Re: [fluid-dev] Recent discussions on sysex commands and the MIDI Tuning Standard

[Marcus Weseloh]

Hi David,

2016-08-17 19:22 GMT+02:00 David Bellows <address@hidden>:
>> I had another look at the FluidSynth source, though. It seems like voices 
>> start out with no tuning prog defined. So even when you change tuning prog 0 
>> using the Sysex messages, that tuning won't be used. Try adding RPN messages 
>> to select tuning prog 0 for your channel before sending the real-time tuning 
>> Sysex messages.
>
> I've attached a new file. I *think* I've done what you suggested by
> sending control codes 100:0, 100:3, 6:0. Unfortunately the results are
> the same: no quarter-tones with FluidSynth but Timidity plays it fine.

Using fluidsynth 1.1.6 your updated MIDI file plays fine, at least on
my Linux system. Which version are you using? Probably best to upgrade
to the latest version. MTS support has been introduced in 1.1.0, I
think.

> By the way, what does the tuning program parameter even mean? The
> problem I ran into with Timidity is that if I tried to send two sysex
> commands to the same note at the same time even on different channels,
> it wasn't able to handle it. Would changing the program for each voice
> I want fix that problem?

Yes, as far as I can understand, you can assign different tuning
programs/banks to any voice. So using multiple channels with different
tunings should be possible.
Another solution would be to use non-real-time Sysex tuning change
messages. That way you can set up your tuning, send noteon, send a
non-real-time tuning change (which won't affect the currently sounding
note) and send another noteon. That way you might get two differnet
tunings for the same MIDI note.

But do you really change between tuning systems while playing the
song? If not, then you could set up the tuning before playing the
song, no need to send real-time tuning changes in the first place.

Cheers,

   Marcus