I am having a devil of a time editing MPE/note expression data, specifically pitchbend data coming from the Osmose.
It is near impossible to acurately edit this pitch data after playing it. I just want to clean up some notes and slides but not having any guide at all??? It’s basically 0 - 8000+
The curious thing is that when I load up a VST with note expression, there is a “tuning” parameter that behaves EXACTLY as I wish the “pitchbend” did. The tuning parameter can be locked to semitones and then released for slides etc.
I’ve tried adding and editing the MPE input device using tuning/pitchbend/midi learn/etc.
Is there any way to lock the pitchbend in the Note Expression Editor to semitones? If not, how do you edit pitchbend data coming from the Osmose/Seaboard/etc?
As far as I understand the value range for any Note Expression parameter is governed by the VSTi, that you are sending it to. Unless it is a generic MIDI 1.0 message. Pitch Bend is using the usual -8192/+ 8191 for pitch bend (MIDI 14bit value range). I can see Retrologue doing that.The VSTi tells Cubase that its Tuning parameter works from -48 to +48 and it is programmed to work in semi-tone steps. Well, actually you can define the range in the key editor, as it is a VST3 parameter, not MIDI:
Smart multiplying and dividing (depending on the pitch bend range) can effectively round values to desired intervals.
Starting with a web search like “force pitch bend data to semitones” gives some explanations of the required calculations for different scenarios.
And then maybe use the “Input Transformer” and/or the MIDI Insert “Transformer” and/or applying a “Function” to selected MIDI events can be used to perform the required calculations on that pitch bend data.
And save presets for those for different range settings (e.g. if a full pitch bend represents only 2 semitones, the math is different from a full pitch bend representing 2 octaves).
It takes a bit of brain busting at first, but the learning pay-off would hopefully be of long term value.
I wonder why the note expression editor for pitchbend is so crude, no semitone snapping.
With so many MPE controllers coming out, cubase needs to level up this MPE data editing. It is basically impossible to keep the pitchbend range at +/- 48 semitones for slide (my preference) and do anything except divebombing the pitch in Pitchbend Note Expression Editor.
I would update my version of cubase in a microsecond if they would put some effort into this particular editor. Everyone says Cubase is the best for MIDI and this is just, not very impressive.
I would be happy just to click on individual notes in the regualar midi editor and edit the pitch in the bottom editor lane, one note at a time. I’m really just wanting to correct small mistakes, jumps in pitch etc. Trying to do that now destroys the tuning, makes more problems than it solves.
One potential work around is setting the MPE pitchbend on my synth to +/- 2 semitones. In the note expression editor, it’s manageable but then you loose that functionality on the synth.
This is interesting. I didn’t think about the transformer. Hmmm. This would be well above my level of skill on the transformer. How would you go about setting this up on the transformer.
One thing I just thought of… Maybe I could set up an instrument track with MPE Retrologue, perform everything with Retrologue, clean it up with the Note Expression Tuning parameter that actually has semitone snapping, and then send that midi data to my synth.
Do you think Cubase will ever have a more fleshed out Note Expression Editor, something like the standard lower window midi editor and not this insane pop up screen?
Not what you asked for but I think MPE is a dead end, a crutch for MIDI 1.0. The faster we overcome this the better. Hopefully manufacturers of such useful devices will start to use MIDI 2.0 soonest.
Will the NE Editor in Cubase become better when it comes to PitchBend data? Let’s try to get the request through to Steinberg.
Personally I am curious to see how they will marry VST and Note Expression with MIDI 2.0.
Is there a formal way to do this, or do mean by discussing it here we can raise awareness of this issue.
Thank you both for the info on MIDI 2.0 I see now that MPE is basically a subset of the new protocol. Very cool! I need to read up on this.
If you get a chance, please try out some kind of mpe device. It’s so wonderful to get this much expression. It can be subtle too, just a small difference in each key press can make things come alive. I went back and played a standard synth yesterday at work and it sounded very ham-fisted at first, very one dimensional. But then I got used to it again.
It looks like Reaper 7 has extensive editing of MPE data on this new version. I guess I’ll have to change to reaper until Cubase can get some kind of sane way to edit mpe pitch data (that’s not a VST).
