I am using a midi controller with a Yamaha Fc3a pedal with Cubase Pro 12. I’m attempting to turn sustained note data into actual midi note data, so that the notes are visually extended to match their sustained length. Hopefully that makes sense but if not, this is what i am trying to do:
Despite doing the above, the midi note lengths are not increasing to match how long the pedal is held down for. The only thing that i can see that changes, is the height of the pedal data. Anyone have any ideas?
Aside from that, i can hear the sustained notes on the recording. Sustain pedal is set to CC 64.
Well, this is actually how sustain pedals work in real life.
On a piano when you hold the Sustain, you don’t have to keep the keys pressed, only one single tap is enough to keep the note going… simply because nothing is stopping the strings from ringing, as long as you hold the Sustain pedal.
Why would you want the recorded notes to reflect how long the pedal is pressed ? It simply does not work like that, notes keys and sustain are two separate data. If you want to record long notes then keep holding the keys… but this is contrary to what the Sustain pedal serves for.
Also you seem to be using the Rendering Sustain Pedal Data to Note Lengths wrong, this is for lengthening notes up to when the sustain is engaged, in order to remove the gap and have a smooth transition.
You are trying to use it the other way around, it just makes no sense.
@Louis_R Hi Louis. I do play piano and understand how the pedal works, so i get what you are saying.
I want the midi note length to reflect how long the pedal is pressed so that i have a visual represenation of their true length in terms of sound. Otherwise, if i have a midi track with lots of consecutive sustained chords, there’ll be lots visual gaps? Not talking audibly- i know the pedal data will sustain the note.
Just to say, that in terms of sound when recording a midi keyboard and using a pedal, and transitioning between chords, it functionly records and plays back fine, as if i played it on a piano. Purely a visual thing for me i guess.
Perhaps i’m explaining poorly, but if you watch 20 seconds of this video from 1 minute 50, you’ll see what i mean. Seems to be the similar(?) terminology in Logic X as Cubase, and does exactly what i am after .
Yes my bad, I actually never used this functionality, I said a lot wrong about this part, please forgive me.
I have figured it out : Your Sustain value seem to be too low, it will only work when it is at least 64.
MIDI data is 8 bit, or 128 possible values.
In Cubase this range goes from 0 to 127, which is still 128 values, but, the Sustain data works as the following :
Value ≤ 63 = Sustain OFF
Value ≥ 64 = Sustain ON
So, the Sustain data needs to be 64 or higher for Pedals to Note Length to work.
Also, the 64 or more value needs to touch the notes (it is already the case in your screenshot).
(Actually the fact that Sustain is tied to CC 64 is a hint )
No worries dude. Didnt help with me not explaining it great.
Yes what you say seems to be the culprit. When i use this pedal on a digital piano, the sustain seems to work in an anolog type mode, in that i can gently press it and get values from 0-127.
Just tried it on another keyboard, and when i press the pedal it acts more of an on / off - 0 or 127. So now the feature i was asking about works.
You can visibly see the difference between the digi piano using the pedal in an anolog mode, and the keyboard using the pedal as an on / off below. A lot more midi message spam when it acts as analog compared to when used on/off
No problem, I use a Roland sustain pedal and it has a button on it to toggle between switch and continuous modes.
Some pedals may only behave like a switch, and some only continuous, then it could also depend on the keyboard settings (if there are any) to force it to a switch mode.
However I have found that little fix on the Internet, could be helpful :
There’s another good reason for rendering sustain data to note lengths, and that’s when comping parts from various takes, as it’s very easy for the sustain pedals up / down state to become out of sync causing playback to be messed up.
Using this function on your takes before comping makes life much easier.
)
