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3.5.4 Controlling MIDI dynamics

It is possible to control the overall MIDI volume, the relative volume of dynamic markings and the relative volume of different instruments.

Dynamic marks translate automatically into volume levels in the available MIDI volume range whereas crescendi and decrescendi vary the volume linearly between their two extremes. It is possible to control the relative volume of dynamic markings, and the overall volume levels of different instruments.

Dynamic marks in MIDI
Setting MIDI volume
Setting MIDI block properties

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Dynamic marks in MIDI

Only the dynamic markings from ppppp to fffff, including mp, mf and sf have values assigned to them. This value is then applied to the value of the overall MIDI volume range to obtain the final volume included in the MIDI output for that particular dynamic marking. The default fractions range from 0.25 for ppppp to 0.95 for fffff. The complete set of dynamic marks and their associated fractions can be found in ‘scm/midi.scm’.

Selected Snippets

Creating custom dynamics in MIDI output

The following example shows how to create a dynamic marking, not included in the default list, and assign it a specific value so that it can be used to affect MIDI output.

The dynamic mark \rfz is assigned a value of 0.9.

#(define (myDynamics dynamic)
    (if (equal? dynamic "rfz")
      0.9
      (default-dynamic-absolute-volume dynamic)))

\score {
  \new Staff {
    \set Staff.midiInstrument = #"cello"
    \set Score.dynamicAbsoluteVolumeFunction = #myDynamics
    \new Voice {
      \relative {
        a'4\pp b c-\rfz
      }
    }
  }
  \layout {}
  \midi {}
}

Installed Files: ‘ly/script-init.ly’ ‘scm/midi.scm’.

Snippets: MIDI.

Internals Reference: Dynamic_performer.

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Setting MIDI volume

The minimum and maximum overall volume of MIDI dynamic markings is controlled by setting the properties midiMinimumVolume and midiMaximumVolume at the Score level. These properties have an effect only at the start of a voice and on dynamic marks. The fraction corresponding to each dynamic mark is modified with this formula

midiMinimumVolume + (midiMaximumVolume - midiMinimumVolume) * fraction

In the following example the dynamic range of the overall MIDI volume is limited to the range 0.2 - 0.5.

\score {
  <<
    \new Staff {
      \set Staff.midiInstrument = #"flute"
      … music …
    }
    \new Staff {
      \set Staff.midiInstrument = #"clarinet"
      … music …
    }
  >>
  \midi {
    \context {
      \Score
      midiMinimumVolume = #0.2
      midiMaximumVolume = #0.5
    }
  }
}

Simple MIDI instrument equalization can be achieved by setting midiMinimumVolume and midiMaximumVolume properties within the Staff context.

\score {
  \new Staff {
    \set Staff.midiInstrument = #"flute"
    \set Staff.midiMinimumVolume = #0.7
    \set Staff.midiMaximumVolume = #0.9
    … music …
  }
  \midi { }
}

For scores with multiple staves and multiple MIDI instruments, the relative volumes of each instrument can be set individually;

\score {
  <<
    \new Staff {
      \set Staff.midiInstrument = #"flute"
      \set Staff.midiMinimumVolume = #0.7
      \set Staff.midiMaximumVolume = #0.9
      … music …
    }
    \new Staff {
      \set Staff.midiInstrument = #"clarinet"
      \set Staff.midiMinimumVolume = #0.3
      \set Staff.midiMaximumVolume = #0.6
      … music …
    }
  >>
  \midi { }
}

In this example the volume of the clarinet is reduced relative to the volume of the flute.

If these volumes properties are not set then LilyPond still applies a ‘small degree’ of equalization to certain instruments. See ‘scm/midi.scm’.

Installed Files: ‘scm/midi.scm’.

See also

Notation Reference: Score layout.

Internals Reference: Dynamic_performer.

Selected Snippets

Replacing default MIDI instrument equalization

The default MIDI instrument equalizer can be replaced by setting the instrumentEqualizer property in the Score context to a user-defined Scheme procedure that uses a MIDI instrument name as its argument along with a pair of fractions indicating the minimum and maximum volumes respectively to be applied to that specific instrument.

The following example sets the minimum and maximum volumes for flute and clarinet respectively.

#(define my-instrument-equalizer-alist '())

#(set! my-instrument-equalizer-alist
  (append
    '(
      ("flute" . (0.7 . 0.9))
      ("clarinet" . (0.3 . 0.6)))
    my-instrument-equalizer-alist))

#(define (my-instrument-equalizer s)
  (let ((entry (assoc s my-instrument-equalizer-alist)))
    (if entry
      (cdr entry))))

\score {
  <<
    \new Staff {
      \key g \major
      \time 2/2
      \set Score.instrumentEqualizer = #my-instrument-equalizer
      \set Staff.midiInstrument = #"flute"
      \new Voice \relative {
        r2 g''\mp g fis~
        4 g8 fis e2~
        4 d8 cis d2
      }
    }
    \new Staff {
      \key g \major
      \set Staff.midiInstrument = #"clarinet"
      \new Voice \relative {
        b'1\p a2. b8 a
        g2. fis8 e
        fis2 r
      }
    }
  >>
  \layout { }
  \midi {  }
}

Known issues and warnings

Changes in the MIDI volume take place only on starting a note, so crescendi and decrescendi cannot affect the volume of a single note.

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Setting MIDI block properties

The \midi block can contain context rearrangements, new context definitions or code that sets the values of certain properties.

\score {
  … music …
  \midi {
    \tempo 4 = 72
  }
}

Here the tempo is set to 72 quarter-note beats per minute. The tempo mark in the \midi block will not appear in the printed score. Although any other \tempo indications specified within the \score block will also be reflected in the MIDI output.

In a \midi block the \tempo command is setting properties during the interpretation of the music and in the context of output definitions; so it is interpreted as if it were a context modification.

Context definitions follow the same syntax as those in a \layout block;

\score {
  … music …
  \midi {
    \context {
      \Voice
      \remove "Dynamic_performer"
    }
  }
}

This example removes the effect of dynamics from the MIDI output. Note: LilyPond’s translation modules used for sound are called ‘performers’.

See also

Learning Manual: Other sources of information.

Notation Reference: Expressive marks, Score layout.

Installed Files: ‘ly/performer-init.ly’.

Snippets: MIDI.

Internals Reference: Dynamic_performer.

Known issues and warnings

Some MIDI players do not always correctly handle tempo changes in the midi output.

Changes to the midiInstrument, as well as some MIDI options, at the beginning of a staff may appear twice in the MIDI output.

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LilyPond — Notation Reference v2.21.0 (development-branch).