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Velocity switching


Dr88s

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This is a generic question and not about any particular keyboard.

 

The other night I was going through the manual of my PX-5S and came across the section on splitting/layering; one of the options mentioned was to velocity switch so that tone 1 sounds at certain key velocities and tone 2 at others, even with some overlap if desired.

 

I know that velocity switching is not unique to the Casio and has been a feature of a lot of my keyboards, yet I have never used it before. I got to thinking about it and realized that it could be a good strategy to get around limited real estate. Why bring along another keyboard/controller/module for a few brass stabs when you can set a layer which responds only to velocity 128 and pound the heck out of the keys when you want the stabs to sound...

 

So my question is: does anybody use this live? Are your dynamics precise enough so that you can accurately trigger the different sounds at will? I can foresee accidentally perhaps hitting a key a little too exuberantly and triggering an unwanted sound. That would be embarrassing to say the least.

Nord Stage 2 Compact, Yamaha MODX8

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I find it more useful for smooth transitions over a velocity range. The one exception is brass falls at maximum velocity. Most of the time I prefer to use my pedal to blend sounds, but velocity switching has its place.

Dan

 

Acoustic/Electric stringed instruments ranging from 4 to 230 strings, hammered, picked, fingered, slapped, and plucked. Analog and Digital Electronic instruments, reeds, and throat/mouth.

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I normally use it to bring in an 'emphasis' layer for more expression on piano patches. For instance, I have a rhodes patch set up that brings in "Africa" type synth brass at higher velocities when I'm soloing. I think I started doing that out of frustration, to address the limited dynamic range of digitals (compared to a real piano).

 

Never used it to selectively bring in layers for specific parts as OP is suggesting, like Dan I typically use an expression pedal or similar controller for that kind of thing.

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I should probably clarify...a lot of the factory patches on the Kronos use velocity cross-fades. So technically, I probably use them a lot, just not set up by me. But I think velocity cross-fades are much more useful than velocity switching, with a few exceptions as noted previously.

Dan

 

Acoustic/Electric stringed instruments ranging from 4 to 230 strings, hammered, picked, fingered, slapped, and plucked. Analog and Digital Electronic instruments, reeds, and throat/mouth.

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To be clear, I was referring to frankly switching from one sound to another at a given velocity threshold, not crossfading.

 

In that case, it's really difficult to get any kind of natural dynamic range out of either sound with a switch point anywhere near the middle of the range. A sound (like a brass fall) at 127 works as long as you're careful not to play too hard normally. Otherwise, my preference would be the swell pedal. Even if not blending - pedal minimum for one sound, maximum for the other. Then you still have the max velocity range for both sounds.

Dan

 

Acoustic/Electric stringed instruments ranging from 4 to 230 strings, hammered, picked, fingered, slapped, and plucked. Analog and Digital Electronic instruments, reeds, and throat/mouth.

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To be clear, I was referring to frankly switching from one sound to another at a given velocity threshold, not crossfading.

I did one gig a while back where I specifically set that up... I had to do 4 sounds across a 61-key keyboard (a rare gig where that was all I had), so I split the board three ways, and in one of the sections, I had one sound that triggered when I played softly in the verse, and another sound that triggered when I played with force on the same keys in the chorus. It was workable, but not something I'd really want to make a habit of.

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Rather than switching sounds, I currently have articulations of the same sound switched via velocity. E.g. low velocities trigger note repeats/trills, and higher velocities override legato mode. Very useful for authentic emulation of certain stringed instruments.

 

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Thanks for the answers; seems switching between two completely different sound types is not a practical use for velocity switching.

 

This is probably accurate for imitative synthesis, by definition but don't forget the frequently used exception that Dan mentioned. Roland has regularly included a goofy scat vocal patch, which is designed the same way. It's a bit of a lark:

 

[video:youtube]mNmxm-QiBRI

 

However having a different sound kick in at high velocity levels is very helpful with non-imitative synth sounds as Mate indicated.

 

For slightly distorted leads, I have an additional tone come in (additively) at velocities between say 120 and 128. It's crossfaded in slightly, and it's pitched a semitone away (sometimes a whole tone away) from the primary pitch. Sometimes you have the same envelope as the primary tone. Sometimes it's just for the attack portion of the sound. Due to the distortion/overdrive that both tones are going through, you get a snarl or grunt at high velocities. You might play it like the brass falls and the scat, except that this is a non-imitative synthetic tone. Just an example ...

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Velocity cross-fading is typically used in Romplers for more realistic acoustic and electric pianos... it's the algorithm that causes the next "harder" layer to kick in when a certain velocity is reached on the keybed. This is then cleverly cross-faded so as not to make evident WHERE the louder sample actually kicks in. Obviously Digi-Pianos use the same technique, but not programmable.
Kurzweil PC3, Yamaha MOX8, Alesis Ion, Kawai K3M
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