# Reaper - How to add midi dynamics / expressions



## Yun you Xu

Hi everyone,

I'm having trouble locating online tutorials on how to add dynamics & expression to VST midi tracks in Reaper. I might be using the wrong terminology, would you guys mind linking me to some relevant tutorials please? So far, I know that you can change the velocity of each individual note in piano roll, but it takes a long time and also doesn't help when I want to have a crescendo on a sustained note for example.

In ProjectSam's composing tutorials, they are able to edit the dynamics by dragging a line horizontally through the track to indicate the loudness/softness. Is such an option available in Reaper? 

Thanks very much for your help.


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## Replicant

In the dropdown menu that says "Velocity or Modwheel", to the left of where you edit the velocities, click it and you will find that CC7 is "volume" and CC11 is "expression"

CC7 controls the "master volume" of the plugin if you will; CC11 is the "channel volume" basically. CC1 is "dynamics"/modwheel.

Sadly though, Reaper doesn't offer line envelope control like other daws. Each parameter operates on the "block" system like velocity. Though holding shift and clicking and dragging does allow you to create ramps.


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## robgb




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## juliansader

Yun you Xu said:


> In ProjectSam's composing tutorials, they are able to edit the dynamics by dragging a line horizontally through the track to indicate the loudness/softness. Is such an option available in Reaper?



As Replicant advised, to draw straight ramps, you can use the "Linear ramp CC events" mouse modifier: Select the CCs or velocities that you want to ramp, then shift+leftdrag over the selected events:


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## gregh

There is a plug in that improves things considerably


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## EvilDragon

Replicant said:


> Sadly though, Reaper doesn't offer line envelope control like other daws.



It does, via ReaControlMIDI.


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## Yun you Xu

Oh my gosh, you guys are the best! I was going crazy trying to find the answer, almost got Cubase out of desperation haha. Thank you so much!!


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## Replicant

EvilDragon said:


> It does, via ReaControlMIDI.



I am intrigued.


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## EvilDragon

See above video which gregh posted.


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## Divico

robgb said:


>



Hey. Which theme are you using? Looks good


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## robgb

Divico said:


> Hey. Which theme are you using? Looks good


Commala 5


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## pderbidge

gregh said:


> There is a plug in that improves things considerably




There was a time I was going to try this but I got so used to drawing in the CC lanes that I'm used to it. In watching this tutorial again and I'm not so sure now that I would like to work on CC's outside of the midi editor where I can't see the notes in detail. I'll have to give it a try sometime and see how I like it.


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## robgb

pderbidge said:


> There was a time I was going to try this but I got so used to drawing in the CC lanes that I'm used to it. In watching this tutorial again and I'm not so sure now that I would like to work on CC's outside of the midi editor where I can't see the notes in detail. I'll have to give it a try sometime and see how I like it.


You can use inline midi editing instead of opening the regular editor and you'll see the notes in detail.Just zoom in.


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## pderbidge

robgb said:


> You can use inline midi editing instead of opening the regular editor and you'll see the notes in detail.Just zoom in.


Good point. I've only tried inline editing once and didn't care for it but perhaps for this envelope editing of cc's it could work. However I really don't mind seeing the jagged bars of the cc line because that is how digital actually looks. All the envelope editing does is hide this from you to make things look pretty.


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## robgb

pderbidge said:


> Good point. I've only tried inline editing once and didn't care for it but perhaps for this envelope editing of cc's it could work. However I really don't mind seeing the jagged bars of the cc line because that is how digital actually looks. All the envelope editing does is hide this from you to make things look pretty.


I personally don't have a problem with the regular CC editing, either, but I do have to say that envelope editing is more than a mask. It allows you to do some very precise editing of the CC curves. I can certainly understand why people prefer it.


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