nora example video that show how can make solos that use pitchbend in Nora

[magicmusic]

bending is very important for Melodie. It can work with a trick in Nora too. the note 1 octave higher is downpitch - 11 so bend 1 tone. in the synth you need edit a sound and use portamento mono mode. see in sample tank for time. you can vary time and downpitch -11 to other values, to get other sounding.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EhogYLe ... e=youtu.be

not perfect, but give much better results as non pitch bend use

only what need additional time is, when you add note with downpitch -11 then next note you add have no downpitch, you need set to 0. bend less than 1 note is possible, when you increase protamento time in song and use for the downpitch note short time

[squaredheads]

Yes that's a nice trick. Pitch Bend is a special MIDI message, different from CCs.

I mean, while the CC01 (Modwheel), and others CCs, like 27, 40, 80, etc, share their 'license plate', the Pitch Bend uses another totally different one, it is not a CC. I'm mainly working into see if I can implement CCs, but I had no plan for the PitchBend. My question is, do you think that pitchbend is a must?

I'm not sure, but I think you can emulate with CCs the pitchbend behavior in the most synths... let me know if I'm wrong.

[magicmusic]

for guitar pitch bend is a must have. because guitar sound very ugly without pitchbend. you can try the sequence i do with nora, without the pitchbend trick. it sound not good. but also for nice techno lead pitch bend is usefull. look at this song on youtube and how often the player use the pitchbend (left right on this keyboard). at 1 min 12 it begin. i quick find this, there are much more out, that play with pitch bend alot

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YEz2rcHQiIE

but the pitchbend can emulate with CC. every synth can add in the modulation matrix, that a cc change pitch thats ok. i have also a idea to get easy CC support, and keyswitch in nora. the increase/decrease of note numbers, maybe can do with mousewheel too.

I think Nora is easy able to do key switches too and drum sequences too. currently pitch can set to -12 upto +12 in nora notes. If there is a higher range possible, then all pitch above 12 and below 24 are absolute note values. +13 is c +14 c# +15 d. instead of numbers above 12 can output the notes names then. so it is possible to use keyswitch, or drum sequences because this notes are not transpose and on fix values. in the track configuration can set the octave of the notes.

[squaredheads]

Our concept of techno is pretty different

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=naJ6_ZL1Oro

Ok, then I will continue with my plan of adding only general CC, exclusive pitch bend messages could be added later. Let's see what I can do.

One thing that catch my attention is the general desire to use Nora to send direct notes (not arpeggiated) in order to sequence drums or melodies. A customer said that he want it to trigger different presets on his synths. However I've always wondering, why do you prefer do it in Nora instead doing it in the host? If I understand all the reasons, it's sure I will perform a better job in case I can implement it.

[braj]

I think sending bend commands is a lot more on target for Nora than sending drum or program changes. Personally I don't know how much I'd use it, but if it were there I might actually use it a lot.

[squaredheads]

It is what I asked before, is enough having CCs (and you assign one of those to your synth's pitch bend) or do you need exclusive bend messages (they would work in your synth without any need of assign them in its mod. matrix)?

[braj]

It is what I asked before, is enough having CCs (and you assign one of those to your synth's pitch bend) or do you need exclusive bend messages (they would work in your synth without any need of assign them in its mod. matrix)?

Oh I think it is OK to assign it, but eventually it seems better to have the exclusive too. Just push it down the development road for a while maybe?

[squaredheads]

Yes, maybe - I must think about it. Another question about the pitchbend, when you are using a physical pitchbend, usually the wheel returns to its zero status when you release it. Would it be the desired behavior in this case?

[braj]

Would it be the desired behavior in this case?

Definitely.

[magicmusic]

Edit: about what is techno. techno is a great container, simular as animal. there are many subgroups in techno https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Techno

and here you can hear the original first techno https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Detroit_techno

Here is another video. 5 min 50 sec is with bend play. short before without bend.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n88ABqccErI

but the bend trick i post with nora sequence do it ok for me. i only miss important to send fixed notes fpr swtiches.

A customer said that he want it to trigger different presets on his synths. However I've always wondering, why do you prefer do it in Nora instead doing it in the host? If I understand all the reasons, it's sure I will perform a better job in case I can implement it.

please look on diffrent sample library. with low key or high key switches you can change the articulation. articulations are diffrent playstyle a instrument have. for example legato play, staccato or mute, is most common. on your page is a nora orchestral demo. with articulations, there can do more.

what synths you have ?. there is sample tank custom shop for free, there are some free libs that support articulation
on cubase articulations are called midi expressions. see attached picture, there are the articulations of the strings in a sample tank patch. to change it is usefull to have absolute notes. the grey keys are the keys that change articulation

[squaredheads]

Of course, I was joking about the techno I know there is too many subgenres. There is a fun chart here: http://techno.org/electronic-music-guide/

The plugin example has been crystal clear for me. I was pretty mistaken, since I was thinking that you would only need one monophonic note for expressions. I see you may need some polyphony with it, since you may wish trigger sustain + tremolo simultaneously. My plugins (All from D16, Sylenth and Spire) do not support this functionality, but if Sampletank has a free version, it will be enough.

I'm not sure how to implement it in a clever way. Personally I do not like to over-pitching the notes to send midi keys, it's not user friendly. If it would be just a monophonic note I could add it between the velocity section and the note section, but you still would need to drag up/down to select the right key.

I could create another grid that would be switchable with the velocity section, but that would force you to constantly switch panels - and I'm not very friend of that either. I prefer see everything in just one screen. And if I do not have alternative and I must switch screens for that, I could take advantage from another upcoming crazy feature (90% chances), you simply would shift+double click a note to achieve it bypasses the arpeggiator engine, but it should be done with every note (it would still work with the Nora facilities, like remembering the last used note). How does it sound?

About the dedicated pitchbend, if I have the time I would implement it with a fixed range, at least, like the most synths - is that ok?

SquaredHeads - "your opinion does count!"

[magicmusic]

I see you may need some polyphony with it, since you may wish trigger sustain + tremolo simultaneously.

the keyswitches select a articulation. they can never work together. it is monophonic.

it can only 1 articulation set. when you want play tremolo, you press short before or at same time E7 (see my screenshot. Articulations are on lowest notes or highest notes, depend on sound) then play the note. when you then want change to play sustain, then you need send G6 short and then all played notes use sustain And this can only work, if there can send notes that are not transpose. but if you want support drum sequences, then more notes should be able to play together at fixed note num. but 4-5 are enough. a drummer can too only play 4 drums at same time

About the dedicated pitchbend, if I have the time I would implement it with a fixed range, at least, like the most synths - is that ok?

pitchbend is normaly used +/-2 tones full value + or - 8192. but can change in synth as bend range.
normaly 3 bend strength are good enough and it is named on note sheets. 1/2, 1 and 2 notes. most is up bend.

[squaredheads]

Thanks for the information. I have clear enough the pitch-bend idea. I'm still thinking about how to implement the keys.

[squaredheads]

Almost I forgot it. While I work, some alternatives to use 'key switches' with the current version:

1. Using midi filtering. Create in your DAW a MIDI clip which contains in the MIDI channel 1 the chords, then write the keyswitches in the MIDI channel 2. Configure in Nora two tracks, one of them with the arpeggiator with the MIDI input filter to '1', and the second track with the MIDI input filter to '2' and turn off the arpeggiator engine for this track in the Pattern Editor.

2. If you don't need too many key switches (and they can be HIGH notes), you can reserve some notes rows for them in the Phrase Editor. Nora supports up to 8 notes per octave, so if you need 3 key switches you may still use up to 5 notes per octave for arpeggios. To do it, simply write your chords in your host and write an special high chord having all the key switches notes. So, the highest notes in Nora from the central octave will trigger them. If you host allow it, you may fed Nora with two simultaneous track, one for the chords and other for the keys. Something like this

[magicmusic]

Almost I forgot it. While I work, some alternatives to use 'key switches' with the current version:

1. Using midi filtering. Create in your DAW a MIDI clip which contains in the MIDI channel 1 the chords, then write the keyswitches in the MIDI channel 2.

problem is that it need to be fit to the sequence i play with nora. when i choose another pattern in nora to try out how it sound with diffrent pattern, then the articulation switches are wrong. and when i load a pattern from nora, i need load the correct pattern in DAW too. switch processing off is not usefull, because the notes for keyswitches need insert on nora, so when load a new pattern articulation key switches always fit to the song.