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Note number as mod. source

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roberto
Posts: 0
Eminent Member
Topic starter
 

Hi people, my research on Montage give me a result : it's not possible to modulate i.e. LFO speed by the note number played on the keyboard, this is a very useful technique that I use to give more analogicity to a sound, some ideas ?

thank you

 
Posted : 21/04/2017 7:29 am
Christine
Posts: 0
Active Member
 

That's one of the annoying omissions in the Montage mod matrix. Velocity is the odd omission that bothers me most. You can use both of those to affect the filter EGs in a part but not in a more generic way sadly.

 
Posted : 21/04/2017 2:09 pm
Joe
 Joe
Posts: 0
Eminent Member
 

Agreed! Velocity and note number are great mod sources. (Velocity especially great for expressive playing).

Side note: You can assign velocity to pitch as well (in both the samples and the FM engines).

Using a computer however, you can map things however you like and send the MIDI data back to the Montage. For example, I was using velocity to control the Super Knob position the other day and could have just as easily mapped note number instead. I was using Max Msp to route and convert/remap the MIDI data.

Joe

 
Posted : 22/04/2017 4:19 am
Jason
Posts: 7897
Illustrious Member
 

I'm in agreement about dreaming up of anything that can be a control source and adding it to the list. Notes are a natural fit. Velocity is fine too. Most controls you can set at some value (like the mod wheel or an assignable knob) and they "stick" to that value until you move it. However, there are examples of "momentary" controls like aftertouch - which only lasts as long as you "hold" it, then will turn "off" when you let go (sounds like that's pretty close to note on/off - in a general sense). The ribbon controller in a certain mode is like that. Pitch wheel is kind of like that because it snaps back.

I've also wished notes can be destinations like 0 is off and other values are on. Something that you could assign an element/operator matrix to like they have for some parameters (so you could "opt in" or "opt out" some elements/operators from responding to the control destination to "play" a note).

However, in general, ARPs are for notes. ARPs both respond to note values and cause notes to play. ARPs respond to velocity as well. At least - ARPs are in the "note and velocity" domain while mod controls are in the "parameters and settings" domain.

That said - I said "in general" because there are exceptions here. Want a velocity OR specific key to ACT as a "mod source"? You're in luck, because you can do that.

What you cannot do is map each of your 88 keys (or 76 or 61) to a different value that will always be that value. This method is not that precise. However, you can make a group of notes generally cause the LFO speed to be one value and another group of notes set the LFO speed to another value. The problem isn't making ONE note do something different than all other notes - or making one group cause the LFO to run at one speed vs. another group of notes to make the LFO run at another speed. I would say you have maybe 8 different levels (maybe more) you can safely run the lfo at different speeds. If you don't care about discrete, predictable values - then you can pretty much get to your desired destination.

I've said it many times before - but the envelope follower is the bridge between notes and control destinations (values from notes).

Because you can make any note you play be as loud or soft as you want. You can force low keys to be soft, high keys to be loud. You can make it so middle C is really loud and all the rest are soft (this is without hitting the keys harder or software - from programming the performance to force the volume). Of course you can make the performance velocity sensitive so you can alter the volume output of a PART depending on how hard you hit a key.

The envelope follower follows volume and spits out a number. More volume - bigger number. (Note: "amplitude" would be a better term to use instead of "volume" - but I'm being kind of loose with jargon on the outset).

So given you can make any key just about any volume - or relatively louder and softer up/down the keyboard. Or you can make the lowest notes loud - the middle ones soft - and the high notes also loud. This lets you produce values for notes when you have the envelope follower "listen" to your loud/soft PART.

I would silence the PART you setup for the sole purpose of making loud and soft "noises" and only direct it to the envelope follower - something you can do (assign the output of the PART to "OFF" - and still have the envelope follower follow this same PART). A PART does not have to have an output - the output can be OFF - in order to be envelope followed.

So if you don't care that you get some quasi-analog response because each note is not "perfectly" always going to arrive at the same value - then you can still get a general "these notes make the LFO slow" and "these notes make the LFO medium" and "these other notes make the LFO fast".

If you setup the PART for the sole purpose of making loud and soft noises for the envelope follower - you can use a MONO(phonic) PART so when you play chords it doesn't "add up" the notes to make the envelope follower think you want "loud" - it will pick a note according the rules you've setup for the response. I usually set my envelope follower PART to mono so chords do not respond differently than single note lines - but you can do anything.

Dig into the envelope follower as the bridge between note "values" and mod control destinations (using AMPLITUDE as the mechanism) and you'll, with just one more step of effort, get what you want.

 
Posted : 22/04/2017 5:51 am
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