Re: state of the release: the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

[Peter Chubb]

>>>>> "Trevor" == Trevor Daniels <address@hidden> writes:

Trevor> David Kastrup wrote Wednesday, June 02, 2010 7:37 AM
>> 
>> It is, for example, not possible to create your own dynamics
>> commands with an audible result: the documentation on creating
>> dynamics, including snippets, is silent on that if I am not
>> mistaken.

Trevor> Have you actually looked at section 3.5.5 Controlling MIDI
Trevor> Dynamics in the Notation Reference?  What else would you like
Trevor> to see there?  Or maybe what it says there no longer works?  I
Trevor> haven't tried it recently.

The midi dynamics don't work properly, and never have.  They adjust
the volume, but not the velocity, and they always apply for the full
duration of a note.  This means that when played through a half-way
decent synthesizer, the different tones for the different dynamics do
not come through.  For example, a clarinet played loudly has a buzz
that isn't there when it's played softly --- it's not just a volume
change.

So for example,

   { 
     \set Staff.midiInstrument = "clarinet"
      c1\f\> c1\!
   }

plays the first c forte then the next one piano.  There's no
decrescendo on the first C.  And no way to say, stop halfway.
I have to do things like this to get the visual effect I want:

   <<
        { c1 } \\
        { s16\f\> s16 s8 s4 \! s2}
   >>
and that doesn't do the right thing in the MIDI output.



--
Dr Peter Chubb                                  peter DOT chubb AT nicta.com.au
http://www.ertos.nicta.com.au               ERTOS within National ICT Australia
All things shall perish from under the sky/Music alone shall live, never to die