If you want to go back to making sure the highest-level note is 110, then subtract 17 from all values. Add 35 to all values, and now your softest velocity is 70+35=105, and your highest is 110+35=145, but velocity can't go higher than 127 - so you have instant 'MIDI limiting.' Now your highest-velocity note is 127, and there's only a difference of 22 between the highest and lowest notes. But if your program doesn't have velocity compression, there's an easy solution: add a constant to all velocity values for 'MIDI limiting.'įor example, suppose the bass part's softest note velocity is 70, and the highest is 110 - a difference of 40. Some recording software programs have either MIDI FX or editing commands to compress data by raising low-level notes and/or reducing high-level notes (Fig. It can sometimes be harder to play keyboard notes consistently than bass strings, which brings us to MIDI velocity compression.Īudio compression can give more consistent levels, but it doesn't give a more consistent touch that has to happen at the source. Great bassists are known for their touch - the ability to play notes with consistent timing and dynamics.

How to make midi sound real