confusion about patch in help.html

[hycinth22]

I am translating help.html and confused about this line.

VMPK/data/help.html

Lines 182 to 183 in 3e2616b

	<h3>Patch names don't match the real sounds</h3>
	<p>You need to provide an .INS file describing exactly your synthesizer's sound set or soundfont. The included file (gmgsxg.ins) contains definitions for only standard GM, GS and XG instruments. If your MIDI synth doesn't match exactly any of them, you need to get another .INS file, or create it yourself.</p>

could you explain that what is patch name?

and this one

VMPK/data/help.html

Lines 179 to 180 in 3e2616b

	<h3>Some keys are silent</h3>
	<p>When you select channel 10 on a standard MIDI synth, it plays percussion sounds assigned to many keys but not to all of them. On melodic channels (not channel 10) you can select patches with a limited range of notes. This is known in music as <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tessitura">Tessitura</a>.</p>

what is patches with a limited range of notes.

---

is patch a typo for pitch? or means something else?

@pedrolcl
thx

[pedrolcl]

"patch" in this context is equivalent to "instrument" or "sound". In General MIDI, there is a list of 128 predefined patches, grouped by instrument families. Patch #1 is Grand Piano, patch #41 is Violin, #57 is Trumpet., and so on.

See: https://www.midi.org/specifications-old/item/gm-level-1-sound-set

This are only names, not strict definitions, so the same patch may sound very different on several synthesizers.

The tesitura of an instrument or patch is the range of notes supported by the instrument. On real instruments, there is usually a lower note limit, for instance Violins have a lower note of G3, but some synths may or may not respect that limit.

[hycinth22]

thanks