Instrument equalization

[Dan Eble]

A request from a performer to receive MP3 rather than MIDI has triggered an 
excursion into soundfont design and led me to question Lilypond’s default 
instrument-equalizer settings.

         ("flute" . (0 . 0.7))
         ("oboe" . (0 . 0.7))
         ("clarinet" . (0 . 0.7))
         ("bassoon" . (0 . 0.6))
         ("french horn" . (0.1 . 0.7))
         ("trumpet" . (0.1 . 0.8))
         ("timpani" . (0.2 . 0.9))
         ("violin" . (0.2 . 1.0))
         ("viola" . (0.1 . 0.7))
         ("cello" . (0.2 . 0.8))
         ("contrabass" . (0.2 . 0.8))

I think I grasp the technical function of the equalizer (squeeze the musical 
dynamic range into a smaller range of MIDI velocity values than the full 
1-127), but I don’t understand the choice of default values.  For example, why 
should a cello at forte use less velocity than a violin at forte?  Were these 
chosen based on the perceived effect when rendered by a specific synthesizer?  
If so, which one?  Were they implemented with the belief that they would be 
appropriate for use with most synthesizers?  Are they?

These definitely complicate the design of my soundfont.  (I would like velocity 
to control more than just volume, and having a different velocity range for 
different viol instruments requires more work.)  At the moment, I am inclined 
to defeat the equalizer in my Lilypond scores so that all instruments use the 
same mapping of dynamic to velocity, and account for the relative volume of 
instruments in the soundfont itself.  Any thoughts?

Thanks and regards,
— 
Dan