Most, not all, ARPs will play different pitches. You can turn portamento on to handle the glide if you find a legato ARP between two notes. I searched around for an ARP that did the trick - but even with turning "sort" off - there wasn't one that quite fit.

I did find it much easier to use LFO.

I started with Init AWM2 - which is a velocity insensitive piano, no ARPs assigned, no LFO turned on (default "nothing" template).

Then I navigated to the PART LFO screen. "Mod/Control" -> "Part LFO" for PART1 (the only part for the Init AWM2)

Note: Portamento is turned OFF - since the LFO is handling the "glide" - no need for portamento.

Then modified the parameters:

1) Changed LFO wave to "Triangle +"
2) Changed destination to "Pitch" (added TWO of these destinations so I could "stack" them to force two octave instead of 1)
2a) Depth = 115 for both
2b) Element Depth Ratio = 127
3) Loop = off ( if you want it to stop after the first up/down - or leave on if you want it to go back and forth continuously)
4) Speed = 34 (depends on what you're after)
5) Key on reset = First-On. Although other settings may be preferred - this reset policy works for what you've described thus far

The LFO "tops out" at +24 (2 octaves) so you'll notice if you change the depth above 115 - once the notes reach the highest pitch - there's a delay before the pitch starts dropping. That's because the pitch will "glide" up to the highest value it can reach (+24) then the LFO will try, and fail, to increase the pitch above +24. During this time, the pitch will remain at +24 until the LFO comes back down to the point where it crosses (on the downward slope) the +24 pitch point. Then the pitch will start to go down. So if you push the depth up too high, there will sound like a "pause" where the pitch doesn't change because this is the time LFO is trying to set values above +24. I've "tuned" the depth so I hear no delay when the pitch reaches the top which tells me I have "full swing" of +24 (two octave) when the LFO is at its highest value without trying to set values above +24. And there is no delay once the top notes are reached. Maybe you want the notes to "sit" at the top for a few moments, then come back down. If you do, then you can use this "artifact" of +24 as max and push the depth up more to bring back that "delay" at the top note before notes start descending. You can add a 3rd destination as pitch if you want it to "sit" even longer. The issue with "stacking" destinations is that they "multiply" the steps between LFO "ticks" so at some point you will hear instead of a glide - individual notes since the "resolution" of the glide is not fine enough due to pitch offset multiplication. In other words, the more destinations targeting pitch you add - the less "smooth" the glide will sound.

Thanks, I'll try this...I know that I need a square instead of tri for LFO though...but this brings up another question or two.

If I'm determined to use arp# 5973 how do I apply that to the part and have the osc pitch follow along? Also, if arp# 5973 is named (MA_Up Oct2) and it doesn't play octaves then I'm really confused by the naming convention used.

Jared wrote:

I can't for the life of me figure out how to find, edit existing, or create new, a performance using a simple preset 2 octave up/down pitch arp - #5973 (MA_Up Oct2). I can't use the LFO for this because I'd like to have a little glide between octave notes. I can't believe I'd have to create my own little 3 note arp for this. All I want is the simplest root then up 1 octave then back down to root. If I play a chord I just want the same octave jump for each note...no fancy chord inversions or rhythm manipulation just a simple up/down sync for whatever notes I play. I found the screen where you can change the arp for the performance parts but when I choose the arp I want, the notes don't follow along. Where do I assign the arp to affect the pitch, filter, amplitude etc. "Set arpeggio destination" is nowhere in the manuals. HELP!

j

Hi Jared,
Perhaps your expectations about using an arpeggio needs some clarification. You ask where do you "assign the ARP to affect the pitch, filter, amplitude etc". I'm not sure that you do. You can assign an Arp to a Part. Arps like the one you have selected, MA_Up Oct2, are going to reproduce ascending notes over two octaves according to the Keys you hold down. If you hold down middle C, it will play middle C followed by the C an octave higher... then repeat.
If you hold down a C major triad, it will play C-E-G in succession in the original octave followed by C-E-G in the second octave... repeat.
It plays them in this ascending order because it is "Up", it plays them in two octaves because "Oct2".

It's hard to envision exactly what you are expecting to happen. It's hard to envision without a better description, (notation might help communicate) what you're looking for...

Call up the following Performance (FM Syn Lead 2) and follow these steps:
There are two places you can view and assign ARP phrases to Performances

Method 1
From the HOME screen touch "Motion Control" > "Arpeggio"
Here you can see an overview of the Arps assigned to the Parts of this Performance
Start with ARP 1, touch the first line where the NAME for the ARP assigned to Part 1 would appear

The pop-in menu appears, since you know the Number touch "Number" > type in the number 5973 > touch "Done"
Turn the ARP for Part 1 On
Turn the "ARP Master" On

Alternate method:
You can navigate to the Part and address just the Arpeggios assigned to this Part
Press [EDIT]
Press [PART SELECT 1]
In the screen make sure "Common" is blue (selected) lower left of the screen
Touch "Arpeggio" > "Individual"
Here you can view just the Arps assigned to this individual Part
Turn both the "ARP Part" and "ARP Master" Switches are On
Assign your ARP to slot 1

The OP wants to press an a note - say the "C" note "C[n]" (where n is the octave number in MIDI terms like "C3") and Montage plays C[n] then glides up to "C[n+2]" then glides back down to "C[n]" - as far as I can tell.

If the OP plays a chord, in some octave "n" - say "C[n]" - "E[n]" - "G[n}" - then the OP wants what's played to start with:

C[n] E[n] G[n] - then glide up to
C[n+2] E[n+2] G[n+2] - then glide back down to
C[n] E[n] G[n]

The problem with the built-in ARP the OP is trying to force-feed is that pressing a chord will still sort through the notes instead of treating them as a unit. I didn't see an option for changing this behavior. There's more options if you're generating your own ARPs - but the pre-canned ones work how they've been programmed.

I'm not altogether sure why the LFO isn't adopted because it does what they seem to want.

I'm not sure why they want square which is instantaneous and has no "glide". A "glide" to me denotes there's a starting pitch and an ending pitch. Then there's time (something greater than zero) between the starting pitch and ending pitch. In this case, it's going to be 2 octaves. And a glide would be some time to slide between the "root" pitch and the "octave+2" pitch. If you take no time between pitches (a square wave) then it will just sound like playing the root then the octave+2 pitch with no slide/glide/portamento/etc. Zero time means zero slide. And a square is a "step function" with zero time between the two settings (root and octave+2).

At this point, the OP has introduced some possibly conflicting statements. ... unless the LFO is used for something else that requires a square and cannot use a triangle because it's reserved for other use.

In which case, I would remind that there are two LFOs - the PART LFO I've described and the Element LFO. So you can use an Element LFO on all elements to accomplish the same thing except you cannot have loop=off for the element LFO. So consider swapping LFOs if you can (whatever you have in PART LFO that conflicts with using triangle - move it to the element LFO then use PART LFO as described for the octave glide).

Thanks to you both. Both of my questions have been answered. Square wave works for what I want..yes, it's just playing octaves but without the retriggers. I mis-spoke when I said "glide" but I do hear just a slight glide as the notes go up/down...maybe it's my imagination. I know now how to assign the arps and I was able to have some fun with those before screwing with the LFOs.

The square wave may not be "ideal". I do not mean ideal for your application, but ideal in the sense of what an "ideal" step-function square wave is. In the analog world, square waves are hardly ideal - they're approximations with lots of characteristics unlike the binary ideal counterparts. This is neither good nor bad. Each, depending on the application of the square wave, presents a unique sound/response/etc.

Much like an ideal circle has infinite points - and a retro game may approximate a circle as an octogon. Very unlike an ideal circle - but creates a "jagged" kind of circle. These days it seems people value the "retro" look of games and there's a market for jagged non-ideal graphics. Again, "not ideal" can be a good thing depending on what you're after.

If not ideal - then maybe there is some "glide" even with a square LFO wave.