How do I assign a hand clap sound to a percussion layout

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singrass
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Post by singrass » Mon Apr 06, 2020 12:06 am

I would like to be able to notate and play back the hand clap sound (Midi Note 39). How do I modify a percussion layout to make this sound available?

Followup question: How do I get a hand clap sound to play from a non-percussion staff (e.g., if the flute player is supposed to clap their hands). In searching other posts on these forums, I have learned how to create an expression "Clap" that changes the channel to 10, and another "End clap" that changes the channel back to 1, but in between applying these expressions to my score, what note do I have to put on my flute part to get the hand clap sound?

Thank you in advance for your help.


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motet
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Post by motet » Mon Apr 06, 2020 1:27 am

MIDI 39 is this note:
0308.png
To put it in a flute part, do the channel-change expressions you mention and write the claps as the low-low E-flats (the little squares here are the channel-change expressions):
0317.png
then apply the Rhythmic Notation staff style to the claps:
0318.png

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motet
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Post by motet » Mon Apr 06, 2020 1:29 am

Here's the Finale file.

singrass
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Post by singrass » Mon Apr 06, 2020 11:17 am

Thanks, Motet, for the very prompt reply. It seemed very understandable to me, but I must have done something wrong, because although I put in the channel changes and low E-flats in the flute part, those measures in the flute part are just silent. I hear the claps in the sample you posted, but not in mine. If you still have some time, do you mind helping me figure out what I did wrong?
Won't Clap.musx

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HaraldS
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Post by HaraldS » Mon Apr 06, 2020 11:54 am

singrass wrote:
Mon Apr 06, 2020 11:17 am
I must have done something wrong, because although I put in the channel changes and low E-flats in the flute part, those measures in the flute part are just silent. I hear the claps in the sample you posted, but not in mine. If you still have some time, do you mind helping me figure out what I did wrong?Won't Clap.musx
It doesn't clap, because MIDI note #39 (the E-flat) only claps if it's sent to a device/software/VST which follows the General MIDI drum standard. In your file, you're using the "Basic Orch Percussion" patch, which doesn't follow the GM standard and thus doesn't contain a hand clap on note #39.

You can solve that easily by selecting the "Electronic drum kit" on slot #1 in the Aria player (Finale Default Bank->GM->DrumsKits->Electronic drum kit). Set this slot's MIDI channel to #10, to which your "clap" expression directs the Flute staff's MIDI data.
Finale 3.0-25.5, German edition, Windows 7
trombonist, pianist, conductor / Recklinghausen, Germany

singrass
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Post by singrass » Mon Apr 06, 2020 1:41 pm

Thank you, motet. I have it working now. Much obliged.

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motet
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Post by motet » Mon Apr 06, 2020 4:11 pm

And thanks to HaraldS.

A percussion layout will let you put the clap wherever you want on the staff. So you could use the Change Instrument function to switch to percussion:
0319.png
I don't think you can switch mid-measure, but probably the flutist needs time to put the instrument in their lap anyway! The clefs may be hidden:
0320.png
This eliminates the need for the channel-switching expressions.

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