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  • Cubase Note Expression

    S
    S

    Hi,

    Another probably moron question, but VSL doesn't respond to Cubase Note Expression, right?

    If not, is it still helpful to use Note Expression vs. controller lanes for keyswitches? One of the main griefs I have is that when I'm working on a MIDI track in Cubase, if move back a couple of bars to listen, it might play the wrong articulation. I call this 'chase failure' because Cubase is playing the correct -notes- but not the correct articulation because it doesn't 'chase back' to where the initial keyswitch/controller events are.I know Cubase has several Preferences for this, but I've found them kinda hit or miss.

    Anyhoo, I'm wondering if using Note Expression helps with this... ie. helping to to 'lock' the correct articulations with the notes. The Cubase manual implies that this might be the case even for VSTis that do -not- support Note Expression.

    TIA

    ----JC
  • D
    D

     This can be a problem if you use CC for patch changes, but it shouldn't be a problem with keyswitches. Just make them almost legato (i.e.leave a tiny gap between them) and chase will always work.

    DG
  • S
    S

    Not sure I understand.

    Are you saying 'chase will always work' with the controller lanes or 'always work' with Note Expression? Is there a Preference that makes this work? The point of this post is that I have not found the controller lanes to be reliable.

    ---JC
  • D
    D

    No. What I was saying was that chase will always work with keyswitches.

    DG
  • S
    S

    My apologies. I have limited computer time and this stuff... which would take 5 seconds with a 'pro' in the same room, takes -ages- online. This PC is not the one I DAW with so from faulty memory:

    What I mean is that, I put in a keyswitch at bar -1 for, say, perf legato.  I hit 'Play' and off we go to the next -two- keyswitches at bar 50:

    1. C#1 Switch to the 'Articulations' matrix

    2. F# Switch to the 'Pizz' patch

    At bar 55, I hit 'Stop' and use the mouse to go to bar 47.

    I then hit 'Play' and... I still have Pizz... even though this is 3 bars before the keyswitch. That's what I call 'chase failure'.

    I see in your sig you use Nuendo. Maybe it's different somehow?

    ---JC
  • D
    D

    This is why I said make your keyswitches almost legato and then wherever you click there will be a note on active for a keyswitch. Cubase can only chase a keyswitch if one is active. In your example there is no KS active, so Vienna Instruments doesn't change from the last articulation played.

    DG
  • S
    S

    So let me get this straight: sorry if this seems too obvious...

    Each of your keyswitch 'notes' is as long as the length of the passage with that articulation?

    IOW: if you have a 32 bar legato melody, the length of the keyswitch note is basically 32 bars?

    ---JC
  • D
    D
    last edited
    last edited

    @Suntower said:

    So let me get this straight: sorry if this seems too obvious...

    Each of your keyswitch 'notes' is as long as the length of the passage with that articulation?

    IOW: if you have a 32 bar legato melody, the length of the keyswitch note is basically 32 bars?

    ---JC

     

     In a nutshell, yes. I have a macro set up that means I can enter KS and make them legato, minus a few ticks, with one Key Command.

    DG
  • Beat KaufmannB
    Beat KaufmannB
    last edited
    last edited

    @Suntower said:

    ... if you have a 32 bar legato melody, the length of the keyswitch note is basically 32 bars?

    Another possibility: Set the keyswitch again from time to time with such long distances to a next keyswitch.

    Much more better: Use more different articulations. For 32 bars the same articulation? Isn't this boring?

    Sorry for being a bit provocatively [;)]

    Beat

    - Tips & Tricks while using Samples of VSL.. see at: https://www.beat-kaufmann.com/vitutorials/ - Tutorial "Mixing an Orchestra": https://www.beat-kaufmann.com/mixing-an-orchestra/
  • N
    N

    When mapping keyswitches, I seek to place the new keyswitch just before the note sounds, and keep the keyswitches at a very short duration.  If the part consists of eighth notes, I will use 16th note keyswitches, if playing 16th notes, 32nd note keyswitches, etc., but not longer than 16th notes.  Keyswitches are placed on a separate staff for each part and then imported into an empty layer of the instrument part just before exporting the notation file into my sequencer.

    In essence, as DG said, when going back to a previous spot, if you do not have a keyswitch at that spot, the VI will play the last selected patch until your next keyswitch.  If one has to keep going back to a particular spot, one can always add an extra duplicate keyswitch at that point.  Note that I use Finale and Sonar, not Cubase.

    HTH
  • S
    S

    You wouldn't happen to be willing to share that macro with me, would ya? Is this a true 'macro' or a Logical Editor preset?

    I can see one advantage to your approach in that one has a visual reminder of the active KS.

    Thanks,

    ---JC
  • D
    D

    I'm not sure that my macro wold work for you, unless you have the same keyswitches set up. However it basically fulfills the following commands:

    1. Select all notes in a particular octave (Process Logical Preset)
    2. Makes them legato (Key Command)
    3. Reduces them by 60 ticks, unless they are already less than this length (Process Logical Preset)
    4. Select none (Key Command)

    Because of my particular set-up there are other things to consider that may not be useful for you. For example, I enter the majority of KS in Steptime, so my macro switches this on and off, as well as reducing the length of all KS so that they don't overlap.

    DG
  • S
    S

    Yeah, ya kinda lost me at the word 'Steptime'. Get behind me Satan! :D

    But thanks! Seriously. I think there may be something there... I gotta give it some thought.

    The whole idea (for -me- anyway) is to do a 'performance' and then move on. I know 99% of my questions come off as numbskull because I just do NOT want to work 'in the computer'... either in Sibelius or do lots of 'passes' in MIDI. I'm obviously fighting reality.

    Cheers,

    ---JC
  • S
    S
    I use the Cubase expression maps. They chase correctly without further programming. They also have clear identifying names, so you don't have to watch your keyswitch list to know where is the articulation that you want. You just have to set them up the way you like them. I have two sets per instrument : the essencial, which is the one you use 90 % of the time, and the complete, for the rare occasions you need more.
  • T
    T
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    @delafange said:

    I use the Cubase expression maps. They chase correctly without further programming. They also have clear identifying names, so you don't have to watch your keyswitch list to know where is the articulation that you want. You just have to set them up the way you like them. I have two sets per instrument : the essencial, which is the one you use 90 % of the time, and the complete, for the rare occasions you need more.

    That's exactly the way I do it since I found out there is something like this! Works like a charm. I also use a "basic" and a "full" set.

    I can recommend this!
  • U
    U

    Maybe it's old news for you but I found this by chance looking for more info on "Cubase expression maps" (includes VSL):

    http://www.steinberg.net/en/support/content_and_accessories/expression_maps_for_vst_expression.html

    Does anyone know if the equivalent exist in Sonar X1?  Thanks!
  • andiA
    VSL Team
    andiA

    Hello iamnemo and others!

    The Steinberg Expression Maps page only offers a few old versions of our Expression Maps. Please download the latest versions at the following page:
    http://www.vsl.co.at/en/68/141/460/1602/1288.htm

    As far as I know there is no equivalent for Sonar.

    Best regards,
    Andi

    Vienna Symphonic Library
  • V
    V
    Are VSL-team plan to make ViPro able for editing Note Expression messages for each note, like in this video? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VqfYm4MzfAU It will be very actual for Dimension instruments.. Best regards, Vadim