timidity.cfg(5)

📦
version 2.15.0 · 3 versions
, in arch rolling, nixos 26.05, nixpkgs unstable, opensuse-leap 16.0

💖 NAME 💖

timidity.cfg — the configure file of TiMidity++. This is the timidity.cfg(5) page from the File Formats Manual, and bestie, it is literally the config-file main character of the group chat. 💅🎀

🌸 DESCRIPTION 🌸

Okay so the file timidity.cfg describes the runtime environments of timidity(1): the path of sound font, instruments configurations, etc. TiMidity++ looks for the configuration file timidity.cfg at startup, before processing any options. If it can’t be accessed, and the library path is changed with a -L option on the command line, then the default file will be sought again along the new library path after processing all options, unless another configuration file was specified with the -c option.

Configuration files define the mapping of MIDI programs to instrument files. Multiple files may be specified, and statements in later ones will override earlier ones. Later files ate, no cap. ✨

🧚 VARIABLE 🧚

When alphanumeric and/or underscore _ characters continue after a dollar sign $, it is considered that the string is a variable and the configuration file is processed, it is transposed to another string. The variable name can also be written with an inside parenthesis, in order to separate it from a following character.

For example:

$variable
${variable} # same as $variable

For the moment, the command which newly defines variables is not prepared. The undefined variable is transposed to null string. The variable defined as a regular variable is the next only one:

💅 $basedir

Expresses the directory where the configuration file exists. By the command which mainly specifies a path, it is used in order to specify the relative path from a setting file. When a blank may be included in $basedir, it is necessary to bundle with "".

For example, in /usr/local/share/timidity/timidity.cfg:

dir $basedir/inst # source /usr/local/share/timidity/inst

🎛️ SYNTAX 🎛️

The following statements can be used in a configuration file:

📁 dir directory [...]

Adds directory to the search path in the same manner as the -L command line option. Archive file are also allowed.

For example:

dir /usr/local/share/timidity/inst/foo.zip#
bank 0
0 bar.pat
1 baz.pat
2 zoo.pat

At first, dir specifies the archive name (followed by #) for the path of patch files same as directory name (in this case, /usr/local/share/timidity/inst/foo.zip). TiMidity++ recognize the path is an archive file if the expression has the last character #, and also read the files contained in this archive file. In previous example the patch files bar.pat, baz.pat and zoo.pat contained in the foo.zip are also installed. Archive-file realness, iykyk. 🦋

📥 source file [...]

Reads another configuration file, then continues processing the current one.

🔢 progbase number

Sets and displays the tone number from number to number+128. If progbase 1 are specified, tone numbers that follow are set and displayed as the numbers from 1 to 128.

🎹 bank [MapID1] number

Selects the tone bank to modify. Patch mappings that follow will affect this tone bank. You can indicate specific map as a target, by specifying any of the following to MapID1: gm2, sc55, sc88, sc88pro, sc8850, xg and xgsfx64.

🥁 drumset [MapID2] number

Selects the drum set to modify. Patch mappings that follow will affect this drum set. You can indicate specific map as a target, by specifying any of the following to MapID2: gm2drum, sc55drum, sc88drum, sc88prodrum, sc8850drum, xgdrum and xgsfx126.

✨ number file [options] + friends ✨

number file [options]
number %font file bank prog [key] [options]
number %sample file [options]

Specifies that the MIDI program number in the current tone bank or drum set should be played using the patch file. If file is SoundFont, the specific instrument with bank, prog, and key is taken out by the format of number %font. If file is linear AIFF or WAV sample data, the MIDI program number is specified by the format of number %sample. Options may be any of the following:

  • amp=amplification — Amplifies the instrument’s volume by amplification percent. If no value is specified, one will be automatically determined whenever the instrument is loaded.
  • note=note — Specifies a fixed MIDI note to use when playing the instrument. If note is 0, the instrument will be played at whatever note the Note On event triggering it has. For percussion instruments, if no value is specified in the configuration file, the default in the patch file will be used.
  • pan=panning — Sets the instrument’s default panning. panning may be left, right, center, or an integer between -100 and 100, designating full left and full right respectively. If no value is specified, the default in the patch file will be used. Note that panning controls in MIDI files will override this value.
  • tune=tuning[,...] — Adjust the instrument’s root frequency. tune=1 causes 1 half tone higher. Since a fraction is available for tuning, it is possible to do fine tuning such as tune=-0.2. When two or more sample data is contained, the arguments after the second can specify different value respectively.
  • rate=attack:decay:sustain:release1:release2:release3[,...] — Sets the instrument’s ADSR rate. Each value may be an integer between 0 and 255. When you set only sustain rate,
6 GUS/hrpschrd.pat rate=::60

is available. When you set only attack time fasten,

6 GUS/hrpschrd.pat rate=255

is available. When two or more sample data is contained, the arguments after the second can specify different value respectively.

  • offset=attack:decay:sustain:release1:release2:release3[,...] — Sets the instrument’s ADSR offset. Each value may be an integer between 0 and 255. The format is same as rate=.
  • keep={loop|env} — By default, percussion instruments have their loop and envelope information stripped. Strangely shaped envelopes are removed automatically from melodic instruments as well. keep= can be used to prevent stripping loop or envelope data. For example, the Short and Long Whistle percussion instruments (General Midi numbers 71 and 72) need to have keep=loop keep=env specified in the configuration file.
  • strip={loop|env|tail} — Force removal of loop or envelope information from all patches in the instrument, or strip the tail, i.e. all data after the loop. Some third-party instruments have garbage after the loop, as evidenced by a clicking noise whenever the instrument is played, so adding the strip=tail option will markedly improve sound quality. Clean-up era. 🧹
  • tremolo=sweep_increment:control_ratio:depth[,...] — Sets the instrument’s tremolo. Each value may be an integer between 0 and 255. The format is similar to rate=. sweep_increment is the time until tremolo is started. control_ratio is the rate changing amplification. depth is the depth changing amplification.
  • vibrato=sweep_increment:phase_increment:depth[,...] — Sets the instrument’s vibrato. Each value may be an integer between 0 and 255. The format is similar to rate=. sweep_increment is the time until vibrato is started. phase_increment is the rate changing frequency. depth is the depth changing frequency.
  • sclnote=note[,...] — Sets the instrument’s standard note for scale tuning. For example, sclnote=60 causes the center note C to be standard note for scale tuning. When two or more sample data is contained, the arguments after the second can specify different value respectively.
  • scltune=tune[,...] — Sets the instrument’s scale tuning factor in cents. For example, scltune=50 causes the half tone steps as 50 cents. When two or more sample data is contained, the arguments after the second can specify different value respectively.
  • comm=comment — Specifies the comment comment.
  • modrate=attack:decay:sustain:release1:release2:release3[,...] — Sets the instrument’s behavior of change of modulation envelope. The format and values are fundamentally same as volume envelope. Except for some SoundFonts, even if it specifies only the option, nothing happens.
  • modoffset=attack:decay:sustain:release1:release2:release3[,...] — Also sets the instrument’s behavior of change of modulation envelope. The format and values are fundamentally same as volume envelope. Except for some SoundFonts, even if it specifies only the option, nothing happens.
  • envkeyf=attack:decay:sustain:release1:release2:release3[,...] — Sets the instrument’s volume envelope key follow. Based on note=60, it changes envelope time according to note. The unit is +-cent/key. For example, envkeyf=100 means that the attack time will double when it goes up by 1 octave. The format is similar to rate=. The parameter of decay and sustain may be preset in some SoundFont.
  • envvelf=attack:decay:sustain:release1:release2:release3[,...] — Sets the instrument’s volume envelope velocity follow. Based on velocity=64, it changes envelope time according to velocity. The unit is +-cent/velocity. For example, envvelf=100 means that the attack time will be 38 times at velocity=127. The format is similar to rate=. In the future, the specification of this option may be changed.
  • modkeyf=attack:decay:sustain:release1:release2:release3[,...] — Sets the instrument’s modulation envelope key follow. Based on note=60, it changes envelope time according to note. The unit is +-cent/key. For example, modkeyf=100 means that the attack time will double when it goes up by 1 octave. The format is similar to rate=. The parameter of decay and sustain may be preset in some SoundFont.
  • modvelf=attack:decay:sustain:release1:release2:release3[,...] — sets the instrument's modulation envelope velocity follow. Based on velocity=64, it changes envelope time according to velocity. The unit is +-cent/velocity. For example, modvelf=100 means that the attack time will 38 times at velocity=127. The format is similar to rate=. > heads up bestie: in the future, the specification of this option may be changed. 💅
  • trempitch=num[,...] — sets the instrument's depth of changing pitch according to tremolo. The effect itself is the same as vibrato, but it's used to operate in another system. The unit is +-cent. The format is similar to rate=.
  • tremfc=num[,...] — sets the instrument's depth of changing cutoff frequency according to tremolo. It can express the so-called glowl effect. The units and stuff are the same as trempitch=.
  • modpitch=num[,...] — sets the instrument's depth of changing pitch according to the modulation envelope. It can temporarily express raising pitch only for the attack stage. The units and all that are the same as trempitch=.
  • modfc=num[,...] — sets the instrument's depth of changing cutoff frequency according to the modulation envelope. The units and all that are the same as trempitch=.
  • fc=num[,...] — sets the instrument's standard of cutoff frequency. The unit is Hz. The format is similar to rate=.
  • q=num[,...] — sets the instrument's Q (resonance). The unit is cB. The format is similar to rate=.
  • fckeyf=num — sets the instrument's filter key follow. Based on note=60, it changes cutoff frequency according to note. The unit is +-cent/key. For example, fckeyf=100 means that it changes the same as pitch.
  • fcvelf=num — sets the instrument's filter velocity follow. Based on velocity=127, it changes cutoff frequency according to velocity. The unit is +-cent. In SoundFont, -2400 is set up as a characteristic value.
  • qvelf=num — sets the instrument's resonance velocity follow. Based on velocity=0, it changes resonance according to velocity. The unit is +-cB.
  • default file — when a MIDI program appears that is not mapped to an instrument file, this file is pronounced as a substitute.
  • map MapID1 from-bank from-prog to-bank to-prog — the existing tone is assigned as a tone of GS/XG for each map. gm2, sc55, sc88, sc88pro, sc8850, xg and xgsfx64 can be specified as MapID1.
  • map MapID2 from-drumset from-keynote to-drumset to-keynote — the existing drum is assigned as a drum of GS/XG for each map. gm2drum, sc55drum, sc88drum, sc88prodrum, sc8850drum, xgdrum and xgsfx126 can be specified as MapID2.
  • soundfont file [options] — reads the whole SoundFont. options may be any of the following:
    • order=number — sets the order of searching for instrument. When order=0, first read SoundFont, and then search for insufficient samples in GUS/patch. When order=1, after reading GUS/patch, search for SoundFont.
    • amp=amplification — sets the amplification of the whole SoundFont as amplification%. If the value is not specified, it is set by 100%.
    • cutoff=number — specifies whether LPF in SoundFont is enable (1) or disable (0). If the value is not specified, it is considered to be enable.
    • reso=number — specifies whether resonance in SoundFont is enable (1) or disable (0). If the value is not specified, it is considered to be enable.
    • remove — cancels the target SoundFont from the memory.
  • font exclude bank [prog [key]] — suppresses searching for SoundFont of bank, prog. If the sample is drumset, bank is 128, drumset is prog, keynum is key.
  • font order number bank [prog [key]] — sets the order of searching for instrument individually. The format is the same as font exclude.

The following statements are available only latest TiMidity++. 🦋

  • #extension altassign program1 program2 ... — sets the alternate assign for drum set. For example, if you want to pronounce Hi-Hat cymbals (note number 42, 44 and 46) in drumset 0 exclusively to each others, specify:
drumset 0
altassign 42 44 46

Note that alternate assign of drumset 0 is used by default.

  • #extension comm program comment — specifies the comment comment for the tone number program. These comments are displayed in the indicator line when TiMidity++ is booted with option -int, -iTt.
  • #extension timeout program second — specifies the time-out value of the program. If any notes played with the tone number program are suspended for more than second seconds, TiMidity++ kills the notes.
  • #extension copydrumset drumset — copies all settings of the drumset to the current drumset.
  • #extension copybank bank — copies all settings of the bank to the current bank.
  • #extension copymap to-MapID from-MapID — copies all settings of the banks defined for the map from-MapID to the map to-MapID.
  • #extension HTTPproxy hostname:port — specifies the proxy of the HTTP protocol. hostname and port are of the proxy host's.
  • #extension FTPproxy hostname:port — specifies the proxy of the FTP protocol. Same as HTTP.
  • #extension mailaddr your-mail-address — specifies user's mail address. This address is sent to the FTP server if TiMidity++ accesses any file via FTP.
  • #extension opt option — sets the value of boot-time options.
  • #extension undef progno — undefines the tone progno of current tone bank.
  • #extension legato progno {0|1} — specifies whether legato is enable (1) or disable (0) on progno.
  • #extension level progno tva_level — sets the standard value of changing amplification when processing Drum Instrument TVA Level of NRPN. Unless Drum Instrument TVA Level is specified at playing, the amplification is not influenced. progno can carry out package specification by , and/or [start]-[end]. If start and end are omitted, they are assumed to be 0 and 127 respectively.
  • #extension damper progno {0|1} — specifies whether redamper and half-damper are enable (1) or disable (0) on progno.
  • #extension playnote progno note — sets the frequency of pronounce to note. If the frequency of pronounce is specified by GS SysEx Play Note, the pitch is changed appropriately according to the value. progno can carry out package specification by , and/or [start]-[end]. If start and end are omitted, they are assumed to be 0 and 127 respectively.

For example:

drumset 0
#extension playnote -37,39,44-46,55-60
  • #extension delaysend progno level — sets the send level when drum part effect is enable (delay send).
  • #extension chorussend progno level — same send-level situation, but for chorus.
  • #extension reverbsend progno level — same send-level situation, but for reverb.

All initial value are 127. If one of delay, chorus and reverb is at least set up, the effect which is not set as the tone will become the initial value 0. progno can carry out package specification by , and/or [start]-[end]. If start and end are omitted, they are assumed to be 0 and 127 respectively.

  • #extension rnddelay progno msec — for every pronunciation, it is random and less than a maximum of msec delay. The distribution of random value is pink noise (1/f fluctuation) rather than a white noise.

These #extension statements are beginning with character # that is the comment flag of old TiMidity (version 0.2i or earlier). So these statements are treated as comment line. The latest TiMidity++ treats #extension as white-space. So you can omit it. ✨

If any file-name expression ended with character | (Ascii 0x7c), the file-name is treated as command and outputs of the command are also examined as arguments of statements. source command| makes the output of command become the argument of source. It is convenient to choose settings of TiMidity++ according to environment. In addition, if a space enters on the way like command |, it will be divided at the time of setting file reading, and will no longer be regarded as a command. This function is applicable to all the places that can specify a file name.

timidity 'cat fild.mid|'

will read from the output of cat fild.mid.

💾 FILES

  • /etc/timidity.cfg
  • /usr/local/share/timidity/timidity.cfg

👀 SEE ALSO

timidity(1), lsmidiprog(1), mididump(1), patinfo(1), sf2text(1), wav2pat(1)

Copyright (C) 1999-2004 Masanao Izumo <iz@onicos.co.jp> Copyright (C) 1995 Tuukka Toivonen <tt@cgs.fi>

The original version was developed by Tuukka Toivonen <tt@cgs.fi> until the release of TiMidity-0.2i. His development was discontinued because of his being busy with work.

This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of the License, or (at your option) any later version.

This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the GNU General Public License for more details.

You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License along with this program; if not, write to the Free Software Foundation, Inc., 59 Temple Place, Suite 330, Boston, MA 02111-1307 USA

🌐 AVAILABILITY

The latest release is available on the TiMidity++ Page,

URL https://sourceforge.net/projects/timidity/

💖 and that's the whole mood, bestie — this manual page is timidity.cfg(5) from TiMidity++ 2.13.0, dated April 25 2004. go off, and may your configs never clip. 🎀✨

📦 where this page comes from