MIDI composing/arranging discussion.

[Acoustica Greg]

Hi,

In addition, some virtual instruments have velocity layers, so you might actually be playing a different sound when the velocity goes way up.

Greg

[ChubbyJerk]

PS: If you're curious about the seemingly random number 127, that's due to midi's roots in early computer hardware. A max value of 127 has 128 total values (0-127). It's all about binary, 0s and 1s, and the powers of 2.

These days, it would be easy to work around and create whatever limits and ranges you wanted, but legacy midi is based on early computers, and thus we're stuck with that.

[clavguy]

127 = 0x7F in hex format.. Controller values such as velocity use the range from 0 to 0x7F. Values greater than 0x7F are shown below

0x80 - 0x8F Note off
0x90 - 0x9F Note on
0xA0 - 0xAF Polyphonic Key-Aftertouch
0xB0 - 0xBF Control Change
0xC0 - 0xCF Program Change
0xD0 - 0xDF Channel Aftertouch
0xE0 - 0xEF Pitch Bend
0xF0 - 0xFF System Messages

And, that uses up all 8 bits of a single byte.

[Mark Bliss]

Thanks so much to all who responded, all interesting and useful stuff.

But I think we got a little off track of the point of my question. I am aware of the background and reason for 128 units of velocity/volume etc. And the difference between and relationship between velocity and volume, and even the layers explanation. But again, thanks so much for trying to clarify all that. Good content for the intent of this thread anyway!

But backing up, Again, as an example-
I have a midi drum track playing multiple instruments. (Say kick, and toms) on the same track. (I usually seperate them for obvious reasons, but it makes a great example for my question.)
We have a track volume adjustment, a VSTi volume adjustment (0-200% with 100% being the default.) and a relative adjustment for the notes in the form of the velocity/volume trims of 0-127 respectively.
In our example case, say the kick drum is more than a little weak, and you want to raise it relative to the toms. (This seems a common scenario in my experience so far.)
Switching the velocity to volume in the editing screen, there is no default setting. setting it to anything lower than 100 makes it lower, and in my experience setting it over 100 makes no difference unless you raise the VSTi output level above 100%.
(Can anyone confirm this, or is it just me?)
So I raise the VSTi output to say 125%, now I can raise the kick relative to the toms, even if its now by lowering the toms, but of course since I have also raised the overall volume, I likely have to lower the track volume.......
I'm just trying to wrap my head around this while trying to learn something. I am more familiar with audio gain staging and this midi/VSTi stuff is just weird to me.

Am I overthinking it? (Likely) Should I just forget it since it becomes a moot point with seperate tracks or better VSTi's? I mean, I'd really be fine with saying, "yeah I can do it that way, but why would I if I have XXXSuperDrummerExtreme?"

[ChubbyJerk]

EQ tweaks can certainly help with some of that as well.