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Sagan Technology Metro • View topic - Metro SE, DLS/SoundFont Plugin, Drums & MIDI Channel 10

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Metro SE, DLS/SoundFont Plugin, Drums & MIDI Channel 10

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Metro SE, DLS/SoundFont Plugin, Drums & MIDI Channel 10

Postby sseaton » Thu Apr 24, 2003 8:53 am

I have a little bit of a problem. I am using Metro SE and everything is going well with soundfonts. Unfortunately, I want to use lots of percussion on a particular tune and would like different tracks to be panned differently. (BTW, I am using a GM/GS soundfont bank.)

The problem I have is that I can only access the drum sounds on MIDI channel 10, even though I can still see them (but can't hear them) when on other MIDI channels. I know MIDI channel 10 is the default "drum" channel, but shouldn't I still have a way to access these sounds? Is this just the way soundfonts are made? Is this a Metro thing?

I also understand that I could buy a copy of the full Metro application and my problems would be solved. ;)
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Postby Jerm » Thu Apr 24, 2003 9:15 am

Sean,

This is an Apple DLS:SoundFont issue. There is some way to configure a channel as a drum channel but I have not figured out how yet. If the channel needs sysex then this may be a Metro issue since Metro does not send sysex to plug-ins yet. I know there are still issues with the Apple DLS plug-in, Metro and bank select messages not always selecting the correct bank in the soundfont.

Please ask Apple. If you find out the answer I would like to know.

Two possible workarounds:

upgrade to Metro 6 and use 2 instances of the plug-in.
Mix audio tracks on first drum track to create audio and then change channel 10 to the appropriate drums sounds and pan settings.
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Postby Scoot » Thu Apr 24, 2003 4:24 pm

>I also understand that I could buy a copy of the full Metro application >and my problems would be solved.


Well that's probably what is meant by removing some of the non essentials. :D


Why are drums treated as channel 10 specific only?
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Postby sseaton » Fri Apr 25, 2003 10:16 am

Scooterman... I don't know why GM banks insist on channel 10 for drums. It seems that drums should be available on whatever channel the user wants. I'm sure there is some historic significance.

I posted a message on the Apple audio discussions page, but I doubt I'll get a response. I love Apple, but there seems to be very little documentation for CoreAudio or Audio/MIDI Setup, etc. And nothing on the DLS/SoundFont AU.

Oh well... at least we have these great forums!

BTW, Jeremy... I used your 2nd workaround above. I'm sure, however, that I'll be using the 1st workaround in the near future!
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How to!

Postby Jerm » Fri Jun 13, 2003 6:08 pm

I have discovered that the following sequence of events will select a drum set on a channel other than 10 (tested only with 'realfont 2.1' from thesoundsite but probably works with other soundfont banks). In this example the drum sound will be loaded on to channel 1

Event editor: ** is a comment:

Ctrl 1 0 0 ** controller number zero on channel 1 value 0
Ctrl 1 32 1 ** controller number 32 on channel 1 value 1
Pgm 1 0 ** selects first sound in drum bank
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Postby Jerm » Fri Jun 13, 2003 6:44 pm

Metro 6.0.7.4 and greater should allow most soundfont drum banks to be selected automatically by selecting the drum bank. Program name lists are created dynamically for the DLSMusicDevice and now (as of 6.0.7.4) they should contain the correct bank select messages.

In other words, (I think) Metro now understands Apple's bizarre numbering scheme for soundfont banks and programs.
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Postby sseaton » Wed Jun 18, 2003 4:23 pm

Jeremy

Thank you! I just completed 6 pieces on Metro SE for the chair of the University of Iowa Dance Department. It was a great show, and your program allowed me to do what used to cost me (and others) hundreds or several thousands of dollars. My only big glitch was working with a lot of percussion tracks only on MIDI channel 10. I had to take your advice and mix percussion tracks to one of the 4 audio tracks, etc. This fix (of Apple's problem) will greatly improve things for me and others! I appreciate it much!

On another note... I was just hired by my school district as the Instructional Technology/Technology Integration Teacher and will be setting up a digital audio/MIDI workstation for kids to use. Do you have any academic pricing for the full version of Metro? I think I posted something about this before, but now I am really in the market.

Thanks,
Sean
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Site Licensing/Academic Pricing

Postby Jerm » Wed Jun 18, 2003 4:49 pm

Sean,

We do not have a per se 'academic pricing' but we do have great prices on site licensing. Email me privately for prices if necessary.

Jeremy
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Postby Scoot » Thu Jun 19, 2003 12:34 am

Watch out Jerm, Sean just wants to get his hands on a upgrade to Metro. :D

Hey Sean I like your new title.
Do you get it on a door or letterhead? 8)

Gee. The things kids get to play with these days!
Give them a couple of months and they will be the experts we will be asking questions to. :)

scoot.
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Postby sseaton » Thu Jun 19, 2003 4:17 pm

Jeremy, Thanks. I'll be in touch via private e-mail message.

Now, a little off-topic message...

Scooterman... yes, it is cool. There is a big movement in technology education, especially by Apple computer, to move away from teaching ABOUT technology to teaching WITH technology. The old days of "click here, now here, now press enter" are over. iMovie and the whole iApps thing has really made it possible to reach kids in new ways... creating an environment where kids will learn what we want them to learn by allowing them to learn the way they want to learn. Why not create a movie in science documenting a plant experiment, for instance? And why not let the students write, perform on their band instruments, and record the soundtrack? Now send the DVD home to mom and dad and the grandparents. Now that is cool!

Oh... I probably will get a business card with that title. Hey, I'll have the kids make it for me... and they can mail you one! :wink: :lol:
Last edited by sseaton on Fri Jun 20, 2003 2:15 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Postby Scoot » Thu Jun 19, 2003 11:24 pm

So old man.....how old are the kids??

scoot.
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Postby sseaton » Fri Jun 20, 2003 2:14 pm

5-18. Old man?
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