Sergey answering RealStrat FAQ

[Sergey_MusicLab]

Dear RealStrat users,

I'll post here the answers to your questions regarding RealStrat functionality, as well as any other useful information.

Please send your questions to supportbox@musiclab.com

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Q. The KS windows is a very good idea but what are this 3 dots?

A. All FXs (Key/Pedal/Velocity switch) are activated by clicking on LED button in the upper left corner of each FX box to make it lightened(darkened LED means that FX is not activated).

- For easy visual control every switched FX will lighten its box surface light blue showing that it is activated at the moment

- Important option for Key Switch boxes:
there are three LED buttons at the left of every Key Switch box that can be activated (lightened) by a click:

Left - when lightened, turns FX key to 'Toggle mode' (you not need to hold the key), darkened means 'Temporary' mode (pressing key will switch FX, releasing - switch off)

Middle - when lightened, allows to switch FX and simultaneously use the key function as Repeat zone key

Right - adds sustain function to FX (similar to using the sustain pedal)
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Q. I can't figure out ChuckaMuteKeys.

A. ChuckaMuteKeys FX works only when playing Mute keys (Black ones in Repeat zone), Main zone keys work in normal way.
Tip for Chucka layers (string groups): D#5,F#5 trigger lower Chucka layer (5-4-3 strings), while G#5,A#5 and higher trigger upper Chucka layer (3-2-1 strings). Left Mute keys (D#1 and lower) repeat the last layer played with upper Mute keys
Both layers follow fret position of the last highest note played in Main zone

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Q. Would be great to quickly change from harmonics with sustain and without sustain by turning the 3rd radio button on and off by midi control.

A. RealStrat KeySwitch system is very flexible.
You can simply assign the same FX with different settings to different keys (in your case harmonics with sustain and harmonics without on any two neighbour keys), or may assign trills with various interval or speed settings to several KSs, ....
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Q. It could be cool to have a reset button in this KS windows or a button to set your own default configuration

A. You can create your custom as well as default presets in KS window and reset settings by selecting it.
To create custom preset: make the needed settings in KS Panel, click on Preset combo box to activate edit mode, type in the name, and press Enter on computer keyboard. /To delete preset click delete icon at the right/

Note, some hosts does not pass all letters to plug-in. Sonar for example has an option for that - special button in the upper right corner of DXi plug-in window.

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Q. When using same audio settings, I notice a higher latency with RealStrat than with RealGuitar. Is this expected?

A. Yes, RealStrat may produce more latency comparing to RealGuitar because of new parameter, Attack time, allowing to shorten/ lengthen the attack of a sound (samples recorded with full attack). The shortest gives smaller latency, but sounds less natural. Your choice

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Q. I don't understand the legato slides

A. Slide (Legato) FX works similar Slide FX in RealGuitar: automatic slide between two legato played notes (max steps and time adjustable)

First press KeySwitch key, after that press and hold the first note to slide from, then the second note to slide to.

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Q. The sustainer didn't quite give me the swell effect I was expecting. It was more like a short pulse or surge rather than the feel I would get from a swell pedal.

A. - make Sustainer FX non-toggle (turn off the left LED of 3 small ones) that allows you multiple triggering
- play a note and hold it, and then trigger sustainer key switch many times with about 1 second interval - the sound should swell, better use Pitch Bend simultaneously with sustainer key which will hide the swell moment. I tried that with strong distortion - sounds very good and very long

P.S. Swell pedal can't make sample longer than it is recorded

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Q. The sound of the guitar is always quite hard: I can't play softly on it. Which setting should I use in order to play softer?

A. On the right part of every mode panel you have 4 velo curve buttons - left is the softerst curve, right - the hardest. Also you can use accent sliders at the left above the fretboard to find the better velocity threshold for accents, also you can reduce Pick noise volume or even turn it off in Right Menu bar->Mixer->Noises->Pick slider/LED

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Q. Sonar doesn't allow to type in 'R' and 'W' letters in Key Switch Panel Preset name

A. In Sonar 6 you can direct all computer keystrokes to plugin bypass Sonar. On Plugin window in the right upper corner press keyboard icon - that will do the trick with naming presets on RealStrat KeySwitch panel

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Q. I found out that the scrapes only react to the last triggered note on the keyboard, therefore it determines the sound. So if you want a power slide or something, but you pressed an A instead of a C, then you get a chucka-chucka-scrape sound.

A. Simply switch off the Middle LED of three small ones at the left of Scrapes Key Switch box.
That lets you silently (without triggering the last played note Scrape) switch the FX and then press any key you want in Main zone to trigger the needed Scrape

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Q. It could be cool to have an "humanize" button for the trill and the tremolo

A. RealStrat allows to fully control dynamics of all automatic articulations, such as trill, tremolo (and rhythm patterns as well). Just assign Pitch Bender to Velocity +/- control (select Velo Add item in P.B. combo box).

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Q. There's a way to change pick position with a wheel or fader ?

A. Pick Position can be automated with VST/AU PickPos and MIDI CC#50.

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Q.I have a midi controller and would like to assign volume and or wah to my expression pedal. i cant seem to find that control switch on real strat. please let me know if possible.

A. In RealStrat go to right menu bar->Wah-Wah panel. There you can set CC# you want to use for wah control in numeric box. Note that when Wah Enable LED is switched on, the assigned controller will work for Wah, when LED is off it will work as automation CC for RealStrat, or Volume control in case of CC#7

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Q. What does the 1-2 legato button do? according to the manual, it "enables producing notes within semi-tone or whole-tone from each other without triggering attacks"?

A. RealStrat has 3 parameters that allow to play notes legato way, i.e. next note stops previous as if played on the same string:

1. Hammer-On (H.O.)
2. 1-2 Legato
3. 1-2 Mono (Sustain Pedal)

They all work slightly different, according to the notes played, but can be combined. So to hear clearly what any of them really does better switch off or not use two others

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Q. I just wonder if it is possible to do vibrato sounds on RS?

A. Vibrato in RealStrat can be produced using:

1. Modulation - the easiest way allowing vibrato depth realtime control by Modulation Wheel/AfterTouch, while vibrato frequency is automatic (set frequency value and Depth max value in Left Menu bar->Tune panel).

2. Pitch - assigned to PitchBender/Modulation Wheel/Aftertouch - you can control both depth (set max range (steps) in appropriate controller box) and frequency manually

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Q. The thing is, even in clean I find the attack way too hard. I guess it really has something to do with the attack and decay of RealStrat, but like I said, no mater how I tweak it, but that hard attack thing sticks out for sure.

A. Attack sound mainly depends on amplifier (simulator) quality/settings you use, similar playing real guitar

RealStrat allows to additionally control attack quality:

- Attack Time slider - move it to the left to shorten attack time
- Accent High/Low sliders - move to the right to get softer sound/attack on high velocity notes
- use lower Alter Sample mode value
- Pick Noise slider (Mixer Panel) - lower Pick Noise volume or even turn it off by clicking on LED
- use Pick Position closer to '0'

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Q. I use Sonar as a sequencer host for RealGuitar/RealStrat. What's the best way to edit rhythm patterns in a MIDI track?

A. Sonar unlike any other sequencer wholly supports drag'n'drop MIDI clips both inside and outside itself, as well as allows to create special note names (maps) for different instruments.

Great tips for editing/creating RG/RS rhythm patterns in Sonar:

1) - in RG/RS installation folder you can find RG Stroke Map.ins file (Sonar Instrument Definition file) letting you see RG/RS pattern Stroke names in Sonar MIDI track at the left part of Piano Roll editor (similar drum map showing drum names). Import this .ins file to Sonar and you'll get the names of Guitar Strokes instead of note names when you edit pattern (downstrum, upstrum, muted strum, slow strum, Bass1, BassII, etc.. all in all 22 Strokes in the lowest octave)

2) - you can drag edited/created pattern (MIDI clip) from Sonar MIDI track back to Pattern Manager Pattern view and instantly audition it when Sonar is in Stop mode, as well as save it in Pattern Manager by clicking Add button. You can even type the MIDI track name to appear as pattern name in PM. Note that MIDI clip should be in the beginning of the track, or else Sonar will add empty measures

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Q. I've tried to perform a slide on a single string. RS always plays the slide on the same "left hand" position and uses the other strings to do it. How can I make a slide from G1 to G2 on the E string?

A. There is an option for that called Slide->Capo, right below Bass&Chord button. It allows to control Slide movement. Try to select Move or Ignore items in pull down menu - that will give you sliding on the same string as far as possible

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Q. Is there a way to insert fret noises in specific spots rather than having them on all the time or off all the time?

A. Yes , Fret noise full control is possible:

- Turn off automatic Fret noise (disable LED under Fret slider on Mixer/Noises panel)
- Turn RS to Direct mode by pressing Direct button (the white round one on the right lower part of RS window)

Now you can trigger any sound/noise included with RealStrat by sending notes via seperate MIDI channel (according to the scheme you see on the panel)

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Q. Is there any way to play only muted chords, so that even the chord change itself is muted?

A. Of course you can play only muted chords with RealStrat:

1. In Solo mode, use Mute FX, and play only muted chords (construct chords manually)

2. In Chords mode:
- press Pattern button to turn on the 'Silent ' mode, when pressing chord in Main zone doesn't trigger sound (so chord changes will not produce sound)
- use black Repeat keys to play only Muted strums for the 'silent' chords taken in Main zone

3. You can use ChuckaFull FX or ChuckaVeloLayer FX in any mode, but that gives you muted barre chords built in 4ths only (no major/minor, etc..)

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Q. I'm finding RealStrat sound to be very 'sharp', even when trying to EQ it.

A. That's real Stratocaster sound recorded directly from pickups.

There are several options in RS to make sound less sharp:
- diminish or switch off Pick Noise sound (Mixer->Noises->Pick slider/LED)
- move Accent sliders to the right (use higher velocity values)
- move Attack slider to the left (use shorter attack time)
- use higher Fret Position (closer to the bridge)
- move Pick Position to the left (use negative values)

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Q. I want to play in bass & pick mode but I want to mute the bass sound you get when you play the chord. I only want the pick notes.

A. Press Pattern button to turn Main zone to Silent mode (don't forget to Bypass Pattern Manager, or else it will play pattern). Now chords you press in Main zone will play nothing (the same in other performance modes).

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Q. What are the values in CC# 54 to change to the different modes?

A. CC #54 value-to-mode settings:

0-21 = Solo
22-42 = Harmony
43-63 = Chords
64-84 = Bass & Chord
85-105 = Bass & Pick
106-126 = Direct

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Q. In "Chords" mode, when I first play the chord, all the strings get played. But when I strum using the repeat keys, or by lifting and re-playing one note of the chord, typically only the middle two or three strings get played. To get the high E string to sound, I have to hit the key hard and that creates a loud and powerful strum, rather than the quiet feel I'm after.

A. RealStrat and RealGuitar have unique 'string group layering' strum technology.

Using Repeat keys (right or left zone) you can easily strum on various string groups (upper/middle/lower) letting previously triggered strings ring:

1. Velocity control - press chord in Main zone, hold it and strum with Repeat keys using various velocity values (strum notes with lower values will produce strums on middle strings)

2. Chord note control - press 2/3-note chord in Main zone, and while strumming with Repeat keys release lower note(s) of the chord (while holding the upper one) - and you get strums without bass strings. The same for upper and middle notes of the pressed chord - so you can control string groups picked in strummming by simply releasing and pressing upper/middle/lower notes of the chord while holding any other note(s).

Technique #2 ignores velocity control, i.e. works independently of how hard or soft you play

In your case - play 2/3-note chord to get full strum, release lower note of the pressed chord - now repeat keys will strum 3-4 upper strings (including the first one), while lower strings keep ringing.

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Q. How can I reset slider to default value individually without using global Reset button?

A. All sliders in RealGuitar/RealStrat (in KS panel as well) go to default position with Ctrl+click for PC and Cmnd+click for Mac.

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Q. Is it possible to automate Key Switch FX parameters?

A. No, Key Switch setting can't be automated, but instead you can simply assign the same FX with different settings to several key switches and use each when needed. E.g. assign Slide Down FX on 3-4 neighbour keys and set different step# and speed for each - you get various slide types in one Key Switch preset.
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MusicLab Support.