Multiple percussion on one midi channel for mock up?

[Sunshy]

First post! Trying to help a friend on MAC with Finale 2015 and Garritan (Aria Player) Instruments for Finale.

He would like to have a single line percussion staff that switches between a few different percussion instruments (e.g. timbale, triangle, timpani) on the same staff. Also, he would like the sounds to play via midi so he can hear the mock up through the Garritan Instruments for Finale. What is the best way to do this?

Put the instruments on different staves for the mock up and then, for printing of the score, consolidate the staves somehow?

Add some sort of midi program change every time the instrument changes?

Any ideas on what the most practical way of accomplishing this would be appreciated. There are to be 3 percussionists who periodically switch between different instruments. Of course, would like to have ONE percussion staff rather than 8 (one for each percussion instrument) and still hear the correct sounds via midi.

[Peter Thomsen]

Welcome to the forum!

I would set up the staff with layout and playback for the un-pitched percussion instrument (using a Percussion MIDI Map and a Percussion Layout).

For the regions with pitched percussion (e. g. timpani) I would try the utility Change Instrument (look in the bottom of the Utilities menu).

[Sunshy]

Thanks so much for the tips Peter. So the unpitched percussion would be on one midi channel, using a percussion midi map and layout, and the pitched instruments (timpani) would be on another midi channel, but the "Change Instrument" function would change the midi channel, while keeping the notes on the same staff?

[Peter Thomsen]

Yes, there is no need to have a separate staff for each instrument.
You can have the pitched percussion notes (e. g. timpani) in the same staff as the un-pitched percussion notes.

The utility ‘Change Instrument’ takes care of both layout and playback.
If you e. g. switch from timpani to xylophone, then the utility also changes the clef.

[Sunshy]

Great. I'll give it a go. Thanks so much for your help!