MIDI keyboard sensitivity in Logic

[amusong]

First post on any forum of any kind anywhere.....so please be kind.

 

I am using Logic Pro 9 with a Yamaha Clavinova CLP 240 as a midi keyboard through an Edirol UM1 Midi interface. I am finding that no matter how hard I bang on the keys I cannot get a velocity of more than about 70 or 80 on any midi note for a software instrument in Logic Pro 9. Just playing normally, some notes are very faintly registered indeed.

 

I have tried the same keyboard into Garage Band and it works fine - can get note velocities up to 127 if I really try hard. So its the software and/or a software setting.

 

Have looked through the manuals and tried everything I can think of. I think I am looking for something like a keyboard sensitivity setting inside Logic. Any ideas??

[Septic Underground]

look in the inpsector in the colomn MIDI THRU (left side of your arrangement screen, Velocity: is that set to a negative value? If so, adjust to 0, zero, if not adjust it from zero, 0 , to a value that correlates with your expetation of the velo-response.

 

 

I have mine set on +37 (AKAI MPK49)

On my NovationSL I used a whole lot less, like 0 or maybe 20 or so max.

[amusong]

Unbelievably helpful. I've been mucking around for hours trying to figure it out and you have put me right in a few minutes. This worked perfectly - thanks - problem solved.

[Septic Underground]

no problemo, have fun with it

[robinloops]

You can also play around with the dynamics setting in the same window. This way when you hit a very very soft note it won't automatically boost it to +30. You can compress or expand the dynamics to help match whatever boost (or decrease) you have in the velocity setting. Especially helpful when changing this AFTER you have already recorded something. You can play around with it to bring the dynamicx back in. Or you can use this alone instead of boosting a flat amount. Lets say you want a velocity of 100 to be boosted+30, but only on the harder notes. You still want soft notes played softly. So you can put the dynamics to 130% now any note that is velocity of 100 will be boosted to 130, but a velocity of 50 will only get boosted by +15 and a very soft velocity of 10 will only be boosted +5 so this note will be soft still (as opposed to boosting it +30 which would make it 35 (maybe not as soft as you want). Anyway it's a balancing act to find the perfect amount of boost while retaining the dynamics you want. Also can be used simply to boost dynamics. Soetimes very helpful when changing instruments (on an already recorded midi track). For example, replacing a really punchy bass with a fretless may make it not stand out as much as you want, so you can compress the dynamics and boost the velocity and walaa, the softer notes stand out... Have fun playing with it... Welcome to logicprohelp and keep posting. The guys here are great and very helpful...

[MikeyC]

I have a digital piano that produces a maximum of 60 velocity in Logic. I don't want to boost overall velocity because I want to be able to trigger the samples for the soft tones. At the same time I want to exploit the full range, i.e. get a 120+ when I whack the keys.

So what I'm looking for is similar to the dynamics setting as the above poster described it, but I want this to reflect in the MIDI notes that are recorded. When I hit hard, I want the MIDI note recorded with a 120 velocity, not a 60.

Any advice?

[David Nahmani]

I have a digital piano that produces a maximum of 60 velocity in Logic. I don't want to boost overall velocity because I want to be able to trigger the samples for the soft tones. At the same time I want to exploit the full range, i.e. get a 120+ when I whack the keys.

So what I'm looking for is similar to the dynamics setting as the above poster described it, but I want this to reflect in the MIDI notes that are recorded. When I hit hard, I want the MIDI note recorded with a 120 velocity, not a 60.

Any advice?

 

I think your best bet is to cable a transformer in the Environment, and set the velocity to multiply x2. Let me know if you need help with that.

[MikeyC]

I think your best bet is to cable a transformer in the Environment, and set the velocity to multiply x2. Let me know if you need help with that.

Not sure what you mean: are you talking about actual hardware or is this something within Logic routing environment capabilities?

[David Nahmani]

Within Logic's routing, in the Environment window, in the its "Click and Ports" layer. Choose New > Transformer, cable it and set it as per the picture below:

[MikeyC]

Wow, a new continent! You're so the pro man.

I've managed to get a setup as on your screenie, only thing is, in the object editor for the transformer, instead of pitch and velocity conditions it says Data Byte 1 and Data Byte 2. How do I change those to be able to manipulate velocity?

[David Nahmani]

First set "status" to "note". Then you'll see the pitch and velocity column titles.

[MikeyC]

Got it. I'm having a total "MUST HUG DAVID"-moment. Hope at least the sentiment reaches you.

[David Nahmani]

 

Glad to help.