FEATURE REQUESTS *** MOVE AS NEEDED ***

I was told by Noel to submit feature requests instead of criticising a lack of wanted features, so I looked for a special "Feature Request" area of the forum, and didn't find it, I did a forum search on "feature request" and came up with an assortment of posts that again didn't seem confined to any specific area, so I'll post here and trust that if it should be moved to a more appropriate sub-forum it will be moved.
 
My requests are:
 
1. Easier articulation management. I like what Cubase does with articulation lanes. It is very helpful for orchestral arrangements.
 
2. Easier PRV view editing of velocities. I see videos of other DAWs where it seems quite simple to select, group select, and adjust velocities in the velocity pane (or lane, if you prefer). In Sonar X1 what should be intuitive and easy is not, so far as I can tell. It can be done, but not as simply and straightforward as some other DAWs. This again is a matter of articulation management for me. If I want to use velocity to keyswitch between articulations, this is much needed.
 
I should add, I do not claim to be a pro. I am a hobbyist, and having read some threads over the last few months it seems some don't see a problem with "2" above, pointing out that there are workarounds. In orchestral writing articulation switching is a basic and continuous need in most tracks in every project. Making it simple and easy is pretty doggone important. At least it is to me.
 
If someone can point out how things are easier than I think they are, feel free to do so. When I try to select the vertical velocity lines in the PRV pane, it just doesn't seem to work. If it does work, for me it isn't easy to do.
 
I should say having watched the recent X2 video it looks like there are some very helpful improvements on the way, including automation lanes, improvement in selection and zooming, and grid snapping.

john6448
       

If someone can point out how things are easier than I think they are, feel free to do so. When I try to select the vertical velocity lines in the PRV pane, it just doesn't seem to work. If it does work, for me it isn't easy to do. 

it's not possible to grab hold of the verticle velocity lines in Sonar..

what you can do though is to select the notes on which you want to change velocity and then grab hold of the top of one of the notes and drag up or down.

Thanks scook, I submitted my feature requests in the appropriate place.

Noel Borthwick [Cakewalk
]

In X2 you can drag with the smart tool in the velocity pane and it will draw over the velocity lines. I can't remember what this did in X1 :) I think you could do the same with the draw tool.

Alt + left click with the smart tool in X1 to do this.. :)
(looking forward to x2!)

john6448

Thanks, loptec, yes that is the kind of workaround I was referring to. It should be as easy as lassoing notes directly on the velocity pane, or clicking at the top of a line in that pane. That's my feature request.

np :)
it's actually possible to lasso notes in the velocity pane. the downside though is that if you have more than one note in the same place you select all of them by lassoing the velocity there, which maybe isn't what you always want to do.

another way of quickly changing velocity of selected notes is to use the Event Inspector in the toolbar. just select the notes and type in the velocity you want

Perhaps the best way I can explain it is the video on this link. I really apologize for doing this, since it pertains to Cubase's capabilities in this area. I would love it if I could do something like this in Sonar.
 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8DU_Vwp3zzU&list=UUugtfsFZyEfylRRJMisWvng&index=16&feature=plcp
 
Notice the visual feedback in the velocity lines, the flexibility and ease. I am really not trying to run down Cakewalk, I am trying to do as you suggest and explain my request.
 
Thanks for your openness, Noel.
 

I must be doing something wrong, then, because when I open up PRV, lasso a group of notes, then go down to the velocity pane, I am unable, using the smart tool or just left or right clicking, to move the velocity values in that pane.

I CAN change the velocities by hovering the cursor above the piano roll note until the cursor changes, then I have to watch this tiny readout of a numerical velocity value with no visual feedback from the lines on the velocity pane. Not only that, but I can't see where there is the kind flexibility shown in the video I posted, where you have options to choose how notes will move in relation to each other, for example either absolutely or relatively.
 
I appreciate the suggestions, but unless I'm missing something (and I very well could be) I don't see anything other than lesser workarounds to what should be intuitive and easy with obvious visible feedback on the changes being made.

No.. this kind of velocity editing in the PRV isn't possible in Sonar.. (yet..(?))

If you want to create a velocity-fade-in and keep the relation of the velocity values, you can do with a velocity-automation-lane in the track view, though

Just go to the track and select clip->clip automation->velocity and create the fade with the lane. This won't overwrite the values in the clip, but gain or reduce the values you've edited in the PRV

john6448



 
1. Easier articulation management. I like what Cubase does with articulation lanes. It is very helpful for orchestral arrangements.
 

I picked up a great tip for solving this issue on the EWQLSO forum


You set up a drum map in which all the articulations for a particular instrument in EWQLSO where all the keyswitches get mapped.


My prv for each instrument now consists of a drum map for the artics at the top and the note prv screen below. It's SO easy to a) see exactly what you're doing and b) keeps the keyswitch data well away from your note pane and c) makes switching artics an absolute doddle!


Yep, it means I spent about 3/4 nights creating drum maps - 1 for each instrument and about 3 separate ones for percussion, I think there were over 40 maps in the end - but when I finished I just saved it as my default orchestral template (I do not want to have to do that again!)

Oh no, it's nothing to do with vertical space (although thinking about that for a moment - whilst the clef itself is fairly small, once you add in the Staff View Window size, there's nowt much to choose between a drum map 7 a clef)

I find it incredibly easy just for management of the composition itself -  remember also that a drum map gives you the added bonus of being able to mute/solo notes - in this case artics - on the fly.

This is simply not possible in an ordinary prv, nor the Staff View. 

Also, viewing keyswitch data in a clef can be - it's not note data per se, whereas with a drum map you can assign a meaningful name to each note/articulation, so you can instantly see whether you're working Legato, Marcato, Stacatto etc just by looking at it

I'd love to see a video of how you set that up Bristol_Jonesey.

That seems like a VERY helpful tip!

Every day's a school day.

Requests??? How about NI Vintage Organs B-3 C-3 M-3,Vox, Farfisa as part of X2 or an add on @ the Cakewalk Store?
 
http://www.native-instruments.com/#/en/products/producer/powered-by-kontakt/vintage-organs/?content=1250
 
If this could be made available as part of or as an add on @ the Cakewalk Store, approved as a tested VST install with instructions, it would make X2 complete for me. It seems as if you are going after the guitar crowd (probably many more of them than keyboard players). I miss my B-3, C-3 and leslie, but do not miss hauling it around. After years on the road, MANY years ago, "this" SOUNDS and LOOKS like the most realistic I've seen or heard. Vibrato, ROTARY, key clicks, overdrive distortion, 2nd & 3rd percussion and DRAWBARS which ACT could be utilized on my A-800. You do include some B-3's, but it's as if you are serving Ripple or Sangria when you could have a Merlot, or Bordeaux even at an upcharge (then maybe some surprises are in X2?). I've bought Cakewalk for many years, going back starting with Pre DAW Cakewalk Twelve Tone on an Atari ST1040 upgraded to Cakewalk Professional for Windows 2.0 on a 486 laptop (with many upgrades leading to X1 Prod. Exp.). I do not want to buy third party unless through Cakewalk.
 
By the way, Thanks Cakewalk for the generous DSF Sym.Strings "FREE" offer, but it sounds like a step down from Garritan Personal Orchestra 4 Elite Pack (I am very happy I purchased it as an upgrade) as in comparrison from what I heard in the X2 Webinar. DSF "to me" sounds more like FM, pads or vintage string emulators (which were great for the time to play in a club, but not in the studio), than orchestra instruments. I can hear the difference (I played in many orchestras throughout college with a BM in music education as a woodwind major not string, but I can hear the difference.)  But, who can complain, it's "FREE"! I may think differently once I get it, as DSF has other good products. And many thanks for your software improvements at the upgrade price, I know personally it takes a lot of hours and lots of money as I work with software engineers daily.

Bristol_Jonesey


Can't do videos, but i did write a lengthy essay on how this was all done a while back.

I'll see if I can find it

That would be very cool.


Thanks.

Yes an EWQL LE included in X2 would be awesome. Send the negotiation team on over now. Plus special pricing for all the product line. Make it so.

In the PRV, lasso all the notes (in the PRV or via the Virtual Piano (e.g. transposing Vienna strings but leaving the keyswitch data in tact), place the smart tool at the top of one of the selected notes in the PRV (NOT the velocity pane), you'll see the icon change to A PENCIL with Velocity Icon, CLICK and HOLD, Now Move Up for Louder, Down for Softer. This will change ALL selected note Velocity By the amount up or down.