Understanding Cubase expression maps

[Steve Harder]

Because importing a Cubase expression map is a good jumpstart into articulation mapping I've been studying how they are used and created.

Cubase expression maps come in 2 flavors. So here's an explanation that helped me.

"Expression maps have two 'articulation types' - Direction or Attribute.
Direction works like a latch keyswitch where you trigger it once and all future notes will follow that articulation until you trigger a different one.
Attribute works on a per-note basis, letting you choose a different articulation for each note."

 

Edited October 24, 2020 by Steve Harder

[msmcleod]

FWIW, CbB articulation maps are for the most part like Direction expression maps.

The attribute type expression maps is closely linked with MPE (MIDI polyphonic expression), as it relates to adding specific control information on a per-note basis.

When we come to implement MIDI 2.0 & MPE within CbB, we'll look at implementing a similar feature for per-note articulations at that point.

There is actually a way to emulate per note articulations using the transforms and the input filters, but it's messy as you have to create a separate articulation for each note, and you end up with a separate articulation lane for every articulation/note combination.

[Steve Harder]

37 minutes ago, msmcleod said:

CbB articulation maps are for the most part like Direction expression maps.

Thanks, that will point me in the right direction.

A couple of the Cubase map packs offered both types, I imported both into CW and didn't see any differences.  Possibly your import process cleans up any loose ends.

Certainly lots and lots to learn here.

[Maestro]

Cubase has pretty decent documentation on Expression Maps, available at Steinberg.net

[Steve Harder]

10 hours ago, Maestro said:

Cubase has pretty decent documentation on Expression Maps, available at Steinberg.net

I'm about to reach the "trying to drink from a firehose" stage as I dive into expression maps.  The capability to import Cubase maps really turned on the flow.

Let's all continue to share what we learn about how Cakewalk translates Cubase maps during import.  That will help us understand Cubase documentation and how we use it to jumpstart Cakewalk maps.

Msmcleod provided an important fact, "CbB articulation maps are for the most part like Direction expression maps."