Recording continuous sustain pedal in T7

[lzap]

Hello,

my MIDI controller Roland FP-30 (https://static.roland.com/assets/media/ ... _e01_W.pdf) sends hold pedal (sustain pedal) as continuous number (0-127) via controller number 64. But when I record a part in T7, it is always recorded as discrete value (0/1) and in the MIDI clip I can only select "64 - Hold Pedal (on/off)".

How can I record (and playback) sustain pedal values correctly with T7?

[jabe]

It looks like Tracktion is only set to accept On and Off, according to the Control Changes list. I don't know a way round it, though someone else might. Sounds like a chat with support@tracktion.com might help things along. I wonder if the (included) MIDI Modifier might help.

This http://www.indiana.edu/~emusic/cntrlnumb.html suggests that two ranges of values should only be interpreted as on and off, so it seems odd that Roland has made a product where it's meant to be continuous. Maybe a little surprising that T7 appears to be only recording one of two values.

[frankvg]

How can I record (and playback) sustain pedal values correctly with T7?

On/off is the correct behaviour. When you press the pedal, it lifts the dampers from the strings. They either touch or don't touch the strings.

[Peter Widdicombe]

It looks like it IS on/off only, so you should only see 0 for off, or a value 64-127 for ON. (some send 64, some send 127). You shouldn't see, for example, 32 or 85 or anything other than those values.

Now, does it happen to be 0 or -1 as values? -1 is the 8-bit interpretation of 127.

Get MIDI-OX - handy little set of utilities - and use it's MIDI-Monitor feature to see exactly what is being received on the MIDI interface when you press/release the pedal.

[jabe]

The standards say this:

64 40h Damper Pedal (Sustain) [Data Byte of 0-63=0ff, 64-127=On]

So it changes from 63 to 64, but all the lot are valid.

[lzap]

I'd would not say this is "correct behavior", it's MIDI standard (limited) behavior yeah, but not correct. This allows piano technique called "half pedaling" where you release the pedal just a bit so the damper limits the string vibration for smaller amount but it keeps it vibrating.

Many software instruments and samplers do implement continuous pedal, e.g. PianoTeq 5 and it works great.

In MIDI monitor I can really see 0-127. Looks like I will start a thread with the support, thanks.

I quickly tested this in Garageband and Studio One Prime and both are recording whole range I would expect, I can half-pedal just fine the PianoTeq 5 (demo).

[jdnz]

This http://www.indiana.edu/~emusic/cntrlnumb.html suggests that two ranges of values should only be interpreted as on and off, so it seems odd that Roland has made a product where it's meant to be continuous. Maybe a little surprising that T7 appears to be only recording one of two values.

any modern digital piano that supports half-pedalling will also send a continuous range on cc64 (roland rd range does that - it's why the dp10 pedal that comes with them is a continous/pot style sustain pedal as opposed to a simple switch type), and plenty of vsts accept it as a continous controller for the same reason.

I'm sure tracktion was just trying to be helpful internally quantising it - but with modern controllers and vsts not a good idea

[frankvg]

I'd would not say this is "correct behavior", it's MIDI standard (limited) behavior yeah, but not correct. This allows piano technique called "half pedaling" where you release the pedal just a bit so the damper limits the string vibration for smaller amount but it keeps it vibrating.

Probably in 1982, when the midi protocol was defined, nobody had ever heard of 'half-pedaling'. CC64-CC69 were specifically reserved for on/off switches.

[jdnz]

In MIDI monitor I can really see 0-127. Looks like I will start a thread with the support, thanks.

in the interim, though pianoteq by default expects CC64 for the damper pedal, in fact you can map ANY controller to it.

So look in your manual and see if there's a way to remap the CC sent for the damper pedal, and if there is remap it to something tracktion does't quantise internally ( say something in the 12-19 range) and then set that to control the damper in pianoteq.

[lzap]

My piano does not allow any remapping unfortunately. I contacted support two weeks ago, still waiting. They are on the way to NAMM perhaps...

[lzap]

Guys I figured it out! I had

Record to Note Automation

turned on. When I unchecked it, it is working fine.

I also noticed than when I quantize manually or during recording it also quantizes automation. I've been searching for this feature in LogicX or Reason and I don't think it is available. This is great!