Topic by delt

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Topic: Calibrating each note carefully (hardware).... any tricks?

So, i have this really nice m-audio keyboard, i love everything about it except that the velocities are slightly inconsistent across the keys. I took care of the most problematic notes by shimming the sensors with different kinds of adhesive tape, which works very well.

I'd like to give the whole keyboard a nice, even and precise calibration using this method. My question is... does anyone have an exact way to measure or compare velocities? The old "pile of coins" trick works well for the -weight- of the keys, i'm looking for a similar trick but for the -velocity-. An exact way to consistently trigger the exact same velocity on several keys, or something.

Preferably something that won't leave any marks or scratches on the keys ...anyone?

Last edited by delt (11-08-2013 18:52)
http://soundcloud.com/delt01
Pianoteq 5 STD+blüthner, Renoise 3 • Roland FP-4F + M-Audio Keystation 88es
Intel i5@3.4GHz, 16GB • Linux Mint xfce 64bit

Reply by Jake Johnson

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Re: Calibrating each note carefully (hardware).... any tricks?

The pro version of Pianoteq lets the user adjust the dynamics (the range of amplitudes within the overall velocity range) note-by-note. That is not the same thing as controlling the velocity response, however, since it does not affect the way that different velocities, note by note,  affect the other parameters.

The only program that I have found is a PC program that works very well. Do not be thrown off by the name of the program, which is "Piano Tuner." It is not for tuning, but instead for changing the velocity curve note by note:

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

It requires that you install the Midi-Yoke program, but when I used this program, that was simple to do, and there was no added latency or any other problem. In fact, it's great for refining the response of each note.

(Do you have the big 88 key m-audio keyboard with the 30 or so sliders? That's what I was playing when I used the "Piano Tuner" velocity changer. Worked very well--gave me a completely new keyboard, really.)

Last edited by Jake Johnson (11-08-2013 19:51)

Reply by delt

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Re: Calibrating each note carefully (hardware).... any tricks?

Thanks for pointing me to that (seemingly) awesome little piece of software!! It seems to work in linux (using wine) without a problem.

...though i would prefer to (continue to) actually physically calibrate the keys inside the keyboard itself, than work around the problem. This program is still a great tool to have at my disposal.

> the big 88 key m-audio keyboard with the 30 or so sliders

Yeah, that sounds like my Oxygen 88 Great keyboard, i haven't had it very long but so far i really like it! (except as mentioned i'd like to calibrate the key velocities more precisely)

http://soundcloud.com/delt01
Pianoteq 5 STD+blüthner, Renoise 3 • Roland FP-4F + M-Audio Keystation 88es
Intel i5@3.4GHz, 16GB • Linux Mint xfce 64bit

Reply by delt

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Re: Calibrating each note carefully (hardware).... any tricks?

*bump* ....anyone?

http://soundcloud.com/delt01
Pianoteq 5 STD+blüthner, Renoise 3 • Roland FP-4F + M-Audio Keystation 88es
Intel i5@3.4GHz, 16GB • Linux Mint xfce 64bit