Device Details
Overview
| Name | Version: | DLS Helper N 0.01 |
| Author: | synthesizerwriter |
| Device Type: | MIDI Effect |
| Description: | DLS_Helper_N is designed for users of the Apple DLS Synth AU plug-in - to help listen to Note-based .sf2 SoundFont files to quickly learn about their audio contents. There are two versions of the helper: the N version is for auditioning sounds (i.e. Notes), whilst the D version is for auditioning drums. To use the Notes version, you just drop it into the track that has the Apple DLS Synth in it. There are two main modes of operation: manual and automatic. In Manual mode, you can use the vertical slider control to select a specific sound by sending MIDI program change messages shown with the matching General MIDI Instrument name, and then playing on the [A - L] virtual MIDI keyboard inside Live, or on your external MIDI keyboard (or other instrument). There are two keyboard shortcuts: the Down cursor button is assigned to a 'Next' button, which changes the program, and the Up cursor button controls an Up/Down counter. The counter normally starts up in 'Up' mode, and so every time you press the Next button, the program change counter goes up by one. You can then play some notes to audition the sound. Remember that to keep the keyboard focus inside the DLS_Helper, you need to click inside it, and I've included some words that say this in the UI. If the focus strays outside the plug-in, then you will activate the Live keyboard shortcuts. (The workflow of 'Next' then play a few notes' is okay for the first few sounds, but I rapidly got bored, and so I added more automation...) In Automatic mode, incrementing of the program change number happens automatically, at a rate controlled by the Rate rotary control, and each change of program is indicated by a flash of a red indicator (and by the changing of the GM name in the text window). Some sounds has slow attacks, and so setting the Rat control too fast may mean that you don't hear the start of some sounds. But for most sounds, automatic advancement through the sounds in the middle range of the Rate control should work fine. There are shortcut keys: the Cursor Right button is assigned to starting and stopping the counter, whilst the Cursor Left button resets the program counter (for the Automatic AND the Manual modes!). Once a new program change has been selected, four notes are played so that you can hear the sound assigned to that number in the bank. The default here is four notes from a C Major scale, played at a fixed MIDI Velocity. You can alter the Velocity setting with the rotary control. After a few minutes of hearing the same four notes at the same velocity setting robotically played by different sounds, then you may need to activate the two variation buttons: for Notes, then you can activate the 'Random' variation, which plays a variety of different scales, some more exotic than others; whilst for Velocity, then you can activate the 'Random' variation, which adds random variety to the Velocity setting. The variation controls can make an extended audition session much easier to carry out. |
Details
| Live Version Used: | 9.7.1 |
| Max Version Used: | 7.3.1 |
| Date Added: | Jan 08 2017 07:32:32 |
| Date Last Updated: | Jan 08 2017 07:39:29 |
| Downloads: | 323 |
| ⓘ License: | None |
Average Rating
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5 |
Files
| Device File: | MIDI_DLS_Helper_N_mr_0v01.amxd |
Comments
Just today discovered the DLS Synth and was excited to find your blog post about it. This device was really useful in DLS exploration. Thanks!
Posted on April 07 2020 by victorkashirin |
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