Hello,

I want to draw a PSYN II cutoff into my MIDI clip.

I loved in Project5 that it was possible to program a MIDI loop and draw in audio envelope parameters (cutoff, res, etc...) from the audio synth to which it was patched - right in the clip on top of the MIDI notes.  Then you had a nice little loop/clip to drag around with all the info embedded.

I accomplish the same thing in SONAR but the process is more complex: 

• I have to program the MIDI in one track (Piano Roll)
• Draw the envelope I want on the routed audio track (Track view)
• Then freeze it down to a clip before I can work with it in the project.  

The controller pane in the piano roll only offers me the basic MIDI velocity options.  No audio PSYN II EFX are listed as options to draw in....not if I try adding a "new value" either.  Can't this be done directly in the piano roll in SONAR 8.5?


Grateful for any thoughts or suggestions,


Jeff

use the AUTOMATION "W" to control parameters on the face of the synth (in this case PSYN II) which are not controllable by MIDI Controller codes.

click on the "W" to enable it, then click on the play button on the transport, then adjust the parameter you want to change on the face of PSYN II as the project plays.

if the adjustment is too coarse for your needs, you can always adjust the envelopes manually which are drawn by the AUTOMATION W(rite).

turn off the "W" so that it only reads after you're done editing the parameters.

Unfortunately, that still leaves the same two-lane issue: automation in one and MIDI notes in the other.  What if I wish to use this automated clip in the Groove Matrix? 

Ah ha!!!  I figured it out.
 
Issue: Wanted to automate soft synth audio effects into MIDI clips for use in sequencing or groove matrix - like in Project5 V.2.  Specifically here, a rolling open-up of the cutoff during the phrase.
 
So, the answer is: Use of envelopes in the audio lane to automate soft synth parameters for MIDI clips is not the most practical way to accomplish this effect in this case.

• True, it can be done.For sequencing in Track View, both audio/MIDI tracks have to be selected when cutting and pasting
  • Also "select track envelopes" has to be ticked.
• Labor intensive and for Groove Matrix clips, everything has to be frozen or bounced.  then UNDONE if you need to tweak.

 
Solution:
Utilize parameters in the actual soft synths.

• PSYNII - LFO time sync'd with modulation destinations to cutoff. (Adjusting depth to taste)
• Z3ta+ - Utilize the modulation matrix with destinations to cutoff; link to velocity and you can draw it right into the MIDI clip just like in Project5 V.2.

 
With this done, I can arrange in sequence or drag to Groove Matrix and my automated synth effect goes right along with it!  True, this was a easier in Project5 but I wanted to be able to sidechain compression and P5 wouldn't do that.  Rewiring is an option but it makes projects get messy and crash-y.
 
Hope this helps anyone out there who wondered about this like I did.

You can do all of this in Track View if you enable the Inline PRV

You can do all of this in Track View if you enable the Inline PRV