Maya, CM, Paul: Velocity non-functional as control source?

[stevesong]

I'm not certain whether it is by accident or design (or because of something I've missed) but, in the latest iteration of the Vienna Instruments software (v.1.1), assigning Note-On Velocity as a control source appears to have no effect on any of the parameters to which it can be assigned in the Map Control section of the Perform window. This is in contrast to previous versions in which selecting Note-On Velocity as a control source the worked as a control source without problems. Please make clear if this is an intentional change (seems unlikely since NoteOn Velocity is still a selectable control source), a bug that will be corrected, or if there is something the user must do to get this to work again as it did in earlier versions of the software. The parameters in the Map Control window work when attached to Continuous Controllers, but mapping some of them to Note-On Velocity was extremely useful, especially in performance situations.

I am running Vienna Instruments as a plugin with Logic 7.2.3 on a duul 2.5GHz PowerMac under OS 10.4.8.My computer is equipped with 7GB of RAM.

[Paul]

Hi Stevesong,

we have already encountered this bug, it will be working in the next version.
It still isn´t really clear to us why you would assign Note On Velocity to the Velocity Xfade, because the Vel Xfade is a continuous controler by design and a Note On creates ONE value.... and does exactly the same as every patch without the Velocity Xfade activated - it picks the right velocity level for the given value.

Here is another thread on this topic: http://community.vsl.co.at/viewtopic.php?t=9860

Let´s keep this discussion in one thread!

Thanks,

Paul

[stevesong]

Paul:

The problem is not that I want to assign Note On Velocity as a control source for velocity crossfade (which I actually have never done and have no intention of doing for exactly the reasons you cite).

The problem is that, in V.1.1.0 of the Vienna Instruments software, Note On Velocity does not work as a control source for ANY of the available parameters in the Perform window.

For example, using Note On Velocity as a control source for the Master Filter parameter (with an appropriately shaped curve) might be useful in some performance situations, and, in fact, I used it when it worked in the earlier versions of the Vienna Instruments software. It seems clear - - since Note On Velocity is still listed as a potential control source for the various parameters in the Perform window - - that its non-functional state in the current iteration of Vienna Instruments software is not a matter of intention - and good to know that you hope to correct the problem in the next version of the software.

Thans very much for your quick response.

Stephen

[herb]

just for info,
note on velocity is primary inplemented for using it as h-span or v-span controller, that means cell switching based on velocity

best
Herb

[jbm]

@Paul said:

It still isn´t really clear to us why you would assign Note On Velocity to the Velocity Xfade

AAAck! The last word above... "Xfade"... that's why. Not XSwitch, which is what the VI has by default. XFade has been around since the earliest days of sampling (I mentioned the Akai S1000 on the other thread) as a means of blending (fading) between adjacently-mapped samples based on note velocity, rather than simply switching from one sample to the next. True, it is a discrete event, not a continuous one, but it's not that unusual (come to think of it, velocity *is* a discrete event anyway...). So, I'm not sure why it's confusing...
With sectional strings, for example, it can make a *much* nicer blend between dynamic layers, taking the info from the velocity of the track you've already recorded (or the velocities you're playing), which saves having to record a whole new CC pass just to control the velocity. Yes, the option for a continuous velocity controller is nice... but... it's not actually a "velocity" control, is it? Anyway, this is just a confusion of terms, I guess...
But I don't see why I'm such an incomprehensible madman just for wanting old-school velocity xfade... Jeez! I'm going to go crimp my hair, put on my jack boots, and head down to the mall! You guys are just too 21st century for me. [;)]

J.

[stevesong]

Herb:

The genius - - and it is real genius, I think - - of the Vienna Instruments software is a flexibility that allows the user to decide things like what is the best control source for a given parameter in a particular situation - - rather forcing the user to accept whatever the software designer thought was "best." I, for example, have constructed relatively simple matrices for sketching purposes that allow me to work very quickly when i need to and much more complex matrices that I use for making a full realization of the same music. In using the simple matrices I might want to attach the Master Filter parameter to Note-On Velocty (with an appropriately shaped curve), while, when makng the full realization, I would most likely attach the Master Filter parameter to a continuous controller. I am grateful to have software that allows me this kind of flexibility and hope that non-functionality of Note-On Velocity as a control source in the most recent iteration of the Viena Instruments software will be remedied in the next update.