Changing the Default Playback Device

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Changing the Default Playback Device

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Even if your computer has only one sound card, there are likely at least a couple of alternative internal playback devices available. The internal playback devices actually correspond to MIDI device drivers that are installed with your sound card. There might be additional internal playback devices available if, for example, you have downloaded from the Internet and installed a MIDI "software synthesizer".

The alternative internal playback devices are distinguished by the different types of engineering techniques they use for simulating instrumental sounds. For example, some internal playback devices play back actual sampled sounds of recorded instruments. Other internal playback devices simulate instrument sounds via sound wave formulas designed by engineers. It probably will not matter to you how the instrument sounds are created. You probably just care about how they sound to you.

It is a good idea for you to try out the various internal playback devices that are available on your computer. Choose the playback device that sounds best to you as a default. Then, whenever you open a new MIDI file, or create a new song, your chosen default playback device will be assigned to the staves of the song.

 

prcarrow To change the default playback device:

B852Follow the procedure "To test and select a MIDI playback device on your system" in the topic Quick MIDI Device Setup.

 

What happens if you have previously saved a Notation .not file, in which some or all of the staves were assigned to the MIDI playback device that has been replaced by your new default playback device? If the old MIDI device is no longer available on your system, Musician will automatically reassign the staves to your new default MIDI playback device.
 
But what happens if your old default MIDI device is still available on your system?  For example, perhaps you have installed a new MIDI software synthesizer that you prefer, but you still want to keep the old MIDI device on your system.  In this case, do you want to reassign the staves in the song from the old MIDI device to the new one, or do you want to leave them unchanged?  There is no way that Musician can read your mind to determine what you want. Instead, Musician will ask you what you want to do, as illustrated here:
 
 ReassignStavesToNewDefaultMidiDeviceDlg

 

Once you instruct Musician to automatically update the MIDI device assignments for previously saved songs, the above dialog box will no longer be displayed.  But what if you want to change your preference?  In that case, follow the next procedure.

 

prcarrow To change Musician's rule for reassigning staves from an old MIDI device to the new default MIDI device:

1.Choose the MIDI Device Configuration (not the Quick MIDI Device Setup) command in the Setup menu.
2.Open the Device Properties dialog box for the old MIDI device.
3.In the Device Properties dialog box, add a checkmark for "Was Previously the Default MIDI Output Device" it you wish Musician to review the assignment of staves to that old MIDI device when you open Notation .not files.  Remove the checkmark if you wish Musician to no longer do that.
4.If you do wish Musician to either automatically reassign staves to the new MIDI playback device, or ask you for each reopened Notation .not file whether you wish to reassign the staves, then click the Option To Reassign Songs to New Default Device button in the Device Properties dialog box:
OptionToReassignSongsToNewDefaultDevice
Musician will then display the following dialog box:
OptionToReassignSongsToNewDefaultDeviceDlg
5.Choose one of the options in the above dialog box.