String Thing – Virtual MIDI Strum Controller – MIDI rack

Example project with factory guitar sample.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/17_ulqUYFSK2uMnd_89w3ZMNcrtWXKfyy/view?usp=drivesdk

Strum your favorite chords! This MIDI rack provides strumming control over six strings (with six ‘double strings’ available as well) with configurable string notes and chord positions. Strum with a Slider (midi mappable to mod wheel or any other controller) or directly with the keyboard!

Basic controls

Input: choose to strum with the slider module, or use key ranges C1-C2 to strum through six strings. For the keyboard control, strings are on keys C#1, D#1, F1, G1, A1, and B1. Slurring between notes strums all strings between the two notes assigned to the string. Select chords with keys F2-E3. The velocity of the key press controls the speed of the strum.

Strum modes: You can choose to have notes sound when strumming up and down, or up only and down only. A string view shows the active strum position. Strings can be muted by pressing down on keys C0, D0, E0, F0, G0, and A0. Strumming can be muted with B0 or the Mute Pick button. String mutes can be latched with toggle or replace mode.

Modulators: add some modulation into the mix! Two shaped LFOs (from one basic lfo) and one envelope are set up and can be selected under LFO shape. The envelope is useful for triggering a strum on chord selection. Under LFOs and Envs, you can control LFO shapers, and set envelope parameters. Envelope is always synced to chord trigger. The LFO trigger can be turned on and off with the chord sync switch. Mod direction sets the direction of modulation up or down through the strings.

Strings: for string 1, you select a base note. For strings 2-6, set the pitch relation to string below. For instance, in standard guitar tuning, string 2 is tuned 5 semitones above string 1. You can also select the amount of pitch bend to applied for three separate bends. Bent notes will be heard the next time the string is strummed or plucked. You can turn strings off with the string buttons.

Alt Strings: to emulate a 12 string or other instruments with ‘double strings’ you can set the pitch relation of the alt string for strings 1-6. These are turned off by default, but are set to a 12 string arrangement. The first 4 are octaves, and the 2 high strings are doubled. Regular midi does not allow for fine tuning of the pitches. A 0-1 second delay can be added to the alternate strings.

Chords: the rack is setup in standard guitar tuning and includes some common guitar chords. There are 24 “frets” on the CV sequencer, and the middle 6 steps of the sequencer correspond to the 6 strings. Maximum value (all 24 steps of the Y grid filled in) is an open note. 0 value (no steps filled in) would play on the 24th fret. It’s a little fiddly, but set the chords and go!

Bends: simple slider to control the bend amount. All note changes are heard on a new midi note trigger; hopefully this can be updated to work with MPE in the future!

Keyboard and Arp: when uncompacted this contains controls to map the keyboard for strumming. Compacted controls are an Arp for the keyboard control range, and a latch control. Turned off by default (tap the module header to enable.) Turn up the gate length in the Arp to slur between notes and hear the strumming.

Slew and velocity: here you can set the velocity modulation and curve for the keyboard slew, and set the velocity mode and curve for midi note velocity.

Sustain: for certain sounds, AUs, or hardware, you may want or need a way to sustain the note triggers (they are very short gates by default). Key sustain mode sustains the notes played while you hold a key between C1-C2 (his works for slider mode too). Releasing the key will release the sustain immediately. Controller sustain mode allows you to use the Switch button to keep sustain on. This can be mapped to a midi controller.
Pedal release speed slews the release of sustain. Increase fall speed to slew sustain release. Key press has three settings that pertain to key and controller mode. ‘First’ begins the sustain when you press down the first key. As long as you keep holding a key down, all played notes will continue to sustain. ‘New’ mode means every additional key press will release all notes and then sustain the new strum. ‘None’ cancels any interaction between key presses and resetting the sustain. The Memory button will let notes stop sustaining, but will retrigger any notes played after the button is turned on. Turn off to ‘forget’ notes. Mute Pluck button turns on a control for sustained notes where releasing the mute picks the string.