musescore
Enable the use of sound flags for non-Muse Sounds
Your idea
I would really like it if sound flags were able to be used for more than just Muse Sounds. The idea I have for this would be for you to be able to specify what sound you want it to point to, which would be especially useful for non GM soundfonts.
Problem to be solved
Currently, the only way to get a pizzicato sound in a soundfont that isn't GM is to use an instrument change, which means you also have to change the staff labels back to what they were before, among other things, which isn't ideal in the least. This would also enable users to do other fancy things with soundfonts that don't already have a text associated with them.
Prior art
No response
Additional context
No response
It is for this reason that you can not use sound flags, but use text, the same pizz. (for example) from the "Text" palette, as in the old-fashioned way) For example, I do this, and it works both in MuseScore Basic and in Muse Sounds.
That only works for gm soundfonts. if I put the pizz. text on my string parts it does nothing because my soundfont is not gm compatible.
Those premade technique texts lead from one specific preset to another specific preset, with no way to change where either of the ends of it are. It is completely unadjustable and leads to me having to use an instrument change every time anything changes. The current system also doesn't allow for any articulations that aren't explicitly stated. For example, the song that I am transcribing at the moment uses flutter tonguing on the trumpets. I have a sample for this, but since the current system is unflexible in almost every way I have to use instrument changes every half note when they are playing (to harp so the playback guitar bends sound because the current scoop playback is atrocious, and again, completely unadjustable, along with the fact that the guitar bends only work for playback on instruments with strings)
For me, the challenge boils down to how different the processes would be for Musesounds and soundfonts (even extending this to VSTs)
For Musesounds, the instruments are packaged separately by file, effectively making the instrument its own bank. Each bank is packed with articulations and playing techniques specific to the instrument, and all the sound flag has to do is choose what's inside the bank.
For soundfonts, it's a different story. For MS Basic's case, all instruments and their different articulations and playing techniques are packed into one common bank. The sound flag can choose, but you'll have to choose from the plethora of other sounds contained in the bank, that may not be specific to your chosen instrument.
For VSTs, it will be a likely combination of the two depending on how the VST is organized. Some VST libraries already sort out the articulations and assign them by chosen instrument. Others are organized like a sound font where the categories are more generalized (usually by section), and all the different articulations are just shoved into that general direction.
(Example: The difference between Spitfire BBCSO Discover and Miroslav Symphonie 2)
One way to go about it is to have the menu of sound flags in non-Musesound instruments resemble what it looks like when you are changing the sound assignment in the mixer. That way, you also have finer control over what samples you will use.
(comment edited and expanded after advice from @cbjeukendrup )
I was searching to see if anyone posted this before I did the same.
Big +1 from me on this.
I have been missing the old channel assigning staff text feature. I used it extensively adding lots of soundfont presets, without needing clef or transposition changes. You could assign a different sound to one voice of one staff if desired. 'Change Instrument' is so limited by comparison; I never used it once I discovered channel switching. This regression is perhaps the biggest reason I've been sticking to 3.7 Evo so far.
I have lots of scores already where different sounds are achieved mid-score through staff text channel selection. Various synth and guitar tones were obtained from various soundfonts this way, with all their settings sitting in disappearing mixer channels. I cannot simply open these scores in 4.x and have them function; I would have to manually re-create all the sound changes and settings if I wish to retain them. Finding a way of preserving and migrating these to the new sound flag system would be great please.
I also know of others who relied on the old system for choir arranging/rehearsal and accordion scores. https://github.com/musescore/MuseScore/issues/12827 https://musescore.org/en/node/366507#comment-1252050
I have also found it frustrating that even with the texts that work (pizz, arco, mute ...) you don't have access to the new sound to tweak it at all. If they also used disappearing mixer channels, we could tweak or change to our own choice of sound and have access to volume/pan/reverb etc.
Please do not restrict us to only performance/technique variants; I think that has been a hindrance. Some may worry about which to include. I suggest a sound flag that simply adds a collapsible mixer channel, per voice assignment if possible; let us worry about it.
I am encouraged that this seems to at least be on the radar for the future.
