MIDI Implementation

MIDI Implementation

This describes what messages SpessaSynth can receive.

Table Of Contents

• MIDI Implementation
  • Table Of Contents
  • Supported MIDI Messages
  • Controllers
    • Default Supported Controllers
    • Default controller values
  • Parameter Numbers
    • Supported Registered Parameters
    • Supported Non Registered Parameters
  • System Exlusives
    • Supported System Exclusives
    • Supported Bank systems
    • GS Parameters
    • XG Part Setup
    • MIDI Tuning Standard

Supported MIDI Messages

Note

⚠️NON-STANDARD!⚠️ means that this is an additional modulator that is not specified in the SF2 specification.

Message	Supported?	Notes
Note On	✔️
Note Off	✔️	Does not support note off velocity (Per SF2 specification)
Note Aftertouch	✔️	50 cents of vibrato ⚠️NON-STANDARD!⚠️
Controller Change	✔️	See below
Program Change	✔️	GM, GM2, GS, XG
Channel Pressure	✔️	50 cents of vibrato
Pitch Wheel	✔️	Controlled by Pitch Wheel range (both semitones and cents)
System exclusive	✔️	See below
Time Code	❌	Not Applicable
Song Position	❌	Not Applicable
Song Select	❌	Not Applicable
Tune Request	❌	Not Applicable
MIDI Clock	❌	Not Applicable
MIDI Start	❌	Not Applicable
MIDI Continue	❌	Not Applicable
MIDI Stop	❌	Not Applicable
Active Sense	❌	Not Applicable
System Reset	✔️	Can only be received via MIDI ports as 0xFF in MIDI files means a meta message

Controllers

Default Supported Controllers

Below is the list of controllers supported by default.

Note

Theoretically all controllers are supported as it depends on the SoundFont's modulators. These are the controllers that are supported by default/have default modulators.

Tip

For more info, see default modulators

CC	Controller name	Value	Explanation	Default value
0	Bank Select	The bank number (0 - 127)	Changes the bank number that is used in programChange. Note that it doesn't change the preset on its own. See this for more info	0
1	Modulation Wheel	The modulation depth (0 - 127) mapped to max 50 cents of detune	Controls the vibrato for the given patch.	0
6	Data Entry MSB	Data entry value (0 - 127)	This sets the selected RP or NRP to the given value. Note that the RPN and NRPN controllers only select the parameter, while this controller actually sets the values.	none
7	Main Volume	The volume (0 - 127) 0 is silent, 127 is normal volume	Changes the channel's volume.	100
10	Pan	0 is left, 64 is middle, 127 is right	Controls the channel's stereo balance	64
11	Expression controller	The expression (0 - 127) 0 is silent, 127 is normal volume	Works exactly like Main Volume, but it's independent.	127
32	Bank Select LSB	The bank number (0 - 127)	Changes the bank number that is used in programChange. Note that it doesn't change the preset on its own. See this for more info	0
33 - 64 excluding 38	Controller LSB values	The lower nibble of the value (0 - 127)	Allows precise control of values such as volume, expression, pan. Extends the precision from 0 - 127 to 0 - 16384 (!)	0
38	Data Entry LSB	Data entry value (0 - 127)	This sets the selected RP or NRP to the given value. Note that the RPN and NRPN controllers only select the parameter, while this controller actually sets the values.	none
64	Sustain Pedal	0 - 63 is off 64 - 127 is on	Holds the noteOff messages until the pedal is off, then stops them all at once.	0
71	Filter Reasonance	The resonance (0 - 127) 0 is 25 dB less, 64 is unchanged, 127 is 25 dB more ⚠️NON-STANDARD!⚠️	Controls the filter resonance of the given patch.	64
72	Release Time	The release time (0- 127) 64 is normal, 0 is the fastest, 127 is the slowest ⚠️NON-STANDARD!⚠️	Controls the release time for the given patch.	64
74	Brightness	The brightness (0 - 127) 0 is muffled, 64 is no additional filter, 127 is most clear ⚠️NON-STANDARD!⚠️	Controls the brightness (lowpass frequency) of the given patch.	64
91	Effects 1 Depth (reverb)	The reverb depth (0 - 127) See important info	Controls the reverb effect send for the given channel.	40
92	Effects 2 Depth (tremolo)	The tremolo depth (0 - 127) mapped to 25dB of loudness variation ⚠️NON-STANDARD!⚠️	Controls the tremolo (trembling) effect for the given patch.	0
93	Effects 3 Depth (chorus)	The chorus depth (0 - 127) See important info	Controls the chorus effect for the given channel.	0
99	Non-Registered Parameter Number MSB	Parameter number (0 - 127)	Selects a Non-Registered Parameter's Coarse to the given value. Here are the currently supported values..	none
98	Non-Registered Parameter Number LSB	Parameter number (0 - 127)	Selects a Non-Registered Parameter's Fine to the given value. Here are the currently supported values..	none
100	Registered Parameter Number LSB	Parameter number (0 - 127)	Selects a Registered Parameter's Fine to the given value. Here are the currently supported values..	none
101	Registered Parameter Number MSB	Parameter number (0 - 127)	Selects a Registered Parameter's Coarse to the given value. Here are the currently supported values..	none
120 or 123	All Notes Off or All Sound Off	Not Applicable	Stops all the notes. Equivalent to MIDI "panic".	N.A.
121	Reset All Controllers	Not Applicable	Resets all controllers to their default values.	N.A.

Default controller values

Below are all the controller values which are not zero when the controllers are reset.

CC Number	Name	Reset Value
7	Main Volume	100
8	Balance	64
11	Expression Controller	127
10	Pan	64
71	Timbre Harmonic Content	64
72	Release Time	64
73	Attack Time	64
74	Brightness	64
75	Sound Controller 6	64
76	Sound Controller 7	64
77	Sound Controller 8	64
78	Sound Controller 9	64
81	General Purpose Controller 6	64
83	General Purpose Controller 8	64

Parameter Numbers

Supported Registered Parameters

Below is the list of currently implemented Registered-Parameters.

RPN MSB	RPN LSB	Name	Explanation	Default
0	0	Pitch Wheel range	The range in semitones of the synth.pitchWheel() method.	2 semitones
0	2	Channel Coarse Tuning	The channel's tuning in semitones	No tuning (0 semitones)
0	3	Channel Fine Tuning	The channel's tuning, like a pitch bend message (precise tuning in 2 semitones)	No tuning (0 cents)
0	5	Channel Modulation Depth	The channel's modulation (vibrato) depth. Note that this doesn't set the cents directly, but rather scales the soundfont modulator value (for example if set to twice the MIDI default value, the modulator controlling vibrato depth will be multiplied by 2)	default sf2 depth (50 cents)
127	127	Reset parameters	Resets all parameters	N.A.

Supported Non Registered Parameters

Below is the list of currently implemented Non-Registered-Parameters. Note that all these are NON-STandard. These only apply for GS

NRPN MSB	NRPN LSB	Name	Explanation	Default
1	8	Vibrato rate	Controls the vibrato rate. The calculation to hertz is as follows: hz = (value / 64) * 8	0 (disabled)
1	9	Vibrato depth	Controls the vibrato depth. Depth ratio is as calculated as follows: depth = value / 2	0 (disabled)
1	10	Vibrato delay	Controls the vibrato delay. Calculation to seconds is as follows: (64 / value) / 3	0 (disabled)
1	A	TVF Filter Cutoff	Controls the filter cutoff using the CC 74 (brightness)	64 (no change)
1D	N/A	Drum Reverb	Adjusts the reverb controller if the channel is drum chanel	40 (default reverb)
18	key number	Drum Tuning	Adjusts the given MIDI key's tuning if the channel is a drum channel

System Exlusives

Supported System Exclusives

Below is the list of currently implemented System Exclusive messages.

Name	Description
GM on	Turns the GM mode on. Ignores all the Bank Select controllers.
GM off	Turns the GM mode off. Defaults to GS
GM2 on	Turns the GM2 mode on.
GS Reset	Turns on the Roland GS mode.
XG Reset	Turns on the Yamaha XG mode. Changes the bank selection system to XG.
Roland Master Volume	Controls the overall synth's volume.
GS Parameters	See this for more info
MIDI Master Volume	Controls the overall synth's volume.
MIDI Master Balance	Controls the overall synth's stereo panning.
Roland SC-88 Display Text	The text that SC-88 MIDIs display on the device. Added to parsedMidi.copyright
XG Master Volume	Controls the overall synth's volume.
XG Master Transpose	Controls the overall synth's transposition.
XG Part Setup	See this for more info
MIDI Tuning Standard	See this for more info

Supported Bank systems

Name	Description
GM	Ignores all bank selects.
GM2	Same as GS, except bank 120 means drum channel.
GS	Default. Bank MSB processed normally.
XG	If bank MSB is 120, 126 or 127, the channel is set to drums, else processed normally. LSB is also applied.

GS Parameters

Below are the supported GS SysEx Parameters.

Name	Description
Roland GS Use for drums part	Can turn the desired channel into a drum channel.
Roland GS Master Pan	Controls the overall synth's stereo panning.
Roland GS Master Volume	Controls the overall synth's volume.
Roland GS Reverb Level	Same as CC 91 (reverb depth)
Roland GS Chorus Level	Same as CC 92 (chorus depth)
Roland GS Scale Tuning	Similar to MTS Scale Octave Tuning.

XG Part Setup

Below are the supported part setup messages for XG.

Number (hex)	Name
01	Bank Select MSB
02	Bank Select LSB
03	Program change
0B	Volume
0E	Pan (0 is random)
13	Reverb
12	Chorus

MIDI Tuning Standard

Below are the supported sysExes of the MTS. RT means realtime and NRT means non-realtime.

• Scale Octave Tuning (1 byte) (RT/NRT)
• Scale Octave Tuning (2 bytes) (RT/NRT)
• Single Note Tuning change (RT)
• Single Note Tuning Change (RT/NRT)