Screwed-Up MIDI

[Will Oram]

By request of Mr. Percival, I forward this subject to this list. What I 
originally wrote:

> I've been working on an orchestral score for a few months now, and it
> sounds great on MIDI. Just today I made a few tweaks to establish a new
> \global. Now when I play generated MIDIs, it sounds fine...except for
> one voice, solo violin. Instead of sounding like a violin, it uses
> gunshots, and the timing is off. Looking at the score, you'd think
> nothing changed from before.

Below is the score file. Note that by commenting out one instrument, 
Solo Violin works again:

\version "2.1.17"

#(set-global-staff-size 13)
\include "english.ly"
\include "defs.ly"
\include "global.ly"

%%% \notes{} for each instrument \included here %%%

\score {        
  <<
        \spacing
        \property Score.InstrumentName \override #'font-magnification   = #1.5
        \property Score.InstrumentName \override #'padding                      
        = #12
        
    \context StaffGroup ="woodwinds" <<
      \context GrandStaff ="flutes" <<
        \context Staff = "flauti" <<
                \property Staff.midiInstrument = #"flute"
                        \property Staff.instrument = \markup { \center < "Flauto 
I." > }
                        \property Staff.instr   = \markup { \center < "Fl." > }
                        \barlines
                        \theFlutes >>
           \context Staff = "flauti2" <<
                    \property Staff.midiInstrument = #"flute"
                        \property Staff.instrument = \markup { \center < "Flauto 
II." > }
                        \barlines
                        \theSecondFlutes >>
        >> % end flutes
      \context Staff ="oboi" <<
        \property Staff.midiInstrument = #"oboe"
        \property Staff.instrument = \markup { \center < "2 Oboi" > }
        \property Staff.instr = \markup { \center < "Ob." > }
        \barlines
        \theOboes >>
      \context Staff = "clarinetti" <<
        \property Staff.midiInstrument = #"clarinet"
      	\property Staff.instrument = \markup { \center < "2 Clarinetti" 
"in A" > }
        \property Staff.instr = \markup { \center < "Cl." > }
        \theClarinets >>
      \context Staff = "fagotti" <<
        \property Staff.midiInstrument = #"bassoon"
        \property Staff.instrument = \markup { \center < "2 Fagotti" > }
        \property Staff.instr = \markup { \center < "Fg." > }
        \barlines
        \theBassoons >>
    >> % end woodwinds

    \context StaffGroup ="brass" <<
      \context GrandStaff = "horns" <<
                \context Staff = "corni_first" <<
                        \property Staff.midiInstrument = #"french horn"
			\property Staff.instrument = \markup { \center < "Corni in F" "I  
II" > }
                        \property Staff.instr = \markup { \center < "Cor. (F)" 
> }
                        \theHornsfirst >>
                \context Staff = "corni_second" <<
                        \property Staff.midiInstrument = #"french horn"
                        \property Staff.instrument = \markup { \center < "III IV" 
> }
                        \theHornssecond >>
                >>
                \context Staff = "trumpet" <<
                        \property Staff.midiInstrument = #"trumpet"
			\property Staff.instrument = \markup { \center < "2 Trombe" "in D" > 
}
                        \property Staff.instr = \markup { \center < "Trbe. (D)" 
> }
                        \theTrumpets >>
    >>

    \context StaffGroup ="timpani_group" <<
      \context Staff ="timpani" <<
        \property Staff.midiInstrument = #"timpani"
      	\property Staff.instrument = \markup { \center < "Timpani" "in 
E-H" > }
        \property Staff.instr = \markup { \center < "Timp." > }
        \theTimpani
        >>
    >>

     \context StaffGroup ="solo_group" <<
      \context Staff ="solo" <<
        \property Staff.midiInstrument = #"violin"
        \property Staff.instrument = \markup { \center < Violino Solo > }
        \property Staff.instr = \markup { \center < "V.S." > }
        \barlines
        \theSolo
        >>
    >>

    \context StaffGroup ="strings" <<
        \context GrandStaff = "upper_strings" <<
                \context Staff = "violin_one" <<
                        \property Staff.midiInstrument = #"string ensemble 1"
                                \property Staff.instrument = \markup { \center < 
"Violino I" > }
                                \property Staff.instr = \markup { \center < "Vl." 
> }
                                \barlines
                                \theFirstViolins >>
                        \context Staff = "violin_two" <<
                        \property Staff.midiInstrument = #"string ensemble 1"
                                \property Staff.instrument = \markup { \center < 
"Violino II" > }
                                \barlines
                                \theSecondViolins >>
                >>
                \context Staff = "viola" <<
                        \property Staff.midiInstrument = #"string ensemble 1"
                        \property Staff.instrument = \markup { \center < "Viola" 
> }
                        \property Staff.instr = \markup { \center < "Vla." > }
                        \barlines
                        \theViolas >>
                \context GrandStaff = "lower_strings" <<
                        \context Staff = "violincello" <<
                                \property Staff.midiInstrument = #"string ensemble 
1"
                                \property Staff.instrument = \markup { \center < 
"Violoncello" > }
                                \property Staff.instr = \markup { \center < "Vc." 
> }
                                \barlines
                                \theCellos >>
                        
                        \context Staff ="contrabass" <<
                        \property Staff.midiInstrument = #"contrabass"
	      		\property Staff.instrument = \markup { \center < "Contrabasso" 
> }
                        \property Staff.instr = \markup { \center < "B." > }
                        \barlines
                        \theBass >>
          >>
        >>
 >>

\midi { \tempo 4 = 126 }
  \paper {
        indent = 25.0\mm
%       textheight = 300.0\mm
        linewidth = 470\pt
        papersize = "a4"

    \translator { \RemoveEmptyStaffContext }
    \translator {
      \ScoreContext
      %minimumVerticalExtent = #(cons -3 3)
      BarNumber \override #'padding = #3
    }
  }
}

---

Each instrument staff runs roughly 110 to 120 bars, depending on how 
much I've worked on them.

If you need any more code, holler.

Best,

Will Oram
spamguy ^^AT^^ foxchange.com // william.oram ^^AT^^ cwru.edu // AIM 
spamguy21