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<a name="Controlling-MIDI-dynamics"></a>
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Previous: <a rel="previous" accesskey="p" href="Repeats-in-MIDI.html#Repeats-in-MIDI">Repeats in MIDI</a>,
Up: <a rel="up" accesskey="u" href="MIDI-output.html#MIDI-output">MIDI output</a>
<hr>
</div>
<h4 class="subsection">3.5.5 Controlling MIDI dynamics</h4>
<p>MIDI dynamics are implemented by the Dynamic_performer which lives
by default in the Voice context. It is possible to control the
overall MIDI volume, the relative volume of dynamic markings and
the relative volume of different instruments.
<h5 class="unnumberedsubsubsec">Dynamic marks</h5>
<p>Dynamic marks are translated to a fixed fraction of the available
MIDI volume range. The default fractions range from 0.25 for
<var>ppppp</var> to 0.95 for <var>fffff</var>. The set of dynamic
marks and the associated fractions can be seen in
<samp><span class="file">../scm/midi.scm</span></samp>, see <a name="index-Other-sources-of-information-2461"></a><a href="../lilypond-learning/Other-sources-of-information.html#Other-sources-of-information">Other sources of information</a>.
This set of fractions may be changed or extended by providing a
function which takes a dynamic mark as its argument and returns the
required fraction, and setting
<code>Score.dynamicAbsoluteVolumeFunction</code> to this function.
<p>For example, if a <var>rinforzando</var> dynamic marking,
<code>\rfz</code>, is required, this will not by default
have any effect on the MIDI volume, as this dynamic marking is not
included in the default set. Similarly, if a new dynamic marking
has been defined with <code>make-dynamic-script</code> that too will not
be included in the default set. The following example shows how the
MIDI volume for such dynamic markings might be added. The Scheme
function sets the fraction to 0.9 if a dynamic mark of rfz is
found, or calls the default function otherwise.
<blockquote>
<pre class="verbatim">
#(define (myDynamics dynamic)
(if (equal? dynamic "rfz")
0.9
(default-dynamic-absolute-volume dynamic)))
\score {
\new Staff {
\set Staff.midiInstrument = "cello"
\set Score.dynamicAbsoluteVolumeFunction = #myDynamics
\new Voice {
\relative c'' {
a\pp b c-\rfz
}
}
}
\layout {}
\midi {}
}
</pre>
<p>
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</blockquote>
<p>Alternatively, if the whole table of fractions needs to be
redefined, it would be better to use the
<var>default-dynamic-absolute-volume</var> procedure in
<samp><span class="file">../scm/midi.scm</span></samp> and the associated table as a model.
The final example in this section shows how this might be done.
<h5 class="unnumberedsubsubsec">Overall MIDI volume</h5>
<p>The minimum and maximum overall volume of MIDI dynamic markings is
controlled by setting the properties <code>midiMinimumVolume</code> and
<code>midiMaximumVolume</code> at the <code>Score</code> level. These
properties have an effect only on dynamic marks, so if they
are to apply from the start of the score a dynamic mark must be
placed there. The fraction corresponding to each dynamic mark is
modified with this formula
<pre class="example">midiMinimumVolume + (midiMaximumVolume - midiMinimumVolume) * fraction
</pre>
<p>In the following example the dynamic range of the overall MIDI
volume is limited to the range 0.2 - 0.5.
<blockquote>
<pre class="verbatim">
\score {
<<
\new Staff {
\key g \major
\time 2/2
\set Staff.midiInstrument = #"flute"
\new Voice \relative c''' {
r2 g\mp g fis ~
fis4 g8 fis e2 ~
e4 d8 cis d2
}
}
\new Staff {
\key g \major
\set Staff.midiInstrument = #"clarinet"
\new Voice \relative c'' {
b1\p a2. b8 a
g2. fis8 e
fis2 r
}
}
>>
\layout { }
\midi {
\context {
\Score
tempoWholesPerMinute = #(ly:make-moment 72 2)
midiMinimumVolume = #0.2
midiMaximumVolume = #0.5
}
}
}
</pre>
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</blockquote>
<h5 class="unnumberedsubsubsec">Equalizing different instruments (i)</h5>
<p>If the minimum and maximum MIDI volume properties are set in
the <code>Staff</code> context the relative volumes of the MIDI
instruments can be controlled. This gives a basic instrument
equalizer, which can enhance the quality of the MIDI output
remarkably.
<p>In this example the volume of the clarinet is reduced relative
to the volume of the flute. There must be a dynamic
mark on the first note of each instrument for this to work
correctly.
<blockquote>
<pre class="verbatim">
\score {
<<
\new Staff {
\key g \major
\time 2/2
\set Staff.midiInstrument = #"flute"
\set Staff.midiMinimumVolume = #0.7
\set Staff.midiMaximumVolume = #0.9
\new Voice \relative c''' {
r2 g\mp g fis ~
fis4 g8 fis e2 ~
e4 d8 cis d2
}
}
\new Staff {
\key g \major
\set Staff.midiInstrument = #"clarinet"
\set Staff.midiMinimumVolume = #0.3
\set Staff.midiMaximumVolume = #0.6
\new Voice \relative c'' {
b1\p a2. b8 a
g2. fis8 e
fis2 r
}
}
>>
\layout { }
\midi {
\context {
\Score
tempoWholesPerMinute = #(ly:make-moment 72 2)
}
}
}
</pre>
<p>
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</blockquote>
<h5 class="unnumberedsubsubsec">Equalizing different instruments (ii)</h5>
<p>If the MIDI minimum and maximum volume properties are not set
LilyPond will, by default, apply a small degree of equalization
to a few instruments. The instruments and the equalization
applied are shown in the table <var>instrument-equalizer-alist</var>
in <samp><span class="file">../scm/midi.scm</span></samp>.
<p>This basic default equalizer can be replaced by setting
<code>instrumentEqualizer</code> in the <code>Score</code> context to a new
Scheme procedure which accepts a MIDI instrument name as its only
argument and returns a pair of fractions giving the minimum and
maximum volumes to be applied to that instrument. This replacement
is done in the same way as shown for resetting the
<code>dynamicAbsoluteVolumeFunction</code> at the start of this section.
The default equalizer, <var>default-instrument-equalizer</var>, in
<samp><span class="file">../scm/midi.scm</span></samp> shows how such a procedure might be written.
<p>The following example sets the relative flute and clarinet volumes
to the same values as the previous example.
<blockquote>
<pre class="verbatim">
#(define my-instrument-equalizer-alist '())
#(set! my-instrument-equalizer-alist
(append
'(
("flute" . (0.7 . 0.9))
("clarinet" . (0.3 . 0.6)))
my-instrument-equalizer-alist))
#(define (my-instrument-equalizer s)
(let ((entry (assoc s my-instrument-equalizer-alist)))
(if entry
(cdr entry))))
\score {
<<
\new Staff {
\key g \major
\time 2/2
\set Score.instrumentEqualizer = #my-instrument-equalizer
\set Staff.midiInstrument = #"flute"
\new Voice \relative c''' {
r2 g\mp g fis ~
fis4 g8 fis e2 ~
e4 d8 cis d2
}
}
\new Staff {
\key g \major
\set Staff.midiInstrument = #"clarinet"
\new Voice \relative c'' {
b1\p a2. b8 a
g2. fis8 e
fis2 r
}
}
>>
\layout { }
\midi {
\context {
\Score
tempoWholesPerMinute = #(ly:make-moment 72 2)
}
}
}
</pre>
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