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multiple instruments

Hello...I am new to nwc so I don't know where to find out how to have several instruments play at once. For example, I would like to have the reed organ play the treble and the oboe play the bass. Can this be done with nwc? As it seems to me now, I can have one or the other but not both...any help would be appreciated!...thanks.........Paul

ps...I am new to this kind of music...all of my background is in piping (highland bagpipes) which only utilizes one staff and alot of gracing.

Re: multiple instruments

Reply #1 –
Well, your actual capabilities are dependent on your sound card/MIDI device. However, it is very unusual these days for a MIDI device to support less than 10 separate instruments simultaneously.

In NWC, you select the instrument for a staff from Staff Properties. Each staff can be assigned its own instrument. You can even change the instrument within the staff, using the Insert | Instrument Patch command. Try it out. I bet your system can handle it.

You should be sure that each staff is assigned a unique MIDI channel, unless you know why you want two staves to share a MIDI channel. This is generally handled automatically by NWC. MIDI channel 10 is generally reserved for drum kit sounds.

You might want to try looking over some of the samples that come with the program, as well as those of our users (check out the links here on our site).

Lastly, the user's guide that is included with the product covers some of this as well.

Re: multiple instruments

Reply #2 –
Thank you... I have been experimenting with the downloaded demo version...I just ordered the registered version. I am really enjoying this...it is a great way to learn music ... I just arranged a little Bach score and after adding phrasing and a few other dynamics it sounds absolutely beautiful. Thanks again.

Paul

Re: multiple instruments

Reply #3 –
You can post your arrangements, compositions or anything NoteWorthy to the user sponsored NWC Scriptorium.
 

Re: multiple instruments

Reply #4 –
Thank you so much for the information. I am going to post my arrangement of a little Bach piece from the St. Matthew Passion. While I don't necessarily have a special interest in religious music I am enormously attracted to anything by J.S. Bach. Having said that, I have little musical training outside of my celtic background in piping and this is my first foray into working with a staff (particularly the bass staff) and notation. So please don't laugh. I worked on this arrangement for a rather odd reason. If I could, I would love to be able to play Bach's keyboard works...particularly the 3 part inventions and his organ works. So dream on...but when I was a young boy (and here is where you have to keep from laughing) I took accordion lessons and learned some of the rudiments of music. I discarded the accordion over 40 years ago and would never tell a soul that I could play one. But several weeks ago I purchased a used one and realized that good music can be coaxed out of some very odd instruments...and since I don't have a pipe organ and I can't play one anyway, I took a second look at this strange little squeeze box and here is what I saw. We have a keyboard with free reeds and several stops available on the right hand...a bellows to control volume and some dynamics...and on the left hand we have a base register with buttons for the lower notes...again with several stops. There are also buttons for major, minor, seventh and diminished chords. I reasoned that if I arranged the music to use these bass buttons...I could produce an arrangement playable within the constraints of the instrument. To do this, required some simplification so I eliminated where necessary any notes in the left (button) hand that were being played in the right hand. No chords are used (that would be cheating) and the result is sort of like a reed organ redition using the available keys. If you are still reading and have an interest in Bach or unusual arrangements I would appreciate your critique...be gentle...this is my first time. In any case, this NWC software is helping me develope facility with reading and understanding the music...it's a real kick for me. I just wish I had taken keyboard lessons from childhood. Thanks for reading!...Paul Grecay, Lewes, Delaware