How exactly would one create only or mostly single-string patterns, such as folk fingerpicking, Travis picking, etc., using the strum engine for any Orange Tree library? Any libraries have better tools for this than others?
Thanks!
dpc
Fingerpicking "strums"?
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- "The" Jazz
- 4560 posts since 18 Aug, 2004 from California, United States
I just replied to your email, but I'll post the same information here for the sake of other readers:
I usually just play fingerpicking patterns manually, as individual notes. You can always hold down the sustain pedal to help bridge the notes so that they don't have gaps, too.
Another approach would be to use one of the chord modes--for example the automatic chord mode. When in any chord mode, you can use the string selection keyswitches (mapped to the very lowest MIDI keys, although in the next update we're adding a setting to change where they're mapped) to pick individual strings. That way you can hold the chord in the main playing range and then use the single string keys to play a fingerpicking pattern.
I usually just play fingerpicking patterns manually, as individual notes. You can always hold down the sustain pedal to help bridge the notes so that they don't have gaps, too.
Another approach would be to use one of the chord modes--for example the automatic chord mode. When in any chord mode, you can use the string selection keyswitches (mapped to the very lowest MIDI keys, although in the next update we're adding a setting to change where they're mapped) to pick individual strings. That way you can hold the chord in the main playing range and then use the single string keys to play a fingerpicking pattern.
Greg Schlaepfer
Orange Tree Samples
Ultra-realistic sample libraries for Kontakt
Orange Tree Samples
Ultra-realistic sample libraries for Kontakt
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- KVRAF
- Topic Starter
- 2000 posts since 5 Jan, 2003 from Brookings, OR
Great, thanks; the update sounds very useful! I didn't realize there was a single-string selection keyswitch option and don't see any mention of it in the Steel String manual. Got any links to descriptions, demos, tutorials on them?
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- "The" Jazz
- 4560 posts since 18 Aug, 2004 from California, United States
You could definitely use the strum pattern engine for it, but it can take a little while to set up the pattern. Try out the "Travis Who" pattern, for example.
Regarding the single string keys, that was added later in an update, but I think it should be mentioned in the manual.
Regarding the single string keys, that was added later in an update, but I think it should be mentioned in the manual.
Greg Schlaepfer
Orange Tree Samples
Ultra-realistic sample libraries for Kontakt
Orange Tree Samples
Ultra-realistic sample libraries for Kontakt
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- KVRAF
- Topic Starter
- 2000 posts since 5 Jan, 2003 from Brookings, OR
Will definitely check that out, thanks again. I searched through each of the manuals for instruments I have and am considering, and finally found this at the end of the Custom Chords page of Dracus:
"Note: When using any chord mode, you can play the very lowest MIDI keys to manually strum individual strings. This is useful for performing intricate picking patterns in real-time. When the chord mode is disabled, these keys become non-latching (meaning they only affect notes as long as the keys are held) manual string selection keyswitches, which are used to force a note to be played on a specific string."
It's not in the manuals for Steel or Flat that I just downloaded and searched; though their Custom Chords pages are otherwise identical, or very similar. Are all the big guitar instruments basically running the same features, such as this? IOW, is this actually there in both Steel and Flat? Hope so, it's a feature I use a lot and love in a few other guitar libraries, like UVI's Sunbird and Telematic, and AAS's Strum. It seems such an obviously guitar-like concept (run a string-select pattern with one hand, change the notes with the other) I wonder why it's not more common and hope it shows up more often everywhere.
btw, what exactly are the "very lowest" MIDI keys?
Thanks again for all these amazing instruments:)
"Note: When using any chord mode, you can play the very lowest MIDI keys to manually strum individual strings. This is useful for performing intricate picking patterns in real-time. When the chord mode is disabled, these keys become non-latching (meaning they only affect notes as long as the keys are held) manual string selection keyswitches, which are used to force a note to be played on a specific string."
It's not in the manuals for Steel or Flat that I just downloaded and searched; though their Custom Chords pages are otherwise identical, or very similar. Are all the big guitar instruments basically running the same features, such as this? IOW, is this actually there in both Steel and Flat? Hope so, it's a feature I use a lot and love in a few other guitar libraries, like UVI's Sunbird and Telematic, and AAS's Strum. It seems such an obviously guitar-like concept (run a string-select pattern with one hand, change the notes with the other) I wonder why it's not more common and hope it shows up more often everywhere.
btw, what exactly are the "very lowest" MIDI keys?
Thanks again for all these amazing instruments:)
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- KVRer
- 3 posts since 12 Apr, 2011
Thought i'd return to this subject again as i'm relatively new to orange tree samples instruments, i bought Dracus a few months ago, and am loving the sounds i can get from it.
But like the subject suggests i want to do some finger picking within Dracus.
The string selection keyswitches are just what i'm after, but i cannot find any keyswitches right at the lowest midi keys.
as the subject is a year old now, i just wondered if anything had changed in the software that had removed the string selection keyswitches, or if i'm just setting this up incorrectly.
I'm running fruity studio 12, if daw type would make a difference.
cheers.
But like the subject suggests i want to do some finger picking within Dracus.
The string selection keyswitches are just what i'm after, but i cannot find any keyswitches right at the lowest midi keys.
as the subject is a year old now, i just wondered if anything had changed in the software that had removed the string selection keyswitches, or if i'm just setting this up incorrectly.
I'm running fruity studio 12, if daw type would make a difference.
cheers.
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- KVRAF
- Topic Starter
- 2000 posts since 5 Jan, 2003 from Brookings, OR
I haven't heard about any updates, but I am getting this to sort of work, simply by playing in or recording and looping some MIDI notes from C -2 to F -2 (for Evo Steel Strings; Dracus probably allows for 8 keys) while also in Automatic Chords mode and playing chords the library recognizes. There are no designated or marked keyswitches for this.fast lady wrote: The string selection keyswitches are just what i'm after, but i cannot find any keyswitches right at the lowest midi keys.
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- KVRAF
- Topic Starter
- 2000 posts since 5 Jan, 2003 from Brookings, OR
After a lot of looking around and testing stuff, I've concluded that there are several easier, more fun ways of making the great-sounding Orangetree samples do fingerpicking:) I've had good results using the free Ample acoustic guitar's very deep pattern creator to create MIDI patterns and either capturing those or sending them directly into Kontakt. There's also a lot of very deep new-ish plugin arpeggiators around; both Nora and Kameleono can do great fingerpicking. I've also aimed drum-pattern makers at the note-to-string trigger keys in other libraries with much pleasure, which would no doubt work as well in the Orangetree setup I describe above. Would enjoy hearing whatever you discover:)
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- KVRer
- 3 posts since 12 Apr, 2011
I've realised what is going wrong with fingerpicking on my copy of Dracus.
It's actually my fruity studio snapshot of dracus that i had made when i first installed it, after updating to the latest engine update i think it must have done something to the snapshot i was using, as my strum patterns were also totally broken, only just realised.
If i load dracus up in kontakt a new, rather than using my fruity snapshot then everything is working, including the keyswitches which are lit up and they are at the very bottom of the midi keyboard as mentioned in the manual.
Hooray
It's actually my fruity studio snapshot of dracus that i had made when i first installed it, after updating to the latest engine update i think it must have done something to the snapshot i was using, as my strum patterns were also totally broken, only just realised.
If i load dracus up in kontakt a new, rather than using my fruity snapshot then everything is working, including the keyswitches which are lit up and they are at the very bottom of the midi keyboard as mentioned in the manual.
Hooray
