Pitch Bends
Have you tried using pitch bends in MIDI programming?
If you're a good synth player, you might be able to pull it off. But what if, like me, you're not a fantastic synth player? Some of our MIDI instruments will sound better if the pitch bends can be regulated.
Pitch bends are best employed in guitar parts for guitar slides and 'hammer ons' and 'hammer offs,' rather than playing the notes. Incorporating pitch bends will provide a more genuine sounding instrument.
Still, the best way to do guitar parts is to record them with a real guitar. That is really the best way to do it. However, if you are not a guitarist and cannot find a good guitarist or do not have the budget to hire one, and you are left with the option of MIDI recording it, then this tip is worth trying.
In MIDI, the whole bend is turned into a number, 8192. (Most sequencers enable us to enter a maximum of 8191 characters.)
So, 8191 for the full up curve and -8191 for the entire down bend.
The bend range of a keyboard or sound module is two semitones by default. It denotes that the note is D if you whole up bend from C, and Bb if you whole down bend from C.
What about an octave, say, from C4 to C5? More than two semitones are frequently required when completing a slide up or slide down.
Note: NRPN or Non Registered Parameter Number values are for General MIDI sound modules or GS sound modules. If you are using virtual or software synthesizers, refer to the settings of the synths or just manually set up the bend range of the virtual synths.
This is accomplished by using NRPNs 101 and 100 with both values of 0, followed by CC 6 with a semitone value of your choice. If you want one octave, CC 6 should be 12.
Your data should look something like this:
101 0
100 0
6 12
When it is recognized, the sound module will have a bend range of 12 semitones. How can the bends be manipulated? I built a graph by dividing 8191 by 12. Take note that they are not accurate because there will be some leftover decimal values, but you may use the closest and you will be OK. Assume we're working on note C. The notes are on the left, while the pitch bend numbers are on the right.
C = 0
C# = 682
D = 1,364
Eb = 2,047
E = 2,729
F = 3,412
F# = 4,095
G = 4,778
G# = 5,460
A = 6,143
Bb = 6,826
B = 7,508
C = 8,191
This is a simple hammer-on, 'hammer off' of an 8th note, C - D, returning to C.
Pitch bend 0 - C (note duration or gate time around 2 bars, position downbeat)
Insert a pitch bend of 1,364 (D) on the eighth note, followed by a PB 0 (C) on the second beat.
This process needs a lot of practice, trial, and error. The placement of the bends is also important to achieve realistic bends.