Re: Lilypond's English Horn MIDI instrument is non-transposing?

[David Kastrup]

"James B. Wilkinson" <the.doc@twc.com> writes:

> I'm working on an arrangement fordable-reed quartet. Here's the score block:
>
> \score
> {
>   \new StaffGroup
>    <<
>      \new Staff = "oboe1" \with { instrumentName = "oboe1" midiInstrument = 
> "oboe" }
>        { \clef "treble" \soprano }
>      \new Staff = "oboe2" \with { instrumentName = "oboe2" midiInstrument = 
> "oboe" }
>        { \clef "treble" \alto }
>      \new Staff = "EngHrn" \with { instrumentName = "enghrn" midiInstrument = 
> "english horn" }   %"english horn"
>        { \clef "treble" \transpose f c \tenor }       %the correct 
> transposition for EH sounds terrible
> %       { \clef "treble" \transpose c c, \tenor }      % temporarily down one 
> octave; sounds fine
>      \new Staff = "bassoon" \with { instrumentName = "bassoon" midiInstrument 
> = "bassoon" }
>        { \clef "bass" \bass }
>    >>
>   \layout { \context { \Staff \consists "Ambitus_engraver" } }  
>   \midi {  \tempo 4 = 80   }
> }
>
>
> If I make it with the English horn part correctly transposed, the MIDI
> sounds terrible. If I make it with the English horn part untransposed,
> it sounds fine. My conclusion is that the midiInstrument "english
> horn" reads its part in C rather than in F. Shouldn't it play the
> notes that a real English horn would?

<https://lilypond.org/doc/v2.22/Documentation/notation/displaying-pitches#instrument-transpositions>


Instrument transpositions
.........................

When typesetting scores that involve transposing instruments, some parts
can be typeset in a different pitch than the concert pitch.  In these
cases, the key of the transposing instrument should be specified;
otherwise the MIDI output and cues in other parts will produce incorrect
pitches.  For more information about quotations, see *note Quoting other
voices::.

     \transposition PITCH

   The pitch to use for ‘\transposition’ should correspond to the real
sound heard when a ‘c'’ written on the staff is played by the
transposing instrument.  This pitch is entered in absolute mode, so an
instrument that produces a real sound which is one tone higher than the
printed music should use ‘\transposition d'’.  ‘\transposition’ should
_only_ be used if the pitches are _not_ being entered in concert pitch.

   Here are a few notes for violin and B-flat clarinet where the parts
have been entered using the notes and key as they appear in each part of
the conductor’s score.  The two instruments are playing in unison.

     \new GrandStaff <<
       \new Staff = "violin" \with {
         instrumentName = "Vln"
         midiInstrument = "violin"
       }
       \relative c'' {
         % not strictly necessary, but a good reminder
         \transposition c'
         \key c \major
         g4( c8) r c r c4
       }
       \new Staff = "clarinet" \with {
         instrumentName = \markup { Cl (B\flat) }
         midiInstrument = "clarinet"
       }
       \relative c'' {
         \transposition bes
         \key d \major
         a4( d8) r d r d4
       }
     >>

-- 
David Kastrup