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  4. Factory vs. Custom Presets/Matrices

  • Factory vs. Custom Presets/Matrices

    J
    J
    Hey all,

    Sorry if I'm missed a thread on this already, but how many of you have created your own presets and matrices? I've been working with the factory presets and I'm wondering how happy everyone has been with those and how many have just built their own presets.

    (I ask this not to complain about the factory presets, because there's no way that VSL could possibly know everyone's preferences, and the cusomizability is cleverly built into the player)

    Josh
  • J
    J
    Depending upon the needs of the score, I'll try several different factory matrices until I find one that comes close to what I'm looking for. Sometimes, I'll delete patches I don't need from the factory matrix and add in other patches, then save it under a custom name.

    I even made a custom Speed matrix, which seemed a little scary at first. I was able to have 5 horizontal cells with different attacks. Each cell was edited, of course, with Cell Edit-- particularly because with all velocities being equal, some notes just jump out. The Cell Edit volume was a nice way to "hammer" those louder notes into the fabric of the phrase.

    One thing I need to ask the VSL team is if the MIDI note velocities are supposed to be inactive. I miss being able to edit the actual velocities in my sequencer. A velocity of 80 sounds the same as a velocity of 1. I know my sequencer is set to send and receive MIDI velocity, but I'm restricted to controlling VI with Cell volume, X-fade, and Expression.

    Other than that, custom matrices are working quite well. It's nice to key-switch easily between different matrices, too.
  • C
    C
    I'll be setting up my own for sure.
  • PaulP
    VSL Team
    PaulP
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    Hi JWL,

    @Another User said:

    One thing I need to ask the VSL team is if the MIDI note velocities are supposed to be inactive. I miss being able to edit the actual velocities in my sequencer. A velocity of 80 sounds the same as a velocity of 1. I know my sequencer is set to send and receive MIDI velocity, but I'm restricted to controlling VI with Cell volume, X-fade, and Expression.


    If you are using VelXfade, the velocity of your keys is of course overruled, if Vsl Xfade is off, your MIDI key velocity always affects the volume of the played sample...

    Hope I didn´t get your question wrong.

    Best, Paul
    Paul Kopf Product Manager VSL
  • D
    D
    JWL,

    As Paul says above_ assign a controller to the Xfade switch above the slider so you can turn it off and get normal velocity response. Then turn it back on when you want to use it. It's one of the best features of VI (though there are many.)
  • J
    J
    Thanks Paul and DPC.

    I think this may be a new quirk I need to sort out-- All of my MIDI velocities are overruled with X-Fade on or off. At least I know how it's "supposed" to work and can proceed accordingly.

    I do have X-Fade "moves" on certain tracks and on other tracaks X-Fade is off. At one point, I had X-Fade controller cues going on and off, with your suggestions in mind. The idea of controlling MIDI velocity for problem notes is intriguiing and just what I need.

    I got a bit behind in the sequencing and am now against a deadline to get the score into Finale and printed, but I'll give this another try in a couple of days.

    Thanks, gents!
    JWL
  • R
    R
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    @dpcon said:

    JWL,

    As Paul says above_ assign a controller to the Xfade switch above the slider so you can turn it off and get normal velocity response. Then turn it back on when you want to use it. It's one of the best features of VI (though there are many.)


    Assigning Xfade to a footcontroller (in my case) or a breath controller is just bring the strings alive (especially the outstanding Chamber strings)-


    Herb and co. - be sure to have 4 vel's for the upcoming appassionato strings - it will be wonderful.


    Rob
  • D
    D
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    @Rob Elliott said:

    Herb and co. - be sure to have 4 vel's for the upcoming appassionato strings - it will be wonderful.
    Rob

    Yes, this is one of the failings with the current Legato strings.

    DG
  • J
    J
    last edited
    last edited

    @dpcon said:

    JWL,

    As Paul says above_ assign a controller to the Xfade switch above the slider so you can turn it off and get normal velocity response. Then turn it back on when you want to use it. It's one of the best features of VI (though there are many.)


    Assigning Xfade to a footcontroller (in my case) or a breath controller is just bring the strings alive (especially the outstanding Chamber strings)-


    Herb and co. - be sure to have 4 vel's for the upcoming appassionato strings - it will be wonderful.


    Rob

    Yep-- X-Fade is clearly the heart and soul that brings life to stagnant tracks. Once I can confirm that manual MIDI velocity is indeed working with X-Fade turned off, whole new vistas in expressive choices will open up. I think my issue stems from one or two earlier issues I thought had been remedied....

    Agreed on the 4-Layer "apasisonato".

    (Wait-- was the apassionato offering violins only, or will there eventually be an official apassionato collection of vlns, vlas, an vcs?)