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Global velocity sensitivity

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Rod
 Rod
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This is impossibly basic - but I'm missing something. I want to change the velocity sensitivity of the whole keyboard for all Pfs (it is currently fixed)- but how do I do that, please?

 
Posted : 26/11/2019 8:52 pm
Bad Mister
Posts: 12304
 

Press [UTILITY] > touch “Settings” > “Sound” > under “Keyboard” set the Velocity Curve

 
Posted : 26/11/2019 9:08 pm
Rod
 Rod
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Thanks BM - that of course works perfectly! But I now find it doesn't work with my Piano Elements User Pfs - I have a Library of 4-Element (single Part) Pfs where the key response remains fixed. So I thought 'Part 1 > EDIT > Settings > General' and change the 'Offset' and 'Velocity' settings (both at 64, which I believe is Fixed). But changing them had no effect at all. All the way from 0 to 127 on either or both - no change. So again I'm missing something - velocity response works on all Presets - but not on Libraries? How do I get it to work on Libraries, please?

 
Posted : 27/11/2019 10:08 am
Bad Mister
Posts: 12304
 

The global Velocity Curve works on all Performances, Parts, Elements/Operators that are set to respond to velocity. Let’s talk generally, before getting specific.

Most piano sounds in the factory memory are going to be setup for velocity sensitivity. This means the softer or harder you strike a key, the softer or louder the output result.
Most organ sounds in the factory memory are going to be setup for ‘fixed’ velocity response. This is because the organ does not respond to how hard you strike the key. It has a swell pedal that determines output results.

Conclusion: changing or setting the global Velocity Curve will have no effect on the organ sounds. They have no velocity sensitivity programmed at all. The global setting will have no effect on the organ sounds. If your 4-Element (Single Part) Performances are not programmed to be velocity sensitive, they will not be able to respond to the global setting.

If it is not velocity responsive to begin with, the global Velocity setting will not make it so.
Different sounds will have a different response based on how they are individually programmed... many analog synthesizers were not velocity sensitive (MiniMoog, Arp Odyssey, Prophet V, MemoryMoog, Oberheim OB-Xa, etc., etc) — it was not until you had enough $$$ to get the Yamaha CS80, Rhodes Chroma, Prophet T8 did you find velocity sensitive analog synthesizers (and they costs both an arm and a leg).

Back to MONTAGE: make sure the global Velocity Curve is set to the Curve that best describes your playing style.
There are two main areas that you work on Velocity within the Performance Part. There is a “Velocity Depth“ and “Velocity Offset” that effects the Part (all Elements together), and there are the individual settings per Element.

Velocity Depth/Offset
These can intensify the overall response of the Part you are editing. To fully understand this, I highly recommend the following tutorial article. It delves into exploring these two powerful parameters. In a Performance that combines orchestral woodwinds with orchestral strings... the Velocity Depth and Offset is used to make it take more effort to hear the strings. In other words, when you play lightly, those Elements that make up the Woodwinds Part speak when you play with a light touch, and the Elements that make up the Strings Part speak only when you play with fortissimo effort. It is not just a velocity switch, it is more of a velocity crossfade. Each group responds differently in response to soft-to-hard strikes.
Link: “Winds & Strings” Tutorial

If you follow that tutorial step-by-step you’ll see and hear the effect this has on the response. In order to hear/experience the difference these parameters make you will need to listen in the right place. (Sounds strange to say that, but what is meant is ..when looking to see something change when you make a setting on you tv remote, you intuitively know to look at the screen to see the results of your change... we’ll knowing where to listen for the change is very critical. If you are simply hitting a note your listening in the wrong place... you must play soft, medium soft, medium, medium hard, and hard... you are testing Velocity change.

These two parameters will have no effect on the Part if the Elements within the Part are not set to respond to Velocity... so let’s dive deeper...

Velocity within Elements
If you have a Library of 4-Element AWM2 programs, you must have global Velocity Sensitivity active, obviously, for any programs to respond. Then you must review on a per Element basis how it responds to incoming velocity.

Velocity can be applied to the Pitch of the “Oscillator”, to the Timbre change of the “Filter”, and of course, to the “Amplitude” of the Output level.
When adjusting the Velocity within an AWM2 Part, you will navigate to EDIT, to the individual Element, and to the “Amplitude” screens.

Level/Vel = Level Velocity Sensitivity
Settings: Level/Vel: -64 – +63
Positive values: The more strongly you play the keyboard, the more the output rises.
Negative values: The more softly you play the keyboard, the more the output rises.
0: The output level does not change.

A positive value has the initial effect of making the sound softer. This usually surprises newbies, but is correct... think about it... you now have to hit the key harder to make it louder. So as you increase “Lvl/Vel” the sound does get softer. When you reach +32 you reach the most sensitive value that will cover very soft to very loud... for each unit of effort in increased velocity, there is a corresponding increase in output.

A value above +33 and on through to +63, will cause very soft strikes not to sound at all. If you only want to hear an Element when play with maximum force, set the “Lvl/Vel” =+63... you will not hear this Element until you play extremely hard. So values between +33 and +63 make it increasing hard to get sound from an element... this is great for cross fading. At +33 very soft strikes will not be heard at all, by +48 you will need to strike the key pretty firmly to hear output, and by the time you reach +63 only the mightiest of strikes get an output.

So don’t be one of those programmers who don’t understand that +32 is the limit for sensitivities that cover the most response, across the soft-to-loud range.

There are also an “Offset” and a selection of several “Curves”. Left to right is increase in effort striking a key, up and down is output level.
If you are not hearing change, remember to vary how hard you are striking the keys (it’s the only way to hear what you are changing).

 
Posted : 27/11/2019 11:20 am
Rod
 Rod
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Topic starter
 

Thanks BM. An interesting afternoon ... afraid I couldn't follow the tutorial due to my 'low vision' settings - when I could read the text I couldn't see the graphics, and when I could see the graphics I couldn't read the text! But I got the idea in that VS can be used as a means of controlling which Pfs are actually heard - I like that, and will try it out when I have a suitable scenario. In the meantime I have arrived at a working solution for me. I've set the 'Global' curve to 'Wide' and in general terms the Upper Common Offset to 64 and the Depth to 48 - gives a sort of average, then each Element (Solo) both Offset and Depth set to 16 and the Curve to 2 (Normal). This produces a working style for me - each Pf will require some tinkering around those figures, I fancy. A pity the 'Common' doesn't include an 'override' function to set all Elements the same, but there it is. And don't forget to 'STORE' the results! Thank you for your help yet again - though I quail at having to re-set 143 more 'Commons' and 572 more Elements one by one ... presumably I can revert very easily by changing the 'Global' Curve back to 'Fixed' ... ? Stay very well, young Sir ...

 
Posted : 27/11/2019 4:48 pm
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