# Assigning CC11 to pitch bend wheel?



## jcs88 (Feb 15, 2012)

Not sure if this is the right forum, but couldn't place it. I am getting to grips with few new libraries and it seems expression/cc11 is the key to unlocking some great sounds. I am, however still confused about the balance of cc1, cc11 an velocity, but that is another issue!

Other than the hyper editor or the piano roll (I'm using Logic 9), I don't know how to control expression. My controller does not have an expression pedal plug and to be honest I can't afford one right now.

My question is whether there is a way to assign the pitch bend wheel to control cc11? I have no need to pitch bend LASS' lovely strings and it would be useful to do so in other libraries as well..

I don't know if it's a Kontakt thing or an Environment thing, but after much googling and searching here I'm still none the wiser. Any tips would be appreciated!


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## fullbirdmusic (Feb 16, 2012)

I'm not sure if this will work for the pitch bend wheel (and if so, probably only in one direction...) but you can use the Transformer to change whatever CC the pitch bend wheel is assigned to CC11 (EDIT: CC7...?). 
You'll have to go to the Environment to do it - and it's probably going to sound too confusing the write it out here. 
If you can tell me what sampler you're using, I can probably explain it easier. 
Then again, there are probably 100's of ways to do this, but I can tell you one or two. Or you can Google using the Transformer in Logic.


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## fullbirdmusic (Feb 16, 2012)

Aha! Just found an article on it: http://en.wikiaudio.org/Logic:_Using_tr ... _to_volume

PS - I didn't read it yet, just thought I would share it. Good luck!


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## Daryl (Feb 16, 2012)

Just remember that the default position for pitch bend is in the middle and it has a spring, so you might find it annoying.

D


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## Raptor4 (Feb 16, 2012)

> Just remember that the default position for pitch bend is in the middle and it has a spring, so you might find it annoying.



I'd say the same that's why the Logic transformer link provided by the *fullbirdmusic* above seems to be not so helpful regarding the PB behavior.

To override that "Center" PB behavior you need to create UP & DOWN scales.
For example - (PB=63-0 scales to CC# 0-127) and (PB=64-127 scales to another CC# 0-127) etc. This will reduce the precision x2 (i.e you will have continuos controller scale going 0,2,4,6 etc) but it will work and I guess can be useful for somebody (_By the way it can be cracked (x1) via special incr/decr scheme but you must use the PB in a special way..._). 

I just created a Logic Environment tool for that, adding some extra features in the Macro UI (see the image below).

Tool Elements

1. Global On/Off button. Switch On/Off the Tool. In Off mode the tool is in bypass mode - all midi data passes thru it. No midi processing is applied.
2. KS#(Key Switch) assigner box. You can assign a Key Switch note number here to toggle the On/Off Global button (1). Pressing the KS note key once switches ON the tool, pressing the KS note again switches OFF the tool. I designed that feature so you can easily switch On/Off the tool when you need original PB behavior or the (> CC#) transforming one.
3. CC# Up assigner box. Here you assign a CC# for PB UP operation (Center -> 127 PB up range).
4. "Up" On/Off button. In OFF mode the "Up" data is filtered.
5. CC# "Down" assigner box. Here you assign a CC# for PB DOWN operation (Center -> 0 PB down range).
6. "Up" On/Off button. In OFF mode the "Down" data is filtered.

Details

The tool is cabled between the Logic Physical Input and the Sequencer object in the Click & Ports environment layer, so you can use it with any Instrument !
The tool processes only the PB messages according to the CC# settings in ON mode. All other midi data passes thru !
Screenset #9 retrieves the tool as "Float" as shown in the image below.
There is a stand alone environment layer named "PB>CCup_down" so you can import the tool into another Logic song project easily via Environment window Options>Import Environment Layer >Layer etc...
Have fun !

_PS: This scheme can be created in the KSP if you are talking about Kontakt ? I decided to make as Logic environment tool cause you can use it with any other instrument._

*PB to CC#up & CC#down Tool v1.0* - http://audiotools.globcom.net/logic/files/pb_cc_up_dn.zip (DOWNLOAD)


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## Simplesly (Feb 16, 2012)

cool environment raptor, but I think the problem Daryl was describing has more to do with the mechanics, rather than the polarity, of a PW - that if you were trying to use it to raise or lower CC11 and use it for volume, the springy nature of the wheel would cause some weird and undesirable jumps. 

where I do find the PW useful though, is to assign top, middle, and lower values to different patches, (in VI for example) where the center patch is the most used, and the upper and lower are ones you would want to momentarily switch to..


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## Raptor4 (Feb 16, 2012)

> the springy nature of the wheel would cause some weird and undesirable jumps.



Ah, I totally agree - this was my #1 idea today (to create some "Spring Clutch" gear) but after spending some time around the environment tool design I forgot to add that feature - thanks for the clarification !

OK, I updated the tool adding a new Key Switch "Clutch" assignment box in the "PB" operator. The "Clutch" key switch behaves exactly as a clutch.
Example: Let say you move up the PB - it is transformed into CC11 (according to the example setting below). You have reached CC11 value 88 and want to keep that value and prevent from spring zero (center) reset. To do that you need to hold down for a moment the "Clutch" KS note (D0) in the example, so the clutch will filter the events during the PB release which resets the value to zero for the target CC#. So the "Clutch" KS behaves as Note ON/OFF switcher, while the other KS# tool assigner boxes behaves as toggle ones OK !
Hint: Y_ou can change the "Clutch" KS assignment to some note which stay down nearby your right hand play range so you can easily hold it using your thumb for example (it is supposed that your left had is tweaking the PB during this time)._

I decided to add one more (Modulation Wheel) operator labeled as "MW". 
It is similar to the PB one - you can switch it On/Off via KS# toggle note key. I.e when is ON the "MW" operator transforms CC1 to the CC# set in the CC# box. When is OFF the CC1 passes thru. 

BTW._ During the programing I wandered what will be better:
1. To program the Clutch KS as a hold key function so the Clutch OFF happens on the KS note OFF (the current version).
2. Or to program the Clutch KS function as "One Touch" function i.e the Clutch OFF happens automatically after the PB center reset ?_

*PB & MW to CC# v1.0* - http://audiotools.globcom.net/logic/files/pb_mw_cc.zip (DOWNLOAD)


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## Simplesly (Feb 16, 2012)

i took a more crude approach - I took the spring out of my PW (actually it broke and Alesis Pieces didn't have a replacement available) 


seriously though - thanks for sharing the environment, I might actually be able to use that for something...


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## Raptor4 (Feb 16, 2012)

> thanks for sharing the environment, I might actually be able to use that for something



Be welcome, I'll try to find some time tomorrow to update the tool with a "Soft Takeover" function so if you enable it in the UI then the PB will remember the last value before the PB spring center reset combined with the "Clutch" function. The idea is to have a soft-takeover to that value on the next PB operation etc.

By the way it is not bad if I add a "Clutch" function to the "MW" operator as well. 
Imagine, you roll the Modulation Wheel during midi recording so the result will be some kind of continuous ramp, but in one moment you want to jump to any value (step behavior)... 
I think the "Clutch" function is going to be very useful to achieve realtime "step" behavior with any continuous controllers...


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## ZenFaced (Mar 11, 2017)

Raptor4 said:


> *PB to CC#up & CC#down Tool v1.0* - http://audiotools.globcom.net/logic/files/pb_cc_up_dn.zip (DOWNLOAD)
> 
> 
> 
> ...


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## ZenFaced (Mar 11, 2017)

Raptor4 said:


> *PB & MW to CC# v1.0* - http://audiotools.globcom.net/logic/files/pb_mw_cc.zip (DOWNLOAD)



How do I import this into my current Logic session?


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