Question About Setting Default Velocities

[sp1r0n]

When I click a drum hit in a MIDI view, is says the velocity is 100.  However, after I double click the instrument, and set the Vel+ setting to 127, the velocity does indeed sound like it's increased, but when I click the event, it still says velocity: 100. 

 

1) Is setting Vel+ to 127 increasing the default value by 127, or is it setting the default value to 127?  If it's the former, what's the default value?

2) Why does the velocity still say it's 100 even though it's audibly higher after double clicking the instrument and adjust it?

 

A weird thing to get confused about, so thanks in advance.

[user 905133]

10 minutes ago, sp1r0n said:

I am in piano view with the superior drummer 2 NY avatar drum map on the left hand side.

 

For example, I just clicked in some toms.  When I click-hold the event, it says vel: 4.

I double clicked that instrument on the left (I clicked the label of the instrument), and typed in 127 in the vel +.  All of those toms are now audibly louder, but when I click-hold the event, it still says vel: 4.

 

When I click the tail, drag it up, and then click-hold the event, the velocity says 127; however, there is no audible difference when I do this.

 

I essentially want to set my own default velocities for each instrument in the kit, and then be able to adjust from there to get some realism.

Thanks for the clarifications.  I will defer to others here who use the PRV and those who use it with drums.

[David Baay]

Vel+ is Velocity Offset. The value you set is added to all events in the track on playback up to a maximum of 127.

To change the velocity of an individual event in the Drum Pane, hover near the top of the event until you see the velocity adjustment tool, then click and drag. Or show the Controller pane and drag the velocity tail up or down.

P.S. If the Offset is already driving the net velocity to 127, raising the velocity of the event cannot add any velocity.

Edited August 19, 2022 by David Baay

[sjoens]

I figured out you're in the Drum Map pane.

5 hours ago, sp1r0n said:

1) Is setting Vel+ to 127 increasing the default value by 127, or is it setting the default value to 127?  If it's the former, what's the default value?

I don't know. I don't use Drum Maps.

4 hours ago, sp1r0n said:

I double clicked that instrument on the left (I clicked the label of the instrument), and typed in 127 in the vel +.  All of those toms are now audibly louder, but when I click-hold the event, it still says vel: 4.

I would not use Drum Maps for this. To learn more about Drum Maps, there's the Cakewalk manual and several youtube videos.

127 is the maximum velocity of any midi note. 1 is the minimum.

If you want to change a note's velocity, you can:

1.  Select it in PRV (click it or right-click & drag) and change it's velocity in the Control Bar Event Inspector, or

2. Double click the PRV note and change it in the Note Properties window, or

3. As David said

Changing any instrument, global, or track volume or gain will not change the note's velocity. This merely increases/decreases the overall volume of the entire track.

 

[John Vere]

Normally I play the notes on my keyboard controller or the drum pads on a digital kit.

I simply try and play them with adding the accents as I go. This rarely works perfectly so I then edit the velocity in PVR. I don’t use the drum pane either just the regular view. Read up un using the smart tool and you’ll soon be editing midi notes quickly  

An option for folks without a keyboard controller is to use the virtual keyboard which has settings for velocity but it is only one value. But this is less painful than manual entering notes. 
 

Be aware that velocity is not truly volume. It is designed to imitate the soft and hard timber of striking a instrument.
 

This depends on the VST being used as to how it will react to velocity. Some only have as little as 2 samples. 

Over time you learn how each instrument sounds at different velocities and work with that. Example is Ample Bass has the sound I like at 106.  By 115 it becomes almost distorted. 
 

I have general ballpark values I have used since Midi was a Pup. 

The velocity on drums is not what I use to mix the parts. 
There will definitely be creative velocity used on kit pieces but it is subtle values used to add realism not to adjust levels.

For that I use the DrumVST GUI mixer. 

Edited August 19, 2022 by Cactus Music

[user 905133]

Are you talking about

39 minutes ago, sp1r0n said:

However, after I double click the instrument . . . 

• Some clarification / diagnostic questions:
  • (1) Which instrument?
  • (2) Have you tried it with different instruments
    • and if so are the results the same?
  • (3) Which "MIDI View?"
    • Do you mean the PRV [Piano Roll View]?

Edited August 19, 2022 by User 905133

[sp1r0n]

I am in piano view with the superior drummer 2 NY avatar drum map on the left hand side.

 

For example, I just clicked in some toms.  When I click-hold the event, it says vel: 4.

I double clicked that instrument on the left (I clicked the label of the instrument), and typed in 127 in the vel +.  All of those toms are now audibly louder, but when I click-hold the event, it still says vel: 4.

 

When I click the tail, drag it up, and then click-hold the event, the velocity says 127; however, there is no audible difference when I do this.

 

I essentially want to set my own default velocities for each instrument in the kit, and then be able to adjust from there to get some realism.

[sjoens]

To my knowledge there's no way to change the default note velocity, which is 100 if entering notes by mouse in PRV. - However, if you change a note's velocity (say to 127) and select it, the next note entered will have the same velocity.

If notes are entered by a keyboard or drum pads, velocity is determined by how hard you hit the keys.

https://www.cakewalk.com/Documentation?product=Cakewalk&language=3&help=Playback.31.html

If you want to vary a track's note velocity, you can...

1. enter notes by playing them with an outboard controller, or

2. drag the mouse horizontally while moving it up & down across the velocity controllers to change them , or

3. select all notes and run a CAL script like VARYVEL.CAL or HUMANIZE.CAL or HUMANIZE PLUS.CAL (Menu bar > Process > Run CAL). HUMANIZE.CAL will change note spacing and velocity with only one value, so it's not the best choice.

Edited September 6, 2022 by sjoens