I'm pretty new to music production and most of this software, so sorry if my questions aren't very clear... I'm not very knowledgeable about everything.
The way I've been creating music so far is with LMMS. I'll open the Vienna Synchron Player within this program which allows me to create music using sounds from the VSL. I've been able to do a lot with just this, but the problem is with using the velocity x-fade controller. I would like to be able to create notes that crescendo / decrescendo and have the changing velocity layers as the note gets louder / quieter. I have some knowledge in using controllers and automation tracks within LMMS in order to control certain functions of the Vienna Synchron Player while music is playing. However I'm not able control the velocity x-fade function. I can get a single note to change volume, but I don't get the changing tone quality or different velocity layers.
Now I realize that LMMS is a free program so it's not the most advanced DAW out there, but I can't find much information on this topic and I don't want to just start spending money on software when I don't know how compatible it is with VSL. So I would just like to know either A) if someone knows how to control the velocity x-fade function through LMMS... or B) better alternatives to LMMS which allow me to easily control these types of functions of the Vienna Sync player and create music more efficiently. Like I said, I don't completely know what I'm doing, so any advice would be helpful. Thanks
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Questions on using Velocity X-fade
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First potential culprit:
Did you turn Velocity X-Fade on? In the PERFORM tab, there's a little power button next to the slider for Velocity X-Fade.
Second potential culprit:
If Velocity X-Fade is on, do you have it mapped to a CC that you're able to control? Easy way to do this: right click on the slider for Velocity X-Fade, a frame will start blinking around it, then move the controller you want and it'll learn that CC. Save your preset and you're good to go! You can map a CC to the "power switch" as well if you want to toggle Vel X-Fade on/off mid-music.
I'm assuming, based on what you said, that LMMS allows you to select which CC is controlled in however it handles automation. Simply match that CC to the one you've assigned to Vel X-Fade in Synchron Player and you should be good to go!
Third potential culprit:
What library are you using in the Synchron Player? Not all patches have velocity layers, although *most* do. The velocity cross-fading, if turned on and being controlled correctly, will be most noticeable with things like sustain articulations in woodwind and brass instruments (which add treble content considerably as they increase in volume).
Any of those help?
- Sam
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Right now, I just have synchronized special edition 1. There are velocity layers, I just can't get them to change within a single note unless I adjust the slider manually.
Vel X-fade is on, but I think the problem is that I don't know how to access all the CC controls from LMMS. I'll play around with it a little more, but do you know of other DAWs that can access these CC controls more easily?
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Vel X-fade is on, but I think the problem is that I don't know how to access all the CC controls from LMMS. I'll play around with it a little more, but do you know of other DAWs that can access these CC controls more easily?
Yes, all of them 😊 Any good DAW should be able to handle CC automation of any kind within its MIDI and track editors. That said, I'd be *extremely* surprised if LMMS couldn't handle CC automation (since that's an essential part of MIDI programming), so I'd check the manual. If it can't for whatever reason, a DAW that can is essential.
As for other DAWS:
Most users on this forum - from what I've gathered, either use Cubase (PC) or Logic Pro (Mac) - as those DAWs seem to have the most robust MIDI-oriented features. Other options that I know very little about include Sonar, Studio One, Digital Performer, and FL Studio. Two very well known DAWs are Pro Tools and Ableton Live, but both of those are more geared towards mixing/mastering/recording (Pro Tools) and live performance (Ableton), although they can handle MIDI reasonably well. I'm sure there are others that I'm forgetting...
The DAW I use is a bit of an outlier called REAPER. Unlike the other DAWs above, it comes with almost no stock plug-ins, a very bare-bones interface, and a steep learning curve. However, once you get a handle on it, you can customize, re-arrange, and script it your heart's content. If you're a DIY-er type that likes to mod things, I highly recommend it (it's also $60!).
If you decide to give it a try, you can feel free to hit me up if you need help using it. If you decide to give one of the others a try, I'm sure there are other folks on this forum who can help you get up and running (esp. with Cubase and Logic).
All the best!
- Sam
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Ok, thanks for the advice. I’ll definitely have to look into some of those!
The issue I’m having now is I tried using Cakewalk (another free DAW that’s supposedly more advanced than LMMS), and I’ve run into the same problem with both programs. I managed to find a huge list of controllers from the synchron player... including controls for master volume, humanize tuning, expression etc plus (literally) hundreds and hundreds of other controllers beginning with “mix”. I looked through these a couple times and didn’t see anything for velocity, attack, release and several other sliders on the synchron player. If they’re there, they’re under different names. And still nothing for CC controls.
Idk if you’d be able to help with this, but I’m thinking I need to see a video or some instructions on how to access the controls I’m looking for on any DAW (it doesn’t matter which one), and maybe it could shed some light on what I need to do
EDIT: Cancel that, I found the velocity control as well as other ones I couldn't find before! I found them buried within about thousand other controls on this dial matrix... not sure why they're ordered that way, but it's all good now