Question about programmed rolled chords with harp

[tradivoro]

Part of harp playing technique is taking chords and normally would be played straight on the piano, and giving it a slight arpeggio feel, so if you played straight quarter note c chord on the piano, on the harp you would ask the harpist to roll each chord..

My question is, has anybody come out with a program, or a plug in that would do this for you? I'm working on a piece that has a LOT of this effect, and it would be great if you could just apply the effect to already existing chords... any info appreciated, thanks...

[rbowser-]

Hello, tradivoro

My copy of GPO had the MIDI Harp packets included as an extra. I bought the library when it was still being printed on 4 CDs - I'm not positive the Harp gliss plugin is still included on the DVD version of GPO, but I don't know why it wouldn't be.

At the main Personal Orchestra site there's also a link to the packets along with a tutorial--I do believe. Take a look there even if you discover this plugin on your GPO disc.

Randy B.
(rbowser)

[tradivoro]

Thanks Randy. I read mention of the packets, and I thought that it would work primarily for glisses, so that you would be in the same key. What I"m trying to do is get a complete accompaniment, with each chord with a roll. Will the packets do that? Just wondering.

[rbowser-]

Hello again, tradivoro

Someone programmed the Harp packets especially for Sonar, and those are the ones I've used on occassion. I looked once at the regular non-Sonar packets, and couldn't quite get a handle on them--I didn't need to since the Sonar ones were what I needed.

Using those, one just chooses the appropriate key and scale to use. They worked easily for me--BUT---The majority of Harp work I've done from scratch, so I get precisely what I want. Most DAWs have an arpeggiator tool, I've adapted Sonar's as a way to get the raw material for Harp.

So--my response is a mixed bag. I think you should just start experimenting to find what works best for you.

Randy B.

[rbowser-]

AH--this turns out to be even more interesting. I thought the gliss packets could be made to whatever length you want, including rolling a chord the way tradivoro wants it. Wrong guess, I guess?

But I'm always the advocate for playing as opposed to programming--it Is indeed pretty quick and easy to just roll your hand over your keyboard to get that rolled effect.

Sonar has several different CAL scripts (proprietary to Cakewalk sequencers) which make chords strummed or rolled. And the arppegiator I mentioned earlier can be controlled to the subtle needs of a roll.

And so on--But when notation starts entering the picture, I'm never sure what people need to do. :o

Randy B.
(rbowser)

[Nickie Fønshauge]

Hi folks,

I created a Rolled Harps package (http://www.foenshauge.dk/downloads/Kontakt2/Instruments/4. Harps.rar) for you. Just unpack the file to the "4. Harps" folder. It will give you an "Arp" variation of the regular instruments. CC#1 ModWheel determines the speed of rolling.

Have fun.

[Steve_Karl]

Sonar has several different CAL scripts (proprietary to Cakewalk sequencers) which make chords strummed or rolled. And the arppegiator I mentioned earlier can be controlled to the subtle needs of a roll.

(rbowser)

Ahhh ... and hummm ....
can you tell the names of the .cals?
I use Sonar and would like to try them.


P.S.
So far the ones that I find most useful in Sonar are:
controlx.cal ( which tells the value of selected controllers )
and
C-NTROLR.cal which will change values of selected controllers by percentage or numerical input.

I've got them bound to CTRL+Q and SHFT+Q
and they've made life a lot easier for sure when tweaking expression.

[reberclark]

Nickie!
I would like your harp roll package but cannot open an ".rar" file. I am using windows xp. Help!

[Steve_Karl]

.rar files are opend with WinRar.

There is probably a trial version available.

Google: winrar

[Nickie Fønshauge]

Here's a ZIP file (http://www.foenshauge.dk/downloads/Kontakt2/Instruments/4. Harps.zip) instead.

[Nickie Fønshauge]

I improved it a little. You can now switch between upwards and downwards rolls. CC#1/CC#11 (ModWheel/Expression) = 0 selects "UP" and CC#1/CC#11 (ModWheel/Expression) = 127 selects "DOWN". The functionallity of CC#1/CC#11 is also reversed.

To go from UP to DOWN hit CC#1 = 127 and move the CC back down.
To go from DOWN to UP hit CC#1 = 0 and move the CC back up.

ZIP file (http://www.foenshauge.dk/downloads/Kontakt2/Instruments/4.%20Harps.zip)
RAR file (http://www.foenshauge.dk/downloads/Kontakt2/Instruments/4.%20Harps.rar)
They both contain the same files, so you need only download one of them.

Unpack the content of the downloaded file to the "4. Harps" folder.

[reberclark]

Nickie - the Harp Rolls work great! What a time (and finger) saver! Thanks!

[rbowser-]

Great, Nickie! - Thanks for posting this--gotta grab your file and try it out!

Randy B.
(rbowser)

[Nickie Fønshauge]

You're welcome :)

[tradivoro]

Well, I've been away a couple of days and I'm amazed at the amount of positive response this post has generated... :) Nickie, thank you very much for going the extra mile and creating this program... It's really great of you to do such a thing... Thanks to all for responding and for your valuable suggestions... Certainly a lot of ways to do this, but definitely, for the amount of rolled chords and my limited keyboard technique, the Nickie solution is the best... Thanks once again Nickie... :)

[Garritan]

Thanks Nickie! Leave it to an angel to find a solution for playing harp. :) http://www.buddy-icons.info/img/smile/1330.gif

Unless specifically notated otherwise, chords are almost always rolled. That's the way harpsist are usually taught. As a harpist, playing rolled chords comes almost second nature and it's more difficult to play chords with simultaneous notes.

Gary