How can I make staccato woodwinds?

[AndreasvanHaren]

I recorded the string orchestra part of a piece I am working on and am very happy with the results! Now I want to record the woodwinds, but i can't find staccato articulation like Short bos would be in the strings. Is there a way to get them y patch choice or setting or do I just ålay the music staccato myself in the normal sustain patch?

André

[FLWrd]

Yes. Just use a sustain articulation, and make the notes short, and with a high velocity (to give them a strong attack). Unfortunately, there is no round-robin patch, but if you use the different player patches (Plr1, Plr2, Plr3) to play repeated notes, you can avoid the "machine gun" effect, although some notes connect better than others.

[AndreasvanHaren]

Yes. Just use a sustain articulation, and make the notes short, and with a high velocity (to give them a strong attack). Unfortunately, there is no round-robin patch, but if you use the different player patches (Plr1, Plr2, Plr3) to play repeated notes, you can avoid the "machine gun" effect, although some notes connect better than others.

I tried to increase the velocity of the already recorded short flute notes, but it doesn't really give a strong staccato attack. I am not sure where I should increase the velocity, do I do this inthe Aria player with the modwheel for the flute? Or do I do this in my sequencer (Logic 8) before recording the part?

[Steve Johnson]

I tried to increase the velocity of the already recorded short flute notes, but it doesn't really give a strong staccato attack. I am not sure where I should increase the velocity, do I do this inthe Aria player with the modwheel for the flute? Or do I do this in my sequencer (Logic 8) before recording the part?

By its nature the flute's staccato attack isn't quite as strong as other woodwinds. Based on my experience with GPO, I would recommend using a key velocity of 127 for staccato flute passages.

The mod wheel controls volume, but the controller data and key velocity values are independent of each other, so mod wheel changes do not change the notes' key velocities. I'm not familiar with Logic 8, so I don't know if you're able to set kv for a track prior to recording. If you can't, you can certainly record the staccato flute part, then go back and change the kv values for the desired notes.

Steve

[PrestonC]

By its nature the flute's staccato attack isn't quite as strong as other woodwinds. Based on my experience with GPO, I would recommend using a key velocity of 127 for staccato flute passages.

The mod wheel controls volume, but the controller data and key velocity values are independent of each other, so mod wheel changes do not change the notes' key velocities. I'm not familiar with Logic 8, so I don't know if you're able to set kv for a track prior to recording. If you can't, you can certainly record the staccato flute part, then go back and change the kv values for the desired notes.

Steve
Steve, what controller do you use to adjust the velocity?

[Steve Johnson]

Steve, what controller do you use to adjust the velocity?

Key velocity is a note-on value, so it is attached to note events, rather than being controlled by "overlay" data such as mod wheel, main volume, etc. Best thing to do would be to consult the documentation for whatever software you're using on how to assign/adjust key velocities.

Steve

[AndreasvanHaren]

Key velocity is a note-on value, so it is attached to note events, rather than being controlled by "overlay" data such as mod wheel, main volume, etc. Best thing to do would be to consult the documentation for whatever software you're using on how to assign/adjust key velocities.

Steve
Thanks, Steve. So for staccato in this case, I should set the velocity for the notes high while the volume could be anything, from p till ff, right? What I am looking for is the typical pointy effect, not only a short note. I am not able to get this though. I will try out some more things. How are you making your staccato effects in the woodwinds, do you have a routine for this?

[Steve Johnson]

Thanks, Steve. So for staccato in this case, I should set the velocity for the notes high while the volume could be anything, from p till ff, right? What I am looking for is the typical pointy effect, not only a short note. I am not able to get this though. I will try out some more things. How are you making your staccato effects in the woodwinds, do you have a routine for this?

Yes, you have it. The thing to remember with GPO is that the woodwinds, brass, and sustained strings use key velocity for attack speed, and the actual dynamics are controlled with the mod wheel.

For staccato woodwinds I use a kv of 127 combined with a 50% duration of the note's written value. Assuming that your sequencer's tick value is set to 384 per quarter note, a written eighth note (192 ticks) would have an actual tick value of 96 for staccato. You might even want to go down to a 25% duration in slower tempos. I write my music in Finale first, so I can alter note durations there. However, since you are recording tracks in a sequencer, you may have to go back and edit the note durations after you record them. The point is that you do have the flexibility to alter the note durations to suit your taste "after the fact."

Steve

[AndreasvanHaren]

Yes, you have it. The thing to remember with GPO is that the woodwinds, brass, and sustained strings use key velocity for attack speed, and the actual dynamics are controlled with the mod wheel.

For staccato woodwinds I use a kv of 127 combined with a 50% duration of the note's written value. Assuming that your sequencer's tick value is set to 384 per quarter note, a written eighth note (192 ticks) would have an actual tick value of 96 for staccato. You might even want to go down to a 25% duration in slower tempos. I write my music in Finale first, so I can alter note durations there. However, since you are recording tracks in a sequencer, you may have to go back and edit the note durations after you record them. The point is that you do have the flexibility to alter the note durations to suit your taste "after the fact."

Steve

Thanks,
I set up a track for staccato woodwinds separate from the sustain track I had already, and set the velocity for these tracks to 127. This way, they will always play on their strongest attack. Thanks!