume setting. But it seems to have no effect on the MIDI output volume. Setting it to any number, even zero, still results in maximum volume output.

Using dynamics in the score works fine. But not the Staff volume.

However, the Staff volume works perfectly well when playing songs via the PC speakers. The problem only occurs when I try to play songs out to the piano.

I am using MIDI channel 16 to send to the piano.

What am I missing here?

Re: MIDI output volume.

Reply #3 –
Maybe your piano doesn't accept the volume control ? Strange...

Re: MIDI output volume.

Reply #4 –
If your keyboard does not respond to the volume changes sent by NWC, then there is obviously nothing that can be done from the NWC end to resolve this.

However, you might try changing the MIDI velocity settings in a Dynamics marker. Reduce the velocity setting, and see if this helps. It would be very unusual for an external keyboard with synthesizer to ignore both MIDI volume and velocity changes. Surely it will respond to one or the other, if not both.

Re: MIDI output volume.

Reply #5 –
The piano does indeed accept volume commands, but only if I put a dynamic marking in the score (eg, "p"). It's just that it completely ignores the Staff Properties volume setting.

If I, for example, set the Staff Properties volume to 40, the song will be played at maximum volume until a dynamic marking in the score (eg, "p") is reached. Whatever Staff Properties volume I use, the output is the same (very loud), until a dynamic marking is reached.

Thanks for your replies. The fact that the piano responds to dynamic markings, but not the Staff Properties volume, made me suspect that it's something within Noteworthy. But clearly this phenomenon is something peculiar to my setup or the way I'm using it, so I'll look further into it this end. Thanks again.

Re: MIDI output volume.

Reply #6 –
Did you try to export to a midi file, and run that file (out of NWC)?

Or did you try to set -1 in the midi volume in staff properties? (btw, if you put 64 in the staff properties, and then NO MPC nor Dynamic change it (i.e no MPC on volume, and all dynamics have -1 for midi VOLUME, I'm not talking about veocity), this shoud be correct...

HTH,
Dominique

Re: MIDI output volume.

Reply #7 –
David,

Do you know that the dynamic marking (eg, "p") may change both the volume and the velocity, which are two different midi controls ? This may explain why your keyboard doesn't accept the Staff Properties volume (because it doesn't respond to this controller) but accepts the dynamic (if it changes the velocity).

Re: MIDI output volume.

Reply #8 –
Thats it!

Thanks Olivier... it appears that my piano doesn't respond to MIDI volume commands; but it does respond to note velocity commands. Fiddling with the two different overrides in a dynamic expression proves it.

Thanks to everyone who responded.

Re: MIDI output volume.

Reply #9 –
A remote possibility - check that you've got "Local Off" if your keyboard has a switch or menu setting for this. It could be that if local is on, then only the local (on-unit) volume control has any effect.
 

Re: MIDI output volume.

Reply #10 –
The piano doesn't have a "local off" setting. However, I have found that the "multi timbre" setting is the culprit. There are pros and cons for having it set 'on' or 'off', but one effect of turning it 'off' is that the piano no longer responds to MIDI volume commands. The documentation doesn't mention that.

This, coupled with the fact that I had never really grasped the difference between MIDI volume and note velocity, caused my confusion. For anyone who's interested, the piano is a Technics PX224.