Skip to main content
Topic: Percussion Instruments (Read 7390 times) previous topic - next topic

Percussion Instruments

I am using the trial version of NWC but I can only use the melodic instruments but not the percussion ones. Are they in this?

Re: Percussion Instruments

Reply #1
The percussion instruments do not appear in the General MIDI list of 128 instruments available on MIDI channels 1-9 and 11-16.  MIDI channel 10 is reserved for percussion instruments and a list of percussion instruments is available when you choose channel 10 for a staff in NWC.  Each note on the treble clef staff and on the bass cleff staff is a different percussion instrument.  See the drumref.nwc file in Samples for which instrument is called by each note. So to write a percussion part be sure to choose MIDI channel 10 for that staff.

Re: Percussion Instruments

Reply #2
Oops!  Be sure to choose 001 Grand Piano as the instrument on a MIDI channel 10 percussion part.  A list of percussion instruments actually doesn't appear in the instruments, you have to refer to the drumref.nwc file for the right note in the treble or bass clef for each percussion instrument.

Re: Percussion Instruments

Reply #3
Why do we have to choose 001 Grand Piano?
Does it make any difference?
What if we choose Alto Saxophone?
Isn't a snare a snare?

Re: Percussion Instruments

Reply #4
Not on all soundcards. Some have drums for different settings ex. jazz, orchestra etc. By choosing Piano, you make sure you get the standard drum set.
Sincerely,
Francis Beaumier
Green Bay, WI

Re: Percussion Instruments

Reply #5
What do you get with the other instruments?
Is there a list somewhere?

 

Re: Percussion Instruments

Reply #6
Here is the list of drum kit patch numbers that applies to most sound cards, taken from a Sound Blaster manual:

1 Standard = 32 Jazz
9 Room
17 Power
25 Electronic
26 TR-808
41 Brush
49 Orchestra
57 SFX
128 CM-64/32L

I can't include a list of individual sound differences here, howerver; the list would be huge.

A different patch causes some (but in most cases not all) sounds to change - for example in Standard E2 is Snare drum 2, but in Brush it is Brush swirl.

Note also, that you can't use two drum kits simultaneously, since all drum sounds are emitted through channel 10.

Re: Percussion Instruments

Reply #7
Also, you can apply MPC effects on drum sounds, too (not on all cards, though). Especially the Pitch Bend effect can sound quite interesting.

Re: Percussion Instruments

Reply #8
please put some of the percussion instruments on a seperate page.

please don't mind that.
thank you

Re: Percussion Instruments

Reply #9
In your "Samples" folder there should be a file named "Drumref".  Play each staff with Shift/F5 to hear what they sound like.  Note the midi channel must be 10 or 15.
Since 1998

Re: Percussion Instruments

Reply #10
How do you change the MIDI channel to 10 or 15 for percussion instruments

Re: Percussion Instruments

Reply #11
Make the staff active, then use Staff properties(F2), Midi Tab, Channel (range is 1 to 16).