I would like to set the harp pedals in diatonic mode, and then save those settings as a preset. When I try doing so, my saved preset not only defaults back to chromatic mode, but when I switch back to diatonic mode, my pedal settings are missing.
Am I doing something wrong? Thank you for any help y'all can give me!
Jeff
Hey jjtbone,
some info about how to save custom MIDI settings over here. There's another link to more there at that thread which I posted to recently too (just in case you need more).
Hope you get it worked out.
Hey jjtbone,
some info about how to save custom MIDI settings over here. There's another link to more there at that thread which I posted to recently too (just in case you need more).
Hope you get it worked out.
Thank you for your reply, Qexl. That is useful for future things I may need to do, but doesn't solve my current problem, unless I'm still missing something. I still would like the diatonic pedal settings to save (# or b settings on the 7 strings).
Tried it and the only thing that is saved (in my case) is the diatonic setting, the pedal settings are lost. This seems reasonable though because pedal positions are temporary. If you push down the sustain pedal with the mouse and save the preset, the pedal position is not saved. To see if a parameter change is saved, notice if the name now displays in italic. If not, no changes are recorded.
Ah, I apologise if I assumed this was about settings you can make in a custom MIDI config (I was assuming things like swapping/binding una corda to sustain pedal etc.). And thanks for bringing this to light.
Thanks for your keen insight Gilles. I didn't think of pedal up/down state at startup.
Unfortunately I have failed to bind a pedal up or down start state.
Now I do believe I understand at least the diatonic settings you are attempting to impose jjtbone - and confirm that it is not saving as expected here (when saving/reloading the tweaked preset).
So, it might be a nice thing to set out what I did in numbered steps (in case you can say "No, in step 4 I did this..), and what resulted - hoping it's relevant to what you're experiencing..
1
In Pianoteq I open for example, factory default preset Concert Harp Daily (it shows chromatic mode - keys like piano)
2
right click the save icon, save a whole preset copy to a user director as Concert Harp Daily 2 to use for this (and alter without regret)
3
in the now loaded new copy, I click the "D" (bottom left of interface) to change to diatonic mode (keys look diff).
observation: the middle black keys are by default coloured brown to indicate tuning
4
important - I click any black key I would like to alter diatonic tuning - for example, to change the D, I select D# and it's now coloured.
5
I click the pedal into down position
observation - I now have it the way I want to recall it in future so..
6
I click the icon to save the preset
observation - looks right - pedal down, D# is selected.
7
Now, I load another preset
observation - the pedal and diatonic settings 'stick' - so they don't go back to initial state, the pedal is down and the D# is still selected.
So, in one way that's good - in another it would be nice to be able to bind these 2 things so they save/load only with an associated/attached to a preset, like can be done with other settings via the excellent custom MIDI config files sys.
8
I try loading the preset again and whatever 'clicked' settings, diatonic and pedal, remain in effect. Could fool me into thinking these have 'saved' with the preset.
9
Turn up a 'the gig' - load my preset and bam... the pedal is "up" and the diatonic tuning is back to a default, so I'll need to click the pedal down and re-add my sharps and flats with mouse
observation - out of luck if running a headless gig rig
Hoping that's the problem as you find it jj?
But the bad news is, so far I've failed to be able to bind these things to a preset - trying many things. (back of mind, I now recollect believing it possible to save a preset with pedal down - maybe it is, but I forgot how - or it's just a fuzzy false memory)
One thing you might try - just for pedals - is basing your new presets on "a la piano" harp preset, which as indicated by the name has the sustain pedal reversed compared to the other harp presets.
There is a midi param "reversed pedals" but I haven't been able to make it work or to save it - either I'm doing something(s) wrong or it's not yet functional maybe?
There are some interesting MIDI handlers out there like Cantibile or Gig Performer - I'm not certain but maybe someone (user or Modartt) knows if these apps can fire "startup state" info for these 2 things (diatonic tweak & sust pedal down).
Anyone with loads of detailed MIDI config under belt who sees these as doable?
i think the best way to retrieve the "pedals settings" is to... record it by MIDI notes into a second MIDI track.
This IS the way harp pedals are used in real life :
they are not only used as a setting of a full piece, but as ways of modulations into the music.
in real harp scores, there are not specified pedals sings, only the traditionnal tonalities... but often, with pencl, we add some little graphics showig pedal positions, for a quick help.
And add somme Fa# ____ Fa flat under the main score, for trainings.
Thank you cslevine,
recording some MIDI notes finishing with 'start condition' pedal positions is an excellent idea for preparing a preset - I must say.. the idea of dragging prepared MIDI file into a track, chosen from amongst a collection of variants, each for a different setup will be ideal for some other circumstances also - elegant!
"I need Fa#-a-la-piano" - drag in the MIDI file named fash-alapiano.mid, roll transport, stop -> play.
Thank you, Qexl and cslevine, for your thoughts! Qexl, you're long post is exactly what I've been going through! Also, I can confirm that neither Gig Performer, Cantabile, nor my DAW, Mixcraft, will save those pedal states.
cslevine, I need to digest your post a bit more I think because I'm not sure I understand. Did Qexl summarize your process correctly?
My gig went well. I played the harp part of Once Upon a Mattress on my keyboard and just went straight from Pianoteq since I wasn't using any other VSTi. There were many specific diatonic settings for all the glissandos which is why I was trying to find a solution to this. The harp sounded great though and was a nice touch.
And I know....If had more time to practice, I could have changed the pedals on the fly using the black keys in diatonic mode! But, alas, that was way too much coordination for my brain this time around!
I'm playing the show again this week at another theater, but on my real instrument, Trombone. We are using a REAL harpist!! Can't wait to hear her play!
Thank you all again.
Jeff