[MU4 Issue] MSBasic "Warm Synthesizer" is erroneously mapped to "String" sound

[ShawTakeuchi]

Describe the bug

MS4 MS-Basic "Warm Synthesizer" instrument is erroneously mapped to "String"

To Reproduce Steps to reproduce the behavior:

Open a new score, select Electronics->Warm Synthesizer and play.

Platform information

Win10/64, MuseScore 4.0 (MuseHub not instsalled)

Additional context

See (and hear) attached .zip for .mscz and two MP3 audio files for comparing MS3 vs MS4.

MS4-WarmSynth-MS3vsMs4.zip

[chrisgibbs44]

Yeah I've noticed this also, still occurring in MuseScore 4.0.2 on Windows 10 (with MuseHub installed, although that may not make a difference)

[Jojo-Schmitz]

So it is a regression

[ShawTakeuchi]

@chrisgibbs44

While waiting for the devs to tackle this issue, Marc Sabatella has a good workaround: https://community.masteringmusescore.com/c/resources/ms-basic-individual-sounds

[vashutangri]

I could try working on this issue

[cbjeukendrup]

@vashutangri One hint: you can use this program to inspect the sounds in the SoundFont: https://www.polyphone-soundfonts.com This program lists the sounds, so that you can see what's the MIDI bank and program for the correct sound.

[switerom]

I explored FluidR3Mono_GM.sf3 and "Warm Synth" really assigned incorrectly. But the thing is, there just aren't any samples that sound like "Warm Synth Pad". In MuseScore 2 the same file has other samples assigned, but they sound also like usual strings.

[cbjeukendrup]

But the sound font used by MuseScore is MS Basic, not FluidR3Mono.

[chrisgibbs44]

@chrisgibbs44

While waiting for the devs to tackle this issue, Marc Sabatella has a good workaround: https://community.masteringmusescore.com/c/resources/ms-basic-individual-sounds

Amazing thanks, this works great! "(089) Warm Pad" is exactly the sound I was using before in MuseScore 3

[ShawTakeuchi]

But the sound font used by MuseScore is MS Basic, not FluidR3Mono.

Investigating this further inside the sf3 file(s), looks like "Warm Pad" is missing the waveforms (ogg) from "MS Basic.sf3" that is included in Musescore 4.0, 4.1.

The original MS3.x FluidR3Mono_GM.sf3 has this:

In the MS4.x "MS Basic.sf3" waveforms are missing from "Warm Pad" and linked to "Strings"

Furthermore looks like Warmpad ogg files are completely missing from the list in MS Basic.sf3. Perhaps it got left out during the conversion process, and the compacting tool defaulted to "strings" due to an error? In playback audio it does sound like strings.

Could someone explain why FluidR3Mono_GM.sf3 is in MS4.x next to "MS Basic.sf3"? Is there an overriding relationship?

Side note: Warm Pad is useful/important for doing Ethereal genre compositions, or in quiet passages to back solo instruments in cinematic music with heavy reverb. I also used it for "subliminal fill" in fusion jazz!

[imnuvi]

Hi Folks, is this issue available for claiming? I would like to work on this issue

[cbjeukendrup]

Yes, you're welcome! But as mentioned above, it turns out that this is a problem inside the SoundFont file, rather than in any kind of code file, so keep that in mind.

[ghost]

I'm pretty comfortable using Polyphone and editing SoundFont files. I'd like to work on this

[cbjeukendrup]

@Declan-Griner That would be great, thanks!

[dwlakes]

Looks like this issue still hasn't been fixed? I just tried it on 4.2.1 and it still has the string sound. Could I try fixing it?

Edit: I'm guessing the most straight-forward fixe would be to see how MS3 is using that sound, and just "copy" it over to MS4?

[cbjeukendrup]

@dwlakes I wouldn't recommend working on this issue, because it involves editing the soundfont itself rather than code. Since the soundfont is a binary file, we'd rather edit it ourselves, because otherwise we have no way of figuring out what's actually changed. It's not that we are distrustful of contributors, but just that we like to know what's in our codebase :)