How to create descrescendo on single long MIDI note?

I'm still a newbie to MIDI editing.  I'm composing in Sonar Professional, and editing in piano roll view.   I'm trying to create a decrescendo on a single MIDI note.  Lowering the volume of an entire single note is simple, of course.  But I'm trying, for example, to gradually decrease the volume of a single MIDI note that will be played by an oboe through two measures.  I'm assuming that it will require an automation envelope -- but I can't find anything in the manuals or forums that deals with this specific issue.   Thank you. 

My sample libraries don't seem to have that feature. 
I have to add Volume automation to the track.  It's not exactly the same as if the oboe player decayed the note, but close.

Good idea!
 

just curious, which oboe library and what sampler are you using?
 

chuckebaby

jmcecil
There are a number of ways to deal with that.  IMO the Best way is to find a sample library that support crescendo and decrescendo articulations.  Manipulating track volume by any method will not replicate the "feel" of decrescendo.

The OP said one note, so how can you do multi crescendo/decrescendo using multiple samples on one note ?

I have a lot of libraries where a decrescendo or crescendo is a single note hit, and they have articulations of varying length of crescendo and decrescendo so you can pick the closest one and timestretch it to the project tempo.  So, one note = 8 second crescendo or decrescendo for example.

chuckebaby
Thanks for the explanation.
I have found the decrescendo to be the easiest because more often than not the samples fade as the duration travels, thus creating a volume envelope along with the diminishing note volume passes as a pretty good fake.
the crescendo on the other hand isn't as easy to fake using volume automation or a fade.
I have in the past used the reverse technique but it still doesn't quite sound real.

Oh there's no doubt that having a library that has performance modes for these things is far easier and obviously sounds more natural.  But, I started with basic sound fonts and such back in the day, so have done a good deal of trying to fake stuff as well.   I'm just lucky to have stuff from VSL and others with a much broader range of capabilities now.
 
For crescendo, I found the combination of removing reverb and going from tight EQ to fuller bass and treble curves along with the volume increase helps.  But, you are correct it is hard to make it sound "right"  Mostly because the instrument sample (especially solo instruments) lack the fff overblow/overbow energy that usually occurs at the end of a crescendo.

57Gregy
Shorten the note and add a pedal event near it's end.

How would that decrescendo an oboe sample?  Although it would work if the oboe library had release samples tied to a control... it doesn't sound like the OP is using something with that level of sophistication. 

CC11 - as long as the instrument is set to work with CC11. If not that CC07 in a pinch.
Use the pencil tool and if you set it to draw a straight line it's very easy and also easy to edit after the fact.

jmcecil
lol, 57Gregy's suggestion would probably work with the way integra samples are set up.  I'm pretty sure they do have a release sample.

Yeah, my knowledge of the manipulation of soft synths is limited. I had to look up 'decrescendo' to see if it meant what I thought it meant, a "gradual decrease in the loudness of music".
While the pedal method works on my keyboard's patches, it does not work on any of my soft synths. 

FYIW - When I record any MIDI using any MIDI controller other than my wind controller I always bounce the track to audio and increase and decrease volume as well as doing fade ins and outs via a gain envelope.  This workflow is the easiest for me but YMMV.
 

chuckebaby

jmcecil
 
For example, when a full section of strings or woods decrescendo there is a distinct tonal shift. 

 
 
Great point about the tonal shift. A note can almost appear as if it is sharp when it reaches its peak crescendo
The Timbre changes, we hear a totally different sound.
The difference between an instruments being played at a soft / hard velocity's is amazing.
Parts begin to resonate. They begin to create sound that almost distorts the original sound wave.
 
This is why, in my opinion, the synth will never be able to duplicate the original. They come very close.
But there will always be that human element we can never duplicate. an attempt to ascertain but never completely.
 

This is exactly why I was talked into hiring a sax player for the album i'm currently mixing.
I could program and arrange the horn sections (trumpet/trombone) to sound real, but there was something in the tone (likely reed-based) that I couldn't replicate.
I thought my synthesized saxophone sounded right until I had the real thing.  She was the best $300 i've spent on the album so far.