Page 194 of the Reference Manual says that a Song/Pattern Mixing includes AEG/FEG settings for each Part, as described on page 115. These can be used to modify the EG characteristics of the associated Voice. Meanwhile, the associated Voice has its own AEG/FEG settings shown on pp. 76 and 80.
I'm curious about why this alternative to the Mixing Voice method of modifying the associated Voice exists. I can see that it's more lightweight than setting up a Mixing Voice, but I'm wondering if there might be more to it that would be worth knowing about.
When you set the FEG/AEG at the PART EDIT level (page 194 MIXING PART and page 115 PERF PART) you are applying offsets to potentially 8 Filters, one for each of the 8 possible Elements simultaneously.
When you set the FEG/AEG at the ELEMENT EDIT level (page 76 and page 80) you are editing one of 8 individual Element's Filter and Amplifier, directly.
Best way to hear the difference is to edit them on a Voice where the Elements are used to create a unique portion of the overall sound. Perhaps a Voice that includes a Piano and a Pad, or piano/strings... The PART edit will apply overall to the entire Voice, where the Element edit will allow you to change the piano sound independent of the pad or strings.
It would the same as adjusting PART VOLUME versus ELEMENT VOLUME. Quite different when you get into it. At the PART EDIT level you are adjusting the entire result, at the ELEMENT EDIT level you have individual control within the Voice.
With 8 potential Filters to adjust, imagine not having the overall Part FEG and AEG (like on an analog synth) when you adjust the ADSR on an analog synth it applies to all oscillators, the beauty of the *detail* in a sample playback engine allows you individual control and overall control... Part of the reason it is highly accurate in acoustic emulation, the *detail*. Each Element can have an entirely different Filter Type on an engine like the XF. Each Element has its own ADSR!!
Say Element 1 uses a LPF, and Element 5 uses a BPF... These are individually controllable at the Element edit level... But when you increase FEG DEPTH at the Part edit level you are applying more LPF to Element 1 and more BPF to Element 5, simultaneously. Obviously, if you are playing (performing) the 8 individual Filter EGs and 8 individual Amplifier EG would be too cumbersome to manipulate without a "ganged" overall control.
Element Edit is for detailed work.
Part Edit is for quick access.
Make sense? Once you begin to use the Elements to play separate roles within a single Voice, the difference becomes very clear.
Very clear and obvious, once it's explained. Very cool…