Expression Maps/Controller Question/Feature Suggestion

Cubase
1

I’ll try to make this clear.

I’m using expression maps with orchestral instruments - Play and Hollywood Orchestra in this case.

The expression maps use MIDI channels to select one of many Articulations for an instrument loaded into a single instance of Play per Instrument.

I am using 1 Instrument track per instrument/Play instance rather than multiple Instrument and/or MIDI tracks for different articulations as some do. I prefer this so as to see each part of the Orchestra on one track in the Project Window and the Score Window.

Works very nice . . . except:

When using Continuous Controllers and changing Articulations in the middle of a phrase - or anywhere, really - if there are no active controllers being sent at the moment I change articulations and the last time the new articulation was used it was at a different level then I have a problem.

Example: If I first use a staccato String articulation at a very low velocity/expression (CC 11 Low). Then as the piece goes on I use a Legato articulation at a high velocity/expression (CC 11 High). If, in the middle of the Legato Section I insert a few Staccato notes, and no new CC 11 info is being transmitted at that moment, the Staccato notes are too soft.

Is there any solution for this?
My work around is to make sure that any used CC is changing values (and it is, many times) across the articulation change so the new one gets the message. Barring that I insert the needed values just after the new articulation is selected (bit of a pain).

If there is not an easier way, my “Feature suggestion” to Steinberg is that they make an option to “Chase” used modulation values when changing Directions or Attributes with an Expression Map. This would make it seamless!

Any thoughts?

Hugh

PS LOVE the new Key Editor look. Much sharper, clearer. I can finally read my Expression Map values!

2

For me the current behavior of Cubase is just what I want. The expression CC 11 is not different between articulations.
At least not the way I work.

If you are using expression to balance the volume of different articulations, then I have a suggestion. Use the Play mixer to balance each articulation so their relative levels.are the same. That works for me anyway.

Hopefully that helps.

3

Good suggestion.

However, my issue is that in some libraries (like HO) CCs can control how hard the player is playing, in addition to volume, and other things.
Like a French Horn going from a soft smooth articulation to a full on blast.
In Hollywood Orchestra, as in many libraries, CCs control different things for different patches.
In some of the more powerful string patches, for instance, CC1 controls Vibrato, CC11 controls how hard the player is bowing, and CC70 controls finger position.

In any case, I need these things to stay the same when I switch articulations for a moment.

But, as I said, it should be an OPTION because in some uses (like yours) one might not want the CCs to chase to the next sound or whatever.

Does that make sense?

Hugh

4

Maybe if there was some way to send the controller data Omni, only channelizing the notes?

Each Articulation in Play has it’s own MIDI channel, but it’s all one MIDI Input.