Playing techniques in playback

Each playing technique you can create in Write mode corresponds to a technique that you can map in the Expression Maps dialog.

  • You can open the Expression Maps dialog in Play mode by choosing Play > Expression Maps.

In the Techniques section of the dialog, you can edit existing techniques. You can also create new combinations of playing techniques in the Technique Combinations dialog. For example, you can combine Pizzicato and Tremolo to allow the pizzicato and tremolo techniques to be applied to the same note simultaneously.

When you input a playing technique in Write mode, the expression map looks for that playing technique. If it cannot be found, the playing technique applied either remains the same as the previous technique or reverts to the natural technique.

Custom playing techniques that use playback playing techniques that do not already exist in expression maps do not play back automatically. In order for them to play back appropriately, you must add them to the expression maps for each instrument for which you want to use them. You must also assign an action for each custom playing technique that determines how the switch required to execute the technique is controlled.

You can see which playing techniques are being applied in the Playing Techniques lane, which you can show by expanding individual instruments in Play mode.

Tip

If you have input a playing technique but cannot hear a change in the sound, that could be because you are using a combination of playing techniques that the expression map does not expect. For example, if you input a new playing technique without cancelling an existing playing technique, the expression map cannot process the two playing techniques together if the expression map does not have an entry for those two techniques combined.

To avoid playing technique clashes, input a naturale, or nat., playing technique to return the software instrument to its natural state. You can then input new playing techniques without clashes.