Importing from a Cakewalk Instrument Description (.ins) File |
A Cakewalk(tm) Instrument Description (.ins) file contains most of the information needed for a MIDI device description in Composer. The information is the list of MIDI bank and patch names for that device. If you own a Cakewalk software product, then you can borrow instrument descriptions that Cakewalk maintains in INS files installed on your computer. If you do not own a Cakewalk software product, you can download an INS file from Cakewalk's web site, as described below. The procedure for importing a device description from a Cakewalk INS file is similar to the procedure for importing a device description from a Notation Software MDD file. There are two ways to import the patch names for your MIDI device from a Cakewalk INS file. The easier of the two ways is to use the Quick MIDI Device Setup command in the Setup menu. Use the Import Sound Names option in the Quick MIDI Device Setup dialog box. For details, see the topic Quick MIDI Device Setup. Another less convenient way to import the patch names for your MIDI device from a Cakewalk INS file is described below. There are two minor advantages to using this method. First, you can preview the list of MIDI bank names and patches for a device that you are about to import. Second, this method offers an option that you can import a single bank of patches for a device rather than all of the banks. To download an INS file from Cakewalk's web site:
http://www.notation.com/cakewalk-ins-download-instructions.htm
To import a device description from a Cakewalk INS file:
-- OR -- Type "qdc" for Quick Device Configuration.
Composer will present the Import MIDI Device Description from File dialog box:
Composer will display a list of the MIDI banks for that device. If you click the "+" symbol next to one of the MIDI bank names, then Composer will display the patch names for that bank in the lower half of the window. You can selectively import patch names for a specific bank of a device, but there is usually no need to do this. You can optionally preview the patch names for a given bank of a device by selecting the bank in the right panel.
Composer will list the newly imported device below the MIDI output port to which it is "connected": When you assign a staff to the external output device connected to an output port, you can refer to each the name of the port, or the name of the external device. In this example, you can refer to either "Out-A USB MidiSport 2x2" or "Korg M1". You will find it preferable to refer to the device name because then you can assign a sound to the staff by referring to the name of a MIDI bank and patch (instrument) rather than refer to the bank and patch numbers.
Composer will add the newly imported device in the MIDI Device Configuration Window. To import a single MIDI bank from an MDD file into a previously added device:
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