Volume, Expression, etc

[mms]

I'm interested to see how others set up their MIDI sequences to allow for changing dynamics, etc

Up to this point I've just entered all MIDI notes with a velocity of 127, thinking that at some point in the future I would address this properly.
Now is that time.

What would be a good way to approach this, and what various controllers should be used for what?
Different volume levels for different channels depending on the instrument?
How to differentiate between a note being played louder, or with an accented force?

[JohnG]

Good question,

The correct way to deal with dynamicis is certainly not to enter all notes as if they're marked on a score as fff (forte fortissimo). (Sorry 'bout that. )
As a default (in orchestral music) I tend to use a velocity of 64 or 72 and then adjust up or down from there. (That's mezzo piano or mezzo forte.)
For popular music I'd go louder than that, but rarely above 120 at the loudest.

What I have learnt, over many years, is as follows.

Channel volume
First, at the start of the sequence, before the music begins, enter CC#7 (channel volume) to set the relative level between the different instruments in the sequence.
Start with a level of 100 and be prepared to adjust cc#7 for each channel. It's easiest to begin with the instrument that's going to be the loudest.
So that with this instrument when a note is played at velocity 127 it doesn't overload the sound system it's being played through.

Note velocity
Note velocity is the main way of getting expression into struck or plucked instruments, such as piano or guitar.
For bowed or blown instruments, such as violin or trumpet but also for organ, the note velocity defines the "attack" part of the note, but expression should be the main way of getting dynamics into the sound.

Expression
Expression, CC#11, is or should be the main way of getting bowed, brass or woodwinds to sound more realistic.
By default, according to the MIDI specification, CC#11 should be set to 127.
Varying it by drawing in curves can really make some sequences "come alive".
Sometimes, but very rarely in my experience, breath controller CC#2, is used instead of expression.


Certainly I've found, when using modern Orchestral Virtual Instruments, in order to get any degree of realism it's necessary to learn to use a combination of these three controllers effectively.
See the faders in the image below.




In the following image you will see just how much CC#11 (the top controller lane) and the mod wheel, CC#1, (the middle lane) are varied against the relatively fixed velocity of each note (bottom lane) for an expressive solo violin part.



Any help?
JohnG

[JohnG]

It should be noted that in the example I've shown above the first note starts with a velocity of just 1.
In most playback systems this would result in a silence from that note.

However, in the particular orchestral VST being used, the minimum velocity is not silence but the quietest note the real, sampled instruemnt can make.
Using the expression pedal the note is gradually swelled louder and then quietened before the next note.

You may notice that many of the notes are overlapped.
With this VSTi by using CC#68 (or the hold1 switch CC#64) a legato effect can be achieved of one note blending into the next, by cutting off the attack phase of the sample.

JohnG.

[mms]

OK thanks John,

I have now set things up to do as you say, and it now makes perfect sense as to why.

In your "controller lanes" as you call them, how do you set these?
Are you somehow manipulating the "curve" in these lanes by adding "points" at varous locations?

[JohnG]

What I tend to do, as my playing is not too accurate, is to attempt to play in the notes and then adjust their position if they're wildly out of tempo.
If it's too difficult for me to play in, then I'll enter the notes using the notation view.

I then play the sequence back and use either the Mod Wheel or the Expression Pedal to add vibrato or expression, etc.

Failing this, using XGworks (as shown in the above screen capture) I can draw in the curves I need using the "Pencil" tool.

If you look you'll see, from left to right, an arrow, a pencil and an eraser.
Then there is a series of five shapes starting with a straight line.
Lastly there's a box into which an "Interval" can be set.
This sets how far apart, in TPQN ticks, an entry (a point as you describe it) will be made for the selected controller in the MIDI file.

So things like pitch bends, as well, can be entered by just drawing them in.

In XGworks up to three "controller lanes" can be shown at a time, at the foot of the Score View and the Piano Roll View.

JohnG.

[mms]

OK thanks John,

What about Crescendo (<) and Decrescendo (>) hairpins?
Do you simply continually increase (decrease) volume a set amount like say 25% over the length of the hairpin?

[JohnG]

The recommended use of Channel Volume is to set the balance between various instruments so that they "fit" into the mix correctly.
So, typically, they are used at the very beginning of a MIDI file to get the correct "balance" of e.g. guitar against percussion.
Volume is set for the maximum value of expression.

The recommended way of implementing crescendo and diminuendo is by using CC#11 (expression) and drawing a line of controller events.
Exactly how much variation will depend on the dynamic value of the track before and after the crescendo (or dim.),
e.g marked "mp" sometime before the hairpin and "f" after it, will require a greater increment than e.g. "mp" to "mf".

Does that make sense?
JohnG.

[mms]

Perfect sense.
Thanks John.

[mms]

Just want to revisit this question here, as I came across adding a crescendo.
I was going to do this using Controller #11 (Expression controller)

How could I increase "loudness" via Expression controller, if it was already set to 127 per recommendations of the MIDI Spec?

I read a recommendation somewhere else on net
"Set the Expression for every MIDI channel to one initial value, for example 100.
 This gives you some leeway to increase the expression percentage (ie, up to 127 which is 100%) or decrease it."

This makes more sense to me.

Am I not understanding something?