Expression Maps dialog

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

Although the format of expression maps in Dorico Pro is similar to Cubase, Dorico Pro does not handle expression maps in exactly the same ways. For example, Dorico Pro allows you to use more playback playing techniques, but Cubase can reproduce more combinations of multiple playback playing techniques.

The Expression Maps dialog contains the following sections and options:

1. Expression maps list

   Contains the expression maps currently available for your project.

   The action bar at the bottom of the list contains the following options:

   • Add Expression Map: Adds a new expression map that contains no existing settings.

     

   • Duplicate: Creates a copy of an existing expression map that you can edit separately from the original.

     

   • Delete Expression Map: Deletes the selected expression maps.

     

     Note

     You can only delete custom expression maps. You cannot delete any default expression maps.

2. Search field

   Allows you to search for expression maps by name.

3. Show only expression maps used in this project

   Allows you to filter the expression maps list so it only includes expression maps used in the current project.

4. Expression Map Data section

   Allows you to specify the following identifying information for the selected expression map:

   • Name: Allows you to set the name of the expression map that appears in the program, for example, in the Endpoint Setup dialog.

   • ID: Allows you to set the unique ID of the expression map. You can enter any content in the ID field.

     It can be useful to include the instrument and sound library for which you created the map, as well as your name, for example, xmap.user.paulsmith.hso.violinpizz.

   • Creator: Allows you to name the creator if you are sharing your expression map with other users.

   • Version: Allows you to indicate the expression map version so you can identify the most recent one.

   • Plug-ins: Allows you to list the names of plug-ins to which the expression map applies, with each name separated by a comma. You can leave this field blank.

   • Description: Allows you to add any other information about the expression map.

   Note

   All fields in the Expression Map Data section are locked by the Lock Info button. You must click this button in order to change the information in the fields.

   You can hide/show the Expression Map Data section by clicking the section header.

5. Techniques and Actions section

   Contains subsections that allow you to view, edit, and control the playback playing techniques in the selected expression map.

   You can hide/show the Techniques and Actions section by clicking the section header.

6. Techniques list

   Contains a list of playback playing techniques for the expression map currently selected.

   In simple cases, entries in the Techniques list are individual playback playing techniques, such as Staccato or Accent. However, it is possible to combine multiple playback playing techniques for plug-ins that have separate samples for different combinations of playback playing techniques. For example, Staccato + Accent might require a separate set of key switches to Staccato and Accent individually.

   Note

   Most instruments have a “natural” playback playing technique, which is the most common way of playing the instrument. Dorico Pro requires every instrument to have a defined natural playback playing technique.

   Selecting a playback playing technique in the Techniques list allows you to edit its controls and actions.

   The action bar at the bottom of the list contains the following options:

   • Add Technique: Allows you to add a new playback playing technique or combination of playback playing techniques to the expression map from the available playback playing techniques in the Playing Technique Combinations dialog.

     

   • Edit Technique: Opens the Playing Technique Combinations dialog, which allows you to edit the combination of playback playing techniques used in the selected playback playing technique.

     

     You can also edit existing playback playing techniques by double-clicking them in the Techniques list.

   • Duplicate: Creates a copy of an existing playback playing technique that you can edit separately from the original.

     

   • Delete Technique: Deletes the selected playback playing technique.

     

     Note

     You can only select one playback playing technique at a time in the Techniques list.

7. Technique controls

   Contains controls that affect the playback playing technique selected in the Techniques list, such as Velocity. It also contains Volume dynamic, which allows you to choose whether the volume dynamic for the selected playback playing technique is controlled by its Note velocity or a Control change. For sound libraries that use both, you can use Use Secondary dynamic to define an additional volume control.

   Note

   If you choose Control change for Volume dynamic, you must specify the controller by number. You can consult the documentation for the VST instrument and/or MIDI controller you are using to find the appropriate controller number.

8. Actions subsection

   Allows you to determine how the switch required to execute each playback playing technique is controlled. This subsection also contains the details of existing actions required to produce the selected playback playing technique.

   Actions can be any of the following types:

   • Control change

   • Program change

   • Key switch

   Note

   Depending on your plug-in, multiple types of actions can be required to change individual playback playing techniques.

   Actions are displayed in a table with three columns.

   

   The first column shows the type of action.

   The second column controls the first parameter of the MIDI event. For note events, this indicates the pitch. For control changes, this indicates the control change number. For program changes, this indicates the program number.

   The third column controls the second parameter of the MIDI event. For note events, this indicates the velocity. For control changes, this indicates the amount of control change within the range 0 to 127. Program changes do not have a second parameter.

   The action bar at the bottom of the subsection contains the following options:

   • Add Control Change Action: Adds a control change action with default settings.

     

   • Add Program Change Action: Adds a program change action with default settings.

     

   • Add Note Event Action: Adds a key switch action with default settings.

     

   • Add Absolute Channel Change Action: Adds an absolute channel change action with default settings.

   • Add Relative Channel Change Action: Adds a relative channel change action with default settings.

   • Duplicate Action: Creates a copy of an existing action that you can then edit separately from the original.

     

   • Delete Action: Deletes the selected action.

     

     Note

     You can only select one action at a time in the Actions table.

   The Actions subsection also allows you to specify which actions affect the start of notes and which affect the end of notes. For example, you might want an event that resets the playback playing technique back to normal to apply only to the end of notes.

   • On events affects the start of notes.

   • Off events affects the end of notes.

   You can also use Middle C (note 60) to choose the pitch for middle C, as there are different conventions for this. We recommend that you consult the documentation for your sound libraries to check whether each one considers middle C to be C3, C4, or C5, and change this setting accordingly.

9. Mutual Exclusion Groups section

   Allows you to specify playback playing techniques that are mutually exclusive, that is, cannot be in use concurrently. For example, players cannot play vibrato and non-vibrato at the same time. Putting playback playing techniques into the same exclusion group means only one can be used at a time.

   Mutual exclusion groups apply only to the selected expression map. This allows you to set different mutual exclusion groups in each expression map, for example, if one of your sound libraries supports a particular playback playing technique combination for an instrument but another sound library does not.

   The Mutual Exclusion Groups column allows you to add and delete mutual exclusion groups. The action bar at the bottom of the column contains the following options:

   • Add: Opens a dialog that allows you to create a new mutual exclusion group and enter a name for it.

     

   • Delete: Deletes the selected mutual exclusion group.

     

     Note

     You can only select one mutual exclusion group at a time.

   The Has techniques column allows you to change the playback playing techniques included in the selected mutual exclusion group. The action bar at the bottom of the column contains the following options:

   • Add: Opens the Playing Technique Combinations dialog that allows you to select playback playing techniques to add to the selected mutual exclusion group.

     

   • Delete: Deletes the selected playback playing technique from the mutual exclusion group.

     

     Note

     You can only select one playback playing technique at a time.

   You can hide/show the Mutual Exclusion Groups section by clicking the section header.

10. Reset to Library Defaults

    Allows you to revert any changes you have made to the expression maps from the Default Library.

11. Import Library

    Opens the File Explorer/macOS Finder, where you can select the .doricolib files that you want to import as expression maps.

12. Export Library

    Opens the File Explorer/macOS Finder, where you can select the location to which you want to export the currently selected expression maps as a .doricolib file. You can then import the .doricolib file into other projects and share it with other users.

13. Import Cubase Expression Map

    Opens the File Explorer/macOS Finder, where you can select the Cubase format expression maps you want to import.

    Note

    It is not currently possible to import all combinations of playback playing techniques. Cubase expression maps in Dorico Pro often require some editing to function correctly.

    However, switch data is preserved.