Extending Instrument Range [Solved]

J

Is it possible to extend the range of spitfire instruments? Specifically, I am working with the Trumpet and Xylophone patch in the Bernard Herman Library which plays in Kontakt. The lowest sample is at F#3 and I just need ONE pitch lower. I tried extending the key range for that group in the graphical mapping editor, but it did not work. I suspect that these more complicated/professional libraries have those settings deeper in. Does anyone know if this is possible? Or are spitfire products more like Apple in that they don't like you to get "under the hood?"

Thanks!

Justin

You can use the Tuning knob in Kontakt (next to the Solo / Mute buttons in the loaded instrument), then transpose your MIDI controller in the opposite direction (so if you tune down 1 semitone, transpose your MIDI controller up 1 semitone). Any existing MIDI parts in the piece will also need to be transposed by the same amount.

J

Thank you!! Such an easy fix.

Justin

No problem! It works fine for small amounts, but artifacts will increase as you increase the amount you detune the instrument. A better, but more time-consuming, way to do this is to use automation to adjust the Tuning knob just for the single out-of-range note, transpose that one note in your MIDI region, and then set the Tuning knob back to zero. Then you are only using pitch stretching on the notes which need it, instead of everything.

Hincheymusic

And additional tip, in Cubase (and many DAWs) you can add a Midi modifier to the track. So in the above example you've transposed the instrument down a semitone. Set the Midi modifier to transpose all midi up a semitone. Now your pitches on your track are still at 'concert pitch' but the Midi note info sent to the VI are up a semitone. Now you don't have to keep doing the mental calculations on that track as you are working.

gregoryd

Irrelevant comment: F#3 is the lowest note a trumpet can actually play chromatically.

Although virtual libraries are capable of bending the rules of orchestration a bit, they would not be able to actually play below F#3 (and to actually to get an F#3 would specifically require a C trumpet).

Ken

https://community.spitfireaudio.com/discussion/comment/1654#Comment_1654

Whilst you are of course correct about the instrument range (as i'm sure the OP is also aware of); the ironic thing is that Herrmann was all about 'rule' breaking. I'm sure if he was composing today with top quality sample libraries, He'd be writing plenty of out-of-range parts and mangling sounds.

I think the comment is very relevant...

Emilien

https://community.spitfireaudio.com/discussion/comment/1654#Comment_1654

I partially agree with you : the F#3 concert pitch is the lowest note for a trumpet, only if it is a C trumpet. Being a trumpet player, I can play E3 because I play F#3 on a Bb trumpet. With a A trumpet, you would be able to hear a D#3 at concert pitch when you play a F#3.

Long story short, the lowest note in concert pitch depends on the tuning of the instrument. I believe that these days Bb trumpets are the most common (except for John Williams who mostly writes for C trumpets). It would seem appropriate for library manufacturers to sample Bb trumpets, with a range for down to E3 (concert pitch).

However there are trumpets in almost all key tuning (yes, Db and G exist 😅 ). This is mainly the case for trumpets and horns, because of historical limitations. Though the sound is slightly different depending on the tuning, it would make no sense to sample each version.

A good universal solution could be to allow people to freely extend the range of the most common instrument, to cover most of the users needs. Sine Player has this feature directly in the user interface, no under the hood tweakings. For Kontakt, it is up to NI to add this feature, but I think Spitfire should include it in their own player. If someone at Spitfire's takes a look over here... 🙄😁

FGM

I just saw these old posts and it turns out I think perhaps it might be understood otherwise.

I should ask about making a trump play its range, unaltered, but from a DIFFERENT KEYBOARD RANGE.

So if the trumpet lowest note is F#3 it might very well rise the need to make it sound when playing D5 as I play the keyboard with a large orchestration.

So the trumpet remains a trumpet, sounds within its range, but it is accessed from other keys, as the fingering allows it.

Doing so allows playing a single key while triggering many different instruments, say you play D4 and it sounds a choir A4, a harpsichords D4, a trumpet A3 and a bell F2.

😀😀😀😀