Learn Archives

MONTAGifying MOTIF: “Free Fall”

Written by Bad Mister on May 16, 2018. Posted in MONTAGE.

FreeFall
PART 1 – (ARP) Drums
PART 2 = (ARP) Mega Bass
PART 3 = (ARP) Mega Guitar
PART 4 = Lead Guitar (Super Knob increases Guitar Overdrive and Delay repeats). The Lead Guitar will have short plucked attack at low velocity, and singing soaring tone with increased velocity. Crank the Super Knob (FC2) to get more Drive and Delay.

The Drums, Bass and Steel Guitar are controlled by Arpeggios with the left hand (Below B2) – the Lead Guitar is in the right hand (C3 and above). (Super Knob added for Lead Guitar Effects.)

As you listen closely to this PERFORMANCE, take note of the Guitar strumming riff in PART 3. Can you tell it took four separate arpeggio tracks to make it happen? Probably not – and that is the whole idea! This is partially a testament to the technology, but mostly it is because of the way that our ear-and-brains interpret sound. It “accepts” this combination of separate components as being an organic whole. It’s a pretty good emulation of guitar strumming. It is a very nifty reconstruction of what happens when a person strums a steel string guitar – broken down and then reassembled using four separate MIDI Tracks. The Arpeggiator is used to reconstruct the musical riff (phrase) with an acceptable amount of realistic accuracy.

Here, this is done with an artful assembly of components: Sampled articulations and the ability to construct a ‘control phrase’ that can mimic a musical performance. The note data must accurately access a specific articulation at the precise moment required. The arpeggio phrases are used to access (trigger) a specific Element (sound component) at a specific time because each note-on has a KEY and a VELOCITY – this MIDI data determines when an Element will contribute its portion of the whole:

There are five SCENES, each can be thought of as a musical section.
SCENE 1 and 2 are Main sections; SCENE 3 is a Fill-in; SCENE 4 is a Vamp; SCENE 5 is an Ending.*

* It does not stop – there are just empty measures placed at the end – giving you time to press the [STOP] button.

Brain Game: Deconstruction of PART 3 – the “Mega Steel” Guitar

The arpeggio is MIDI data – in this case, MIDI note data – that triggers a particular articulation. There were four separate MIDI tracks of information used to reconstruct this guitar strumming part. It is not a single audio recording – not at all – as we, literally, take this sound apart to study it, you will experience the sensation that, for your ears, is the equivalent to an “optical illusions” for your eyes.

It’s a “brain game” for your ears. With optical illusions you can look at something and see it one way, but when pointed out that the vase you are looking at can be seen as two faces, you can never then “un-see it”. You will always now wonder how or why you didn’t see the faces in the first place. You cannot “un-see” this once you’ve seen it – because now you know to look at it differently to “see” the other view. You will experience a bit of that sensation here.

Once you pull apart a synth sound, isolating each component, as we are getting ready to do, you can never “un-hear” them. But it will give you a new appreciation of how MIDI is used to convincingly mimic a musical performance by a real player. And this will undoubtedly affect how you begin to think about using alternate “articulations” in your own music creations.

In general, the arpeggio phrases are MIDI data meaning you can customize and/or adjust what the phrase sounds and/or feels like, in your music. The idea is not just to be repeatable, but have the phrase be bendable and flexible, in a musical sense, to work as a creative function. Arpeggios are simply another (rather unique) way to manipulate the MONTAGE Part in a completely different/ creative way.

As humans we tend to listen to the whole instrument and we accept (or not) how it sounds, however, once we take this sound apart and analyze the components individually, you will never quite hear it the same again. Any organ emulation – be it a Tone Wheel organ sound of the B3 or a traditional Pipe organ – is made up of multiple harmonics in specific volume balance to each other. As you isolate the different elements that make up the instrument’s overall tonality, you become super-aware of the separateness of each drawbar/pipe actively contributing its particular harmonic component. But you can, in the end, step back, and then just listen and the enjoy the organ tone as whole single playable ‘patch’.

Well, with arpeggios like the one we’ll take a look at here, there are more than just pitched components making up the Guitar Voice – there are specific noise components and other articulations that are carefully placed in the performance of the phrase that add to the usefulness of this arpeggio phrase.

Isolate the Guitar Part: From the [PERFORMANCE (HOME)] screen – the [PERFORMANCE CONTROL] (#1 in diagram below) function is lit by default
This makes the first two rows (sixteen numbered buttons) on the right front panel
Top Row: Part Select 1-8
Second Row: Part Mute 1-8 (or Part Solo):

PARTmute

This also makes the bottom two rows Select buttons for Motion Sequences and Arpeggio Phrases.
Third Row: Motion Sequence Select 1-8.
Fourth Row: Part Arp Select 1-8:
MS ARPselect

Touch the “E” below middle “C” to start the Drum, Bass and Guitar.
Use the PART MUTE row (#2 in screenshot above) buttons [1/9], [2/10] and [4/12] to Mute the Drums, Bass and Lead Guitar Parts of the “Free Fall” Performance.
You should now hear just the strummed Guitar PART in PART 3.

Alternate Method: Press the [SOLO] button to the far right .
Then press [PART SELECT 3].

Can you hear the discreet components that make up this ARP TYPE Phrase?
We know it is difficult – because we tend to listen to the Guitar sound here as a whole instrument.

How can we isolate each of the different components?
For this we will need to drop into EDIT on this PART and then isolate the Elements.

PART Edit is where you can assign and customize controllers so you can manipulate each of the Oscillators (Elements) as you may require. We are going to have a PART where the different Elements are each responsible for a specific articulation (component) that will bring this detailed strumming arpeggio phrase to life. If you are not already in Edit:

• Press EDIT
• Press [PART SELECT 3]

This particular “Mega Steel” PART is made up of 7 different guitar articulations; it’s made from 7 Elements – each responsible for recalling specific guitar articulations that make up the details of this strumming guitar. It is not designed for play by a human – it is designed specifically for play by precise velocity messages to recall particular articulations. In the screen, along the bottom, you can see green activity lights that flash On whenever an Element is sounding.

The Elements are carefully mapped to specific VELOCITY RANGES and/or NOTE RANGES. The Arpeggiator can repeat not only the specific notes (we as humans have no problem playing the correct notes, mostly), but it can play at specific velocities (that’s where we as humans are not so very precise). When you hear the arpeggio Phrase “play” this same Part, you quickly realize the purpose of these MEGA Guitar sounds. They are designed to be used with the “technology” of the arpeggiator, which can, like a sequencer, playback a musical phrase with precisely accurate velocities, on demand. You will find Mega Parts and Mega Gt/Bs ARPs for both Guitars and Bass.

Unlike a normal sequence phrase, an arpeggio phrase can be CHORD INTELLIGENT. Yamaha has been refining this Chord Intelligence engine since the 1980’s. Here it is applied to voicing the chords – using music theory. It will not only recognize Major, Minor, Dominant, Diminished, Augmented chords and more. And depending on the Arpeggio CONVERT TYPE you use, the note data can follow, or not, the instructions input by the keyboard – in real time!

Even if you know the Velocity Limit Ranges and Note Limit Ranges of each Element, it would be impossible, as a human, to play with the same accuracy as the Arpeggio phrase – well, we should never say ‘impossible’. Let’s say you should do something else with your time! It might be easier to learn on a real Steel String guitar:

ArpIndiv
From the PART EDIT area we can pull apart this guitar and listen to exactly what is going on.
Press [EDIT].
Select or SOLO PART 3 [PART SELECT 3].
Press the lower [COMMON] button:

• While in [EDIT] the third row of buttons help us isolate the various Elements. Buttons [1]-[8] Select an Element for Editing
• The bottom row of buttons will illuminate to indicate that this is a 7-Element Voice. turning OFF their lights will MUTE the corresponding Element

• Press [SOLO]

This will allow us to listen and isolate each of the Elements in turn. It is an 8-measure phrase so take your time – it takes a full eight measures for each item to play through and some Elements are very sparsely used, as you will hear.

Arpeggios will use precisely placed (and repeatable) commands, via Velocity and specific Notes, to trigger specific articulations. Isolate each Element in turn and listen closely for its contribution to the Phrase (remember to let the phrase count through 8 full measures – some articulations are subtle and sparse).

To start the arpeggio phrase touch a single “E” on the keyboard below B2 – and let it play. Arp HOLD is activated.
Use the bottom row of buttons to [SOLO] and isolate each Element. You will discover that Elements 1, 3, 4, 5 and 7 contribute different articulations to the Arpeggio Phrase.

Below the 7 Elements and their Velocity ranges are shown and detailed: (Screenshot below showing “All” Elements and their Velocity and Note Limits):

Element 1 – Open; the main body of the guitar and the principal strummed notes of the chord.
Element 2 – Dead-note sound. (This is not used in this phrase).
Element 3 – Mute; a muted tone and adds an articulation to the phrase.
Element 4 – Hammer-On; articulations in the Phrase; isolated you hear them quite easily.
Element 5 – Pitch slides that occur in the Phrase; again isolated you can hear them easily.
Element 6 – Harmonic; articulation (it is not used in this phrase, at all).
Element 7 – FX; the raking noise of the strings being strummed. Surprisingly, when isolated you recognize it, as being separate, but not really before. Once reassembled you now can mentally isolate it, but not before… it’s like …how didn’t you notice this as a separate component previously?

VelocityRanges
Of the seven active Elements, all but Element 2 and 6, has its own rhythm and makes its own contribution to the arpeggio Phrase.

You cannot “play” this entire phrase in real time from the keys without the assistance of the Arpeggiator technology. If you would like to try – simply set the “ARP PLAY ONLY” function shown in the screenshot below to OFF and turn OFF the “ARP MASTER” ON/OFF. You will immediately see how difficult it would be to play a seven velocity sound, if you have to play the articulation “on purpose”!

ArpPlayOnly
The main body of the sound, Element 1, is compressed into the Velocity region 1-60. A Velocity of 60 is maximum for the Open Guitar string sound. Trying to play normally with 60 as maximum velocity is quite impossible. You can guess the data was created normally then ‘compressed’ before Converted.

When heard by most listeners, this arpeggiator phrase might as well be an actual acoustic steel string guitar, playing a very intricate guitar riff. When in fact all that is necessary is to voice a E chord or any other chord.

Press the [MUTE] button and try different combinations of just these Elements. The arpeggio Type (phrase) is an 8-measure phrase. So you will discover that Elements 3, 4, and 5 only occur occasionally to support the realistic recreation of the guitar riff, as you will hear.

Start with just Element 7 – the raking noise; add the pitch slides of Element 5; then add the Hammer-on articulation of Element 4. Finally add the main body of the guitar in Element 1.

As you do this, your ear/brain is now able to keep ‘separated’ each of the components and you are more aware of the individual contributions of each Element. You don’t necessarily think consciously about all of this detail when you are listening to the Mega Steel Voice as PART 3 of a four PART PERFORMANCE, like “Free Fall”, and not even when you isolated the guitar from the rest of the ensemble, but these components add to your overall acceptance of this as an actual strummed guitar. And if you just use Element 1, something is definitely missing from the overall impact of the guitar part. This is MIDI data artfully triggering the Elements in a precise manner.

The Super Knob has been programmed to increase the lead guitars Overdrive (AsgnKnob1), DelayMix (AsgnKnob2), RevSend (AsgnKnob2).

EXTRA CREDIT:
In creating an arpeggio phrase like this, you would need to take advantage of the multiple Arpeggio Tracks simply because of how you need the resulting phrase to behave. A portion of the phrase requires specific notes because the sampled audio of the particular articulation is “fixed” to a specific Key, while other portions of the phrase will need to adjust to the chord quality requested by the trigger notes. The raking noises require several “fixed pitch” Waveforms assigned several adjacent Keys (well above the range of a guitar, C6-G8).. Therefore it needs to be converted via a “Fixed Note” arp track. Element 1 which carries the main string sound and pitch will require that its data is converted to the arp with the “Org Note” function (which is chord intelligent).

So you can imagine to create this multifaceted phrase, it is assembled from several tracks of MIDI data. Articulations, this is a big part what having eight Elements is all about. The more Elements you have, the more details you can express. Each of these noise articulations are directed to the single Guitar Voice in a single arpeggio phrase. This is really what the four tracks of the arpeggio creation function are all about: you can have a totally different response, per Element, to the trigger notes, but all together they create a musical result.

Someone sat down, analyzed what the guitar player was doing and then recreated it (meticulously) by programming the tracks that contribute to this ARP TYPE Phrase.

While listening to just the Hammer-ons or just the Pitch Scoops, or just the raking noise, you can see that by themselves they are not much, but what they add to the overall vibe of the Arp Phrase is magical. It brings the phrase to “life”.

The multiple tracks of the “Put Track to Arpeggio” Job were used to separate the CONVERT TYPES needed. Those that require chord intelligence are converted using the “Original Note” Type, and those that are strictly percussive would be converted using the “Fixed Note” Type.

This Study of a Preset Arpeggio was provided in addition to just the Motif XF Performance, so you can gain a deeper understanding of how arpeggio data works – there can be pitched/chord intelligent data, and non-pitched/fixed note data. In future studies we will help you construct your own arpeggios from data you generate and/or from existing MIDI data. Enjoy!

with respect… RIP Tom Petty.

Want to share your thoughts and comments? Join the conversation on the Forum here.

Download here: 1120_Free_Fall.X7B

MONTAGifying MOTIF: “Winds & Strings”

Written by Bad Mister on May 16, 2018. Posted in MONTAGE.

As usual, the MONTAGE CONNECT .X7B data is found at the very bottom of the article. Unzip the file and open it with MONTAGE CONNECT – it will BULK the data to your MONTAGE’s edit buffer via a working USB connection. When building upon Motif XF Performances, you will have as many as 10 additional Source/Destination Control Sets per PART and at least as many as four additional realtime controllable PARTS you can add. You’ll be able to add six additional Assign Knobs per Part, plus link certain of them to the Super Knob for hands-free operation via an FC7 set to control the Super Knob. This week we’ll take a look at MONTAGifying “Winds & Strings” – this Motif XF Performance combines four orchestral instrument sounds and is a great example of how you can make the selected sounds perform for you. There are four instruments mapped to the keyboard as follows:

The [PERFORMANCE (HOME)] View screen, lets you see immediately the key ranges you should expect from each PART.

PART 1: MediumLargeSection (across all keys)
PART 2: 2 Oboes & Bassoon (across all keys)
PART 3: Clarinet 1 AF1 (above D2)
PART 4: 2 Flutes (above C3)

The PARTS, 1-4, are under KBD CTRL. Each PART here is available as a Single PART MONTAGE PERFORMANCE – they are “merged” here into one playable entity. As programmer, you must make some decisions about what you wish to accomplish when playing all four together. In making the combination, you can decide on which Controllers are Received by each PART. This is important because you may decide that moving the MW causes one sound to do something positive but is detremental to another sound. You can opt in or out for whether the physical Controller will affect the sound on a per PART basis. The PART > “Mod/Control” > “Receive Sw” (RECEIVE SWITCH) can be used to make a PART ignore the Controller assignment. In this manner you can customize each Single Part for use in combination with others.

PART 1: MediumLargeSection
Press the upper [SOLO] button and then select [PART SELECT 1] to isolate the Strings:

Above you can see that [PART SELECT 1] is active, using the HOME-View screen option, we can see the seven Elements and their activity when we play the keyboard. In the view above, you can see the relative Element level settings and when you play the keys you will see the Element activity light turn green when that Element is actually sounding.

Quickly, you can surmise that Elements 1 and 2 share a velocity range, as do Elements 3/4 and 5/6, while Element 7 seems to stand alone.

If we navigate to [EDIT] > PART 1 > we can view “All” Element mapping at once by touching “All” in the lower right of the screen:

Above you can see the seven Element Switches, the Waveform assigned to each Element, the Velocity Limit Range and Key (Note Limit) Mapping, and importantly the XA CONTROL setting, per Element. And once again there is an Element activity light that will flash green when an Element is called upon to respond.

XA CONTROL is Expanded Articulation Control and allows the performer to determine exactly how each of the Elements will behave within the PART while you are playing. As we have been observing, not all Elements are set to sound together – each has its own set of criteria which must be met in order for the Element to activate. This is designed to increase the palette of different musical sounds you can evoke from a particular instrument. Elements can be placed in Groups (as we have seen in previous articles) within the PART and can be set to act together according. In this instance, the first 6 Elements will only sound when the Assign Switches are both OFF. This means activating either one of the two Assign Switches will defeat these six Elements – preventing them from generating audio.

Element 7 will only sound when Assign Switch 1 is set to ON (this brings in the orchestra pizzicato at all velocities, across all keys – and, of course, it will also defeat all six of the other bowed String Elements). The Assign Switch 2 is being used as a way to defeat the bowed string sound completely. As you will see/hear, when activated you can turn OFF the bowed strings.

The important thing to learn about XA CONTROL is that is a “musical control” – it will aid you in the act of performing musical phrases. In this case, you can see how pressing [ASSIGN SWITCH 2] does nothing but stop the “MediumLargeSection” from sounding, but importantly, it does this differently than the PART [MUTE] button, for example.

I often refer to playing with a modern synthesizer as wearing “two hats”: One is the ‘Musician Hat’ and the other is the ‘Technician Hat’ (Engineer). There are musical gestures and there are gestures that are strictly technical gestures.

An example of a musical gesture is controlling the sound output level with key-on velocity. There is a developed musical skill here.
An example of a technical gesture is controlling the sound output level by fading out or fading in using a slider. The skill here is a technical skill.
It is not whether controlling output level is a musical endeavor or not, it is how you go about that controlling output level that makes it a musical gesture, or not. Using a Foot Controller to control output level is certainly a musical gesture.

Here, within “Winds & Strings”, a musical gesture would be operating the XA CONTROL Assign Switch ON/OFF to defeat the bowed string sound (by selecting the Pizzicato articulation or by allowing other instruments to sound), while a technical gesture would be to press the [MUTE] button to defeat the string sound from the mix.

The musical gesture does not interrupt the sound of existing notes, while the technical gesture abruptly “mutes” the audio. The XA CONTROL is a control the musician is in charge of operating, because you are selecting an articulation or a specific sound from the instrument. The [MUTE] button simply changes the condition of the equipment tasked with routing the signal to the audio outputs.

Why make a distinction between these two methods of defeating the String sound?

Because XA CONTROL is “sonically invisible” to the listener. I can hit and hold a string chord with the bowed “MediumLargeSection”, and while it is sounding, touch [Assign Switch 1] and defeat the Strings but it does not cut them off aburptly like the [MUTE] button would; instead it simply prepares the instrument so that the next key-on event will not include the bowed Strings. I can continue to hold the strings even after I am playing the Pizzicato. So it is possible to be hearing the same Keys holding the bowed Strings (sustain pedal) at the same time you are playing the same Keys recreating the Pizzicato articulation.

The [MUTE] button, (a tool of the technician) simply disconnects the PART from the audio output. While the XA CONTROL (Assign Switch) functions as musical choice about what on the instrument will sound next. While we have PART 1 “Solo’d”, pressing the AssignSw1 will prepare the keyboard for the Pizzicato orchestral sound; while pressing the AssignSw2 will defeat the String sound but not abruptly, but by making it unavailable for the next key-on, (when the other PARTS are active, will allow us to make a musical decision about when the strings should be sounding):

The “MediumLargeSection” PART plays with very broad dynamics. You need to really “dig in” to get the medium and hard level Waveforms of this PART to engage. Work with this PART solo’d until you are comfortable with its very wide dynamic range. This string section was setup like this so that when merged with the Woodwinds, you can perform the Bassoon, Oboe, Clarinet and Flutes when you play with low and medium velocities and you can bring in the larger string section when you increase the intensity of your playing.

The Velocity Offset (41) and Velocity Depth (85) are creating a situation where it takes more effort to initially make this PART sound. The normal 64/64 setting creates a situation for each unit effort input, there is a unit output. The grpahic show Loudness (Amplitude) as the vertical, while the amount of effort (Velocity) is the horizontal. Initially, effort is not rewarded with output. These two parameters can be used to change the Amplitude Envelope Generator of all the Elements making up this PART. At low velocities you should be able to give the feeling a small string ensemble backing the Woodwind ensemble. The Woodwind instruments play very easily at low velocities, as you increase your velocity intensity, not only are the strings coming up in volume but the size of the section increases, as well.

Try it. Press the upper [MUTE] button to undo the SOLO function. Play all four PARTS together while viewing the Elements of PART 1. Get a feel for how the Winds and the Strings can be ‘balanced’ by the way you use velocity on the keys.

_ Use the XA CONTROL ([A.Sw2]) to remove the Strings completely. (You can assign this Switch to the Assignable FOOT SWITCH in situations where you need to keep both hands on the keys).
_ Use the row #2 PART [MUTE] button to MUTE the Strings
Compare and contrast the difference in the behavior. Particularly, your ability to perform with the strings, as you may require.

You can see why we consider the MUTE operation as a function that an engineer would use, while the XA CONTROL Element switch function is a musical operation, useful when performing. Often when playing with a synth we forget that it is a musical instrument built around a very technical audio device, in this case a very powerful digital mixer with top shelf processing and EQ. The MONTAGE is part musical instrument synthesizer and part digital mixer/effect processor. So when things like SCENE snapshots and SOLO/MUTE recalls are seen in the light of the digital mixer operation, rather than the instrument synthesizer operation, it become less confusing about what will work and which is the best approach, when performing.

If you want to remove an instrument or bring in an instrument sound without suddenly interrupting the audio signal output, then remember to think about *how* the change is being accomplished: it is a matter of approach and understanding how the features are implemented. Use the correct tool for the job. Elements within a PART can be manipulated in real time without disrupting the sounding notes, if you use the tools designed around musical gestures.

Control Assignments:
MW* – Var Send, Cutoff (all Elements)
AsgnKnob1 – AEG Attack, AEG Release
AsgnKnob2 – Rev Send
Ribbon – Cutoff

*MW – has been set to Receive Switch Off. When viewing the “Mod/Control” > “Control Assign” setup for PART 1, MediumLargeSection has the VAR SEND and CUTOFF assigned to the MW, but these are defeated because the MW Receive Switch is set to OFF. Often when combining sounds you can decide to deactivate a physical Control. In this case, only the Clarinet (in PART 3) is set to Receive messages from the MW. Below: “Mod/Control” > “Receive Sw” for PART 1:

PART 2: Two Oboes & Bassoon

As you can see, the Bassoon is mapped to the lower region and crosses over into the range of the Oboe. The keys between A#2 and E3 will play both Bassoon and Oboe. This crossfade is handled by the Scaling functions. Scaling has to do with controlling the response across the keyboard, be it to the response for Pitch (Oscillator), for Timbre (Filter) or for Loudness (Amplifier). In this case, it is the Amplitude of the Element that is being controlled. Let take a look at Element 1 the Bassoon responsible for velocities up to 100:

The Break Points show how that at A#2 the Amplitude starts to drop off very rapidly and by the time you reach E3 the Level Offset is way down (-103)
A quick look at the Break Points for the Oboe in Element 3 we can see how the crossfade is taking place:

Here the Oboe in Element 3 takes a rapid rise in Level from A#2 as you move toward E3. Sonically, you can hear the Bassoon tone morph into the Oboe tone. Clearly, B2 is more Bassoon, but clearly D3 is more Oboe!

Control Assignments:
MW* – Rev Send
AsgnKnob1 – Elem Level (E1/E2), Elem Level (E3/E4/E5/E6)
AsgnKnob2 – Var Send
Ribbon – Fine (pitch)
AsgnSw 1 – Cutoff

*MW – has been set to Receive Switch Off. When viewing the “Mod/Control” > “Control Assign” setup for PART 2, “2 Oboe & Bassoon” has the REV SEND assigned to the MW, but this is defeated because the MW Receive Switch is set to OFF for PART 2. Often when combining sounds you can decide to deactivate a physical Control. In this case, only the Clarinet (in PART 3) is set to Receive messages from the MW.

PART 3: Clarinet 1 AF1

Control Assignments:
MW – E.LFO PMD (all Elements), Elem Level (all Elements), Cutoff (E1-E6)
AsgnKnob1 – Elem Level (all Elements), E.LFO PMD (all Elements)
Ribbon – Cutoff (E1-E6), Resonance (E1-E6)
AsgnSw 1 – Mono/Poly

Part3Elem
Solo PART 3 using the upper [SOLO] button followed by [PART SELECT 3].
We know from the HOME screen that the Clarinet is Note Limited to D2-G8. And when first recalled the Clarinet is set to POLY play mode (means you can play multiple notes simultaneously).

Press [A.Sw 1].
This will set the play mode to MONO.
MONO means that the instrument sound will play only one tone at a time: a characteristic of wind instruments, as a pipe can only support one tone at a time. Playing a second note while the first is still being held will result in keyboard “legato”.

The XA CONTROL = Legato is set for Elements 2, 4, 6 and 8.

To understand what and how this works, using the bottom row of right front panel buttons, MUTE Elements 2, 4, 6 and 8. (the Legato Elements).
Play a trill by holding middle “C” with your thumb, and trilling the D3 key a whole step above. You will observe that the trill will only work when the MONO/POLY setting is switched to MONO. In the MONO setting only one note can be reproduced at a time (same as in any piped instrument – only one tone can be supported at a time). The smooth transition between notes is achieved by not re-attacking the note. This allows the keyboard player to “phrase”, you can play more realistic phrases where there is one attack followed by several notes played on the same “breath”.

Do this with Elements 2, 4, 6 and 8 MUTED and then again with All Elements active. Legato is the XA CONTROL mode that allows this AWM2 engine to seamlessly switch between an attacked Clarinet Waveform and a Clarinet Waveform that is Offset (Of) – Offset means it is the same instrument but without the attack portion of the instrument sample. XA Control plays the Element with the attack portion initially, when a key is attacked but when you play “legato” and the KEY MODE is Mono, it will seamlessly knit the OFFSET Sample audio onto the currently sounding Waveform, thus you get samples that instead of reattacking with each Key-on (which is typical of most sample playback instruments), the sound plays in a true legato fashion. The ability of the engine to “knit” audio onto already sounding Waveforms is something unique about the AWM2 engine and allows for more realistic phrasing.

PART 4: Two Flutes
Part4Elem
Elements 1, 2 and 3 make up one of the Flutes via a three-way (soft-medium-hard) velocity switching setup, while Element 4 is the second Flute, set to sound at all velocities.

Control Assignments:
MW* – Fine (tune) E1/E2/E3, Fine (tune) E4
AsgnKnob1 – Elem Level sets a balance between one Flute (E1/E2/E3) left channel and the other Flute (E4) right channel
AsgnKnob2 – Var Send
Ribbon – AEG Attack

*MW – has been set to Receive Switch Off. When viewing the “Mod/Control” > “Control Assign” setup for PART 4, “2 Flutes” has the FINE (tune) assigned to the MW, but these are defeated because the MW Receive Switch is set to OFF. Often when combining sounds you can decide to deactivate a physical Control. In this case, only the Clarinet (in PART 3) is set to Receive messages from the MW.

Playing the “Winds & Strings”

What can be done with this PERFORMANCE is a matter of what you wish to accomplish musically. Familiarize yourself with the instruments and their ranges. The “MediumLargeSection” plays differently because of the Velocity Offset/Depth settings. Not until you get fairly aggressive with your velocity does the String section start to really jump to the front. Do not be afraid to play with lots of gusto to bring those strings down front. Low velocity will allow the Winds to take the lead.

The default Controller Assignment number for the FC2 pedal jack is to send CC 04 [Foot Control]. You must change it to Super Knob if you are interested in controlling the movement of the Super Knob via the FC7 Pedal plugged into the Foot Controller 2 jack on MONTAGE’s back panel:
FC2 SK
In deciding what, if anything, needs to assigned to your Assign Knobs is a creative decision. Deciding what, if any of your Assign Knob parameters need to be linked to the Super Knob is also a creative decision. If, for example, you would like to control the “MediumLargeSection” with Super Knob movement linked to your FC7 pedal, you must first navigate to this PERFORMANCE’s CONTROL ASSIGN screen on the upper COMMON/AUDIO level of the architecture (Shown above), set the Foot Ctrl 2 = Super Knob.

With updated firmware, you can now directly assign the Super Knob to a PART. What we will actually be doing is assigning the Strings first available PART Assign Knob to the first available COMMON Assign Knob – and this can now be done in one operation.

Here’s how:
Goal: We know that with these Motif XF Performance Converstions only two of the PART AssignKnobs will ever have parameters assigned (that was all that was available on the XF). If we want to assign PART VOLUME (PART 1) to the SUPER KNOB – we can do so. Let’s talk through the procedure. We want the first of the COMMON Assign Knobs (the Super Knob’s own Assign Knobs) to control PART 1’s third Assign Knob (we know that Assign Knobs 1 and 2 are already used, and although you can stack multiple functions on a Knob, we have plenty of Knobs and plenty of Control Sets to work with yet…) So on the upper COMMON/Audio level of the architecture we will assign Common Assign Knob 1 control to Destination: PART 1 ASSIGN 3.

After setting FC2 = Super Knob:
Touch “Control Assign” in column two in the screen.
Make sure the AUTO SELECT box is active (green) and that the [ASSIGN] button just to the left of the SUPER KNOB is lit.
Turn the Super Knob to select its current assignments… you should see a “+” indicating you can ADD a Source/Destination Control Set.
Touch that “+”:
AsgnKn SK
The default parameter “InsA Param 1” appears, touch this to see the available options: Select “Part 1” > “Part 1 Assign 3” > Press [ENTER]:
Options
What this is saying is that, we are establishing a link between the upper COMMON/Audio level of the architecture’s Assign Knob 1 and the parameter we are going to assign to PART 1’s Assign Knob #3.
This is so that the posiion of the COMMON Assign Knob 1, will directly control the position of PART 1’s Assign Knob 3.

Touch the box that is the shortcut “Edit Part 1 Control Settings”.
Turn PART 1’s Assign Knob 3 to recall it… there should be a “+” allowing us to ADD a Destination.

Touch the default parameter (“InsA EQ 1 Freq”) and select “Part Param” > “Volume”:

PartParamVolume
Press [ENTER].

Set the POLARITY = Bi.
Set the RATIO = +48:
AsK3 SK
The Polarity to Bi-directional will mean that the currently stored Volume value for the PART will be recalled when the Super Knob is at 12 o’clock position, and you will be able to increase the String volume by turning the Super Knob clockwise, and decrease the volume turning counterclockwise. Returning the Knob to 12 o’clock will return it to the currently stored Volume value.

On the upper Common/Audio (Super Knob) level of the architecture, we know that the eight COMMON Assign Knobs default to following the Super Knob’s position. So now when we move the Super Knob – if the upper [COMMON] is lit all eight COMMON Assign Knobs move in concert. But if we select [PART SELECT 1] and we move the Super Knob – only the PART Assign Knob 3 will move.

Try it. SOLO the “MediumLargeSection” in PART 1. Move the Super Knob. Because PART 1 is selected we are able to see its ASSIGN KNOBs – it is the AssignKnob 3 that is linked to the Super Knob movement.
On the screen above, if you touch the box “Destination to Name” this will set the DISPLAY NAME = “Volume” – you may opt to rename it “Str Vol” (this will identify the KNOB for when you wish to manually control this parameter).

Have questions or comments about this session? Join the conversation on the Forum here.

And stay tuned – more to come!

Download here: Winds__Strings.X7B