Sforzato, then crescendo

[PaoloT]

Hi,

I'm trying to solve an issue with a particular (but not so uncommon) notation: a note beginning sfz, then immediately p, then crescendo.

The sforzato articulation of VSL SE doesn't seem to allow this, by simply using the Velocity X-Fade after the initial attack. I tried with the French Horn, and it remains unresponsive to my dynamics controller. This articulation is recorded diminuendo, so the dynamics controller would fight against the sample's decay.

So, I've conceived two workarounds. The first one consists in playing the sforzato attack as a very short note, followed by a sustain note. The sustain pedal, between the two notes, makes them sound as if they were the same note.

The second workaround is using the a and b slots in the sforzato articulation, one with a sforzato patch, the other one with a sustain patch. However, these sound as two separate sounds, even if I suspect playing with the envelope and dyncamic ranges could produce a satisfactory result.

The first solution is very laborious, but very effective. Would you use it, or is there something easier and as effective?

Paolo

[Fabio Biolcati]

Hi Paolo.

You're on the right way with workaround 2, just add slot cross-fade to it.
Check the circle in the middle of a and b of slot 1. A "X" shows up.
Turn to Ctrl Map tab of VI and assign a controller to Slot FX (default is CC20).
Draw a curve in your sequencer/DAW application fading from a to b part of slot 1 on the same note.

E.g. I'm using it for the beginning of some legato passages where slurred patches attack is too weak:
Sustain in 1a and Legato in 1b; starting articulation is 1a, then CC20 curve suddenly reaches
a higher value to move 1b in providing the legato note that seamlessly blends with the following one.

Hope it helps.

[PaoloT]

Fabio, thank you very much! I was going around the solution, without finding the right way! Your solution is much cleaner and elegant than the workaround I tried.

Paolo

[Fabio Biolcati]

You're welcome, Paolo.

Now you could teach me how to effectively use sustain pedal in VSL.
Always banging my head against it here…

[PaoloT]

Fabio, actually, I'm no longer sure I fully understand how the sustain pedal works. For example, I was sure it did join two notes, but it doesn't seem to work with all (if any) instruments. I'll have to try it again myself.

Paolo

[William]

I seem to use this accent attack-then-crescendo a lot.  You can't use the sforzandos and do a crescendo on the same articulation because they are  strictly just the attacked note and then it tails off.  In order to simplify the approach what I ended up doing is either

1) sforzando with note-on velocity then instantly switching to velocity crossfade crescendo on a sustain because they have the most velocity layers (or keyswitching to a dynamic sample with no crossfade will work if it fits in).  One thing that helps is adjusting the release so that it is a bit longer than normal and you will find by adjusting the position of the sforzando and sustain that you can make it sound almost totally uninterrupted.  Also, adding some expression so that there is a marked amplitude change overall coming down and then in the middle of the lowest level switching to the sustain and bringing that up quickly followed by the velocity crossfade or dynamic sample. The other ---

2) is simply using velocity crossfade along with expression on a single sustain articulation - this actually works in a lot of not-so-extreme dynamic cases and if you quickly crossfade down along with some expression then do the crescendo it can work.  Though if it is a very loud accent you would want the sforzando for the harsher attack.

[PaoloT]

William, thank you very much for your hints!

Yes, I agree that designing a small peak in the expression/modulation curve at the beginning of the sustain articulation can work very well to simulate a slight accent. Sforzato is more extreme, and in my view to be used only in a f or ff context.

Paolo

[PaoloT]

While we are here, I noticed an interesting thing in the SE matrices. The second row on the D note, over the sustain cell, contains a staccato articulation. If you inspect it, you will notice that it contains two slots: a staccato articulation for the attack, and a sustain articulation for the sound's tail. This results in something that I would call "simulated marcato", mid-way between accenting sustain and using sforzato.

Paolo