PERFORMANCE 9: Assignable Knobs

The previous examples were showing how to use the Assignable Knobs of the Performance Parts for building Super Knob assignments. Independent of the Super Knob use, you can use the Part Assignable Knobs for individual assignments, which are used after selecting the Part. (Please note: The Live Set that is used in the Mastering MONTAGE series is located here.)

Important: You can control only one Part at the same time with Assignable Knobs (the currently selected/highlighted PART). But you can use the Super Knob and the Assignable Knobs of the *selected* Part at same time!

This example shows how Super Knob assignments can be combined with individual assignments to the Part Assignable Knobs, which are not routed to the Super Knob. Getting your head around this may take some time, but before there was a Super Knob, an Assignable Knob would be assigned to control a specific parameter within the current PART. This can still be done, and it remains unaffected by the movement of the Super Knob for this PART. Often a PART of your PERFORMANCE may be selected (highlighted) for individual direct play/control, while the others are responding to messages generated by the Arpeggiator. For example, you might have a two Part split Performance, a lead sound in the right hand and a bass in the left; you might want to have a knob that just affects the lead Part. In such a case you may opt to simply use the Assignable Knob independent of the Super Knob movement.

Each PART, when selected for direct play/control, has access to the three rows of eight Knob functions plus it’s own eight Assignable Knobs. In affect, you have 32 Knobs, plus the physical controllers (MW, PB Wheel, the two Assignable Switches, Ribbon, Aftertouch, FC1/FC2, Faders (Control Sliders)), the Motion Sequences, Arpeggios, the Envelope Follower, etc., that can all be called upon while this Part is selected. An extensive Receive Switch matrix allows you to determine which physical controllers are active per Part, thus making your performing work as necessary. Between the Super Knob which can work independently, and the controls available to your currently highlighted (selected) Part, you can design most any scenario.

This example Performance includes only one Part with a typical fat sawtooth synth pad. All eight Part Assignable Knobs are assigned to parameters within this PART, but only two of them (1 + 2) are also routed/linked to the Super Knob:

Translation: In the previous examples of the SUPER KNOB assignment, we saw how on the Performance upper “COMMON/Audio” level you needed to assign “Part 1 Assign 1”, “Part 1 Assign 2” and so on, to make each Knob accessible via the Super Knob. In this example only these first two are using the Super Knob. The other six Knobs are individually accessible when you highlight/select the PART, as we’ll see below. (This is very similar to the Motif XS/XF Performance where when you selected an individual PART, the Assign 1 and 2 Control Knobs would address just that individual PART parameters).

To view the Assignable Knob layout go to the OVERVIEW screen: [SHIFT] + [PERFORMANCE (HOME)] or from the main screen touch “MOTION CONTROL” > “OVERVIEW”.
First view the Performance COMMON Assignable Knob assignment:

Change the PART parameter from “COMMON” to “PART 1” to view the Assignable Knob layout for PART 1:

There is one DESTINATION parameter assignment to each of the PART’s eight Assignable Knobs.
To view the actual 8 Destination Control Settings use the “Edit Part 1 Control Settings” shortcut.
Set the DISPLAY FILTER to “ALL”.
You can view Destination 1 ~ Destination 4 on the first Page.
There are two PAGES:

PAGE 2:

The currently displayed “DESTINATION” (blue) has a number 1-16, touch that designation to view it’s data. Touch the parameter setting to view an overlay of possible parameter Destinations.

Looking at DESTINATIONs 1 and 2, (above) you learn that CUTOFF and RESONANCE are being controlled by AssignKnob 1 and AssignKnob 2, respectively. Because the AUTO SELECT is active (green) moving the SUPER KNOB will reveal that, indeed these are the “PART 1 ASSIGN 1” and “PART 1 ASSIGN 2” parameters that are linked to the movement of the Super Knob:

 

The Super Knob starts with the center position (64). This is useful for combining with the use of Part Assignable Knobs, which are set to center position by default. For this reason selecting Bipolar (Polarity) for all assignments in the Part Controller Box is needed: Bipolar allows you to move the parameter up or down depending on whether a Positive or Negative value is set for RATIO. Positive values increase as the Knob is turned clockwise.

The Assignable Knobs can be used for controlling the listed eight parameters: Cutoff, Resonance, Insert “A” Dry/Wet, Insert “A” LFO Speed, Insert “A” Feedback Level, Element LFO Pitch Modulation Depth (vibrato), AEG Attack, AEG Release.

At same time you can use the Super Knob, which controls the Assignable Knobs 1+2. But you should avoid using the Super Knob and the Assignable Knobs 1+2 at same time, because they are controlling the same parameter.

You can see the movements of the Super Knob at the LEDs of the Assignable Knob 1+2.

I’ve edited and stored this PERFORMANCE renaming the individual Destinations for this PART (PART 1) (DISPLAY NAME). By default, they are simply named: Assign 1, Assign 2, Assign 3, Assign 4 and so on.
This DISPLAY NAME will appear on the main PERFORMANCE screen when PART 1 is the “selected” (highlighted) PART. Shown below:

When you *select* the PART, Part 1, the name you provide as the “Display Name” will appear – very useful when performing to know what your assignable knobs are going to do (select the Part by pressing [PART SELECT 1/1] or by touching the TYPE/NAME box above PART1) – Now you will see that I’ve identified what each of them is doing to PART 1. Because you can SELECT only one PART at a time, it makes total sense to be able to read what that Knob is assigned to (this cuts down immensely on the guessing about what a Knob is doing!) It appears that many of the PRESETs have the word “Assigned” simply as the PART “Display Name” – which at least lets you know it is doing something – if it is not assigned the Display name area appears blank.

Using the “Display Name”:
Hint: From the upper COMMON/Audio level (or when the PERFORMANCE NAME is highlighted) the KNOBS will simply read ASSIGN 1 – ASSIGN 8. When you select an individual PART (either by touching the PART Name or by pressing [PART SELECT 1/1] ~ [PART SELECT 8/8] you have the option of viewing the KNOB assignment by what it is doing. You can even give it a “nickname” – it can be anything that you wish. This is extremely cool because you can be descriptive. The Presets only indicate with Knob is “Assigned” when you select an individual PART.

Imagine the PART Knob is controlling an FM Element that causes RING MODULATION when you raise its Modulation Index (Output Level) saying it is “Output Level” is not as helpful as naming it “+RingMod”.

So selecting any single PART 2-8 (so that it is the highlighted PART) will show you what each of the knobs is assigned to control. This can be very useful and can make exploring Performances much easier because when scuba diving, it can get quite deep!

If you have any questions or comments about this article, please join us to discuss them on the Forum here.

Catch up on the previous article in the series – “Mastering MONTAGE 7: Super Knobs Values“.

Next article now available: “Mastering MONTAGE 9: Controller Box Switches“.

 

The video below is a great accompaniment to this article. Check it out:

PERFORMANCE 10: ControllerBoxSwitchA
Sometimes it is needed to make control assignments only to specific Elements within the AWM2 PART (or to specific Operators within the FM-X PART). In the default setting the control assignments are valid for all Elements of a Performance. The individual assignments for Elements can be done on the Controller Set screen – you can select the Element for Destinations that allow individual selection. (Please note: The Live Set that is used in the Mastering MONTAGE series is located here.)

This means that all used control settings made in the Part Controller Set are initially enabled. If you select a parameter that allows for individual Element assignment, you must OPT OUT for the individual Element. The default is that an ELEMENT is set to OPT IN. In other words, if you select a parameter Destination that does offer individual ELEMENT assignment, the Elements are initially set to active (ON) by default. If you don’t want to control an Element turn its individual Switch OFF. Of course, if you do not select the parameter Destination, its being ON or OFF is of no consequence, because you will not be changing anything.

For better understanding it may help to compare this function with the corresponding function of MOTIF XF, which is the “Element Switch” in the Controller Set Assignment.

As you can see in the displayed screenshot the Effect parameters are unchecked or greyed out, because they cannot be used individually for Elements. This is because of the selected Destination. The entire sound (all Elements together) are routed through the selected destination (Effect). “InsA-HSH G” (Insert A – High frequency Shelving Gain) which is an EQ and “Reverb send” are situations where the entire program is processed, it is not a possibility to select just a single Element.

In CONTROLLER SET 4 and 6 (Destinations “cutoff” and “AEG release”, respectively) are checked for all Elements. Here you have a choice, and all Elements are opting in.

In CONTROLLER SET 3 (Destination “Element Level”) is checked only for Element 8. The programmer would have had to uncheck Elements 1-7 in order to OPT OUT.

A CONTROL SET on the Motif XF consists of a SOURCE (physical control) and a DESTINATION (target parameter). The DEPTH dealt with the application of the controller both range and direction, and for those Destinations appropriate you were provided the option to select specific Elements individually. The MOTIF XF had only 6 Control Sets; MONTAGE provides 16 Control Sets per PART and an additional 16 for the COMMON/Audio level of editing; plus new parameters like Curve Type and Polarity and advanced shaping tools designed so you can customize the application of controllers.

These new shaping tools exponentially increase the DEPTH function as was available in the Motif and MOXF series. DEPTH does not have to be linearly applied. In fact, you can completely customize the shape of how the application of a controller is applied. You can manually apply it or automate its application. This is at the core of the Motion Control Synthesis Engine.

The layout is a bit different. But the operation is fundamentally the same.

_ If a Performance Part doesn’t require individual Element assignments you can keep the Controller Box Switch as it is. All Element Switches default to ON
_ If you want to make individual Element assignments you have to edit the Controller Box Switch matrix.

Translation: CONTROL ASSIGNMENTS are easy to deal with because they are seen within the PART’s Element/Operator view and are made as you think about them – which is intuitive. It is very much like patching a modular synth, in that as you build your sound, you make the necessary connections/assignments. The key thing here is the Destination (parameter) determines whether or not the Element/Operator Switches appear or not. Obviously, some Destination parameters are PART destinations (affect all Elements or Operators together like common Volume, Send to Reverb and Variation, etc) and others are individually switched per Element or Operator (like Element Level, Element Pan, AEG, FEG and PEG parameters, Cutoff, Resonance, LFO etc.). This can be seen as equivalent to the kind of ‘patching’ you would do in voltage controlled analog synthesizers, if you had a wall unit full of modules. Think about all the individual envelopes you can control within the 8 PARTS, each with as many as 8 Elements (if AWM2) or each with 8 Operators (if FM-X)

PERFORMANCE 10: ControllerBoxSwitchA
This example includes a simple Super Knob morphing between two different organ Waveforms within a single Part:
Element 1 = Gospel
Element 2 = 1st Four Draw

Instead of the organ sound occupying a Part, here each B3 sound is a single Element within the same Part.

Element 1Gospel is assigned to the right (fully clockwise) position, Element 2 1st Four Draw is set to the left position of the Super Knob. In the center position you will hear a mix of both. First step, for the Super Knob assign is the assignments in the “Common/Audio” Controller Box: The first two Knobs (Assign1 and Assign2) are set to link with PART 1 on this upper Common/Audio level (the Super Knob level). Instead of morphing between PARTS, we are now working within a single PART by manipulating individual Elements (since this is an AWM2 sample based progrm). Each Element references a Waveform. A Waveform organizes a set of samples mapped to respond across the keyboard at specific pitches and velocities. 

From the HOME screen:
Press [EDIT].
Press the upper [COMMON] button; Select “Control” > ” Control Assign.
With the AUTO SELECT (green) active you can view the assignments either by moving the Knob itself or setting the DISPLAY FILTER = SuperKnob:

Next follow the assignments in the Part Controller Box, which is basically the same as morphing between Parts, but this time using the Element Level as destination. Below, we can take a look at the two PART 1 destinations.

Press the [PART SELECT 1/1] to view “Edit – Part1 – Common”:
Select “MOD/CONTROL” > “CONTROL ASSIGN”.
Ensure that “Auto Select” is active (green).
Move ASSIGN KNOB 1:

Move ASSIGN KNOB 2:

(Top screenshot) Assignable Knob 1 (Ratio +63) = Element Switch 1 ON, Element Switch 2 OFF
(Bottom screenshot) Assignable Knob 2 (Ratio -64) = Element Switch 2 ON, Element Switch 1 OFF

It should be noted here that, you can STORE the position of the Super Knob with the PERFORMANCE. So if you want this Performance to come up with the 1st Four Draw Element alone, you would store the Super Knob at a value of 0. If you wanted the Gospel Element alone, you would store the Super Knob at a value of 127. And finally if you wanted to recall the sound with both set equally, you would store the Super Knob at 64, or the balance you desire.

From the PERFORMANCE (HOME) screen:
Touch “Motion Control” in the main screen’s left column.
Touch “Super Knob” in the second column.
SUPER KNOB value is in the lower right corner.

SOURCE:DESTINATION CONTROL ASSIGN Shortcut:
This is a good example to illustrate how easy it is with MONTAGE to assign a parameter (Destination) to a controller (Source). While up until now, we have been going through the screens where this all takes place on the “scuba diving” tour. The following is a quick and easy assignment – for the snorkelers. Say you’ve selected the Rotary Speaker TYPE as Insert Effect “A” and you want to assign Rotary Speaker: Speed Control to the MOD WHEEL. (Notice this Performance does not have it assigned).

Start from the HOME screen (touch the icon in the upper left corner):
Press [EDIT].
Press [PART SELECT 1/1] to view the PART 1 parameters.
Touch “COMMON” (blue) in the lower left corner or the screen.
Touch “EFFECT” in the left column.
Touch “INS A” to view the parameters of the Rotary Speaker.
Move the cursor to highlight Speed Control (shown):

Press the [CONTROL ASSIGN] button (located to the left of the screen below the Super Knob), which is now illuminated. The Destination Parameter will appear in the screen and it will tell you to activate (move) the controller you wish to assign:

Move the Mod Wheel:

Done! It takes you immediately to the Controller Assign screen where you can tweak the Controller response (Depth) and/or Delete the assignment (Lower right corner of this Control Set screen). Notice that the Element Switches do not appear as they are unavailable – because all Elements will be affected by the application of the Rotary Speaker Speed change. 

In the OVERVIEW you can now see how the MW (Controller) is linked to PART 1 (magenta):

The [CONTROL ASSIGN] button, located to the lower left of the screen below the Super Knob, will glow whenever you move the cursor highlight to a potential assignable parameter. This allows you to rapidly assign, then scale and shape the application of that controller.

Extra Credit: NEW ROTARY SPEAKER TYPE
With PART 1 selected try substituting the new “Rotary Speaker 2” Type for the one above:

Tap the PRESET box to view the various starting points. A pop-in menu will appear; Use the DATA WHEEL or touch the Preset you would like try:

If you have any questions or comments about this article, please join us to discuss them on the Forum here.

Catch up on the previous article in the series – “Mastering MONTAGE 8: Assignable Knobs“.

Check out the next article in the series: “Mastering MONTAGE 10: Side Chain Modulation“.