CC Lanes: How do I get them to work?

[K8ch]

Hi,


This may be a "newbie" problem/question, but it IS a MIDI question, so here goes:


I have a song with some horn/string lines with a few long notes.
I want to add a little vibrato to the tail of those notes.

I thought I would try to do it, using MIDI/CC Lanes, by just drawing in the vibrato.
So, I hit the little "+" sign, adding another lane, selected modulation, and started drawing.
Well, I -was- able to draw something, but it had -no- affect at all.
So, I tried several other types of parameters in that CC lane, but could not do anything that resulted in an affected sound.

So, what am I missing?


I was hoping that the "expression" and the "modulation" (and other affects) were something I might simply draw in, to help my tracks sound more realistic.


I could probably do it some other way, like with modulation/automation, but I was hoping to learn how it's done, with MIDI.


Suggestions, anyone?



Peace,
K8ch

[Tod]

Originally Posted by K8ch

I have a song with some horn/string lines with a few long notes.
I want to add a little vibrato to the tail of those notes.

I thought I would try to do it, using MIDI/CC Lanes, by just drawing in the vibrato.
So, I hit the little "+" sign, adding another lane, selected modulation, and started drawing.
Well, I -was- able to draw something, but it had -no- affect at all.
So, I tried several other types of parameters in that CC lane, but could not do anything that resulted in an affected sound.

So, what am I missing?


I was hoping that the "expression" and the "modulation" (and other affects) were something I might simply draw in, to help my tracks sound more realistic.


I could probably do it some other way, like with modulation/automation, but I was hoping to learn how it's done, with MIDI.

Hi K8ch, when you use CC controllers, the VSTi has to be able to use them, not all VSTi use the same controllers. Some don't use hardly any controllers at all.

You have to read the manual to see which controllers you can use with each VSTi. Some VSTis allow you to assign controllers to some of it's controls. The important thing is to find out more about the VSTis that your using.

[ivansc]

Typically you would use CC1 on most MIDI maps to add vibrato, so it might be worth looking at the MIDI implementation hart of the VSTi you are using to double check that it IS CC1 you need to edit.

[DarkStar]

Also, let us know which VSTi you are using. Then other users can offer specific advice.

[K8ch]

Thank you, for your posts so far...
I -really- appreciate it.


Well, I recently purchased "Kontakt", so that would be a good place to start.


As for the specific VST I was trying to tweak, I believe it was "DVS Saxophone". Are you familiar with it?

As for other VSTi's that will allow themselves to be MIDI controlled, I'll have to check their documentation one-by-one, to see if they're able to accept the commands or not.
Frankly, although this may be a tedious process, it will help me discern which ones I might want to delete, because I probably have "too many"!!!
I have admit to a greedy, gluttonous pursuit of free VSTi's...and have managed to amass quite a collection.

Now that I have Kontakt, I'll want to get rid of the superfluous ones, so this may be a good way to discern which are worth keeping.
Of course, there are -some- that may be worth keeping even if they don't respond to MIDI signals, because I can always render the track into a new audio track, then I can automate some aspect of it.

Am I thinking about this the right way...or at least, in a way that makes sense?


Thanks, again, taking the time to respond!

Peace,
K8ch

[DarkStar]

I do not know DVS Saxophone but does it respond to MIDI CC messages

Some VSTis are coded to use specific CC messages to change specific controls. Others allow you to "map" ("MIDI Learn") a particular CC message to a selected control.

Kontakt is an example of the latter. In the Browser / Auto / MIDI Automation tab there is a list of CC numbers. To control a knob in a Kontakt instrument, drag one of them onto the knob.

Details are in the Kontakt Reference Manual. section 12.7.

====================
Once you have got a VSTi that will respond to CC messages, all you need to do is edit some CC messages into a MIDI clip (check the Reaper User Guide for details), or Record those MIDI CC messages from your MIDI controller hardware.

[K8ch]

Thanks, DarkStar...


As I approached the end of your post, I realized I was understanding less and less... Finally, it just turned into Greek.

This really sounds like something that could use a video tutorial, because I'm finding it a bit confusing.

I think I can drag/drop in Kontakt. I haven't tried it, but I'll bet it's pretty simple. We'll see... I won't get a chance to try it, until tomorrow.

As for other VSTi's...well, I'll try to slog through the manual again.
Ugh...
Recording isn't for lazy people!!



Peace,
K8ch

[K8ch]

DarkStar...

Okay...I'm pretty much to the point of being able to do the things you'd mentioned.
Thanks for all your help, and suggestions.


Peace.