Very cool. I'd be astonished if there wasn't a plugin out there that could do this with a little work, but I can't immediately think of one... if I can't find one, I may try to bang something together in Plug'n Script to do it.
Thanks Chris! I listed some of the libraries in the description with which this works very well - and some where the scripting won't allow it to work. Please subscribe if you haven't already, and stay creative ;)
If you're going to use the max knob, you'll need to set all your velocity events at the full 127. Otherwise if you have say a note at 64 and you set the max to 127, it will just play at 64 still. But if all the velocities are set to 127, they will all respond predictably with automating the max knob. Better would be to switch to the fixed mode and automate the fix knob. The thing I don't like about this little "hack" though is that the automation node values do not display where you set them in the automation lane, instead, they sort of "live update" according to the current value at playback. So, you're going more by ear and "height" rather than numerical value, which is usually a good thing. But I've used this hack for years and many times I wish to set several instruments to the same value, but it's impossible to know for sure if they are the same.
That's true - I should have added that. Because of your kind feedback I added an explanation to the description - and may actually take the video down - which would be likely the best choice. For now, please check the description for a list of libraries that allow the script to be inserted perfectly!
It'll only work with instruments whose dynamics are controlled by key velocity. In most cases, the dynamics of orchestral instruments that sustain (e.g. strings, brass, woodwinds) are controlled by the modulation wheel (or some other continuous controller). If velocity affects anything with those types of instrument it's likely to be the initial attack character. However, you might find it works with short articulations (pizzicato, staccato, staccatissimo) which generally do respond to key velocity.