Re: Question about using NWC with files other than GM
Reply #1 –
G'day Dwight,
The range of sounds available from the XG synth is accessed by selecting "bank" and "instrument" numbers. You can only access them if you have an XG synth...
E.G In NWC2 you select a staff, press <Alt-Enter> to go to the staff properties and then select the instrument tab.
In the "MIDI Patch Instructions" you have several options you can select from:
- Send Patch
- Send Bank Select
- MSB (Most Significant Byte)
- LSB (Least Significant Byte)
The effect of these will vary slightly from synth to synth in that if you select a patch and bank for, say, your XG synth and then play back on the MS wavetable the instrument may not exist...
OK now, in the GM set patch 0, MSB 0 and LSB 0 are Accoustic Grand Piano - ditto in the XG set
In the XG set Patch 62, MSB 0 and LSB 12 is - "Quack Brass" - this doesn't even exist in the GM set.
To make life easier NWC2 uses an "itree" or instrument tree facility whereby you can edit a text file called an nwcitree and setup the patch settings so that simply selecting an instrument does all the work for you.
There are example itrees in the forum and the Scripto.
Scripto:
http://nwc-scriptorium.org/helpful.html#Itree
Forum:
https://forum.noteworthycomposer.com/?topic=5553.0
The itree format is a little complex but understandable once you get into it - there are explanatory notes in the "sample" itree. It is a text file that you can edit with notepad.
Remember: Always work on a copy...