Impact Soundworks

zircon · Post by **zircon** » Thu Jul 10, 2014 2:27 am

DavidN wrote:Thanks for a very generous free update! Shreddage just keeps getting better - I'm very excited about its possibilities, it's the one plugin that's finally got me to break free of deliberately Amiga-styled metal tracking and go for a more realistic sound.

Having an example from the author is really inspiring as well - very Nightwish-styled Am I right in understanding the demo version of FL wouldn't allow loading this FLP project file?

Actually, the demo version should load it just fine! You just can't SAVE projects in the demo of FL. Again you may not be able to load all of my plugins, but you should be able to see Kontakt along with my MIDI data, automation, etc.

stpete111 · Post by **stpete111** » Thu Jul 10, 2014 8:13 pm

Andrew - I need a little help getting something straight in my brain on the cc de-tuning of the guitar.

I write my guitar parts in a guitar tablature program and then export MIDI to feed guitar VI's like Shreddage and others. For anything in standard tuning it's very no-fuss and the MIDI file is sufficient straight away. Now, when it comes to alternate tunings: the tab software I use just lets you tell it the exact tuning you want the guitar in, string-by-string. Then when you draw in tab numbers, the playback engine of the tab program plays the notes as they would sound played at that fret, in that tuning. Just as you would expect. But when it comes to exporting MIDI of an alternate tuning, obviously you're still just getting MIDI notes w/o regard to string position or guitar tuning.

Fingering positions and open strings are very important to me when writing guitar tab - so the question is about the exported MIDI I get from an alternate-tuned tab. It seems if I take the exported MIDI from an alt-tuned tab and feed it into Shreddage with Shreddage in default standard tuning, it will play the notes in the MIDI file, but nothing like the fingering/open strings I set in my tab file (and it may not go as low as I need to). But if I were to re-tune the strings of Shreddage to what I want using the cc controls, then the played notes aren't going to be right - they're going to be +/-7 semitones away from the notes of the MIDI file. Does that make sense?

Is the only solution to tab out my part to the exact string fingerings I want but export the MIDI in standard tuning, then feed that file into Shreddage with the cc de-tuned strings? The way it works in another guitar sample VI that I use is you tell the VI the tuning of your guitar, string by string, feed it the DE-TUNED MIDI, and it plays perfectly how I wrote it to play. It's as if additional conditions are programmed into the engine telling it to compare incoming notes to your tuning, and play the correct sample based on that. If I understand Shreddage correctly, it's just adding plus or minus a certain amount of semitones (depending on cc setting) to the incoming MIDI. Is that right?

zircon · Post by **zircon** » Thu Jul 10, 2014 8:53 pm

In short - yes, you are correct, the tuning option via MIDI CC is re-pitching incoming notes on certain strings. It's not just transposing MIDI though, it's actually pitch shifting the audio - an important difference.

That being said, it sounds like what you want to do is have more complete control over exactly which notes go on exactly which string. For this, there are two approaches:

1. Use keyswitches to force strings for each note.

2. Export your tabs so that each string is a separate MIDI track, then use the "Split MIDI Channels" mode with S2 in "omni" MIDI mode. By doing this, you can feed MIDI tracks to specific strings.

Does that make sense?

gbar · Post by **gbar** » Thu Jul 10, 2014 9:45 pm

Raising my hand for a stupid question:

I just purchased Shreddage 2, 6 days ago (for full price-ouch), and I have started one project. The description of the update says that the entire instrument has been transposed up one octave.

Does this mean I can just transpose the instrument tracks an octave, and they should essentially still work?

Hesitant about doing the update if it means a lot of rework.

bigjerome · Post by **bigjerome** » Thu Jul 10, 2014 10:11 pm

It's a different nki, try it, if you don't like it, use your original...

stpete111 · Post by **stpete111** » Thu Jul 10, 2014 10:14 pm

zircon wrote:In short - yes, you are correct, the tuning option via MIDI CC is re-pitching incoming notes on certain strings. It's not just transposing MIDI though, it's actually pitch shifting the audio - an important difference.

That being said, it sounds like what you want to do is have more complete control over exactly which notes go on exactly which string. For this, there are two approaches:

1. Use keyswitches to force strings for each note.

2. Export your tabs so that each string is a separate MIDI track, then use the "Split MIDI Channels" mode with S2 in "omni" MIDI mode. By doing this, you can feed MIDI tracks to specific strings.

Does that make sense?

Thanks Andrew, yep makes perfect sense. I'll look into my tab software's ability to export each string to a separate track. Thanks.

stpete111 · Post by **stpete111** » Thu Jul 10, 2014 11:10 pm

Neither of my tab programs (Guitar Pro & Power Tab) seem to offer the ability to export MIDI by 6 separated tracks. Does anyone happen to know of one that does?

zircon · Post by **zircon** » Fri Jul 11, 2014 2:15 am

gbar wrote:Raising my hand for a stupid question:

I just purchased Shreddage 2, 6 days ago (for full price-ouch), and I have started one project. The description of the update says that the entire instrument has been transposed up one octave.

Does this mean I can just transpose the instrument tracks an octave, and they should essentially still work?

Hesitant about doing the update if it means a lot of rework.

First of all - email support@impactsoundworks.com - I will get some of that purchase price refunded as a courtesy

Second - Yes, unless you were using extensive keyswitches, simply transposing your MIDI up an octave will make it perfectly compatible with the update. Alternatively as bigjerome said you can continue using the original patch for that project and then use the new one for future projects.

gbar · Post by **gbar** » Sat Jul 12, 2014 2:29 am

Well, I told you it was probably a stupid question

lol Update installed, things are fine, and hopefully I can play with the new features tomorrow.

Hey, I may take you up on that courtesy and use the savings toward buying Archtop or something.

Thanks for the update and thanks for the courtesy offer!

zgraja · Post by **zgraja** » Sat Jul 12, 2014 5:27 pm

I have issuess with Shreddage 2x version. Mayby it is a bug. It seems that muted articulations can't be played for powerchords F#6 and above. The same problem is for single notes starting from F7. Sustain articulations are played instead.

xphen0m · Post by **xphen0m** » Sun Jul 13, 2014 1:14 am

I don't believe mutes were recorded for the most higher notes as it really wouldn't sound that great.

zircon · Post by **zircon** » Sun Jul 13, 2014 2:45 am

Yeah correct, mutes that high are rarely used and basically sound really bad. We didn't change anything there from the original S2

zgraja · Post by **zgraja** » Sun Jul 13, 2014 8:42 am

OK, thanks! Good to know

feydmaniac · Post by **feydmaniac** » Wed Jul 16, 2014 1:40 pm

Kontakt crashes all the time when i change articulations with CC via MIDI (i use Kontakt midi learn function) in Vienna Ensemble Pro latest version. I ve tested version X and x30 (release candidate). Version V2e worked just fine.... Fix it please

zircon · Post by **zircon** » Wed Jul 16, 2014 3:09 pm

How are you switching articulations via MIDI CC? Like enabling / disabling them, changing the velocity / keyswitch?

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Shreddage 2X FREE UPDATE - Now available! (May 22, 2014)