Universal Articulation Controller Channel or UACC is a standardised way of switching articulations that was introduced with BML Sable and is included in every library since.
Instead of using key switches to change from one articulation to another (which takes up precious keyboard space!) you can change to a particular articulation by setting MIDI CC#32 to a corresponding value. Below is a table of the various articulations and their corresponding value.
Say for example that you are using Spitfire Chamber Strings, a - Violins 1.nki and wanted to access the pizzicato articulation, you simply set CC#32 to the value 56. One limitation of UACC is that you can only select one articulation at a time so cannot layer articulations. To layer articulations the default key switches or UACC KS should be used.
To use UACC instead of key switching first you must lock articulations to UACC. Using the Chamber Strings example again, first you must open the expert view by clicking the small black spanner icon (
)
Next you simply click the small padlock that has now appeared next to the articulations and choose lock to UACC from the dropdown menu that appears as shown below:
Now sending the right value from CC#32 will select the articulations. If you are in doubt about which value to use clicking on an articulation whilst locked to UACC will display the UACC value needed as shown:
Comments
27 comments
why dont you just release a proper manual for the libraries?
Hi Stefan, many of our libraries do have manuals which you can find in the "Key Stats" on their product page and we are always adding more manuals. If you cannot find the manual for your library please reach out to us on support and we'll be happy to help.
What would be really great is if someone could put together a Cubase expression map that has all these expressions....
@Sandy. I apologize that I did not knew that. thanks for clarifying that.
@Alex. I also had that wish but then I found it better working with single instrument files and not using Keyswitches at all. Better and faster workflow
Hi Alex
We are planning a similar article soon for Cubase expression maps after some testing. I the meantime if you need any assistance setting up an expression map please reach out to our support team and we can offer advice.
Thanks
Sandy
@Sandy,
At the very end of the tut. above we see a yellow box that says
"Pizzicato UACC CC#56"
That seems to imply using a CC# other than CC#32.
Would it be correct to assume that what that box actually means is
CC#32 with a *value* of 56?
Thanks!
Hi Steve
That's correct, as stated in the text above that image, this is the value of CC#32 that is displayed in the sidebar "UACC CC#56" essentially means MIDI CC#32 with a value of 56.
Thanks
Sandy
@sandy
Any news on that expression map mentioned above?...
Hi Alex, yes the article I mentioned previously was published here https://spitfireaudio.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/360006347473-Using-Expression-Maps-with-UACC
Thanks
Sandy
My confusion is in actual use. If I pull up the Spitfire Chamber Strings, a - Violins 1.nki patch.... If I'm using OSC, and using your OSC UACC KS template... there are all sorts of artics that are not in this instrument... so in order to switch artics and know what I'm doing, I have to have the Kontakt window open. I could as easily click with a mouse. Using OSC, how do I know which artics are available for a particular instrument?
I assume you have to create a custom layout
Hey Mark, I have created a ticket for you. It will be addressed very shortly.
Any updates on this Jack?
Hi Harry, Jack is talking to Mark above him when he says he's created a ticket. This is a ticket in our support system where we will talk directly to Mark. If you want to create a ticket to discuss a similar issue, please go to spitfireaudio.com/support and "submit a request"
The simplest solution ultimately was to use the large generic template, then copy and paste buttons etc into a custom template for groups of instruments like Chamber Strings main patches. I was resisting but it ended up not taking that long. You can also just look up the CC numbers and create new buttons. Once you get into it and do a couple it goes very fast!
Thanks Mark. I found some touschosc layouts for other libraries as well so it's indeed just defining something that works out best for a specific library. ;)
Hello this is important to me, COULD YOU PLEASE document the UACC KS numbers???? Where can I find it? Not the UACC but UACC keyswitches please
And after a long investigation WHY why Performance and Legato Fingered ARE BOTH UACC CC#20
Is it a mistake??? How to use it? Does Performance Legato EXCLUDE The Legato Performance? It should not be like that!
Adrian, They are listed at the top of this page. Also if you set to UACC KS, there is a cog wheel just above where you set the articulation lock. Right click on the cog and you'll see all the articulations listed.
Yes, but if you want to use Performance Legato and Legato Performance with the UACC, how should it work? Performance Legato Plays, Legato Performance Plays should they play altogether?
Adrian I am in the same boat. Has anyone found a work around for this? I'm using Babylon Waves in logic and every patch works great, except for the performance legato patches. I can manually turn performance legato on, but then when I switch articulations the performance legato stays on. So strange!
I'm attempting to use UACC for Ableton 10.0.6 but I'm seeing that there is no CC#32 available in the Clip->Envelope-Midi Control.
Any documentation available for how to work around this?
Hi Marc
Ableton uses CC32 as part of its program change specification so CC#32 cannot be used as a MIDI envelope, for Ableton users I might recommend UACC KS instead which doesn't use CC#32, we have an article on that here https://spitfireaudio.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/360001951793-What-is-UACC-KS-and-how-do-I-use-it-
Thanks
Sandy
I've bought the Ricotti Percussion which seem to be able to use UACC for different sticks. But none of the possible sticks is mentioned in the list above. So if I'd use Ricotti with UACC and CC#32 - how would I know the values for the different sticks please?
Thanx
Using expression maps as described with the plugin on "UACC locked" works well if edited step by step. It's possible to set up a midi controller that enables to switch articulation in UACC locked mode while playing live?
"you simply set CC#32 to the value 56"
You know, any time someone uses the word "simply", that's where I get stuck. (Please tell your technical writer that using the word "simply" does not make things simpler.)
Anyway, I'm trying to figure out how to set CC32 in Logic. Any hint?
Maybe I should ask first if articulation switching works at all in BBC Discover?
Hello,
i understand you can change from one articulation to another for one instrument, through channel #32.
I can't find this channel in ableton Live in the "envelopes / MIDI ctrl" section... It is the only one missing. I can't believe somebody stole it from my computer last night !!!
Do you have any ideas ?
Midi defined cc32 for program change use.
Ableton Live uses it for sending its own program changes (which is linked to a midi clip unfortunately).
(see "Notes" section)
You might use another cc and then use a MaxForLive midi-remapper to do the trick , but it's probably a better idea to use one of the alternative methods (as mentioned earlier).
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