Humanize and velocity

[Doug Kerr]

In teh Encore 5 manual, V3.1, on p 218, these is this passage:

The Humanize feature uses more random attack velocities and volume velocities.

1. There are not two attributes "attack velocity" and "volume velocity". The attribute velocity sometimes affects the attack properties of the note, and in most cases (but not always) affects what we might call the "volume" of the note (to use the term in its general sense). This text implies that there are two attributes of the note being randomized.

2. "More random" is not really good here. The velocities of the notes (before the application of Humanize) are not random. They have been set by the composer. (Or, if the composer takes no steps in this direction, set by Matt.)

I suggest this language instead:

The Humanize feature randomly varies the velocity property of the notes.

I believe that the concept of velocity should certainly be introduced elsewhere, but it isn't.

If the need is felt to give some further insight here, then this further language would be appropriate:

Velocity is an attribute of a note that, in some cases, affects its attack properties and, in most cases, affects its volume.

Doug

[tlwbenicia]

I suggest this language instead:

The Humanize feature randomly varies the velocity property of the notes.

I support this suggestion and appreciate knowing what Humanize does in Encore: in other programs it often randomly varies (advances or retards) the start time of the "NoteOn" message, sometimes as well as effecting the velocity parameter. Especially now that VST instrumentents can be "integrated" with Encore, what the velocity parameter does can get very complicated, depending on the instrument and the way the synth or sample playback engine is programmed for specific sounds. For example, in the Garritan Personal Orchestra (which I have just started looking at) velocity on some of the instruments varies only the attack "loudness", but on others, it does nothing to the volume but changes the "timbre" (their description, which I suspect dynamically varies one or more filter settings). Trying to explain this in the Encore manual could get very tricky. I might suggest

Velocity is a property of a midi note that generally varies the attack of the note when played, frequently it's volume, but the actual effect is determined by the midi device playing the note.

Maybe a bit too stilted, but at least helps clarify that Encore doesn't determine the result, only the value of the parameter.

[Rob M.]

....
I believe that the concept of velocity should certainly be introduced elsewhere, but it isn't.

If the need is felt to give some further insight here, then this further language would be appropriate:

Velocity is an attribute of a note that, in some cases, affects its attack properties and, in most cases, affects its volume.

For those of us not dealing with MIDI on a day-to-day basis, the concept of "velocity" is confusing. That confusion is worsened by the fact that velocity is often mistakenly equated to volume. I would support the idea of some explanatory comment, and I'd suggest the use of a side-bar for that comment (and for any other comments in the User Manual that are intended to provide necessary or useful background information).

Velocity is a property of a midi note that generally varies the attack of the note when played, frequently it's volume, but the actual effect is determined by the midi device playing the note.

Volume is the property of a note most often affected by the velocity parameter. The reference to volume should appear first. And yes, there should be an indication that the effect on the note is determined by the MIDI device, not Encore. Perhaps there's room for a compromise here: how about something like:

Velocity is an attribute of a note that, in most cases, affects its volume, and in some cases, affects its attack properties. The actual effect is determined by the MIDI device playing the note.

[tlwbenicia]

Volume is the property of a note most often affected by the velocity parameter. The reference to volume should appear first. And yes, there should be an indication that the effect on the note is determined by the MIDI device, not Encore. Perhaps there's room for a compromise here: how about something like:

Velocity is an attribute of a note that, in most cases, affects its volume, and in some cases, affects its attack properties. The actual effect is determined by the MIDI device playing the note.

Rob,
I agree with your suggestion, but technically, I don't think the velocity byte of the NoteOn message changes the Midi Volume, which I believe is a separate controller altogether, but it most often does affect the initial level and slope of the note attack curves, which does then translate into a perception the note is louder. The velocity attribute is supposed to reflect a measure of how hard the instrument is played (initially struck for keys and percussion, initially blown for wind instruments, initial bow pressure for strings, agressiveness for plucked strings, etc). That's why more capable synths, and even to a minor degree even some of the less capable ones, also involve timbre adjustments. But I believe in all cases it affects the attack (and sometimes the delay), and the consequences of that depend on how the remaining portions of the note sound profile (decay and release) are set up.

I know just enough about this stuff to spout semi-informed pronouncements. There have been times when I was interested in programming sounds (like SoundFonts), but the amount of time required to do anything even mediocre turned out to be way too excessive for me. And maybe I'm just crabby this evening because I didn't have such a great time at my day job today. Like I said initially though, your proposal sounds fine to me because I do honestly believe that it is how most people, especially those just interested in notation, not sequencing, perceive the behavior. I also fully agree that the entire issue be a "side-bar" entry, as folks will either know what velocity does, so what the Humanize function does is what is most important, or they won't, and the explanation should reflect what the average uninformed person will perceive. I don't think side-bars in the Encore manual should get too technical, either, unless it's really important to basic understanding of what the program is going to do.

Hmmm. Sorry for what turned into a somewhat lengthy rant!

[Doug Kerr]

Hi, t,

I agree with your suggestion, but technically, I don't think the velocity byte of the NoteOn message changes the Midi Volume, which I believe is a separate controller altogether.

The velocity parameter of a note does not change the MIDI Channel Volume, which in fact is the province of a separate control message, but it nevertheless in most cases does change the "volume" of the note (in the same way that the Channel Volume state does).

So in general, it really makes the note louder (beyond the perception that may be given by a more "abrupt" attack). This can be easily heard in patches where the velocity parameter doesn't much change the attack characteristics. In fact, doubling the note's velocity parameter typically gives a 6 dB increase in the loudness of the produced note.

An exception is sometimes found in organ stop patches, where the velocity parameter doesn't change the volume level (or usually anything else either).

The traditional rationale for Velocity affecting note "volume" is that in a pianoforte, the velocity with which the key is struck indeed changes the steady-state volume level of the produced note.

Doug

[q]

Most MIDI applications allow users to apply humanization (randomization) to timing or velocity. In Encore we find Humanize only in the dynamics area of the MIDI Playback Settings dialog.

Ordinarily, "humanize" is applied with a maximum and minimum value, or things could quickly get out of hand.

Hopefully any forthcoming documentation of Encore's dynamic humanizing will fully explain it's parameters. At present I would assume that the maximum is the dynamic stop above, and the minimum is the dynamic stop below—in other words, Encore has default min and max settings that are unknown to us. If this is true, i easily foresee my own desire for a more limited range of restriction, perhaps weighted in one direction more than the other.

Without further clarification from the user guide, it remains unclear if humanization applies an equal dollop of velocity and volume.

q

[Rob M.]

An exception is sometimes found in organ stop patches, where the velocity parameter doesn't change the volume level (or usually anything else either).

Perhaps that behaviour is appropriate for a patch representing an electro-pneumatic organ (all the EP's key does is make and break an electrical contact that activates the pallet that admits the wind to the pipe), but the purists (i.e., those that listen to and play tracker organs) would be most unhappy with that behaviour in the patch. They like to use the tracker's direct mechanical connection with the pallet to manipulate the attack even though that has no effect on the volume at which that pipe afterward speaks. The velocity with which the key is struck and released is everything to a tracker organist.

But the purist's dislike of EP organs is a side issue. What's important here is that your observation suggests the need for a further modification to the side-bar text suggested above. Perhaps it might therefore read:

Velocity is an attribute of a note that, in most cases, affects its volume, and in some cases, affects its attack properties. The actual effect is determined by the MIDI device playing the note and the patch used by the MIDI device.

[Doug Kerr]

Hi, Rob,

What's important here is that your observation suggests the need for a further modification to the side-bar text suggested above. Perhaps it might therefore read:

Velocity is an attribute of a note that, in most cases, affects its volume, and in some cases, affects its attack properties. The actual effect is determined by the MIDI device playing the note and the patch used by the MIDI device.

Looks good to me.

Thanks.

Best regards,

Doug