Some thoughts on velocity curves

You don't need to copy the velocity curve you make to every preset - just freeze it, and the velocity curve will be constant for all presets you load. Read about parameter freezing in the manual

The freeze parameter seems logical to me?

All you need to ensure regarding your keyboard curve is that it doesn't reach fff to easily.
This is normally done by selecting 'hard touch' setting on your keyboard as most keyboards have this option.

I have been working on velocity curves for some time and while it is important to have a good range velocity curve within the keyboard, it is more important to be able to adapt the PianoTeq curve to optimize your dynamics/playing style. Most keyboards are pretty limited in what you can do with velocity adjusments on board. Some, such as my NUMA Nero allow greater control, but I don't yet know of any keyboard that would allow you to do what can be done with the software velocity curve facility within PianoTeq in terms of flexibility.

Hope this helps,

Regards.

Chris

Yes, it can be useful to adjust the velocity curve of a preset, occasionally, so this is a good feature. The point however is that the base velocity curve is part of the keyboard used, not of the performing instrument. Therefore, it has to be a separate setting in the software, attached to the keyboard. For the same reason, MIDI output must take the keyboard velocity curve into account (it currently doesn't). MIDI output should ignore the instrument velocity curve, of course.

From what I understand, that would mean finding out the internal velocity curve of every midi keyboard out there. It 'could' be done, but do Modartt really have the time to contact every midi keyboard manufacturer and ask them to supply the details of the velocity curves of each of their midi keyboards. And how far do we go back? '90's? '80's?
Either that or Modartt would have to find a way of getting hold of one of every midi keyboard in existance and calibrating the global curves themselves!

Don't get me wrong, you are absolutely correct that the perfect global curve for each different board would have us 'playing' from the same hymn sheet, and in an ideal world, this would be absolutely brilliant, but the work involved would surely only serve to divert resources away from other areas of equal if not more importance?

Having said all this, I would love the perfect curve. I do see an alternative however. A step by step, easily undertsandable but comprehensive instruction guide that would anable anyone who wished to create their perfect curve to do so. I am aware that there are instructions on the forum, but I think perhaps they could be more detailed for those who wish to perfect their curve. As I've said somewhere before, I've been working on the velocity curve for a couple of years, extensively, and it has been a lot of hit and miss, satisfied then dissatisfied etc.. Part of the problem is the subjectivity issue. What sounds like pp to someone will almost certainly sound like p to someone else? It's kind of morpheus.

Also, I have a NUMA Nero which has a learning system for velocity curve creation which Fatar/Studiologic call 'YouPlay'. A similiar thing might be possible within the PianoTeq software - a velocity curve calibrator?

I really don't know what the answer is, but again, it could be done.

A very interesting thread for me.

Kind regards,

Chris

I agree, it's hard to get a good curve.  Or more precisely, it's not too hard to get a curve that plays well - but is it correct?  Does it respond like a real piano would?

Of course if you have a real piano to compare with, it gets easier - but I don't : /.

I think it would be a fantastic idea to have two velocity-curves, one in the "option-window" (that never be changed because of changing fxp) and one in the "preset-window" that follows the fxp.

Even if I select "velocity-curve" not to be changed, it changes when draging an fxp from finder to pianoteq (using pianoteq au-plugin in Mainstage), if there were two curves this would not be happening...

God Bless!

I believe your absolutely right about that. And I believe it's probably embedded in the midi keyboard(s) Modartt uses to create them!

I assume also that the mechanics of the particular keyboard would also pay a large part? I can see what you mean about the keyboard is the 'controlling' element. The software merely 'responds' to the data it recieves from the keyboard. So no matter how 'lifelike' a keyboards action is, unless it has the supporting electronics/sensors/triggers/programming to support it, it's simply a nice feeling action, but without the abilty to produce a true playing experience.

This begs the question, is the VAX77 such a keyboard that DOES have the hardware/
electronics/software/programming to faithfully reproduce the grand piano experience faithfully? Other than the VAX I can't think of anything else that might? Only problem, where's the 88 note version if indeed it does?

Regards,

Chris

Not directly on topic, but given the discussion of adjusting velocity, I feel compelled to again mention this Windows-only program that lets you edit the velocity response of a keyboard note by note. Requires Midi-yoke, but the setup time is well worthwhile and the loading is transparent in a host once the initial setup is done if you create a template:

http://users.belgacom.net/gc813607/index.html

It greatly expands the possible variations in the response to velocity. Hard to believe, really, that this is the only program out there that can do what it can do.