Jump to content

Ski's Harp Glissando Performance Tool


Recommended Posts

:mrgreen: "Harp Glissando Hero" :mrgreen:

(Harp Glissando Performance Tool)

 

There are numerous orchestral libraries which includes samples of actual harp glisses, but there's no guarantee that the start/end notes or the speed of the gliss will be just right for your orchestration. A solution, offered by this Environment, is based on the notion that the seven white keys/octave on your keyboard are analogous to the seven strings/octave on a harp. Therefore, simulating harp glisses by swiping the white keys on your keyboard gives you full control of the start and end notes, the speed and sweep of your glisses, and velocity.

 

Harp string tuning (pedaling) is accomplished by selecting a scale type from the menu in the Environment. Selecting the C Lydian scale, for example, results in all F's being mapped to F#'s. A keyboard gliss on the white keys then results in a C Lydian scale. Nine scale types are offered, and the instructions below describe how to add your own (it's very easy).

 

= OPERATION =

Operation is very simple: use the green menu to select a scale type. There are 9 scale types plus "Off", and you can easily add as many additional scale types as you require. (See note D below for additional important information.)

 

This environment works to simulate pedal settings by remapping notes on the way into Logic, so the pitches you hear will be the pitches you record. :) Remember to select "Off" when you no longer need this remapping function for playing other parts.

 

= ADDING ADDITIONAL SCALE TYPES =

I included an additional, blank Chord Memorizer (called "Roll Your Own") so that you can practice creating your own scale types. Please refer to the Logic manual on how to program the Chord Memorizer. Keep in mind that you only need to program one octave's worth of note remappings. All other octaves will automatically follow suit (see note B below for additional details).

 

You can add additional modes by adding new Chord Memorizers ("CM") to this Environment. Simply select New > Chord Memorizer from within the environment window. Cable it just like the pre-programmed ones, starting with the first free connection (triangle) at the bottom of the cable switcher. After you do this you'll want to use the text tool to give the CM itself an appropriate name. Note that this only names the new CM itself. To add the name of your scale to the green menu:

 

• double-click the green menu to open the name entry window

• double-click on the first empty slot you see

• type in your scale name

• close the window

 

= NOTES =

a) You can make the green menu behave like a flip menu by opening the text fader's window and ticking the "behave as menu" checkbox. Once you've selected this function and closed the window, however, it's extremely difficult to get the text fader's window to open again for further renaming. [EDIT: see post below for instructions on how to re-open this window after you've selected "behave as menu".]

b) By default, a newly created CM will have its Key Limit parameter set to remap only 2 octave's worth of incoming notes (C2 to C4). To ensure that the CM re-maps all incoming notes, select the CM, then look over on the left at its parameters. Click/drag the high/low note limits so that they extend from C-2 to G8.

 

= RELATIVE MODES =

c) A single scale type (again, C Lydian for example) will produce G major and F# locrian glisses, to name two. Therefore there's really no need to create CM's to cover those scale types. In similar fashion, setting the menu to "Off" (which does no remapping) will still give you the capability to play white key glisses for C major, A minor, and all the modes of C.

 

= ACCURATELY SIMULATING SCALES WITH FEWER THAN 7 PITCHES =

d) You'll notice that the pre-programmed pentatonic scale and whole tone scales include repeated pitches. This exactly duplicates how you'd have to tune a harp's strings to play such scales. Remember, a harpist can't skip strings when they gliss. So when programming your own scales that contain fewer than 7 scale steps you'll need to repeat notes in similar fashion.

 

 

= ADDING THIS ENVIRONMENT SETUP TO EXISTING LOGIC SONGS =

1) Open the attached file. If not already visible, open an environment window and choose the "Clicks & Ports" layer

2) CMD-A (select all) and CMD-C (copy)

3) Close "Harp Glissando Hero" and open your target song

 

4) Open an environment window in your target song and select the Clicks & Ports layer

5) CMD-A (select all), then hit DELETE (this will clear everything in the Clicks & Ports layer)

6) CMD-V (paste) and the harp glissando environment objects will now be pasted into your song

7) Save your song

 

 

= Peter Schwartz =

HarpGlissHero.zip

Edited by ski
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I finally figured out how to open the text fader (menu) when it's set to "behave as menu". This screenshot is from Logic 7, but the procedure is for Logic 8. All you have to do is double-click on the narrow white area below the little triangular arrow connection thingee. And if that doesn't work right away, grab the little square and drag down to expand the size of the menu. That should give you more area to click on and get the thing to open.

1471969378_Picture3.jpg.abd9cda97f9b9544d94411b435c5dca7.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 11 years later...

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...