Continuous Controllers

You can place data into a sequence or pattern part for many types of MIDI continuous controllers, including the following:

• Standard MIDI types

  • Pitch Bend
  • Mod Wheel
  • Volume
  • Pan
  • Expression Controller
  • Sustain

• Special types for the Microsoft Synthesizer

  • Ext Effect (Reverb) Depth
  • Chorus

• RPN and NRPN controller types

  Registered parameter number (RPN) controllers have been assigned a function by the MIDI Manufacturers Association. Nonregistered parameter number (NRPN) controllers can be used for different functions by different manufacturers. Types are identified by two seven-bit values combined to form a value in the range from 0 through 16,383.

  The following registered parameters are given descriptive labels in the Add New CC Track dialog box when their numbers are selected in the RPN/NRPN Type box. See To insert a continuous controller curve.

  RPN	Description
  0	Pitch Bend Range
  1	Fine Tuning
  2	Coarse Tuning
  3	Change Tuning Program
  4	Change Tuning Bank

  For information on other registered parameter types, see the MIDI specification.

• Additional Types

  For a complete list, see the Add New CC Type dialog box, which is displayed when you select Add New CC Type from the shortcut menu for a CC track.

Note The Microsoft Synthesizer supports only the six standard types and the two special types. For information about the Ext Effect (Reverb) Depth and Chorus controllers, see Special Controller Types.

Inserting continuous controller data into a sequence track or pattern part affects the playback of MIDI notes the same way as using a MIDI controller device, such as the pitch bend wheel, during a live performance using a MIDI instrument.

You place continuous controller data in a sequence or pattern part by creating a CC track and inserting a graphic curve to represent the timing and magnitude for the controller. The following illustration shows a pitch bend (PB) controller operating during four beats in a pattern part.

The illustration shows a curve with a shaping rectangle around it. You can shape and stretch the curve by dragging the small squares in any direction.

You can also copy the curve to the Clipboard and paste it into another CC track of the same type, or elsewhere in the same track. As with notes, the Paste command applies to all selected tracks of the appropriate type, or to the active track if no tracks are selected.

The pitch bend curve affects the notes that play while the curve is active. When designing pattern parts, you can activate one or more variations, and insert a curve that affects only the notes in active variations.

If you use continuous controller data to control volume or pan settings, it affects settings for volume and pan in any bands using the same PChannels. See Conflicts Between Bands and Continuous Controllers.

You can insert multiple curves of the same type in a CC track. For example, you can shape the vibrato used for a part by inserting a Mod Wheel curve in one measure, and inserting several other Mod Wheel curves in later measures.

You can also insert a reset curve at the end of a segment or pattern, which sets the Mod Wheel curve back to zero or some appropriate level that will be used if the segment or pattern loops, or if playback transitions to a new component. See Reset Curves.