can someone explain velocity curve in layman's terms?

i have my pads split up with different curves in hopes to hear the velocity curve differences. ive had it liek this for about a year, and i still cant tell the difference. can someone explain it to me, ive done some reasearch but reading some of that ish is over my head, so im looking for a simple, yet thurough explainination.

thanks in advance

also, some of the pads i use most seem to become less sensitive than the rest, is that right? turning the pad number higher in OTHER menu makes it more sensitive, correct?

Laymans terms:

Velocity curves refer to the variations in the volume while a sound is playing.

On a synthesizer the 'envelope' section is the part that determines how long a noise takes to get to full volume, the amount of time for the peak to fade out to a constant and the amount of time before it disappears completely.

On the 1k the priciple is the same with yer samples

I find the velocity curves on the 1k particularly useful on looped sounds eg a string noise. Try putting the attack up a bit and the decay up too. And changing it from start to end (or vice versa cant remember)

This gives your sample a gradual fade in then when you release the pad it will fade out. This diagram may clear things up a bit.

I've just re-read your Q and realised I got it completely wrong!

Oh Well!!!!!

acidsid wrote:I've just re-read your Q and realised I got it completely wrong!

Oh Well!!!!!

Yeah dude was referring to Other mode then under pad you can adjust pad sensitivity and velocity curve.

Honestly I've messed around with it and it makes a difference when you take full level off. I think it's kinda like a fine adjust for overall pad sensitivity, but there may be more to it I'm not sure. I got all my pads set the same. Pad sensitivity is on 3 and the curve is set to A. I would actually like some more enlightenment on this too if someone has the scoop.

If you ever wanted to know about ADSR Envelopes too. Dude just saved you some time.

It's easy to adjust Attack and Decay in the 1k. Just go to Program highlight the number under LVL for the sample you want to change the envelope on and hit window.

I know this has nothing to do with your question but I thought I would add on to what dude said.

yeah i use attack and decay frequently, im familiar with those features. thanks though.

and acidsid, thats a good diagram, not what we were looking for, but related and helpful nonetheless.

one question, what is sustain level and release time? correct me if im wrong on attack/decay:

attack - the higher the numberm, the longer the envelop going into the sample, the longer it takes to fade in

decay - the higher the number the sharper the envelope on the way out of the sample

sustain - ?

release time - ?

Well I know what velo. curve is supposed to be, typically (it applies to keyboards, etc too)::

If you hit the pad light, velo gets trigger with a low value.
Hard == high value... now you all knew that, right.
But what about in between, that's where the curve comes in:: with a steep curve, even medium pressure will get pretty high velocity, with a shallow curve, it only gets loud once yer hitting it close to maximum. So, the curve controls the transition from light to hard. ie it controls the relationship between how you hit it and what comes out.

Make any sense?

okay and re:: ADSR curves, Ill try that,
(there's probably way better explanations if u just google, but...)

keep in mind that the full ADSR envelope usually only applies to 'note on' type sounds where you have two midi signals, note on and then note off later. "One shot" type sounds have the note on/off all come at once, so things are a little different.

But, say it's note on, and your sound source has a full ADSR curve, here's what happens::
(you press the pad or key)
the envelope goes up to its peak, it takes a certain time to do that according to ATTACK value.
(you are still holding the pad)
the envelope goes down from the peak to the level set by SUSTAIN (thus sustain is a level, not a time) the time it takes to go from the peak to sustain level is called the DECAY.
(you are still holding the pad...)
as long as you hold it now, the envelope just stays at SUSTAIN level.
(you let go of the pad...)
now the envelope goes from SUSTAIN level down to zero. The time that takes is set by the RELEASE time.

when it's just "ONE SHOT" mode, maybe only attack and decay apply, i'm not sure. Actually i think on the MPC it just goes up by the ATTACK time, stays at full volume for a while and then fades out with the DECAY time. F** now I'm confusing myself, anyway i think the mpc1k doesn't give u the whole curve. I think it just goes up, stays constant, and then goes down, without that extra "peak" of a typical envelope.

Anybody wanna help out?

whoa man

i think i understand what your sayign about the peak, sustain and release

that alll makes sense

and thanks for your time and input, i appreaciate it.

now my question, how are these curves effectively used?

with the velo. curve, u basically try to find something that matches your playing style:: if you got heavy hands probably use a curve that takes it down a bit. Or, for a certain part or style you can use that curve to make your playing sound a bit lighter or heavier.

As for the AD or ADSR curves, well there's a million ways I guess. Simple thing for drums is to lengthen A to take the edge off the drum attack... lengthen D to make the sound 'fade out' at the end instead of just cutting off.
But it goes way beyond that too, basically envelope (which can be amplitude, or filter) is one of the most important ways to shape the sound.