Steinberg Nuendo 3 Working With MIDI Manual

							 
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MIDI realtime parameters and effects 1 – 11 
• Note that the functionality of the “Programs” settings (used for selecting 
sounds in the connected MIDI instrument) depends on to which instru-
ment the MIDI output is routed, and how you have set up this in the MIDI 
Device Manager.
 
The MIDI Device Manager allows you to specify which MIDI instruments and other de-
vices are connected to the various MIDI outputs, thus making it possible to select 
patches by name. See page 145.
 
• Many of the basic track settings are duplicated in “mixer channel strip 
form”, in the Channel section at the bottom of the Inspector.
 
See page 12.
Lock button Activating this disables all editing of all events on the track.
Lane display type 
buttonAllows you to divide the tracks in lanes.
Edit In-Place button This opens a type of Key editor in the Project window that allows 
you to edit events in context with other tracks - see page 115.
Edit button This opens the channel settings window for the track (a win-
dow showing a channel strip with volume fader and other con-
trols, along with effect settings – see the chapter “The mixer” in 
the Operation Manual).
Volume Use this to adjust the level for the track. Changing this setting 
will move the track’s fader in the Mixer window, and vice versa. 
See the chapter “The mixer” in the Operation Manual for more 
about setting levels.
Pan Use this to adjust the panning of the track. 
Delay This adjusts the playback timing of the MIDI track. Positive val-
ues delay the playback while negative values cause the track to 
play earlier. The values are set in milliseconds.
In/Out/Chn pop-ups This is where you select MIDI input, MIDI output and MIDI 
channel for the track.
Open Device button If the MIDI track is routed to a VST instrument, clicking this but-
ton opens the control panel for the VST instrument.
Bnk/Prg/Programs Allows you to select sounds by sending MIDI Bank Select and 
Program Change messages (see below)
Map pop-up Allows you to select a drum map for the track – see page 128.  
Parameter Description 
						

							 
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1 – 12 MIDI realtime parameters and effects 
Other Inspector sections
 
Apart from the basic track settings (above), the Track Parameters and 
the effect sections (both described on the following pages), the In-
spector for a MIDI track also contains the following: 
The Channel section
 
This contains a single channel strip, allowing you to set volume, pan, 
mute/solo and other parameters for the track. This is a “mirror” of the 
track’s channel strip in the Nuendo mixer – see the chapter “The 
mixer” in the Operation Manual. 
The Notepad section
 
This is a standard notepad, allowing you to enter notes and comments 
about the track. Each track has its own notepad in the Inspector. 
The Network section
 
This contains controls related to Nuendo’s Network functions. See 
the Networking pdf document for information. 
						

							 
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MIDI realtime parameters and effects 1 – 13 
VST Instrument section
 
If the MIDI track is routed to a VST Instrument, an additional section 
will appear at the bottom of the Inspector, labeled with the name of 
the VST instrument. Clicking this section shows a duplicate of the In-
spector settings for the VST Instrument channel. This makes it easy to 
adjust the channel settings for the VST Instrument while you are edit-
ing the MIDI track. 
• 
If the VST Instrument has multiple outputs (and thus several mixer 
channels), there will be a setting called “Output” at the top of the VST 
Instrument section. 
User Panel section
 
This allows you to display MIDI device panels, which are control pan-
els for external hardware. See page 157.  
						

							 
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1 – 14 MIDI realtime parameters and effects 
Track parameters
 
The following settings will affect the MIDI events on the track in real 
time during playback. They will also be in effect if you play “live” with 
the track selected and record enabled (provided that “MIDI Thru Ac-
tive” is activated on the Preferences–MIDI page). This makes it possi-
ble to e.g. transpose or adjust the velocity of your live playing. 
• If you want to compare the result of your track parameters with the “un-
processed” MIDI, you can use the Bypass button in the Track Parameters 
section.
 
When this is activated, the Track Parameter settings will be temporarily disabled. A by-
passed section is indicated by its Inspector tab turning yellow.   
						

							 
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MIDI realtime parameters and effects 1 – 15 
Transpose
 
This allows you to transpose all notes on the track in semitones. The 
available range is -127 to +127 semitones, but remember that the to-
tal range of MIDI note numbers is 0 to 127. Furthermore, not all instru-
ments can play back notes over the whole range. Therefore, extreme 
transpositions can give rather strange and unwanted results. 
• You can also transpose individual MIDI parts using the Transpose field 
in the info line.
 
The transposition in the info line (for the individual part) is added to the transpose value 
you have set up for the whole track in the Inspector.
 
Velocity Shift
 
This setting lets you change the dynamics of all notes on the track. 
The value in this field is added to the velocity of each note message 
that is sent out (use negative values to lower the velocities). The range 
is -127 to +127 with 0 representing no change in velocity.
Note that the effects of changing the velocity depends on the sound 
and instrument. 
• You can also adjust the velocity of events in individual MIDI parts using 
the Velocity field in the info line.
 
The velocity shift in the info line (for the individual part) is added to the velocity shift you 
have set up for the whole track in the Inspector. 
						

							 
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1 – 16 MIDI realtime parameters and effects 
Velocity Compression
 
This function multiplies the velocity values with the factor you specify. 
This factor is set using a numerator (left value) and a denominator (right 
value), resulting in a fractional number (1/2, 3/4, 3/2 etc.). For example, 
if you set the factor to 3/4, the velocities will be three quarters of their 
original values. The point is, that this will also affect the difference in ve-
locity between the notes, thereby compressing or expanding the veloc-
ity scale. Typically, you would combine this setting with the Velocity 
Shift parameter. An example:
Let’s say you have three notes with the velocity values 60, 90 and 120, 
and wish to “even out” the velocity differences somewhat. If you set the 
Velocity Compression value to 1/2, the notes will play back with the ve-
locities 30, 45 and 60. By adding 60 in the Velocity Shift field, you will 
have the notes playing back with the velocities 90, 105 and 120, mean-
ing you have in effect compressed the velocity range. 
In a similar way, you can use Velocity Compression values greater than 
1/1 together with negative values in the Velocity Shift field, to expand 
the velocity range. 
Remember that the maximum velocity is always 127 no matter how 
 
much you try to expand.
 
Length Compression
 
This value adjusts the lengths of all notes on the track. As with Veloc-
ity Compression, the value is set with a numerator and denominator. 
For example, the value 2/1 means that all note lengths will be doubled, 
while 1/4 means all note lengths will be quarter of the actual lengths. 
						

							 
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MIDI realtime parameters and effects 1 – 17 
Random
 
The Random settings let you introduce random variations to various 
properties of MIDI notes. Anything from very subtle variations to dra-
matic changes can be applied. There are two separate “Random gen-
erators”, each of which are set up in the following way: 
1. 
Pull down the Random pop-up menu and select which note property 
should be randomized. 
The options are position, pitch, velocity and length. 
 
• Keep in mind that depending on the content of the track, certain para-
meter changes might not be immediately noticeable, or have any effect 
at all (as would be the case if applying random length to a percussion 
track playing “one-shot” samples for example). 
 
To best audition the random changes choose a track with clearly defined rhythm and 
note content, if possible (as opposed to a string pad).
 
2. 
Set the desired range of random deviation by entering values in the 
two number fields. 
The two values govern the limits of the randomization, so that the values will vary be-
tween the left value and the right value (you cannot set the left value higher than the 
right value). The maximum random range for each property is listed in the table below:
 
 
 
• Note again that you can make independent settings for the two random 
generators.
 
• 
To deactivate the Random function, pull down the Random pop-up 
menu(s) and select “OFF”. 
Property Range 
Position -500 to +500 ticks
Pitch -120 to +120 semitones
Velocity -120 to +120 
Length -500 to +500 ticks 
						

							 
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1 – 18 MIDI realtime parameters and effects 
Range
 
The Range function lets you specify a note (pitch) or velocity range and 
either force all notes to fit within this range, or exclude all notes outside 
this range from playback. As with the Random function, there are two 
separate Range settings. Set them up as follows: 
1. 
Pull down the Range pop-up menu and select one of the following 
four modes: 
2. 
Use the two fields to the right to set the min and max values. 
These values will be shown as numbers (0-127) for the velocity modes and as note 
numbers (C-2 to G8) for the pitch modes.
 
Note again that you can make independent settings for the two Range 
functions. 
• 
To deactivate the Range function, pull down the Range pop-up 
menu(s) and select “OFF”. 
Mode Description 
Vel. Limit This function affects all velocity values outside the specified range. Ve-
locity values below the Min setting (the lower limit of the range) are set 
to the Min value, and velocity values above the Max setting are set to 
the Max value. Notes with velocity values within the set range are not 
affected. Use this if you want to force all velocity values to fit within a 
certain range.
Vel. Filter Velocity Filter works by excluding all notes with velocity values out-
side the specified range. Notes with velocity values below the Min 
setting or above the Max setting will not be played back. Use this to 
“isolate” notes with certain velocity values.
Note Limit This function allows you to specify a pitch range, and forces all notes 
to fit within this range. Notes outside the specified range are trans-
posed up or down in octave steps until they fit within the range.
Note: If the range is too “narrow”, so that some notes cannot be fit 
within the range by octave-transposing, these notes will get a pitch in 
the middle of the range. For example, if you have a note with a pitch 
of F3, and the range is C4-E4, that note will be transposed to D4.
Note Filter Note Filter works by excluding all notes with pitches outside the 
specified range. Notes lower than the Min setting or higher than the 
Max setting will not be played back. Use this to “isolate” notes with 
certain pitches. 
						

							 
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MIDI realtime parameters and effects 1 – 19 
MIDI effects
 
Nuendo comes with a number of MIDI effect plug-ins, capable of 
transforming the MIDI output from a track in various ways.
Just like the MIDI track parameters, MIDI effects are applied in real 
time to the MIDI data played back from the track (or to MIDI you play 
live “thru” the track). 
What are MIDI effects?
 
Although a MIDI effect can be similar to an audio effect, it’s important 
to remember that you’re not processing the sound resulting from MIDI 
playback, but the MIDI data (the “instructions” for how the music 
should be played back). 
A MIDI effect will change properties of the MIDI events (e.g. change 
the pitch of notes) and/or generate new MIDI events (for example, a 
MIDI delay may add new MIDI notes, “echoing” the original notes). 
• For descriptions of the inlcuded MIDI effect plug-ins, see page 8.
 
Insert and send effects
 
As with audio effects, there are two ways to route the MIDI events on 
a track to an effect: 
• If you add an insert effect, the MIDI events will be sent to the effect, 
which will process the data and pass it on to the track’s MIDI output 
(or to another insert effect).
 
In other words, the MIDI events will be routed “through” the insert effect.
 
• If you use a send effect, the MIDI events will be sent both to the track’s 
MIDI output and to the effect.
 
That is, you will get both the unprocessed MIDI events and the output of the MIDI ef-
fect. Note that the effect can send its processed MIDI data to any MIDI output – not 
necessarily to the one used by the track.
 
There are separate sections in the Inspector for Inserts and Sends: 
						

							 
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1 – 20 MIDI realtime parameters and effects 
Inserts section
 
This allows you to add up to four MIDI insert effects. The section con-
tains the following items: 
• Effects that display their controls in the Inspector can be forced to ap-
pear in a separate control panel window by pressing [Alt]/[Option] and 
clicking the Edit button.
 
Item Description 
Edit button Opens the Channel Settings window for the MIDI track.
Bypass button Click this to temporarily disable all insert effects for the track (use-
ful for comparing with the unprocessed MIDI, etc.).
Inserts section tab This lights blue if any insert effect is activated.
Effect selection 
pop-up menu (x 4)Selecting an effect from this pop-up menu automatically activates it 
and brings up its control panel (which can be a separate window or 
a number of settings below the insert slot in the Inspector).
To remove an insert effect completely, select “No Effect”.
On button (x 4) Allows you to turn the selected effect on or off.
Edit button (x4) Click this to bring up the control panel for the selected effect. De-
pending on the effect, this may appear in a separate window or be-
low the insert slot in the Inspector. Clicking the button again hides 
the control panel.