MIDI Implementation

MIDI Implementation

This describes what messages SpessaSynth can receive.

Supported MIDI Messages

Message	Supported?	Notes
Note On	✔️
Note Off	✔️	Does not support note off velocity (Per SF2 specification)
Note Aftertouch	✔️	50 cents of vibrato ⚠️NOT 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

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.

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
7	Main Volume	The volume (0 - 127) 0 is silent, 127 is normal volume	Changes the channel's volume.	127
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
10	Pan	0 is left, 64 is middle, 127 is right	Controls the channel's stereo balance	64
123 or 120	All Notes Off or All Sound Off	Not Applicable	Stops all the notes. Equivalent to MIDI "panic".	N.A.
11	Expression controller	The expression (0 - 127) 0 is silent, 127 is normal volume	Works exactly like Main Volume, but it's independent.	127
1	Modulation Wheel	The modulation depth (0 - 127) mapped to max 50 cents of detune	Controls the vibrato for the given patch.	0
91	Effects 1 Depth (reverb)	The reverb depth (0 - 127)	Controls the reverb effect send for the given channel.	0
92	Effects 2 Depth (tremolo)	The tremolo depth (0 - 127) mapped to 25dB of loudness variation ⚠️NOT STANDARD!⚠️	Controls the tremolo (trembling) effect for the given patch.	0
93	Effects 3 Depth (chorus)	The chorus depth (0 - 127)	Controls the chorus effect for the given channel.	0
72	Release Time	The release time (0- 127) 64 is normal, 0 is the fastest, 127 is the slowest ⚠️NOT 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 ⚠️NOT STANDARD!⚠️	Controls the brightness (lowpass frequency) of the given patch.	64
121	Reset All Controllers	Not Applicable	Resets all controllers to their default values.	N.A.
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
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
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
6	Data Entry MSB	Data entry value (0 - 127)	This is sets the selected RP or NRP to the given value. Note that the RPN and NRPN controlles only select the parameter, while this controller actually sets the values.	none
38	Data Entry LSB	Data entry value (0 - 127)	This is sets the selected RP or NRP to the given value. Note that the RPN and NRPN controlles only select the parameter, while this controller actually sets the values.	none
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

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 not standard.

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) / 2	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)

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 on	Turns on the Roland GS mode.
XG on	Turns on the Yamaha XG mode. Changes the bank selection system to XG.
Roland GS Use for drums part	Can turn the desired channel into a drum channel.
Roland Master Volume	Controls the overall synth's volume.
MIDI Master Volume	Controls the overall synth's volume.
MIDI Master Balance	Controls the overall synth's stereo panning.
Roland GS Master Pan	Controls the overall synth's stereo panning.
Roland GS Master Volume	Controls the overall synth's volume.
Roland SC-88 Display Text	The text that SC-88 MIDIs display on the device. Added to parsedMidi.copyright

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.