WB need help getting more "J" sound

[LGK_Dude]

Hello everyone,

I've been trying to wrap my brain around word builder all day, but I simply cannot figure out how to get more of the initial attack of the "J" sound in my lyric "Deja vu." the piece is very tribal and percussive in nature, and would like to get this to sound more like a chant, which means very hard consonants. The tempo is 108, and the choir is singing "Deja Deja" in a 8th note subdivided pattern.

I'm currently using the close basses (C bass WB hard mod) and with the votox setting, my lyric looks like "deE ja." I've tried messing with the "articulation" options, but there seems to be a discrepancy between the manual, which has symbols of = ( < > and World builder, who's symbols are = + * / Which of these new symbols go with which setting?

I have also tried setting the velocity levels to 127 on just the "J" sound, but cannot hear a difference. I have also tried adjusting the consonant sliders in the setup menu, but still cannot seem to get that "J" to speak!

What am I doing wrong? I'm using WB 1.07 in Logic 7.1 on OSX 10.3.x.

This song is due tomorrow, and would appreciate any "quick tips" to getting this lyric to sound right! Thanks in advance for your help!

edit: Now for some unknown reason, I can no longer select a MIDI out port (selections are now grey) and I can no longer hear or play anything!!!! This is VERY frustrating!!!! GRRRRR!!!

[Nuno Fonseca]

You have MIDI OUT in grey, because you have selected different midi ports in the advanced midi out dialog.

About the (=<> symbols, they are the text syntax symbols that you can enter in the text editor to change the attack of letters. The =+-*/ symbols in the letter dialog is to change the midi velocity of each letter.

If you want to increase the "j" sound, you can do several things:
- Give it the maximum midi velocity (letter dialog and choose =127)
- Increase the letter duration (sometimes this gives more time for the letter to grow)
- Use several, overlapping "j" like "jjja". Edit them in time editor to get the best results

[LGK_Dude]

Thanks for the tips! Will give them a shot.

Thanks for also clarifying the differences between the symbol types. I guess I got confused seeing the "=" used twice :) In regards to the "midi velocity" symbols =+-*/, what do each stand for? I've read through the manual but cannot seem to locate that information! I've also tried each, and cannot hear a difference.

Thanks again!

[Magpie]

" symbols =+-*/, what do each stand for? I've read through the manual but cannot seem to locate that information! I've also tried each, and cannot hear a difference.

Thanks again!

= is a velocity equal to the value enterd in the box to the right

+ adds the value enterd in the box to the right to the existing velocity

- reduces the existing velocity by the value enterd in the box to the right

* multiplies the existing velocity by the value enterd in the box to the right

/ divides the existing velocity by the value enterd in the box to the right

;)