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  • missing articulation controls in some Pro Edition files

    I am wondering why some of the instruments in the Brass and Winds Pro Edition have keyswitch/mod controls for different velocities (for example FL1_oV_pA_sus_pp-ff+MOD) and some do not. Some of the "secondary" instruments do not have this control (alto flute, bass trumpet, all contrabass instruments etc.). It would be VERY helpful to have this control on ALL instruments in the set!

    Is there a description anywhere on the forum (or anywhere else for that matter) of how to create keyswitches of this nature? I would gladly do it myself but find it difficult to learn how to do these things on my limited schedule and not very helpful "help" files in Gigastudio.

    I'm also curious to know why these options were not part of all the samples.

    Mike

  • Hi Mike,

    good to hear that the KEYSWITCH VELOCITIES ar usefull for you.
    It's was a new kind of mapping I tried out (maybe it is used in libraries I don't know).

    I focused this mapping scheme on main instruments, and especially on instruments which do have more than three velocity layers.
    The clarinet, for example, with more than four velocities.
    Here the playability could benefit a lot, when you want to trigger a certain velocity.

    If this programming becomes popular I could suppport art files for more instruments.


    best wishes
    Herb

  • Herb,

    It is VERY useful. Relying on key touch (velocity) alone for subtle dynamic shifts is tricky business and not always very satisfactory. I thought the use of combo keyswitch and mod wheel control in the Pro Edition was a GREAT idea! I am sure I speak for many who would be very pleased to get some art files that had this control for ALL the instruments! [:D]

    In the mean time, do you know of a good source for instructions to make key switches so I can start this myself? I do a lot of very subtle music for mixed ensembles and almost never rely on key velocity for dynamic changes.

    Thanks again,

    Mike

  • I'll post a detailed step by step procedere tomorrow.

    best wishes
    Herb

  • Herb,

    Let it be said...YOU ROCK! [:D]

    Mike

  • nope

    he RAWKS!

  • [:D] Er ist toll!

  • [:O]ops: too much compliments, guys.


    Here you have the KEYSWITCH MAPPING tutorial.
    Maybe other power users could check it out, if anything is not described clearly,
    or if I have forgotten important informations


    1st - generating a new empty instrument:

    In our example we will genrate a KEYSWITCH velocity mapping for
    Piccolr trumpet LONG NOTES gigfile.

    Opening this gifiles in gigaeditor,
    after that we have to check out how many velocities are available
    (this will be inmportant for the dimension key starts)

    First we look into the instrumen list, (on the top right side of giga editor)
    here we focus on the BASIC INSTRUMENTS, this gives us an overview which articulations exist.

    In this case
    oV = without vibrato
    LV = light vibrato
    pV = progressive vibrato
    sV = strong vibrato

    After that we look in the sample folder list and checking out how many velocities each articulation has.
    Generally each articulation and velocity is stored in a dedicated folder

    LV 3 velocities
    oV 3 velocities
    sV 3 velocities
    pV 3 velocities

    For the pV variation you will see that the labeling of the sample folder is a little different to instrument name,
    to be sure that you look at the right folders, click on the pV instrument.
    Now this instrument is activated in editor, you see the regions, and in the velocity window on the bottom left,
    you see the sample name of the first selected region. The name of the samples normaly correspond with the folder names.

    At last we check out the play range of the instrument, simply selecting the instrument we want to map out.
    We will do it with the first instrument in the list:

    PT_oV_sus

    Looking at the region window we see, that the play range goes from C4 to to g6.

    For generating a new mapping we have to know:
    Velocities: 3 (mp, mf, f)
    playrange: C4 to C6


    Now we can generate a new instrument,

    Right mouseclick in the Instrument list ,
    select "new instrument" in the popup and name the instrument,
    PT_oV_sus_mp-f (that's the official labeling for our keyswitch instruments)

    type in the next free bank number, or choose the right banknumber if the KESWITCH label already exist,

    In this case I choose Bank number 5
    and Patch number 1

    Some instruments like the brass ensembles, contrabass trombone and percussions are mapped with 6dB boost.
    To get the same loudness you should activate this check box for these instruments.

    At last you have to set the Dimension key start and end.
    Here it is important to know how many velocities will be mapped.

    An instrument wit 2 velocities:
    set start to C1 and end to C#1. (c1 will trigger first velocity, c#1 second velocity)

    3 to 4 velocities:
    start c1 end d#1,

    5 to 8 velocities:
    start c1 end g1

    you see each semitone is one keyswitch.
    It's only possible to generate 2, 4, 8, 16, 32 splits.
    That means in our example:

    C1 = piano
    C#1 = mezzoforte
    D1 = forte
    D#1 = stays empty

    If you map out an instrument with very low register, like contrabass,
    you choose the keystart above the mapping range of the instrument (c6 to d#6)

    Now we click OK.
    A new (empty) instrument appears in the instrument list:
    PT_oV_sus_mp-f


    Before we start mapping we check some prefence settings,
    open the prefernces (last entry in edit menu)

    my important settings are:
    middle c = c4
    guess from filename (e.g. C#4.wav) activated
    Retune regions when dragging



    2nd mapping the instrument:


    The new instrument should be selected (greyed out)

    Now activate the instrument wizzard (from menu or button)

    In step 1 we have already set all parameters during generating thios new instrument,
    so we click to the next step

    Step 2
    Here we have to set the play range: c4 to g6,
    I always work with the option "Automatic region sizes",
    you have only set this option the first time you work with the wizzard


    Step 3
    First we activate the stereo option (this is important for all our instruments)
    Than we select the Controller source: Keyboard
    Than we set the splits: 4 (we have 3 velocities = therfore 4 splits / corrsponding with keys C1 to D#1)

    Step 4
    Now you see in the left window the list of the sample folders,
    you can't resize the window, so you have to check out the velocity labelings at the end of the name in original folder list.
    This is necessary, because the samples should be mapped from lowest velocity to highest velocity.
    You will also see, that you can't resize the window of the editor, whe the wizzard is active,
    so you should do it before you start the wizzard.
    Generally the folders are listed alphapetic,
    so our three folder we need for this mapping are listed tis way:

    PT_oV_nA_sus_f
    PT_oV_nA_sus_mf
    PT_oV_nA_sus_mp
    In the wizzard window you only see "PT_oV_nA_sus_"

    The lowest velocity should mapped first, so we select the third "oV" folder
    than we click on the first entry on the right: 0-31, now we have attached the mp velocity to the first keyswitch
    we choose middle "oV" folder on the left and than we click on the 2nd entry right and after that the same with the last folder.

    The right box should look like this now:

    0-31 PT_oV_na_sus_mp
    32-63 PT_oV_na_sus_mf
    64-95 PT_oV_na_sus_f
    96-127

    Now we can finish the wizzard tool, and we have mapped this new instrument.
    You should see the regions from c4 to g6 in the region window, and 4 keyboard dimension splits in the dimesnion window.


    Setting mapping parameters:

    First setting the attenuations,
    select all regions in the region window (should be high lighted yellow)
    and select the first keyswitch dimension (green gigh lighted),
    the sample name in the velocity window to the right should list a mp sample - the lowest velocity

    Now we bring the Mix/Layer setup folder (on the bottom right) to front.
    Here we set the attanuation settings.
    For piccolo trumpet I would recommend

    16dB attenuation for mp

    click apply before you change to the next dimension
    if you don't apply and you select new samples or a ne paramter box,
    your settings are not attached!

    select the 2nd keyswitch dimension (mf)
    8 dB for mf

    and at last 3rd keyswitch for f
    0 dB

    This settings could be of course altered individual, maybe you like less dynamic, than you could work with: 14, 6, 0 dB

    After that we setup the response box,
    now all regions and all dimension splits have to be be selected (yellow and green), because we attach these settings to all samples in all dimensions.

    velocity response
    curve: Nonlinear
    dynamic range: low
    curve scaling. 0

    Release velocity response
    Curve: linear
    dynamic range: low
    release trigger decay: low

    I would recommend to save this setting as Macro, it's a real timesaver (on the bottom of this setting box)


    At last set in the EG/LFO1 box the release time (0.1 to 0.3 sec)

    Now you can save the instrument, (ignore the "empty region" warning box)

    Load the instrument directly from editor to Gigastudio (using the red GS button on the top)
    Now you can check out your mapping and you can make adaptions online.

    That's it.

    After mapping some instruments, you will see, that you will map faster than reading this tutorial.


    best wishes
    Herb

  • Herb,

    We would love to have an equivalent tutorial for the EXS....

    Maybe we could be provided with one?


    Best

    david T

  • Herb,

    Thank you for taking the time to give us the directions to making keyswitches - very generous of you.

    Mike Coyle