User manual

566
Note Expression
Introduction
MIDI controllers
A major limitation of MIDI is the nature of controller information. With the exception of
poly pressure, controller messages are channel-specific messages, i.
e., they affect
the entire instrument, regardless of whether they are inserted for a part or a note.
Therefore, when using Note Expression with MIDI instruments (hardware or VSTi), it is
important to understand that articulation data on one note usually also affects all other
notes of the same voice, i.
e. any other note playing on the same channel at the same
time. This limits the potential of Note Expression for MIDI controller events to
monophonic (solo) performances. When using MIDI controllers in polyphonic
performances, we recommend using controller lanes in the Key Editor, see
“Using the
controller display” on page 502.
However, Note Expression can be useful in the context of standard VST instruments
and MIDI hardware instruments, see
“Recording MIDI controllers as Note Expression
data” on page 577 and “Converting MIDI Controllers into Note Expression data” on
page 577.
Working with Note Expression
When working with Note Expression, start by activating the “Show Note Expression
Data” button on the Key Editor toolbar. This will give you a visual feedback of your
actions. Use the slider to the right of the button to modify the display size of the Note
Expression data in the event display.
• If you want to listen to your editing, activate the Acoustic Feedback button on the
Key Editor toolbar.
Playback is triggered when you enter or change Note Expression data. All
controllers that are present at the mouse position will be used during playback.
Note Expression can be used in the following ways:
• You can record notes live into Cubase while attaching some or all of the used
controllers as Note Expression events to the notes, see
“Recording” on page 570.
• You can replace the existing Note Expression data of a MIDI part by recording
Note Expression events for the MIDI notes during playback, see
“Overdubbing” on
page 570.
• You can add Note Expression data to one MIDI note after another using the “Note
Expression MIDI Input” button, see
“Recording Note Expression data via MIDI
input” on page 571.
• You can draw in Note Expression events for MIDI notes in the Note Expression
editor, see
“Editing Note Expression data” on page 572.