Vienna Symphonic Library Forum
Forum Statistics

191,957 users have contributed to 42,821 threads and 257,504 posts.

In the past 24 hours, we have 10 new thread(s), 59 new post(s) and 232 new user(s).

  1. Home
  2. General & Hardware
  3. Basic misunderstanding - would really appreciate sorting out !

  • Basic misunderstanding - would really appreciate sorting out !

    K
    K

    Hi- I think my brain must be on holiday because there's something fundamental about working with  VSL which I just don't get, despite help from this forum and in particular from Beat.

    Because I really want to get over this hurdle  I'm going to risk being ridiculed  and ask again ............. I've chosen articulation patches and set up the matrix and tested the mod wheel setting on my master keyboard which does alter the sounds.  But- how does this work in practice:

    Q1) While recording ( into Logic Studio ) I could play a single melody with RH on the keyboard and twiddle the mod wheel as I go. But that is restricting since I can only programme the wheel for a few articulations.

    Q2) What happens when I play two-handed on the keyboard ?  

    Q3) If I want to alter an articulation after it's recorded in logic - eg a passage sounds wrong as staccato so I want to try detaché - how can I do this ?

    I have special the Special Edition ( standard + extended ) and was considering adding on the Woodwind Plus, but until I can work properly with VSL  there doesn't seem much point.

    I'm not giving up though !  Thanks, Kay.
  • C
    C

    Hi Kay

    1) You can use keyswitches (as well as the wheel) for I believe up to 144 different articulations per matrix

    2) You can use velocity, speed or the sustain pedal for example

    3) Use the Matrix Editor in Logic to pencil in notes that are assigned to the keyswitches to change articulations

    Hope this helps

    Colin
  • K
    K

    Hi Colin,

    Thanks for answering.  I do know about keyswitches & the other possibilities, BUT: my basic misunderstanding is still not cleared up: what is the actual physical method of doing all this ?

    1.Open Logic Arrange window, and choose new project,  software instrument, choose VSL violin

    2. Select VSL instrument and set up matrix and patches

    3. What next ?  Do I play a one handed melody on the master keyboard at the same time as touching the keyswitch notes on the  keyboard  -OR- moving the mod wheel with the other hand ??

    My real question is: what is the actual physical way to activate these changes ?

    What happens if I play two-handed with no spare fingers to touch notes on the keyboard which I've assigned as keyswitches, or to move the mod wheel ? 

    I've watched all the demo tutorials- many times - and am still none the wiser.  Don't know why.

    Are you the same Colin Thompson who used to play/teach guitar in and around East Grinstead ?

    Thanks,  Kay.
  • C
    C
    last edited
    last edited

    @Kay von Randow said:

    Are you the same Colin Thompson who used to play/teach guitar in and around East Grinstead ?

    Thanks,  Kay.

    Hi Kay.

    No..that's not me. I'm the one that used to rob the banks in and around East Grinstead[:O]

    To start with, you select which articulation to play first then start recording and play your violin or whatever. To change articulations via keyswitches, hit the key just prior to playing the note(s) you wish to have played by a different artic. You don't have to hold it down, it will remain active until you hit another keyswitch or move the modwheel. If once you've finished your take and you wish to change the artics, go into the Matrix Editor (logic) and enter new keyswitch notes or edit existing ones.

    E.g. C1 is assigned to Stacatto and C#1 is Sustain. You have played 3 stac notes in succession and you want the middle one to sustain. At any time after the start of note 1, and before the start of note 2, pencil in a C#1 in the Matrix. To have the 3rd one play stacatto again, pencil in a C1 after the commencement of note 2 and before the start of note 3.

    When playing 2 handed you can edit the piece after the recording. Just record on the same track again and play in the appropriate keyswitches and move the modwheel to change the artics. You can also use a sustain pedal to change between 2 artics in a matrix with a 2 vertical cells structure. Go to Control Edit, V-span, select Controller under the Not Assigned menu. Select CC64 to the left and now use the pedal to change the sounds. You can also use speed or velocity, but I haven't gone through that myself as yet.

    Forgive the delay in getting back but I type at about 8 words per minute at best!  No problem helping, but it does take time..

    Hope this helps a little more.

    Colin
  • C
    C

    Hello again.

    Velocity and speed control are relatively easy to set up in the Control Edit window. I'd suggest that you experiment a bit with some smallish matrices to see what can be done with both Horizontal and Vertical. Also, remember that most instruments will mainly be playing monophonic lines, so you will have a hand free most of the time!

    Colin
  • K
    K

    Thank you Colin - I really appreciate your help.  I think I'm beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel !  Small matrices are indeed a good idea at present.

    Kay.
  • K
    K

    Colin:      when you say Matrix Editor, do you mean the Piano Roll Editor ? I looked through the manuals for the words Matrix Editor but couldn't find them, so wondered - since the Piano Roll Editor could be said to resemble a matrix - whether this was what you meant.

    Kay.
  • C
    C

    Hi Kay...yes, I was forgetting that Logic's Matrix Editor has now been renamed the Piano Roll!

    Colin
  • K
    K

    Well - partial success..........which encourages me that the rest will fall into place. Changing the keyswitch notes on the keyboard worked without a hitch but pencilling them into the Piano Roll Editor didn't have any effect at all.  

    I'll try again in the cold light of day, but thanks for explaining clearly so that I could follow !

    Kay.
  • C
    C

    Hi Kay

    Check Logic under Preferences/Display to see whether Middle C is C3 or C4. A C1 keyswitch in the Vienna Instruments window may equate to a C0 note input in Logic. Give it a try- it should work.

    Colin
  • K
    K

    Hi Colin,

    I checked: middle C is C3 in logic.   I tried pencilling in notes at all levels and there was no change so I think that I've probably not set up the matrix controller in VSL correctly for later being able to use this method of pencilling in notes- which would actually be ideal for me.

    Should I use the H-span ( horizontal) or V-span (Vertical) VSL control in order to use it in logic ?  Or something else completely ? Or should I be setting up something in Logic itself ? 

    Thanks, Kay.
  • C
    C

    Hi Kay

    Just back in the door from a John Otway gig.   Guitars, bass, drums, vocals - no software, no computers, no CPU overloads, no freezes, crashes, RAM shortages, no overdraft.....reminded me of my pre VSL days[:D]

    If you have middle C set to C3 in Logic, then a C2 keyswitch in VI will be a C1 note in Logic. There's no difference when using horizontal or vertical keyswitches when it comes to pencilling in notes.

    I thought that maybe you had restricted the playing range of your instruments in either VI or Logic, but you say you can change articulations when you are playing 'live', so that can't be the case as keyswitches wouldn't register if they were outwith the key limits.

    Load up the Solo Violin matrix. In the Control Edit window the H-span keyswitches should be C1 to F#1. Record a sequence in Logic with some KS changes. They should show up in the Piano Roll as notes in the range C0 to F#0. Let us know if they're there.

    Colin
  • K
    K

    Wonderful news- it worked !  The KS changes did show up in logic,  and I then played around with it a bit and pencilled in some more and everything functioned.

    Full steam ahead now !  And thank you very very much for your patience and clear instructions, which at last, I could follow.

    Kay.

    PS Liked your inclusion of 'overdraft' in the above list ! 
  • C
    C

    No problem at all - glad to hear you're up and running!

    Colin