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  • Volume pedal conflict with V-Xfade?

    Hi. I bought a Fatar volume pedal for my studiologic Sl-990xp keyboard so that I could use the Velocity Xfade feature in VSL's VI. The volume pedal uses C7 midi information but I think that it's controlling the "main volume" of the midi channel as well as the Velocity Xfade once I tell the VI to "learn" it. I don't hear anything until the midi volume is at about 55 which seems not right. I thought that once the VI learns the volume pedals controller it replace The C7 info (Main Volume) use. What am I doing wrong? Is a volume pedal the wrong thing to use? I figured that an expression or volume pedal is the same thing.

  • Your sequencer is still receiving the CC 7 info as volume. That's why you're hearing nothing at lower no's.

    The VI "learn" function can't override that. It just assigns an additional function in the VI to CC 7. You can try to re-configure the incoming CC 7 data as a different unused CC #, and then learn that new number in the VI. Perhaps the keyboard itself can "re-condition" the data (ie receive CC 7 but send CC x) or else do it in your sequencer.

    Regards - Colin

  • Thanks Musos for your reply. Can you tell me how I would go about doing that (try to re-configure the incoming CC 7 data as a different unused CC #) in my sequencer Cubase SX 3?

  • I've had a similar issue with V-Xfade. Also...

    It seems that my Learn feature does not work as instructed-- no controller "takes" to VI when the particular Perform parameter is set to 'learn' the control number.

    I had to use the Map Control window to input the assignments manually. In the sequencer, I also had to draw in the V-Xfade data manually instead of using a nob on my midi keyboard-- even though the keyboard's controller nob and number are recognized in the sequencer, but not in the VI console.

    At least VI responds well to the data drawn in manually in the sequencer. The feature does deactivate itself below a certain number, but I've taken this to mean that the first sample in the velocity layer doesn't require cross-fading until the cross-fade point is actually reached. Then, the V-XFade light comes on and the fader goes to work.

    I am wondering if the Learn feature is something that works better on a PC than it does on a Mac...???

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    @Austin Haynes said:

    Thanks Musos for your reply. Can you tell me how I would go about doing that (try to re-configure the incoming CC 7 data as a different unused CC #) in my sequencer Cubase SX 3?


    Austin- it has less to do with Cubase as long Cubase is set to receive and respond to controller data in general.

    The most important thing is to make sure that your keyboard's controller nobs are programmed to send a specific CC number. If you don't know what CC numbers are being sent by the keyboard's nobs and buttons, do a test recording on a blank track, turning each nob or pressing each button. Cubase should at least show the data being entered, including the CC number.

    From there, you assign the controller of your choice to the VI parameter of your choice-- either by using the Map Controller (in the VI Perform window)-- or by using the Learn feature (if that's already working for you...)

  • Austin,

    I use Logic so I can't give you Cubase advice. [:(]
    In Logic one has the means to "re-map" incoming data to something else, in the Environment. Maybe Cubase has that too....?

    Regards - Colin

  • I'm not sure if this will help, Austin, but as a point of information:

    Go into VI / Perform, then hit the toggle bar from Map Control to Perform Control. The last entry is "Volume." You can change VI's assigning of Volume from CC#7 to something else if you click on the drop down box next to Controller.

  • Thanks guys! Unfortunately, I still can't get it to work. Musos if only you used Cubase SX 3 I could be a happy camper [:D].

    JWL, I know what the controller number is. It's CC 7 and Musos explained my problem perfectly.

    He said, "Your sequencer is still receiving the CC 7 info as volume. That's why you're hearing nothing at lower no's.

    The VI "learn" function can't override that. It just assigns an additional function in the VI to CC 7. You can try to re-configure the incoming CC 7 data as a different unused CC #, and then learn that new number in the VI. Perhaps the keyboard itself can "re-condition" the data (ie receive CC 7 but send CC x) or else do it in your sequencer."

    That's why I wanted to do it in my sequencer. My Studiologic SL-990XP can't change the cc number for the pedal I have inputed in the "volume" input so I wanted to see if I could do it in Cubase. Otherwise, I have a problem [:'(].

    Plowman, thanks but I actually looked into that and tried to change the CC number but then my keyboard won't send the data. It seems that the CC7 number won't change on my keyboard so VI can't assign it something if the source won't budge.

    Someone use Cubase SX 3 or know how to help here? [:)] Thanks.

  • Any takers?

  • Austin, you say that the 990's controllers can't be reprogrammed.

    In Cubase's MIDI-MIDI Filter, can controller 7 be changed to something other than volume? I haven't used Cubase in a very long time, so i apologize for having to ask rather than to speak out of turn.

    The MIDI-MIDI Filter can befound in the Preferences dialog in File Menu on the PC; on Mac, it's in the Cubase SX/SL menu.

    If it CAN be done at all from within Cubase, it will be on the MIDI-MIDI Filter page. If not, it will have to be done under the hood, since volume is set to controller 7 as a default. Editing BinHex code is not my forte, so I won't say anything regrettable.

    The only other solution is to get a small programmable controller device to be used in conjunction with your 990. M-Audio has some cost-effective options, for example...

  • Thanks JWL for the response. I looked and it appears that SX 3 doesn't have any options except to remove controllers all together or a specific one and if I do CC 7 then it is just dead. I'm thinking of perhaps getting another keyboard instead. Any suggestions? The Studiologic VMK 188 Plus looks nice and can have the pedal inputs programmable. Anybody use this one? How is it?

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    Sorry if a better solution wasn't available, Austin.

    I haven't used the VMK 188, but the features look great. Seems that there's a price drop on it at the moment at sweetwater.com.

    For an even more cost-effective option, check out the M-Audio Keystation Pro 88

    Something I was looking at with a few more options for programmable bells and whistles is the Novation ReMOTE SL. It might work well for me only because I have a Yamaha P80 which I'm loath to part with. Great weighted keyboard feel, but no controllers.

    Photo
    ReMOTE SL specs

    It's a shame Novation doesn't make an 88-key weighted version.

    Seems that the VMK might be the way to go. I'll have to check that out myself...

  • JWL, I never used Midi thru so could you buy something like the Remote SL and plug in a volume pedal, switch the CC number so that it just is using VI's VELXFADE and use your other main 88 keyboard (via midi thru) for everything else? This might be a cheaper route...Or would you have to use one keyboard at a time and record the 'other' information (CC stuff) with the Remote SL?

  • btw, what is the difference between CC7 main volume and CC11 Expression? I noticed some keyboards have Expression inputs instead of Volume which mean CC7. Would 'expression' work with the VI and not cause a problem like CC7 does?

  • Hi Austin, Jumping in here with an update on the earlier discussion.

    I use a Peavy DPM C8X master controller keyboard and thankfully it has the ability to configure what data the pedals send. My volume pedal is <CV Pedal 1> and I have set it to output CC 14 data. As a result, it no longer sends volume info, but simply controls whatever I delegate to CC 14.

    So....it is possible.

    Re your last post: My understanding is that CC 7 controls the main volume of whatever you are playing. So, if you are driving a channel on a Roland JV2080, CC 7 will lower and raise the basic volume output of that channel. CC 11 however can be set to control various aspects of a preset which may increase/decrease vibrato/modulation/feedback etc - whatever the patch is pre-configured to respond to.

    Hope this helps
    Colin

  • Thanks Musos for your responses [:)].
    It appears that programmable pedals are essential to really use the VELXF feature in realtime unless you use something like a breath control but I've only seen that included with the UF8 (CME) keyboard.

    So, can you use a small keyboard controller for just the programmable inputs and use the masterkeyboard to play the keys using 1 midi track in cubase? How would that work? Midi out of masterkeyboard to midi in of the small controller keyboard that has the programmable pedal inputs and then out of that in my midi in of my sound card?

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    @Austin said:

    Thanks Musos for your responses [:)].
    It appears that programmable pedals are essential to really use the VELXF feature in realtime unless you use something like a breath control but I've only seen that included with the UF8 (CME) keyboard.

    Austin, you might like to consider one of these:

    http://www.midisolutions.com/prodbth.htm

    DG

  • Well guys, I actually did find a way in Cubase to switch the CC number!!! WAHOO [:)]...it's in the "Input Transformer" which isn't located in the preferences/midi so I'm all good. I just don't have a control now for the CELLXF but having VELXF accessible is a huge plus. Thanks for the help.

  • Congrats, Austin-!! Well done.

    Yes, musos' last response answers your earlier question...