Re: Help with Midi

[Gilles Sadowski]

Hi.

2020-08-14 17:49 UTC+02:00, David Sumbler <david@aeolia.co.uk>:
> When working on a project in Lilypond I usually set things up to
> generate midi files as well as printable output, mainly for note-
> checking.  But it is interesting to generate an ensemble midi file too.
> I play these files with TiMidity, using the fluidr3_gm soundfont.
>
> I know the (very) basics about midi instruments (although I'm a bit
> vague about midi channels), and I know how to improve things by using
> timidity to generate wav files which I can import into qtractor or
> similar and then edit the combined result.
>
> What I am about to ask is not really a Lilypond question at all (at
> least, I don't think it is), but I am hoping that somebody on this list
> can point me in the right direction.  Clearly I am not making the right
> searches on line, because I have never managed to find the information
> I want.
>
> What I should like to know is
> 1) how can I use drum and other untuned percussion sounds?

http://lilypond.org/doc/v2.19/Documentation/web/source/Documentation/notation/common-notation-for-percussion#basic-percussion-notation

http://lilypond.org/doc/v2.19/Documentation/web/source/Documentation/notation/percussion-notes

> 2) I notice that fluidr3_gm has dozens - probably hundreds - of extra
> sounds and instruments beyond the standard 128.  How can I access
> these?

On Linux, looking at
    /etc/timidity/freepats.cfg
might give some ideas.

> 3) how can I use other soundfonts?

First line of the above configuration file reads
---CUT---
dir /usr/share/midi/freepats
---CUT---

$ ls /usr/share/midi/freepats
Drum_000  Tone_000

> There seem to be a lot of free
> soundfonts available on line, but I have no idea how I would use them.
> It would be nice to have a decent trumpet sound (the fluidr3-gm one is
> very poor), the sound of violin section as will as solo violin, string
> harmonics, timpani roll and so on.
>
> Can anyone point me to a useful online source of such information?

https://apfelboymchen.net/gnu/notes/timidity++%20multiple%20soundfonts.html

https://freepats.zenvoid.org/


HTH,
Gilles