amp_velcurve_N

User-defined amplifier velocity curve.

This opcode range allows defining a specific point along the amplifier velocity curve. The value of the opcode indicates the normalized amplitude (0 to 1) for the specified velocity. N can be from 0 to 127.

The player will interpolate lineraly between specified opcodes for unspecified ones:

amp_velcurve_1=0.2 amp_velcurve_3=0.3
// amp_velcurve_2 is calculated to 0.25

If amp_velcurve_127 is not specified, the player will assign it the value of 1.

Examples

There are several common ways to use this opcode. One is to reduce the dynamic range so that low-velocity notes will still produce a fairly loud sound. This is similar (but probably not quite identical mathematically) to setting amp_veltrack to less than 100.

// linear, compressed dynamic range
// amplitude changes from 0.5 to 1
amp_velcurve_1=0.5

It can also be used to set up a specific velocity response.

amp_velcurve_1=0.1
amp_velcurve_63=0.25
amp_velcurve_95=0.5

This opcode is also often used with dynamic layers to make each sample play at its full amplitude at the top of its velocity layer, as shown below for a kick drum with four dynamic layers. Note that there's no reason to set amp_velcurve_N values for N below the lovel or above the hivel for a particular region. So, in practice, this often ends up meaning just setting amp_velcurve_N=1 with N being equal to the hivel value for each layer.

<region>hivel=31 amp_velcurve_31=1 sample=kick_vl1.wav
<region>lovel=32 hivel=63 amp_velcurve_63=1 sample=kick_vl2.wav
<region>lovel=64 hivel=95 amp_velcurve_95=1 sample=kick_vl3.wav
<region>lovel=96 sample=kick_vl4.wav

This could also be combined with the first example so that velocity 1 hits will still be reasonably audible.

<region>hivel=31 amp_velcurve_1=0.3 amp_velcurve_31=1 sample=kick_vl1.wav
<region>lovel=32 hivel=63 amp_velcurve_63=1 sample=kick_vl2.wav
<region>lovel=64 hivel=95 amp_velcurve_95=1 sample=kick_vl3.wav
<region>lovel=96 sample=kick_vl4.wav

Practical Considerations

As a MIDI velocity 0 note is a note-off message, amp_velcurve_0 never actually needs to be set. It just creates a slightly different starting point for one side of the interpolation, compared to setting amp_velcurve_1. By default, amp_velcurve_0 is effectively 0. If amp_velcurve is not set for any N, then amp_velcurve_0 is 0 and amp_velcurve_127 is 1, and the volume for notes with velocity is the same as if amp_velcurve_1=0.007874016.

Both amp_velcurve_n and amp_veltrack can be used together, though there's probably more risk of confusion than benefit to doing this.

Name Version Type Default Range Unit
amp_velcurve_N SFZ v1 float Standard curve (see amp_veltrack) 0 to 1 N/A

Category: Performance Parameters, Amplifier