MIDI CCs

MIDI CCs (Continuous Controllers) provide modulation sources that can be used to control the effect of other opcodes.

MIDI CCs are "attached" to target opcodes by appending ccN, although the syntax for these varies:

  • SFZ1 generally uses _ccN or ccN (for example cutoff_ccN or ampeg_releaseccN).
  • SFZ2 introduces a range of additional modulations using _onccN (for example delay_samples_onccN), although the ccN and _ccN versions may be aliases, depending on implementation.

The opcode list provides details of which aliases are available in which player.

ARIA extends some of the modulations with "high definition" values, using hdccN - see extended MIDI CCs for details, which also covers "MIDI CC" modulators beyond the standard MIDI CC number range (i.e. 128 and upwards).

Whilst MIDI CC values range from 0 to 127, the units and ranges of the targets that can be modulated vary widely. In many cases, 128 steps may be acceptable for what you need. However, adjustments can be made to the degree each step has using a number of additional modifiers - again, see the opcode list for details of where they can be used:

Examples

The primary effect of the ccN/_ccN/_onccN modulations is to adjust the target within a set range controlled by the incoming MIDI controller number value.

For example:

width=0
width_cc12=100

This sets width to zero, but enables opening up width back to 100% using CC12. Depending on implementation, the following may also be possible:

<control>
set_hdcc12=0.5 label_cc12=width
curve_cc12=1

<global>
width=50
width_cc12=50

In this example, width starts at 50%, CC12 starts midway, and curve 1 is used, which means that midpoint is zero. Pushing CC12 to maximum will add 50, pushing width to 100%, pulling CC12 to minimum will subtract 50, pulling width to zero. See for <control> and <global> details, see headers.

See also the related tutorials for SFZ1 and SFZ2.