The MIDI spec for Hold Pedal states:

Quote:

CC Number: 64 Affects: When on, this holds (ie, sustains) notes that are playing, even if the musician releases the notes. (ie, The Note Off effect is postponed until the musician switches the Hold Pedal off). If a MultiTimbral device, then each Part usually has its own Hold Pedal setting. Note: When on, this also postpones any All Notes Off controller message on the same channel. Value Range: 0 (to 63) is off. 127 (to 64) is on.

There are two problems here...

1) Some keyboards do not transmit 0 and 127 for off and on values (for example, Miditech Midistudio sends 0x30/0x50). However, many soft synths do not check for the complete 0-63/64-127 ranges. As such, the sustain pedal may seem "broken" for some users. If looking specifically for 0 and 127, it will act as if the hold pedal doesn't exist. If it looks for 0 as off and non-zero for on, then it will essentially think it received to "on" messages, causing your soft synth to hold notes forever.

2) Some keyboards (like my old Kawai K1) send out an "All Notes Off" CC #123 message when you lift your hands off the keyboard. As noted above, this message should be postponed (or ignored) if the sustain pedal has been previously turned out. If this is not accounted for, all notes will abruptly cut off even if sustain is on, if your synth responds to CC 123.

I've had an MFX plugin to fix problem #2 (essentially filtering out the CC message). I was recently approached by Chris Laurence for help in problem #1 (I did the on/off switching and remapping to 0/127 myself), so I added fix as well to TenCrazy.com SustainFix v2.5, which can be found at http://www.TenCrazy.com/

So there's your quick solution (if the host in question can use MFX: limited choices, for the moment). However, I urge that developers take a look at their code and make sure they "do the right thing" to make sure everyone out there is happy!

We're trying to compile a little list of instruments with sustain issues, and whether SustainFix can get around them. I'll be sure to post it when it's available.

- m

I had issues with Orion Platinum's handling of Sustain at first too. Seemed like Richard had it for ALL parts. But thankfully Richard quickly fixed it, and all works like a charm so far now? (Thanks again Richard!)

And also, Orion has the nifty 'postive/negative' switch in case your using a Roland or Yamaha sustain pedal. That's the one that always burned me up! But I don't think many use Sustain at all anymore with music making it seems? We maybe of a dying breed Markleford?

John Westwood wrote:

We maybe of a dying breed Markleford?

Perhaps, but they'll have to pry my 256 Mb Akai piano SoundFont from my...

COLD DEAD FINGERS!

- m

Right on Chuck!

I'll be using my foot until ALL states declare it 'unsavorly kinky' and not permissable by law!

This is as far as I'll probably get with this list:

A) List of Synths "fixed" by SustainFix, and B) List of Synths with no Sustain Pedal Functionality

With some MIDI controllers, sustain hangs notes forever (synth does not respond to "release" command):
If this occurs with one of these synths, download SustainFix from http://www.tencrazy.com/gadgets/

These were the only synths tested so far. Because it is a development decision, it is possible that other synths by the same developers could exhibit this same behavior. I have sent this information to the developers with some positive feedback already. In the meantime, Markleford Friedman of Tencrazy has created a fix which works with Mfx-enabled hosts.

A)
1) Applied Acoustic Systems Tassman3 (This is in reference to modular synths created in Tassman3 which do have a "pedal" module included. Note that many of the synths created from the Tassman modules do not have a sustain pedal implementation. If there is no response to the "hold" command when you press the sustain pedal, it is likely that the module does not have a "pedal" module built in to that synth)

2) Native Instruments Absynth (all other NI products are okay) Looks like this one will be fixed.

3) LinPlug Free Alpha and LinPlug/Rob Papen Albino (most likely all LinnPlug products experience this behavior)

4) Loftsoft FMHeaven

5) Big Tick Rainbow, Angelina, Cheeze Machine, TickyClav (The new Rhino works properly!)

6) Arturia Moog Modular V

B)
Sustain Pedal Functionality Unimplemented (so don't expect it to work):
1) Muon Atom, Tau, Tau Pro, Electron [all Muon synths except DS404 and forthcoming Tachyon]
2) JXPlugins JX220 and JXSynth 1.2

Thanks to all of the developers who have responded. I'm only posting this in case anyone else has been wondering why they have been experience this behavior if they have a midi controller like mine.

Another list:

So far as synths that do not ignore "All Notes Off" (CC#123) while the sustain pedal is down, causing abrupt cut-offs:

LiveSynth Pro DXi, MDA ePiano

I imagine that most MDA synths (DX10, JX10) behave similarly, as developers tend to implement sustain the same way across their product line...

- m