Sustain Pedal Not Releasing Properly on Some MIDI Files in Kontakt 7 Player

Tazounet · 2024-09-15T19:36:53+00:00

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Hi,

I generated some piano MIDI files using different versions of Musescore (mainly 3.x and 4.x). When I import them into Reaper or any other DAW, these MIDI files play seamlessly on Decent Sampler or Labs Spitfire with almost all my piano samples.

However, when I use Kontakt 7 Player, the sustain pedal does not release properly. It behaves as if the pedal is never released, resulting in up to 60 parallel voices playing chaotically, even though there are only 8. To resolve this issue, I need to edit the MIDI file and change the CC#64 curve from “square” to “bezier” with a +0.86 tension.

This is a significant limitation for me, as I use the integrated Musescore 4 VST features to test how certain measures will sound with that specific instrument.

How can I configure Kontakt 7 Player to behave like the other functional plugins I mentioned ?

Thank you for your help.

Best regards,

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stephen24

(I kinda guessed it wasn't a real live pianist)

Thanks that's very interesting. So your CC#64 curve is a smoothing facility in your DAW which adds extra intermediate cc messages to avoid sudden jumps. Neat. (I would prefer to have them in my MIDI sequence).

I have found that some composite instructions in Kontakt (e.g. All Notes Off) take quite a long time to implement - like tens of milliseconds! - an eternity in 3-4GHz computing. Kontakt seems to multitask here, so later instructions on the timeline can be implemented before the first one is finished, having unexpected effects.

No doubt you have your own reasons for creating MIDI files with a mouse when you have a nice digital piano and the skills to use it.

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stephen24

Not familiar with any of this software, but curious about this "CC#64 curve". Where exactly is this curve, and which piece of software offers to adjust it?

How Kontakt responds to cc#64 messages depends entirely on how it is programmed, and no setting in the host programme or any other software can have the slightest effect on this. The default Kontakt action is just to switch off any notes that aren't being held down, but a sophisticated piano programme will be scripted to respond to intermediate values of cc#64 to give a more gradual release of notes and a more realistic effect.

According to your MIDI sequence, the pianist is releasing and re-depressing the sustain pedal in less than one millisecond. This would require considerable athletic ability, not to mention the use of physical destructive force, and is probably why the programme appears not to be responding to it. If you really want to compare different pianos I suggest you engage a pianist who's not in such a hurry, and gives the programme time to finish its job of checking all 128 notes and switching off the right ones, before he pushes the pedal down again. And put in some intermediate cc#64 values which can make a big difference.

Tazounet

Hi,

Thank you for replying. When I record MIDI from my Roland FP-4 digital piano, the sustain pedal releases gradually from 127 to 0, and these MIDI files work fine on Kontakt.

The rapid pedal actions in my MIDI sequence are software-generated, not from a real pianist. Unfortunately, I have no easy control over this part.

So, in Reaper, I can adjust the Control Change 64 events by selecting this filter, then changing the curve from “square” to “Bezier.” While it’s not entirely realistic since I should correct the curve in both directions, it seems to do the trick for Kontakt (it adds some intermediate values as you suggest).

If there is no other solution, I will continue using this workaround or consider switching to another notation software.

Best regards,

stephen24

(I kinda guessed it wasn't a real live pianist)

No doubt you have your own reasons for creating MIDI files with a mouse when you have a nice digital piano and the skills to use it.

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