Making Piano track better - What settings to bypass/defeat all gating, compression etc

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Having some issues tracking properly on piano. So I want to insert a “better” compressor and gate plugin in front of MG, that gives me more fine-tuned control over the dynamics. I know turning the Gate counter clockwise all the way will turn it off, but what are the settings in “Midi Velocity” that will turn off those functions? 12 o’clock for all 3? I want the signal once inside MG to be as transparent as possible and do all my dynamics processing in front of it. Anything else I should do to be transparent as possible? I have everything else as NONE… no Direct in amps, no efx, nada. I just want pitch to midi conversion.

While I’m at it, anyone have any tips on controlling dynamics like this? I’m guessing a high quality gate in front of a good multi-band compressor.

I’m using MG as a plugin inside Cantabile Host, and I’m only using MG for the midi conversion, sending it to other soft synths and sample players. Currently I’m just experimenting with Synth 1 Piano, but I get the same ghost note behavior on samplers too… primarily when fretting off… lifting finger from a fret. I’m also having a small issue with Gain sending more velocity than I want, but Gain doesn’t seem to affect it enough. I hvane’t tested my gain issue yet on another vsti but I’m pretty sure I can solve that outside of MG… using midi filters and velocity plugs/efx.

Also, is there a meter to monitor the incoming dry guitar for more exact level setting ? Seems previous MG versions had that. (Yes, my interface is properly set, and it’s “locked down” and I never change it, since that would globally change ALL my gain structure on everything).
Thanks!
Tom

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The Fingerlift Note aka release note
This is caused by the strings still vibrating when you lift the finger up from the fret. Because the finger is slightly lower positioned as your fret, the tone will go down.
If the tone goes down more than 50 cents ( a quarter tone), MG will then start a tone a half step down, I call this the “release note”.

  • First thing to do is to check the intonation of your guitar: if the note was already low several cents when fretted, the release note is very much likely to be under that 50 cents border.

  • if you put your finger nearer to the upper fret, the release note will be higher tuned, and the lower note will not be triggered on release.

  • Damp with your right hand. This is what you general see with synth players: they mute the notes with the right hand to have clean note endings, where the note is muted before it is unfretted.

MIDI Velocity
Velocity is a linear gain applied to the scanned note velocities. There is no compression in it.

the Curve knob is straight when it is set at 12’o clock. It compresses when turned to the right, expands to the left.

If you want a gate more severe than the builtin noise gate, you should try the midimachine here: Custom_Gate: A hard midi startgate and retrigger blocker

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