Ableton Forum

Hi there. I know this is probably a really basic question but I wanted to know if there was a way to change the way my pedal interacts with the instrument. For example, when playing a piano I can use the pedal and it sustains the note for a bit before the note fades away. However, when I am playing strings (from a vst) or even a pad from Ableton, the pedal holds the note indefinitely. Is there a way I can make my pedal sustain notes like the piano with the strings so that way the notes don't all just overlap like crazy?

Piano is a percussive instrument - the sound is generated in an instant and then fades away. The other instruments you are referring to are producing sound continuously for as long as you want them to or unless you run out of bow length in case of strings, but then the sound is cut immediately - it doesn't fade… (unless there is an echo).

There is no way to get what you want other then adding proper fx, like echo that you may want to control with the pedal (instead of controlling an instrument with a pedal).

Try playing around with the sustain/release of the module/VST playing the string sounds.. the "infinite note" is 100% sustain (decrease this), the "immediate cut" is 0% release (increase this for a fade-out when you release the pedal).

That way, you can give the string/pad-sound the same envelope as a piano sound, and you're there.

Check this for further background-info:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synthesiz ... )_envelope