dynamics w/ GPO

[willard cottrell]

I am still confused about the GPO 5 use of mod wheel.

I tried both ways - setting vol at 64 and going the mod wheel route.  The other way is setting vol differences between section or areas of loud - soft etc.  I feel that the 2nd option appears better, but I'm not sure I'm objective enough.  I also believe that I'm missing out on potential variants of the velocity parameters.

I've read so many articles and forum ideas.  Perhaps I'm just dense.

This ? is in conjunction w/ a request to see a midi orchestral sc (or portion thereof) to study what you guys do.

Any help appreciated.

[Sidney Earl Goodroe]

I use automation lanes set for controller 11. Controller 7 adjusts the mixer level in GPO. Controller 11 allows you to get the smooth transition from soft to loud.

[mdiemer]

Try putting these controller events in either event list or piano roll view. I prefer event list but either should work:

CC1=80.

CC7=100

CC11=whatever you need as you progress through the piece. It's a finer adjustment than CC7.

I think of CC7 as the starting volume. For GPO, you should adjust this as needed. For example, the flute and clarinet in GPO are very loud, so a setting of 80 or even lower may be needed.

CC1 is the modwheel in GPO. If you don't set this, the modwheel will reset and you will hear little or nothing.  CC1 and CC7 only need to be set once, at the begining. Fot completeness, I put in CC10 also at the start. This controls pan. GPO will respond to this setting. Finally, as stated CC11 is something you keep putting in as needed.

This will work. However, most people don't do it this way. If you can't figure any other way to do it, try this, and if it's not a good workflow you can try another way. There usually are multiple ways to do things in DAWS.

[haydn12]

GPO was originally programmed to set the levels in the mixer and then control dynamics with CC1.    Attacks are controlled with velocity.   There was no CC11 expression control.  It was added later so you could use either CC1 or CC11.  They both do the same thing. 

Jim

[mdiemer]

14 hours ago, haydn12 said:

GPO was originally programmed to set the levels in the mixer and then control dynamics with CC1.    Attacks are controlled with velocity.   There was no CC11 expression control.  It was added later so you could use either CC1 or CC11.  They both do the same thing. 

Jim

Interesting. I admit to some confusion with the GPO CC controls. I do find that CC11 doesn't do much except affect volume somewhat. For percussion, I only use CC1 and CC7. I find that velocity changes in GPO don't seem to do much of anything. I use to use only CC7. Then I started to use CC 11 also. Even more confusing, other libraries may do things differently. Velocity in East West for example changes the timbre, same with Vienna Sp. Edition. The documentation on Make Music (now the owner of GPO not Garritan) does not clarify the issue much IMO.

I guess, just keep fooling with the damn thing until you get something that works! That's my approach. Trial and error, can't beat it. and workarounds. I'm big on those.

[Sidney Earl Goodroe]

If I may expand on my original reply. You can think of GPOs mixer sliders as controller 7. If you were recording in real time on the mixer you would set that slider to the best possible position for that section of instruments and leave it. Set your volume to the best OVERALL volume in the DAW track or use an automation track to set controller 7. Now using a controller 1 or 11 to control dynamics on the same track, the volume or dynamics will be controlled as if the players are performing the changes.

The main advantage of this is you can leave the dynamics or controller 11 data in tact and just reset the volume or controller 7 data for each track if you are moving your project to a different DAW.

I know it is confusing. Just think in terms of the mixer slider (controller  7)as a one time setting. The orchestra will be performing the dynamic changes as they play (controller 11).

One more thing! There is a setting in CbB preferences that disables Cake from resetting all controllers to zero on restart. Make sure you uncheck that box!!!!!! Otherwise all your controllers reset to zero and your sound will be completely shut down to zero!!!

[haydn12]

Velocity on the majority of the instruments changes the how hard the attack is.  This works better on some instruments than others.  GPO used flex envelopes to accomplish this.   Also, there is some filtering occurring when you raise up CC1 (or CC11) with the instruments getting brighter as you raise it.  I recommend riding CC1 constantly to give the instruments more life.

 

Jim