The Viola with Leap Motion Controller: AWSOME !!!!
Hi guys 
Just made a quick video after 3 hours only practicing with The Viola Linked to the Leap Motion controller...
So, sorry if there is some bow movement errors as i'm not basically a violinist.
I have set Bow movement on Left/Right
Bow pressure on up/down
Vibrato on backward/forward
and bow position on hand pitch roll.
So this is kinda difficult for first hours to get use to every controllers in same times but i'm pretty glad of what i can do live.
Just as if the Viola was made for that controller specially !!!
There is just one thing that could be improved if Swam crew is reading it, i's about mainly the first note and the first attack: as the first controller signal is never at the same position as the expression level already set in swam engine, there is a sudden CC11 movement interpreted by the viola as a fast bow movement, resulting in a harsh attack (u can hear it at the first note of the video.) If maybe there is a way to avoid it that would be perfect.
But what is really incredible is the natural volume and expression coming from bow speed variation. Impossible to reproduce that with a single CC11 controller as used on every other "classic" instrument.
Really thanks for this plug-in !!
Sylvain
Just made a quick video after 3 hours only practicing with The Viola Linked to the Leap Motion controller...
So, sorry if there is some bow movement errors as i'm not basically a violinist.
I have set Bow movement on Left/Right
Bow pressure on up/down
Vibrato on backward/forward
and bow position on hand pitch roll.
So this is kinda difficult for first hours to get use to every controllers in same times but i'm pretty glad of what i can do live.
Just as if the Viola was made for that controller specially !!!
There is just one thing that could be improved if Swam crew is reading it, i's about mainly the first note and the first attack: as the first controller signal is never at the same position as the expression level already set in swam engine, there is a sudden CC11 movement interpreted by the viola as a fast bow movement, resulting in a harsh attack (u can hear it at the first note of the video.) If maybe there is a way to avoid it that would be perfect.
But what is really incredible is the natural volume and expression coming from bow speed variation. Impossible to reproduce that with a single CC11 controller as used on every other "classic" instrument.
Really thanks for this plug-in !!
Sylvain
Comments
When I read about the "direct bowing" feature of the Violin, I thought that this type of controllers would be a great option. (In fact on my job I once constructed a controller working on the same technology but just sensing distance for a machine we built.)
But I had not thought that "some hours" of practicing would allow someone new to violin playing to get such a great result.
Regarding the rather low price of the controller, every Swam "Violin" owner intending to do live playing should try it.
Funny that SM don't recommend it themselves or even sell it in a bundle.
Regarding your request for the "initial first attack" issue, I suppose (e.g.) Reaper programming could help. (I did a "pure Midi" JSFX Plugin providing some SWAM Flute extensions that helps with me playing it via a TEC BBC. E.g. I convert the Pitch bend wheel to two controllers: "Up" = Flutter Tong, Down = Growl.)
I suppose something similar can be done to tend your request: If you release the bow (e.g "bow pressure = 0"), the bow position control smoothly returns to the left most position. Now you can start bowing from left to right.
-Michael
Thx for the comment :-)
I understand what u mean with controller programing, but i think it's most a swam engine thing itself.
In fact, they should maybe add a preset as they've done for breath controller, saying that at first note signal, just start the bow at the incoming signal position but do not jump to it.
Of course it was at first, designed to modwheel, and the modwheel can't jump to point A straight to point B the way you can do with leap motion...
But I really they should add this feature cause really, when you move your arm, you even sometimes feel the bow in your hands and this is totally crazy !
Sylvain
-Michael
I hope SampleModeling checks this out and is sufficiently excited and impressed to do some programming to include it with keyboard mode.
If you have additional viola pieces, even just audio please share with us.
Thanks a lot for sharing this.
Dan
It's clear that using a controller such as the LMC, which costs only $63 (in the US), would be an incredibly helpful step for playing any samplemodeling string instrument by keyboard players.
I'm also adding another request to the great Samplemodeling team to add the LMC to the SWAM engine, alongside the breath, and windcontroller.
Thanks !
PS Here's a link to the Lynnstrument playing the Samplemodeling Viola:
how did U setup the leap motion controller in windows?
I opened cubase and it didn't detect it as midi controller.
Many thanks