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Hi,
I've seen some posts about creating 'faux' 2nd violins, by transposing a MIDI track down 1/2 step and using the pitch wheel---to shift the samples, which seems to work pretty well. Is there a way this can be done with a Patch or Preset so that the MIDI doesn't have to be transposed? IOW: so I can -play- the 2nd part at pitch?
I can't see a way to 'transpose' in VI.
TIA,
---JC
Your best option might be VI Pro 2. In VI Pro 2, 2nd violins do exist, where the needed techniques are done behind the scene. The only potential drawback is that the 2nd violin articulations are a subset of the full articulations. Only you will be able to determine if you find the reduced number of patches to be enough, or not (it is great that they are there, by the way).
Are you saying that VI Pro 2 has 2nd Vln patches for Chamber Strings? I thought those 2nd Violins came with the update to the Orchestral Strings lib---which I don't own.
Or is there a function to do the transposition in VI Pro... which is not possible in VI 'standard'... so that it loads the samples from the next semi-tone, but plays @ concert pitch?
---JC
There are some 2nd violins here and there but you can get the exact same thing with any instrument with the transpose/pitch shift. I haven't done it purely within VI, but it can be done without having to transpose written notes by setting your sequencer's MIDI track to transpose itself. Then you can play or write the notes at the correct pitch simply by making the tranpose setting and inserting a single pitch shift at the beginning of the track.
by the way I have noticed that it is better to transpose notes UP, and then pitch shift DOWN. The reason is, the sounds when pitched shifted up are a tiny bit brighter and vibrato/trills/tremolo get faster and more nervous- sounding, not as good as pitch shifting down, which has a more relaxed, natural sounding vibrato and a richer darker timbre. In fact, I think I actually like the pitch shifted solo violin a little better than the "correct" one (sorry - heresy!)
OK... and the risk of sounding even more moronic than usual WHERE IS THE TRANSPOSE CONTROL IN VI?
Often when I ask questions here, I feel like I'm the last guy on the planet with 'plan ol VI'. My guess is that there is a transpose button in VI Pro that isn't in 'no extra $ VI'. Or I'm blinder than usual.
See most of my questions are based on the idea of doing a -performance-... I just LOATHE redoing the same track 4-5 times adding layers of 'articulations'. Drives me nuts. I understand that's just part of the deal with 'MIDI Orchestration' but if possible, I want to keep it to a minimum. I know I could do this ex post facto with MIDI Transformer and so on but for -me- that sort of thing just take the -life- out of 'composing'.
As always, thanks!
---JC
One of the best ways to learn what the VI can do is to read the manual (IIRC the basic VI does include transpose - but its been quite awhile). Even with the basic VI there is quite a bit to learn regarding each of the detail screens. There are also tutorials that would be worth watching.
My suggestion would be to delve into them. In the end, you will have a much more thorough understanding of the VI.
You can do the track just once by going through it and adding each articulation with a keyswitch. Though it does take some time and you have to have those keyswitches set up. One thing I've done is to create my own "basic" instruments (which are much more basic than the VSL presets) and then I just load those and add any articulation that the particular piece needs. This way you get used to where the keyswitches are and that makes it a bit easier. Though not that easy I admit.
I should have said before that you can avoid doing anything in VI for this transposition stuff by simply setting your sequencer to automatically transpose everything on the track up a half step, and then inserting at the beginning of the track a single event for pitch shift down a half step. Which would be to set it at pitch wheel value of 32 (since 64 is no shift - in the middle). Then on your track you can simply enter notes that sound at the correct pitch without worrying about any transposition or phasing if the instruments happen to double the note.
William I just wanted to thank you for your help at several points. I am -finally- breaking down and doing something you recommended I do LONG ago and I avoided it (and I was dead wrong). I'm making my own SIMPLE patches.
50% of the time I do not need the standard matrices with all the keyswitches. And about 90% of the problems I have are with the wrong slot being selected. Simple patches do away with -all- those headaches.
I created a couple of transposed patches and I do like the -slight- difference in tone. Also, a -hint- of the new built-in reverb helps too (love the new VI!)
Thanks all.
---JC