Sound and Music Software - Noteworthy Composer 2

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Music Software - Noteworthy Composer 2

MIDI Essentials

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MIDI essentials
Writing Music

It is not necessary to understand MIDI completely to use Noteworthy successfully, but a few things will help. MIDI always works pretty much the same, since it's a generally-accepted protocol, so what you learn here will transfer to the next software package you use. The most common MIDI standard is called "General MIDI" (GM). It's not so much an industry standard as it is a "Gentlemen's Agreement" between the manufacturers to always do things the same way. However, since GM is pretty limited, most musicians writing electronic music eventually move beyond it. But that's later . . .

MIDI stores and plays musical information by channels. Almost all MIDI devices (including computer sound cards) have 16 channels, representing 16 different "instruments." This means that only a maximum of 16 different instruments can be played at any moment. The implication is that Noteworthy will only play back 16 staff lines, but that's not true - several staffs can be assigned to the same channel. Of course, this means those several staff lines will necessarily be played by the same instrument. Since instrument assignments to each channel can be changed mid-composition, it is possible to use more than 16 instruments - but only 16 can play at any given moment.

For all but one of the channels, notes on a staff represent different pitches, as you would expect. Of course, there are no limits to MIDI-synthesized instruments, so flutes can play in the same range as tubas - not that it'll sound good, just that it's possible!

Channel 10 is reserved for percussion. Since snare drums and other simple percussion instruments aren't generally played in a variety of pitches, and since a percussionist is usually required to play several instruments, often (in the case of a drum kit) simultaneously, the notes on a staff assigned to channel 10 represent different instruments rather than pitches. This can be confusing. Noteworthy includes a file in its standard install called "DRUMREF" which gives the GM percussion instrument-to-pitch assignments (see above). Most of the GM percussion instruments are those that are used in popular music. Pitch-based orchestral percussion instruments (such as tympani or Celeste) are not generally included in Channel 10 assignments, but are sometimes available as instruments through the other channels.

MIDI stores all of its music information numerically, and sounds are not actually involved at all until playback. This means that instruments can be assigned at any time, and can be changed at any time. If you write a melody for a violin, you can decide to assign that part to an oboe later, or divide the melody between the two. In Noteworthy, you select MIDI assignments through staff properties - click on a staff (it will be blue when selected), right-click, and select "Staff Properties." You'll be given 4 tabs. "General" allows you to name your staff as to instrument, and "Visual" is where you select what sort of appearance the staff will have. The "MIDI" tab gives volume (from 0 to 127), "Stereo Pan" (the position of the instrument between the two stereo speakers - 64 is centered), "Transposition" (if the part is written for a B flat clarinet, this is where you can compel it to be played at true pitch, which is two half-steps higher), and playback device (usually your sound card, or your external synth if available - see Getting Started).

Channels are also selected here. Remember that you can assign more than one staff line to a given channel, but they cannot then play different instruments. If you forget and assign two different staffs and instruments to the same channel, MIDI will just use the last one referenced in the MIDI file. Remember, also that Channel 10 is completely different than the rest of the channels - if you're using the GM standard, any instrument selected for channel 10 will be ignored.

Instruments are assigned through the "Instrument" tab. If you 're using the GM standard, make sure "General MIDI" is showing in the "Patch List Type" box. Then scroll down through the "Patch Name" box to find the instrument you wish to use.

The MIDI file does not actually store the name of the instrument - it stores only the number of that instrument. In the example above, "Bright Acoustic Piano" is instrument #2 in the GM standard. If you are using an external keyboard or synth, instrument #2 will be a "Bright Acoustic Piano" only if it is using the GM standard. If not, it may be another instrument. See the documentation for that device to see if there are any differences between it and the GM standard. If "Bright Acoustic Piano" is confusing when your device doesn't have that instrument assigned to the number 2, you can select "Numeric, 1 based" from the "Patch List Type" and you can simply pick the number from the list. GM, and Noteworthy, doesn't care which you do, since the resultant number will be the same, and the device determines the instrument assigned to that number.

For a peak at how the limits of GM can be pushed aside, see Advanced MIDI Concepts.