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Topic: Problem with midi playback (Read 2798 times) previous topic - next topic

Problem with midi playback

Hi everybody,

I am actually going crazy because either the programm OR my computer aren't doing what I want them to do, and that's: Insert an Instrument Patch (f.ex. Clarinet) and simply GET a clarinet sound.
Unfortunately this isn't what's happening: I insert an instrument patch, and nothing changes. Or I get the instrument I want to hear, and 3 notes later it's the wrong one again...
Is there anybody who can tell me what exactly the problem is, or what I can do to fix it? Thanks in advance!

P.S.: I attached the score I am actually working on. Curiously the problem occurs most of the time in the flute staff (with sounds like a clarinet) and in the clarinet staff (which sounds like a trumpet or a flute).

Re: Problem with midi playback

Reply #1 –
I'm attaching a Score Review (Tools > Score Review) for reference.

I believe your problem is that you are using the same MIDI channel (11 in this case) for different instruments. In short, this doesn't work well. You can share the same MIDI channel on separate staves if they are playing the same instrument patch (for example, Violons and Violino II. in your score).  Also, you should avoid using channel 10, as that has special behavior for percussion tracks.

Let me know if this fixes your issue.

Re: Problem with midi playback

Reply #2 –
Hi Mike,

Thanks so much, now it works perfectly! Well, another day, another lesson...  ;)

Re: Problem with midi playback

Reply #3 –
As Mike explained, you should always try to avoid sending different sounds (or sound configurations) to the same channel.

Of course, you have 16 staves/instruments and there are only 15 musical channels (and 1 drum channel) available.
So normally you will have a problem. Mike's suggestion to combine similar instruments should be fine, unless you want these combined instruments be different (like a different PAN or VOLUME).

But..., if you have more than one (virtual) playback device, NWC makes it possible to use them also on different ports (see Tools\Option\Midi). This way you can multiply your 15 channels by the number of defined devices. If you send a staff on channel 1 to device 1 (port 1) and another staff also on channel 1 to device 2 (port 2) , then they aren't mixed up.

Be aware that a score with different playback devices will only be useful for you (and for someone with a similar configuration).

Do you have already different playback devices? If not, you can create additional virtual devices with tools like MidiYoke or VirtualMIDISynth.

Bart