Derrick wrote:

Had my Montage for over a year and still have no idea how to program Super-knob .
I know Yamaha have updated Montage to make super-knob assignments easier but that doesn't change the fact that I just don't understand it .
I know there have been excellent very long tutorial reads on the Yamaha synth web page but that hasn't help.

Hi Derrick, did you update to Montage OS 2.0, already? If yes, then programming the superknob has become very easy. A very short tutorial: Say you have a performance with three parts. You want to program the volume of two parts to change with the superknob. So in the performance screen tap on the volume of the first part. The control assign button is then lit. Press it, waggle the superknob. Then the first part's volume is connected to the superknob. Repeat the same with the second part. That's it. Instead of the volume every other parameter which can be assigned as a destination for the controls can be used in the same way.

That's about the shortest somewhat useful tutorial I could come up with. And sorry, I cannot do a video. But I guess it's easy enough like that.

Stefan, that is the clearest, most important tutorial I have seen re: OS 2.0 and the Super Knob. I wish simple instructions such as these were presented in the pdf's or the readme files that come with the updates. Thank you for posting that.

We're only 8 days in on having the new firmware which offers this - so much of your over a year would have had to program the <2.0 method (firmware before v2.0).

There's other superknob related features like the new link/unlink feature in v1.50.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ksEg9ASark

This video doesn't have a narration - so it may not be useful for the old way:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bUyKeTQ8LPM&index=21&list=PLnTlBnRQ1pRZBofNRkV8rz_TW72rYPN4z

This is better - at time 3:58

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lLiWk8kyvqw

BM has a deep-dive on Superknob (older firmware):

Basics:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kjInvirY4UM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E5z8E9J-3so

Deep-Dive:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nJ1Tp7bvj9w
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P-H_5l5u4kg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VG4d7Npo5Is
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S3sz3pgWzHk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9CBokW3p1r4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X9bmNFRsWks

Entire Mastering Montage video series from Yamaha (playlist):

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLbPXhs3J3MiBO0BB2eEEoOMhqG22ua1Mh

It helps to know the old way so you can "scuba dive" into the settings. Reliance on the new shortcuts may have you miss how the superknob is routed from the knob to global (common) assignable knobs, from global (common) assignable knobs to each PART's set of 8 assignable knobs ("PART level" assignable knobs), and from PART-level assignable knobs to the final parameter destinations.

When assigning the shortcuts are useful. When editing - you may also want to know the underlying details.

Point well taken. I'll check those videos as well. For quick assigning and usefulness on the fly, the shortcut will be quite useful though.

Thanks for those links!

For how to program the Super Knob in version 2.00

MONTAGE - Motif XF Performance Conversions

I've tried this shortcut several times but for some reason it does not seem to work.... I hit the control assign button and turn the super knob but nothing happens.... I started with a single part piano patch, and added Lush strings to the second part... I would like to control the volume on the Lush strings with the super knob. Any further help on this would be appreciated

I'm assuming this is you: https://www.yamahasynth.com/forum/2-0-update and you have v2.0 installed.

You did not mention one step in the process, James. First you have to highlight a parameter that can be assigned as a destination. Not all parameters can do this.

If you go "inside" your Lush strings - you have to highlight the volume with the cursor pad or with the touchscreen. The [CONTROL ASSIGN] should light up when a parameter that can be assigned is selected and will not be illuminated if no such value is highlighted.

From the tutorial BM linked to above:

We want to next navigate to the PART VOLUME parameter of the "Stryngs" in PART 2:

- Press [PART SELECT 2]
- Touch "Part Settings" > "General"
- Move the cursor to or touch the "Volume" box: currently set to "98".
- By highlighting a parameter that is assignable the [CONTROL ASSIGN] button will be glowing (located to the lower left of the screen, next to the OCT -/+ buttons).
- Press [CONTROL ASSIGN]

- The new version 2.00 "Destination Parameter" screen appears - it simply says the next controller you touch will be assigned.
- Turn the SUPER KNOB - the assignment is made! It is literally that easy now.

Jason.... Thanks so much for your response, but still can't get it to work. Very frustrating. It appears I'm getting the volume on the strings but when I have the super knob turned completely down I'm still picking up strings. Moving the super knob, it will get louder , but with the super knob all the way down, the strings are still playing. Sorry to keep asking for help.... But sure would like to be able to get it working. Thank you so much for any further help.

Hi James, the problem is most probably that you have to change the curve to bi-directional to be able to turn the volume down completely. Also you have to set the rate to the max.

You can do this, on the control assign screen after you assigned the super knob to the volume.

OK - no problem. I know what you're dealing with. This automatic assignment does skip some steps - so things are automated which may also "shortcut" your understanding of what's really going on.

You do have superknob assigned to volume. Congrats. Your issue is with how your curve/polarity is setup for the volume.

By default, I imagine the curve is setup as uni-polar with a standard curve (ramp). This kind of ramp goes from 0 to some positive value if uni-polar. What this means is that superknob can only ADD anything from zero to the maximum adder to your default volume. If, when you recall your performance - and do not touch anything - the volume is at a level you can hear ; then this is not the right curve polarity to use if you want zero.

There are two ways to solve this.

The quick and "maybe you don't learn much" way to fix this issue would be to touch that same volume parameter you used to assign the superknob and CHANGE that value. This is the programmed volume level. First, write down the programmed value before changing it so you can change it back to the previous setting if you want to later. Change the programmed volume to 0 (zero). [STORE] the Performance to save your work.

Now go to some other Performance and come back to the one you just modified. When you play - the volume should be OFF *IF* your superknob is set to "0" when you load the performance. It will be some positive volume level when you rotate the superknob clockwise.

The superknob, when set at uni-polar is set to just ADD to the programmed value. You set the programmed value to 0, so if superknob is at "0" (full counter-clockwise) then your volume will be Programmed Value=0 plus (ADDED to) the superknob value = 0 EQUALS 0 volume ("off"). When you turn the superknob clockwise, the values will go up the ramp to the maximum value when fully clockwise.

The other way to "fix" this is to leave the programmed volume level as-is and change the curve polarity.

After you use [CONTROL ASSIGN] to associate superknob with volume - I'm pretty sure the system "plops" you in a screen at the end with the curve parameters for this modulation control setting. I think you will see a ramp and should see the "uni" setting for polarity. Go ahead, even if you have gone through this step before, assign superknob to the volume like you did before -- just so you're "plopped" down to the right screen. Then change "uni" to "bi" for polarity. What this does is changes the math. Now, the first half of the rotation of superknob will SUBTRACT from the programmed value and the second half of the rotation will ADD to the programmed value. Last, go back to the volume setting and change the programmed value from 0 (assuming you changed it before) and change it back to the original value you wrote down. [STORE] the performance to save your work.

Now when you go to another Performance and come back to your newly bi-polar superknob Performance, you should also see the volume can go down to "zero". If you do not, then the ratio is too small (on the screen with "uni" or "bi" polarity and the ramp) and you need to increase this number so that you affect HOW MUCH is subtracted and added.

Jason thank you so much. I followed your steps and set the curve to"bi" and polarity to 63. It appear to be working fine now. Thank you so very much.... I appreciate the help.
Much simpler than before the 2.0 update.