Operation Manual

3.2 Strumming Keys 23
3.2.2 Palm Muted Downstroke and Upstroke
Palm muting is a technique which consists in partially muting the strings with the help of the
picking hand by letting it lightly touch the strings near the bridge. The pick (or fingers) is then
dragged across the strings in a downward or upward motion. In Strum Session, the palm muted
downstroke and upstroke are obtained by depressing MIDI note number 73 (C#5) and 75 (D#5)
respectively.
3.2.3 Muffled Downstroke and Upstroke
A muffled stroke (or scratch) is obtained by laying the fretting hand on the strings without depress-
ing them and then striking the strings with the picking hand. This produces a percussive sound and
the guitar player can control the effect by applying more or less pressure on the strings. In Strum
Session, the muffled downstroke and upstroke are obtained by depressing MIDI note number 78
(F#5) and 80 (G#5) respectively.
3.2.4 Mute All
A muted strum is a stroke which is immediately muted by applying the full hand on all the strings
in order to completely stop the sound. In Strum Session, this is effect is reproduced by depressing
the MIDI note number 82 (B[5).
3.2.5 Playing Individual Strings
The strings of the guitar can be played individually enabling one to arpeggiate or create finger
picking patterns. Individual strings are triggered by depressing MIDI notes 76(E5), 77(F5), 79(G5),
81(A5), 83(B5) or 84(C6). These special strumming keys are labeled bass, alternate bass, arp 4,
arp 3, arp 2 and arp 1 respectively. Notes in the chords are triggered by these MIDI notes from
lowest to highest using the following rules:
• MIDI note 76(E5): Bass. always the lowest note in the chord played by Strum Session.
• MIDI note 77(F5): Alternate bass. When the chord played by Strum Session is not inverted
and the chord includes a fifth (natural, lowered or raised) then the alternate bass is the fifth.
If the bass is played on the lowest string (sixth string), then the alternate bass will be played
on the fifth string if possible except in the case of the open G chord where it is played on the
fourth. If the bass is not played on the lowest string (played on the fifth or fourth string), the
alternate bass will then be played on the fifth or sixth string. Finally, if the chord is inverted,
or if it does not include a fifth, the alternate bass trigger will play the same note as the bass.
• MIDI note 79(G5), 81(A5), 83(B5) or 84(C6): Arp key 4, 3, 2 and 1. The remaining notes
in the chord are played from lowest to highest note on arp keys 4 to 1 respectively. If there
are fewer than four notes remaining to be played in the chord, the highest one is repeated on