Trim volume for MIDI tracks

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BriamJH

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The trim volume knobs on my MIDI tracks do not work - they indicate "Velocity". Is this normal. Is it possible to get Volume knobs on MIDI tracks. I have attached screen shots of my Preferences and a MIDI track.
 

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Brian, there are two main settings for MIDI (assuming a VSTi), one is velocity which indicates how hard the not is to be played. The second is the channel fader in how much is gong to be sent to the a bus or the master. Since the tone is not created until the MIDI file is played, there is nothing to trim (that would be analog). Therefore process the MIDI file like a live instrument. If you do render the output to another channel (it will have to process it), then the rendered sound can be treated as a normal analog file.

I hope I didn't confuse you, but the the main point here is, the sound doesn't exits until the MIDI file is processed, either played or rendered.
 
Velocity controls loudness as DM60 says, but you have MIDI volume on controller 7 and expression on 11 - Think of 7 as the volume knob you set and forget, and then expression is the playing volume - like a foot pedal on a guitar, or the swell pedal on an organ. 7 and 11 to 127 give maximum smoke, IF you play hard and hit maximum there too.

Annoyingly, many VSTi's now use a mixture of these. Expression might also impact tone, or some other parameter, so it is not fixed in stone. Most DAWs let you edit these in the sequence, and you can usually automate them too. Pan, modulation and sustain pedal info also has a unique control channel.

Velocity is a real giveaway because often tracks that have been generated elsewhere just have every note velocity the same. This is perfectly OK on instruments that in the real world always sound the same - like organs. Guitars, pianos and basses (and loads more) have every note a different velocity - and 7 can be used like a real volume knob. Expression does similar, up to the maximum you set using controller 7.
 
Thanks. I think rendering/freezing the track will do the trick. Many thanks, Brian
 
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