New Strad User

[LouisD]

Hi everyone

I was wondering if someone would be so kind as to explain the concept of "aftertouch". I'm reading through the manual of the Strad, and I'm not following. Is there a CC number controller that I can use for it? I'm going to use the strad in Overture4 and I can understand to control all the other CC mentioned in the manual except aftertouch. How does it work? How important is it?

Thank you so much.

[fred Holmes]

Hi LouisD

Aftertouch is actually the amount of pressure or force you place on a key after the note is playing. Some keyboards do not have aftertouch but you can probably draw it in in your program

It is essential to use both mod wheel control AND aftertouch to completely control vibrato. Mod wheel controls the AMOUNT of vibrato (none to max) while aftertouch controls the RATE (slow-fast) of the vibrato.

Fred

[LouisD]

Thanks for the reply, Fred. I understand. But is there a specific controller number for this function?

Thank you.

[fred Holmes]

Sorry for the delayed response.
First a disclaimer - I am NOT a midi expert

I do not believe there is any CC controller for aftertouch. In Sonar there is a separate event called aftertouch which can either be drawn in the controller pane of the piano roll or will accept and record the aftertouch information from the midi keyboard.

You might just try recording a single long note from the Strad via your keyboard while varying the pressure on the key. Then go into your sequencer and take a look at either the event list (Long list of every single midi message) or take a look wherever/however your controller information is located and see how it's recorded and if you can draw in the aftertouch message.

I'm sure someone else really has this information understood but I'm afraid this is about reaching my knowledge (lack of) limit on midi

Fred

[LouisD]

Thanks again for your reply, Fred. I don't think my keyboard, (which is actually a Yamaha digital piano), has this function of aftertouch. But I'm not sure, I will check it out.

[Nickie Fønshauge]

I do not believe there is any CC controller for aftertouch.
That's right, but with the Garritan Solo Strings CC#67 does practically the same as Aftertouch.

[LouisD]

That's right, but with the Garritan Solo Strings CC#67 does practically the same as Aftertouch.

Thanks Nickie. So increasing cc67 will add pressure to the note? And I can draw this into my pianoroll?

[Nickie Fønshauge]

Thanks Nickie. So increasing cc67 will add pressure to the note? And I can draw this into my pianoroll?
CC#67 doesn't actually effect Aftertouch, they are more like parallel controls with practically the same effect. You can use both at the same time, if you like, in which case you get the combined effect of both (the sum). And you can draw both into a pianoroll editor.

[vic_france]

Just to tidy up any slight misunderstanding, aftertouch (or more precisely, "channel" aftertouch), behaves just like any of the "other" controllers, but simply isn't one of the 128 (i.e. CC#0-#127) in the controllers list, but is a separate part of the MIDI protocol, and accessed as "aftertouch" if the Instrument or Host supports it (just the same as "Pitch Bend" behaves like one of the controllers, but is always shown separately as "Pitch Bend").
Some sequencers, such as Cubase or Logic, can convert an incoming controller number into aftertouch.
I don't know if Overture4 supports aftertouch.

[dermod]

Overture4 has a Channel Pressure option under Midi Edit with which you can draw in aftertouch with a mouse while still looking at the score.

[Bosco Adama]

Both Channel Aftertouch and CC#67 are set up to control the vibrato speed.

[LouisD]

Thank you all for explaining this to me. I have discovered the aftertouch function in Ove4, like you say dermod. Unfortunately, I haven't had too much opportunity to experiment with it.

Please forgive my complete ignorance of the violin technique, but what exactly do we hear when using this function. The modwheel controls the speed of the vibrato, I can understand this, because I'm a flûtist and I control the speed with my diaphragm in the same why. What do we hear when we use aftertouch? Is it the width of the amplitude?

Thank you again for all your help:) .

[Nickie Fønshauge]

The modwheel controls the speed of the vibrato
Uh, uh. Modwheel controls Amplitude/width/depth of vibrato, whereas Aftertouch and CC#67 control Frequency/speed of vibrato.

[LouisD]

Thank you, Nickie!:)

[dermod]

Vibrato, used with a single and constant speed, soon strikes the ear as mechanical. There is often more expression if the onset of vibrato is delayed or varied during a long note. That is what aftertouch does. Singers make use of the same effect. It may combine with a slight rise or fall in dynamic. The importance is more marked in solo playing than in ensemble passages.

[Nickie Fønshauge]

There is often more expression if the onset of vibrato is delayed or varied during a long note. That is what aftertouch does.
Aftertouch doesn't delay vibrato, it only effects Vibrato Frequency within certain limits. You can delay vibrato with the Modwheel, if you raise this from 0 after the onset of the note. I think Vibrato Amplitude (Modwheel) is easier to percieve in terms of variation and so is more important than Frequency to prevent a rigid interpretation.

[keithjfuller]

aftertouch has its own cc#. its listed in your manual. just edit that and you'll be able to control the speed of the vibrato all you want in strad and gof. the other option is to play it with a midi controller that has aftertouch like and Axiom keyboard.

[vic_france]

aftertouch has its own cc#. its listed in your manual.
Be aware that this is not standard MIDI protocol, and not all all devices/software recognize it.. there are normally only 128 controllers, and (I think) those devices which "extend" the list normally use CC#131 as aftertouch, but the receiving device has to know how to handle that. YMMV ;)