Expression maps, attempting to understand; Synchron Player, Cubase

[Raymonde]

I've worked with expression maps thrice and walked away from using them out of frustration. I've watched several YouTube videos on the topic so I feel relatively well-versed in the topic. When I recently loaded Synchron expression maps for Elite Strings, I found the portamento (with the attribute type listing) was missing in the drop-down menu in the key editor when I went into the articulation choice in the menu. I tried to add the articulation to the listing in the expression map data setup application inside Cubase, but to no avail. I guess I don't understand how the expression map application works. I've exhausted my resources on this site and several searches with Google.

Does anyone have some good references to explain how I add additional articulations to the Synchron expression maps loaded into the Cubase App? It seems the pre-built maps provided on this site are incomplete, as many of the articulations in the Synchron libraries aren't displaying.

I've used the VI expression maps with the Orchestra Libraries, and they worked very well for me when I built some maps of my own.

Thanks in advance.

Ray

Holt, Michigan, USA

[andi]

Hello Ray!

There's no need to add "Portamento" to the Cubase expression maps for Synchron Elite Strings. It is already included.

Please note that expression maps can contain "Attribute" and "Direction" articulations. In the upper pull-down menu you can only select "Attribute" articulations, because only these articulations can be added directly to notes. To be able to add the "Direction" articulations, please use the articulation lane in the Cubase Key Editor. Such a lane can be added underneath or instead of the controller lanes.

Bet regards,
Andi

[Raymonde]

@andi said:

Hello Ray!

There's no need to add "Portamento" to the Cubase expression maps for Synchron Elite Strings. It is already included.

Please note that expression maps can contain "Attribute" and "Direction" articulations. In the upper pull-down menu you can only select "Attribute" articulations, because only these articulations can be added directly to notes. To be able to add the "Direction" articulations, please use the articulation lane in the Cubase Key Editor. Such a lane can be added underneath or instead of the controller lanes.

Bet regards,
Andi

[Raymonde]

Thanks for the response.

I was able to find the portamento key switch.

I understand the difference between directional and attribute features. I've switched what I could to the attribute style, as it suits my workflow better. To be clear, I'm working with the downloaded Expression maps from this site. I find them useful, but I was trying to improve.

I am confused because I see about 35 key switches in the drop-down articulation menu in the Cubase key editor and about 300 (1,000😁?) articulation patches listed in the Synchron Player. Also, the downloaded expression map has many (300? 500?) listings in the sound slot that don't appear on the output mapping articulation side of the expression map setup application. I was trying to get more entries in the articulation list since there are already listings in the sound slots that don't have an output mapping.

I'm using the term 'articulation' in a general sense. For example, Glissando, tremolo, slow, Second, and up are a single "articulation" for me.

I'm looking for a demo showing how to get more of the listings in the sound slot side to show up on the output mapping articulation listing.

[Raymonde]

@Raymonde said:

Thanks for the response.

I was able to find the portamento key switch.

I understand the difference between directional and attribute features. I've switched what I could to the attribute style, as it suits my workflow better. To be clear, I'm working with the downloaded Expression maps from this site. I find them useful, but I was trying to improve.

I am confused because I see about 35 key switches in the drop-down articulation menu in the Cubase key editor and about 300 (1,000😁?) articulation patches listed in the Synchron Player. Also, the downloaded expression map has many (300? 500?) listings in the sound slot that don't appear on the output mapping articulation side of the expression map setup application. I was trying to get more entries in the articulation list since there are already listings in the sound slots that don't have an output mapping.

I'm using the term 'articulation' in a general sense. For example, Glissando, tremolo, slow, Second, and up are a single "articulation" for me.

I'm looking for a demo showing how to get more of the listings in the sound slot side to show up on the output mapping articulation listing.

This whole situation is moot at this point. The expression maps are unusable on my system, as after loading expression maps onto my project, Cubase now interjects a low-pitched piano sound whenever the expression maps are engaged. It's very annoying; this is where I've been stopped before. I was sure Steinberg was working on this problem, as many people reported it. It has something to do with the ASIO Guard having to be disengaged.

I'm done, and thanks again.

Ray

[andi]

Hello Ray!

There might be some misunderstandings.

The articulations in the Cubase expression maps are organized in four groups. So it's not just 35 articulations that you can trigger. Simply take a look at the long list of "Sound Slots".

If notes are triggered instead of keyswitches, you might have an unsuitable setting in the Expression Maps Seup menu. Please make sure that the Root Note is set to C0.

Best regards,
Andi