Cool Midi Sustain Trick

[Brent Paschke]

Some of you may already know this, but for those who don’t, I thought I’d share this. I just got a job programming for a well-known producer in LA who uses Logic. Considering I've never used Logic, prior to this job, it was quite a tough learning curve. One of the main reasons we don't use Protools is because this producer usually starts everything on a midi piano. One of the issues with recording midi piano in Protools is the problem with the “sustain” pedal. Anybody who has recorded midi piano knows that when you make a mistake and stop to punch, you not only have to erase the notes, but you also have to go to the drop down “sustain” menu so that when you punch back in, the “sustain” pedal isn’t stuck. This is a hassle considering that the only way to get to the “sustain” pedal view is to either scroll down in the track view editor or to use the quick key, which is holding the control and command keys simultaneously and taping the right arrow key.

Let me explain this quick key. Let’s say you’re in the notes view. If you hold down the control and command keys simultaneously and then tap the right or left arrow key it will scroll through the track views. If you hold down the control and command keys simultaneously and tap the right arrow key from the “notes” view you have to scroll 12 times before you get to “sustain”.

From top to bottom, scrolling through the track view, the layout will be like this:

Blocks
Regions
Notes
Velocity
Volume
Mute
Pan
Pitch bend
Mono aftertouch
Program change
Sysex
Mod wheel
Breath cntrl
Foot cntrl
Sustain

If you’re at “sustain” and you need to get back to “notes”, you could hold the control and command keys simultaneously and tap the left arrow key all the way back to the notes view. But, there is a quicker way to achieve this. If you hit the – (minus) key it will take you back to notes! This isn’t really as quick as Logic because in Logic you can set up a screen set and do all of this (among other things) in one page. There is a way, though, to get to the “notes” view, “sustain” view and “velocity” view with the click of a mouse if you have a Kensington Mouse Works track ball.

There are 4 buttons on the Kensington Mouse Works track ball. Go into your system preferences and click MouseWorks. Make sure “buttons” is selected and where it says “Applications Settings”, select “Pro Tools.” In this window you can edit the 4 buttons on your MouseWorks mouse. You can also set up the top 2 and bottom 2, if pushed together, to do different commands.

Say you want your top left button to be “sustain”. Selected that button and go to “keystrokes”. Place your cursor in the big window on the top. Hold control and command simultaneously and tap the right arrow key 15 times. Move out of that window and, at the bottom, label it “sustain.” Hit OK. The reason you tap the right arrow 15 times is because “sustain” is the last option in the track view list. Even if you’re at “foot cntrl”, which is right above “sustain”, it will go to “sustain”. It’s 14 taps from “blocks” (the top track view) but 15 taps will always get you there safely. You could tap it 100 times and it still would stop at “sustain.”

For instance, say you wanted your top right button to be “notes”. Select your top right button and go to “keystrokes”. Place your cursor in the big window and type – (minus.) Move out of the big window and label it “notes” on the bottom. Hit OK.

Now say you wanted your bottom right button to be “velocity”. Select your bottom right button and go to “keystrokes.” Place your cursor in the big window, hold the control and command keys simultaneously and tap the left arrow key 15 times and then tap the right arrow key 3 times. Move out of the big window and label it “sustain” on the bottom. Hit OK.

Now you have quick keys to get to “velocity”, “notes”, or “sustain” views with the push of one button!

Good Luck

I should specify that I'm using 6.9.3 on OS 10.4.2

[accession]

Just chiming in to say, "Great tip!".

Gotta get myself a multi-button mouse now...

[Brent Paschke]

I should note that I posted this in 2 locations on the Digi User Conference. One in the Protools TDM for Mac area and one in the Midi Area. Make sure to check both areas.