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  • Vienna Ensemble Automation in Logic

    Hi there
    I've begun to use VE instead of the VI and I'm loving it. Unfortunately I had to refer to a third party software (stylus RMX) to figure out how to set it up in Logic (as a multi instrument). VSL NB: a few more instructions would have been nice.
    So... anyway my problem now is how do you automate the VE? Perhaps I have set it up incorrectly in the first place but it's the only way I could figure out how to use it. With the VI's they were all on audio instruments so automation was easy. But now that the VE is a multi instrument and therefore I am confronted with lots of midi tracks I cant automate one without automating the others. Basically I just want to control the individual volumes of the tracks in the VE?
    I imagine this is incredibly easy but I just haven't found a way. Again this does seem to be a result of having no clear instructions on how to use the VE from the VSL team.
    Cheers Jim

  • Well if you use the volume midi controller on Logic and assign it to the expression controller on the VI player this will allow you to automate volume. Also you can do the same for velocity .. using breath control. It's not quite the same as what you're talking about .. but i think until VE has an update that allows for automation of the console itself .. this work around should do the trick.

  •  For some reason, when working with an Multi-Instrument instantiated in an Audio Instrument, Logic applies MIDI Volume (CC7) data on any one channel of a Multi-Instrument to all channels - - usually not desirable. To avoid this problem use MIDI Expression (CC11) instead of MIDI Volume to change levels. MIDI Expression works independently on each channel of a Multi-Instrument.


  • Hi
    Thanks for these responses. I'm amazed that there isn't a real solution to this, using CC11 isn't a bad way but considering automation is so important in todays music software world I cant believe the VSL team didn't have their own way of solving this.
    Thank you Jim

  •  Jim:

    The problem is in Logic, not in VI or VE - - so it would have to be solved by Apple. Or you could another sequencer (I am not sure, but think that DP does not have this problem.)

    The fact is that whether one uses CC7 to control level or CC11 makes little difference except that if CC7 is set below 127, the changes effected by CC11 will be smoother (e.g. if CC7 were set to 100, CC11 would still have 127 steps each of which would be .787 of a step in CC7). 


  • Ok sure I understand. But.....comparing the VE to the Stylus RMX (a multi instrument groove module) that works in a similar way every parameter in the Stylus is controllable through automation. You control the automation on the main audio instrument that the Stylus is inserted on, I just presumed that the same would be true of the VE. Don't get me wrong I love it but without this feature it really feels like it's lacking in a certain area...
    Cheers Jim

  • Well indeed, every parameter of every instantiation of the Vienna Instruments sample player within an instance of Vienna Ensemble is accessible to automation via any combination of MIDI controllers you wish to assign to these parameters. In addition, each instance of VI within one instantiation of Vienna Ensemble can have a matrix consisting of 144 articulations and 12 such matrices can be mounted as a Preset on a single MIDI channel for a theoretical total of 1728 articulations per MIDI Channel (and per VI instance). This gives you the theoretical possibility of 27,648 articulations per 16 channel instance of Vienna Ensemble.

  • Hi guys, Sorry to reopen an old thread. Has anyone been able to solve automating instruments separately in Logic and Vienna Ensemble? Here is my problem. I use an expression pedal which records MIDI data in with my regions as I record. I feel this is really important in getting a realistic sound. But when using ensemble, if I have a violin part that's too loud, there's no easy way to adjust the levels without adjusting say the cello too. If I record an expression value before the region, it just jumps back to the expression I recorded. I can adjust them manually in piano roll or the event editor, but this seems like a clumsy way to mix a recording. As far as I can tell, I can't automate expression in the arrange automation, but even if I could, I think it would fight with my other expression data. Has anyone found a decent solution to this?