EXS Articulation ID, CC#1 and Smart Controls

I've been programming some EXS instruments with custom samples and saving them as patches with custom channel strips and smart controls so I can add them quickly to new arrangements. On some of my new patches everything works fine. On some, when I programmed the smart controls with articulation ID switches, the Mod Wheel (CC#1) no longer switches articulations even though it's programmed in the mod matrix of the EXS24 to do so. I can't figure out what's going wrong. One of my patches isn't even receiving ANY MIDI (Logic shows notes coming in, but EXS doesn't respond). After some experimentation, I'm still flummoxed. Any ideas?

It seems that assigning MIDI to the Smart controls gets those MIDI messages hijacked to the controllers assignments... Just to test the issue, try bypassing all control surface...

After more experimentation, it seems to have something to do with how the EXS24 handles Articulation ID. (Except for the patch that still doesn't respond to MIDI notes, that one still perplexes me) Logic can specify articulation ID on a per note basis (simultaneous articulations from the same instrument). The articulation IDs can be seen and changed in the event list. Some of my patches that don't respond to the Mod wheel ID switching will still play back regions containing notes with different IDs correctly.

 

Bypassing control surfaces (Novation Automap with my SL MkII, and Logic Remote) didn't seem to make a difference. I'm not sure if the Smart Control settings are blocking the EXS24 from utilizing CC#1 to switch Art. ID. I'm going to post on the Apple forums and see what I can find out there.

Where are the articulation IDs in the Event list? I just played some MIDI and switched between the four violin articulations that you see in the Smart controls. Plays back correctly. But when I look in the Event List, all I see are notes. Additional Info just brings up Rel Vel, and all of those are off.

Where are the articulation IDs in the Event list?

 

View > Articulation ID.

 

J.

Thank you.

 

Next question. For cellos, there are four articulations in the Smart Controls. But there are double the number in the Event List! How can I access those without going to the event list? For example, before I create an event!

For cellos, there are four articulations in the Smart Controls. But there are double the number in the Event List!

 

The Smart Controls Editor only shows you 4 of the 6 articulations this instrument has.

 

How can I access those without going to the event list?

 

You can also set the articulation ID, in the Piano Roll:

 

 

For example, before I create an event!

 

You can use the modulation router in the EXS24 to control Articulation ID with MIDI messages in real time:

 

 

There's some strange behavior you should keep in mind though:

 

If you load the "Cellos" patch from the Library (the one that has the four articulation buttons in the Smart Controls editor), you won't be able to switch articulations in real time using this method. It will work, however, if you use MIDI Draw.

 

I think this is somehow related to Smart Controls, because if you create a new track with duplicate settings, the articulation buttons in the Smart Controls panel are Off, and then it responds to the incoming MIDI messages set in the modulation router. Weird.

 

 

Vs.

 

 

J.

Hi Jordi, this behavior is exactly what I was having problems with...

 

<<<

If you load the "Cellos" patch from the Library (the one that has the four articulation buttons in the Smart Controls editor), you won't be able to switch articulationsin real time using this method. It will work, however, if you use MIDI Draw.

 

I think this is somehow related to Smart Controls, because if you create a new track with duplicate settings, the articulation buttons in the Smart Controls panel are Off, and then it responds to the incoming MIDI messages set in the modulation router. Weird.

>>>

 

I believe that the smart controls interrupt the incoming MIDI CCs and keep them from acting directly on the EXS24 (and presumably other plugins). I was able to map CC#1 to the smart control buttons and re-achieve the desired behavior, but it’s complicated and confusing because of the assigning several SC buttons to the same CC#.

I believe that the smart controls interrupt the incoming MIDI CCs and keep them from acting directly on the EXS24 (and presumably other plugins).

 

Yeah, looks like that's what's happening. Maybe I'll play around with it a bit more to see if I can find anything else.

 

I was able to map CC#1 to the smart control buttons and re-achieve the desired behavior, but it’s complicated and confusing because of the assigning several SC buttons to the same CC#.

 

I would probably ditch the Smart Controls for this.

 

J.

Thanks Jordi for all the help with this stuff. I know enough now for my purposes.

No problem!

 

J.

Hi Jordi, this behavior is exactly what I was having problems with...

 

<<<

If you load the "Cellos" patch from the Library (the one that has the four articulation buttons in the Smart Controls editor), you won't be able to switch articulationsin real time using this method. It will work, however, if you use MIDI Draw.

 

I think this is somehow related to Smart Controls, because if you create a new track with duplicate settings, the articulation buttons in the Smart Controls panel are Off, and then it responds to the incoming MIDI messages set in the modulation router. Weird.

>>>

 

I believe that the smart controls interrupt the incoming MIDI CCs and keep them from acting directly on the EXS24 (and presumably other plugins). I was able to map CC#1 to the smart control buttons and re-achieve the desired behavior, but it’s complicated and confusing because of the assigning several SC buttons to the same CC#.

 

As mentioned previously...

Try:

• Temporarily disable your control surfaces
  
• Choose Logic Pro > Control Surfaces > Bypass all Control Surfaces.

As mentioned previously...

Try:

• Temporarily disable your control surfaces
  
• Choose Logic Pro > Control Surfaces > Bypass all Control Surfaces.

 

Unfortunately this doesn't do anything here. I don't see how it would help as bypassing all control surfaces bypasses controller assignments, and at least in the example I've given (CC1 to Art. ID in the EXS24's mod. router), I haven't made any assignments.

 

Thanks anyway, Atlas.

 

J.

I just watched Joe Albino's new EXS24 tutorial from MacProVideo. He confirms that Smart Controls 'hijack' incoming MIDI which then does not pass on to the Logic recording or plugins. For instance using CC#1 to change Art ID via SCs does NOT record CC#1 to the track. (Or pass it along to the plugin presumably)

 

I hate using my mod wheel for articulations anyhow (too hard to control more than 2 articulations). I'd like to see if I can get a MIDI plugin to convert note events to Art ID! (Keyswitching like my other sampled instruments, except the keyswitch notes aren't recorded, just spontaneously converted to MIDI note meta-data i.e. Art ID)

... I'd like to see if I can get a MIDI plugin to convert note events to Art ID! (Keyswitching like my other sampled instruments, except the keyswitch notes aren't recorded, just spontaneously converted to MIDI note meta-data i.e. Art ID)

Have you checked the MIDI fx script board section. There seems to be something interesting here

Thanks Atlas007! I’ll try these out. I was under the impression that they were Art ID to Note (Keyswitch) translations, and I wanted to go the opposite direction (Note to Art ID), but I’ll give them a try and see what happens!