MIDI and glissando

[signorMars]

Does anyone know of a software sequencer or sampler that lets you tweak glissando/portamento settings as a realtime parameter? I've been killing myself trying to get some slides right on a cello part (if only I had a damn cello around) and it just doesn't seem to something that a MIDI sequencer is down with. You can either use pitch bend, setting the range for your longest slide, and then try to hit any in between pitches perfectly (ie, your longest slide is 5 half steps, but you have several 2 or 3 step slides as well) or you can set a portamento time on the sampler and have no control over the actual curve of the slide. Any tips or directions you can point me in? Do I just need to build up my pitch bend knob skills?

[sonocide6]

Portamento time and on/off are standard MIDI control messages. (See http://www.midi.org/techspecs/midimessages.php).

Control number 65 (cc65) is portamento on/off. Set to 0 for off, 127 for on.

Control number 5 (cc5) is the portamento time. 0 is slowest, 127 is fastest.

Not all patches are programmed to use portamento data. If you find a soft-synth that responds to portamento messages, you can set (or automate) these two control messages in a MIDI track in your DAW to suit your track!

The curve is gonna be set for a static cc5 value but if you automate your cc5 value in your DAW you might be able to hit the curve you're looking for.

Pretty complicated way to mimic something so natural on the actual instrument.

[signorMars]

Thanks! The portamento time CC should do it... It's killing me to program this, especially since I could probably play it, even with my weak cello skills... but I don't have access to a cellist or time to record one in the near future.