Plectrum track addition

[bvdp]

I've just done some coding on the Plectrum tracks. Up until now, the various strings were "muted" at the same point as new strings were "plucked". This gave a very smooth and full sound, however, as with everything you don't always want that

So, I've enabled Articulate for plectrum tracks. The code now subtracts the number of midi ticks specified from the mute positions. Nothing to complicated here, just need to have some sanity code so we don't turn things off before they were turned on.

I've got it working here. But, before I post another beta ... any other comments on this will be appreciated. I know it's hard to "hear" things until the code is posted ... so here is a midi file attached. All this does is do 3 bars of C chord strums, 4 per bar. The first is the original sound, next with an articulate of 40 and finally with 80.

[sjzabel]

I like the sound of it and the syntax seems simple enough.

On a slightly related note... in that it is related to plectrum and muting (if you would like I can post in a different thread)

Looking through the examples, if I wanted to mute all of the strings at a point in a lick I thought it would it be something like this would work.

Begin Plectrum-Dobro        // Begin a new track
    // Plectrum Tuning g b d g+ b+ d+ // TODO: why doesn't this work
    Voice       NylonGuitar
    Sequence {
            1.0    0   6:100;
            1.5    0   1:80 2:80;
            1.7    0   - - - - - -;
            2.0    0   6:100;
            2.5    0   1:80 2:80;
            2.7    0   - - - - - -;
            3.0    0   6:100;
            3.5    0   1:80 2:80;
            3.7    0   - - - - - -;
            4.5    0   1:80 2:80;
            4.7    0   - - - - - -;}
End

but that doesn't seem to mute them at the correct spot. Any thoughts?

Cheers,
Stephen


Cheers,
Stephen

[sjzabel]

Begin Plectrum-Dobro        // Begin a new track
    // Plectrum Tuning g b d g+ b+ d+
    Voice       NylonGuitar
    Sequence {
            1.0    0   6:100;
            1.5    0   1:80 2:80;
            1.75    0   1 1 1 1 1 1;
            2.0    0   6:100;
            2.5    0   1:80 2:80;
            2.75   0   1 1 1 1 1 1;
            3.0    0   6:100;
            3.5    0   1:80 2:80;
            3.75   0   1 1 1 1 1 1;
            4.5    0   1:80 2:80;
            4.75   0   1 1 1 1 1 1;}
End

This starts to get about right effect... but there are a bunch of very soft extra notes and that doesn't feel right IMO.

cheers,
Stephen

[bvdp]

You might have explicitly turn off strings with a notation like:

    1.0 0 3:80;   /// pluck string 3, offset 1.0, velocity 80, no strum
     1.5 0 3:0;    /// mute string 3 ....

You should look at the actual midi data produced, but (again I'm doing this from my poor memory) I don't think that a string is muted until a new chord is introduced.

The whole idea behind a plectrum track is that the strings sound "forever". To have a definite duration to a sound, use a chord, bass, etc. track.

Perhaps we need durations in plectrum? But that would seem to kill the idea behind the track?

From your example:

    2.75   0   1 1 1 1 1 1;

Would: 

   2.75 0 0; 

be better if you are trying to mute all the strings at offset 2.75? Using 1 will re-pluck with a velocity of 1.

[sjzabel]

2.75 0 0; 
Worked perfectly Thank you, for the quick response.

I like the syntactic sugar of
2.75 mute;

however, I don't think that it is a necessity by any stretch of the imagination. I did notice that articulate makes it much easier to specify banjo like voicing with standard guitar voices.

re: fitting in with plectrum... I think that this does fit with the idea of plectrum. I'm a beginner with the dobro/ labsteel, however, right off the back they place a particular emphasis on muting. I suppose that this is due to the particular nature of playing with open tunings and a steel.

Anyways Cheers,
Stephen

[bvdp]

2.75 0 0; 

however, I don't think that it is a necessity by any stretch of the imagination. I did notice that articulate makes it much easier to specify banjo like voicing with standard guitar voices.

Just remember that Articulate is different in Plectrum tracks that in all the other available tracks. In the others it specifies a duration for the note; in Plectrum it sets a duration for silence.

Glad this is all working for you!