Velocity to pitch bend

Cantabile
1

Has anyone mapped key velocity to pitch bend using a midi filter? I’d like to try a downward pitch bend (using a harmonica plug-in) when the midi velocity is quite hard, but when I try making a velocity/controller filter I’m seeing range boxes with numbers 0-16383. I don’t know what figures I would need to use to control the effect - has anyone done this?

Thanks

Paul

2

Hi @clp560

I don’t think this is possible with the current set of MIDI filters - there’s nothing to map note velocity to anything else. Not sure how that would work either - if you got two notes at different velocities what would expect the pitch bend to be?

Brad

3

Ah, good point about the different velocities! I suppose with a limit on the lower velocity it would be a matter of technique, and avoiding chords. I’m using Cantabile with my XK3 and was wanting to control as much as possible from the keyboards (no spare hand for the pitch wheel) and avoid going down the breath-controller route - though that’s the obvious way to achieve the effect I want.

My next thought is to map the sustain switch (CC64) on the volume pedal to pitch-bend. This looks possible in Cantabile but how do I limit the amount of bend with this simple momentary on/off switch.

Paul

4

How about aftertouch?

5

Unfortunately the XK3 manuals do not have aftertouch, it being primarily an organ. They did provide the velocity option hence my initial idea. Don’t know if a remap of CC64 will work but the side mounted footswitch on the volume pedal would be convenient for pitch bend if it worked. I’m just not sure what the high numbers in the text boxes represent.

Paul

6

So, if it’s a footswitch, you’ll be switching instantly between two values?
If that is the case, you could, as was discussed in another recent thread, fire off a small midi file with the switch - and that could provide a quick autobend.

7

That sounds interesting - I’ve just been playing around with the value boxes but as you say, it’s always a switch between two values, so not what I need, of course. Have you done this? Any quick help you could give to set this up - I’m still fairly new to Cantabile.

Paul

8

Hi!
… and again, maybe this helps a little:
http://thepiz.org/plugins/?p=pizmidi

(midiConverter3, midiNotesToCC)

9

I made a midi file to pitch bend and if I hold a note and manually trigger the media player it does work. Now I can’t figure out how to map CC64 (the CC my footswitch sends) to trigger the media player. I’ll try and figure this out but meanwhile if anyone can point me in the right direction I’d be very happy!

Paul

1 Like
10

You’re going to need a binding for that, from CC64 to the player.

11

Finally got it to work! I couldn’t figure the binding at first but I switched to ‘Controller (button)’ instead of just ‘Controller’ and that did it. Now a simple side-swipe of the foot switch gives me a short downward pitch bend. The midi file includes a ‘return to centre’ before it finishes playing otherwise it simply drops the pitch and stays there! The media player acts instantaneously too. It’s not ideal (a breath controller is needed really) but it does give a small pitch bend without needing the controller wheel.

Paul

2 Likes