Anyone using "execute shape" for Finale CC playback?

[winknotes_282]

I realized last night that I could probably create shapes for crescendos , decrescendos and hairpins to trigger CC2 (VelocityXFade) in Finale rather than changing XFade to CC11.  I've observed some anomolies when Expression and VelocityXFade are set to the same controller.   

I create a hidden text expression like "VXF - cresc. whole note" and under the playback tab I pick execute shape and create a shape that lasts 8 eighth notes and set the Level Scale ratio according to how drastic or subtle I want the difference to be. 

So I suppose one danger is how far do you take it.  For example you have to account for various note lengths and the amount of crescendo or decrescendo you might want.  So you could have quite a few expressions.  So if anyone is doing something like this is there a simple way to do this or organize it so it's not unwieldy?  

[andi]

Hello Steve!

[winknotes_282]

I suppose that's true. 

This brings up something I've never understood.  That is should dynamics be handled exclusively with Velocity XFade or both Velocity XFade and expression?  In my initial testing using both sounds very good but for some reason if both are controlled with the same controller there's something strange about the way that sounds.  I know it's not logical but it's been my experience. 

[andi]

The problem with CC11 controlling Velocity X-Fade AND Expression is that you are getting double dynamics. So p and pp will be very silent.

Best,
Andi

[winknotes_282]

I think you're right.  But if you leave them as independent controllers you can have different values for each and it sounds more realistic.  This is why I started pursuing using the shape execution for hidden text expressions.