Ableton Forum

Currently, I can reliably reproduce this on my setup:

1. Open Live 8.0.9 or 8.1b8.

2. From Browser, select Live Devices > Instruments > Instrument Rack > Synth Pad > Air Pad and double click it.

3. Using the computer's keyboard, play around with two note chords (like E3-G3, keys D and G on computer keyboard) and move to play similar, but higher two note chords to H3-D4, C4-E4, and move back to lower notes.

4. When done few times, notes higher than A3 don't get triggered any more and won't produce sound. ?!

When saved set with the Air Pad is opened in 8.1b8, it exhibits the same problem. The same thing happens, even if the notes played back from a recorded clip in the set (with fresh Live session). This is a Suite 8 installation on Mac OS X 10.6.1.

Interestingly, the problem seems to disappear and 'fix' the 'stuck' notes if I change Tension Excitator's Key Modulation value from -0.36 to zero or positive number.

Hi jusic,

this problem has been brought up several times, but unfortunately, we can't do anything here. This behavior is not a bug, but by design of the physical modelling algorithms and their interaction. The actual audio results are not always predictable for all conditions.
In this case, the Excitator Force is modulated by Key in way that higher pitches are excitated with lower force. That may result in getting not excitated at all. If you change the Key modulation as you described, the higher pitches are excitated with relatively more force and will always be triggered. You could e.g. achieve the same result by turning up the Force parameter itself.
Mind that Force for this special preset is up to the bow pressure on the string of an acoustic string instrument. If you give very low pressure while playing, the bow isn't able to excitate the strings, too.
Best,

Torsten

Hi Torsten,

Thanks for the fast reply and the explanation. I was thinking about that, but it surprised me that it's a bit stochastic. I understand that perfectly from physicist and programmer point of view. Obviously, you can't change the current behavior of the model, since it could change the sound as well in the existing songs.

I wonder though, if in the future we could have a "Bow 2" model, that would produce some sound even with the very light force levels. I'm not a physical modeling expert, but in my humble opinion it would be a bit more intuitive from the user point of view than no sound at all. Ie. there could be some sort of 'minimum excitation level' for every key that could not be exceeded. (I mean, if I'm performing and playing in a live gig, I would always expect some sound, unless I hit the keys with MIDI velocity range like 0-20

But, this probably has been brought up before as well. Sorry for the yet another duplicate. In the meanwhile I will pump up the Force as you suggested.

Keep up the good work!
--jussi