Re: dynamic and midi velocity

[David Raleigh Arnold]

On Saturday 06 March 2010 03:12:11 David Kastrup wrote:
> David Raleigh Arnold <address@hidden> writes:
> > Ideally the volume should be preset for each instrument according to
> > ratios expressing the relative natural loudness of the instrument, IOW
> > set it and forget it, and only velocity should be used for dynamics.
> > That is obviously the purpose of the design.  Why fight it?  No good
> > can come from twiddling the volume in the middle of the performance.
> 
> I have a (not quite cheap) Ketron Keyboard with a volume pedal.  I was
> rather surprised to realize that putting it to zero would
> a) considerably lower the volume of notes already hit
> b) completely stop new notes from being sounded
> 
> I would have thought that it would act more or less as a simple analog
> volume control, but it would appear that it _partially_ affects notes
> already hit.
> 
> Interesting.  I have not checked the corresponding Midi messages,
> though.
> 

Ha!  The volumes should be part of the instrument specifications for
any lilypond/midi document, and dynamics should relate to velocity
alone.  To do otherwise was a major mistake in the midi implementation in
lilypond.  It would be a very good idea to quit trying to make
it work in some other way.

Of course the "solution" to the "problem" is to instantiate a new
voice, instrument and volume for every dynamic.  Surely a lot
of trouble for nothing.  Regards, daveA