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Working with Scenes

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 Yoed
Posts: 0
Active Member
Topic starter
 

Two questions about Scenes:

1. If I want to switch between sound A to sound B using Scene, but without muting sound A?
Muting a sound, when it's played causes dramatic change and I want to switch sounds while it's faded out (like selecting a part or like changing the keyboard control switch). Is this possible or muting is the only option with scene?

2. Is there any way to save keyboard splits changes into scenes?
If I want to start with strings for example on the full keyboard range, then doing some strings+piano splits, is the only way to do it is by adding one strings part with full range and another one with limited keyboard range although it's the same sound?

Thanks.

 
Posted : 07/08/2017 7:00 am
Jason
Posts: 8231
Illustrious Member
 

Key ranges are not something you can save in a scene. There have been previous discussions on this - primarily asking to add the feature with responses along the lines of delineating what scenes do and do not do - keyboard ranges as an "isn't meant for that" designation.

For fading between two things slowly, use superknob automation. You can have one scene with motion sequence turned off which will disable superknob automation as well. Then use a scene to turn superknob automation on (to "arm" the trigger). And your superknob automation should be set not to loop - but go from one extreme to another - however fast you want - to fade between one PART and another PART.

But scenes were not really built for this. Even this will have some problems. The trigger to re-do the superknob automation (start over) will be re-armed once the cycle ends. So the next key you hit will cause superknob to go through its motions again.

Triggering events and then control of state of those events is limited within motion control. For the most part - it's built for repetitive tasks. If you have a "fire and forget" (complete the cycle then play dead) type need - this isn't simple to do. It's because the trigger re-arms and there's not an easy way to turn off the trigger. And, for motion sequence type things (superknob automation, MS lane, etc) - any note will trigger - even notes outside the range set for the PART (in the case of PART-level MS Lanes).

So it's difficult to automate a fade probably in the way you want it.

For superknob automation - I would:

1) Set superknob to a value of 127 as the default when you recall the performance
2) When you press a scene button, it turns on motion sequence so the next piano key you hit will start the fade
3) I would set this up as a reverse standard pulse so the values run from 127 down to 0 in the 1st cycle. In the next 15 cycles (I'd use all 16) I would set the value to 0. I would turn key on reset to OFF. This would do the fade then give you 15 cycles worth of time to shut off motion sequence again. Shutting off motion sequence would leave superknob at 0.

Current Yamaha Synthesizers: Montage Classic 7, Motif XF6, S90XS, MO6, EX5R

 
Posted : 07/08/2017 7:24 am
roberto
Posts: 0
Eminent Member
 

1) no because you can only memoryze the mute/volume status of the channel.

2) no because the split point are not a memoryzable parameter

this is very sad because it's a missing function on the software (for me) , the only thing to do for yamaha is to give the possibility to memorize the keyboard ON paramater and the split point

 
Posted : 07/08/2017 7:31 am
Jason
Posts: 8231
Illustrious Member
 

An alternative is that you can use envelope follower. You would "burn" a PART only to be a source of output for the envelope follower. I always use FM parts for this because they are stable and have started to use Res1 (or Res 2) with a fixed frequency and monophonic. I setup the release to be a level of 99 so the sound sustains "forever". Then you can use a scene to mute the envelope follower generating part - which will make the envelope output go from some high value to zero. You can control how fast this happens by adjusting the envelope follower release in mS. I set this to 140 for a fast-but-not-to-fast value.

When mute for this part (which can be set by a scene) happens - the envelope for this PART (envelope # matching the PART #) will "slide" down. You can use this as an input parameter on all PARTs you want to adjust the volume up or down for and use Mod/Control settings with Envelope #? as the source and volume as the destination.

This does expose a small issue with the curves. Unlike the pulses - there is no "reverse" curve. Many built-in curves are best made to go from a value of 0 to 127. Volume will often use a standard curve with a parameter such that changes start gradual then pick up exponentially. There is no reverse form of this "curve" because the system seems to assume you're using these curves for assignable knobs which can have their polarity switched to match the curve - so no need to switch the X-axis polarity. However, envelope follower you cannot switch the polarity for - so you may be "stuck" making a user curve to match the otherwise missing reverse standard curve.

This is what I mean by forward/reverse curves (and often seen as a curve type use in volume control as the forward type):

imgh.us shutting down. Backup:

Not all is lost, however. You can still stick with the standard curves and instead of using (like CFX + FM EP) a negative ratio curve which usually rests at 0 (no subtractive offset) to x=127 with a negative offset on volume - you can instead have the envelope follower at x=127ish most of the time and "hold up" volume. Setting volume of the PART initially at 0 and then have envelope follower - which will sit near x=127 to have a positive ratio output offsetting to an output of 60 - or whichever volume you desire. Then as the envelope source PART is muted, and the envelope rolls down to around 0 (x=0 on the curve) - then it will decay down to a positive offset of 0 - which will mean volume is "off".

... so, even though reverse curves would be convenient - they are not strictly required as long as we adjust the parameter's default value and the ratio's polarity (to add to the offset or to subtract from the offset).

EDIT: adding - there are other limitations uncovered when using these curves for envelope followers. Most controllers (outside of envelope follower) have 0-127 as their natural range. Even MS Lane - you can ensure you get 0-127 range out of it if that is what you want. Envelope generators, however, often do not use the full range. They certainly can go down to 0 - but the peak will be below 127. Therefore, the envelope generator is often "scaled" by a "K" factor of less than 1 (as one way to look at it). For these cases, it would be nice if, for true curves (something exponential - not linear structures) in the Mod/Control curve presets - nice if you could pull the knee in and slide it closer to the input=0 region as an additional parameters. This would allow being able to scale the curve to fit the input as scaling envelope follower is not possible. Gain is possible - which is as close as you can get to this - but the envelope gain does not ensure you will get 0-127 (or even close) because this depends on the PART output. You can work to change the PART output - but this seems better fit for the mechanism (curves, or some scaling factor you can apply, or ...) rather than programming the PART to try to get 127. An FM part, for example, with a carrier set to 99 and the volume set to 127 does not provide an envelope generation of 127 - so more carriers need to be added to increase the volume. You can still get there - but there does seem to be some missing accommodation for the behavior of envelopes in the department of using them for Mod/Control sources and applying non-linear curves.

Current Yamaha Synthesizers: Montage Classic 7, Motif XF6, S90XS, MO6, EX5R

 
Posted : 07/08/2017 8:19 am
Sladjan
Posts: 0
New Member
 

What Yoed wants - I guess - is that the sound of a part will not be cut off abruptly while muting the part. Tedious workarounds with an envelope follower are probably not the solution he is looking for.

One possible solution for fading between two sounds/patches is to program one part of a performance and switch between different sounds using the AS1 and AS2 buttons next to the modulation wheel. Switching between two different sounds (which use two different elements) will not cut of the previous one. Instead, the next key press will trigger the new sound.
In that way, changes/fades between sounds are natural and make more sense.

The mute function in its present form doesn't make much sense for keyboard players, especially does who play live.

 
Posted : 07/08/2017 12:38 pm
Bad Mister
Posts: 12303
 

Yoed wrote:

Two questions about Scenes:

1. If I want to switch between sound A to sound B using Scene, but without muting sound A?
Muting a sound, when it's played causes dramatic change and I want to switch sounds while it's faded out (like selecting a part or like changing the keyboard control switch). Is this possible or muting is the only option with scene?

For an understanding of what Scenes are please refer to the Reference Manual. Presumably you want to use the Scene buttons to do something dedicated to a different set of buttons. You can switch between sound A and sound B without cutting off sound A. (You use of the word "mute", combining it with sound not be cutting off, is a problem with these concepts for you. MUTE in audio means to silence - no contingencies, it's the end of sound, period.) You want to leave the first sound still sounding, meaning an overlap. That precludes the MUTE function from consideration.

Solution: Place Sound A in Part 1, place Sound B in Part 2
With no KBD CTRL icons lit, use [PART CONTROL] buttons [PART SELECT 1] and [PART SELECT 2] to activate the sound you want and simultaneously deactivating the first sound in one gesture. With [PART SELECT 1] lit you are playing the sound in Part 1, you can seamlessly begin playing the sound in Part 2 as soon as you touch [PART SELECT 2] and it will not cutoff the sound of Part 1 from sounding. Part 1 can be held by hand or by pedal, until you release it.

The PART SELECT buttons were designed specifically for what you are asking. Asking the SCENE buttons to do this is like finding out there is a button that turns on the radio in your car, but you want it to turn on the windshield wipers, that is simply not its function... and they are not going to fix it because it is not broken. That simply is not its function.

If you wish to change between sounds rapidly, with absolutely no cutting off of the previous sound- use the [PART SELECT] buttons to move between instruments.

2. Is there any way to save keyboard splits changes into scenes?
If I want to start with strings for example on the full keyboard range, then doing some strings+piano splits, is the only way to do it is by adding one strings part with full range and another one with limited keyboard range although it's the same sound?

Thanks.

No again not the role of the SCENE. Split points can be memorized in the Part, again it seems the Part Select buttons offer you your solution. Each Part can be stored with a different Split point which is recalled when you activate the Part.

 
Posted : 07/08/2017 3:27 pm
Jason
Posts: 8231
Illustrious Member
 

What Yoed wants - I guess - is that the sound of a part will not be cut off abruptly while muting the part. Tedious workarounds with an envelope follower are probably not the solution he is looking for.

I took the request "faded out" to mean that one part would gradually decrease while the other gradually increases - all through some automation. It's not provided naturally through the mechanism requested (scenes) without also lobbing on some other automation mechanism that can handle this using scenes simply as a gate to ensure those things do not happen until you have the right scene selected.

No one wants complicated. That said, complexity is relative to how familiar you are to the system. I gave a couple of methods. One you have to manually disarm and is relatively easy to setup and one you do not have to manually disarm and is harder to setup - but carries the "automatic" disarm feature.

The general theory behind the envelope follower trick: you notice when you abruptly mute an envelope source (a PART you envelope follow) - since you have hysteresis on the up and down slope of the output (attack and release) - an abrupt cutoff of a PART by muting it can cause a slow decay (fade) which can be converted to a numerical value (envelope followed) and also its output sent to OFF (so you do not hear this PART - it's only a control feature).

Current Yamaha Synthesizers: Montage Classic 7, Motif XF6, S90XS, MO6, EX5R

 
Posted : 07/08/2017 6:38 pm
Posts: 0
Active Member
 

Note that on the YAMAHA Tyros keyboard, selecting a new registration (Tyros registrations are similar to scenes on the Montage) does not cut off currently sounding notes. The power of scenes/registrations is in allowing the player to change multiple parameters without having to press multiple buttons.

 
Posted : 07/08/2017 8:53 pm
 Sean
Posts: 0
Eminent Member
 

You can use the Live Set to switch seamlessly between performances as long as you only use parts 1-8 in both performances. I think this is what you need to use instead of scenes. Some of the songs in my set have more than one performance associated with them, and I just put them side by side in the Live Set and switch when needed.

 
Posted : 08/08/2017 8:48 am
 Yoed
Posts: 0
Active Member
Topic starter
 

Thanks everyone for your replies.
When switching scenes, even when going from Piano to Keyboard let's say, the Piano reverb cuts immediately because of the mute and it sounds unnatural.
If scenes would memorize keyboard control switch that could resolve it.
I'll try to use the workarounds you guys mentioned.

Thanks.

 
Posted : 08/08/2017 10:27 am
Jason
Posts: 8231
Illustrious Member
 

Instead of "fading" - you're more concerned about the abrupt cutoff with mute and instead want something more like a seamless transition when changing performances (SSS) - but within a single performance - then XA control is the recommended method as mentioned by others. This should be done with no muting involved.

One thread with details (focus on XA control messages):
https://www.yamahasynth.com/forum/use-of-scenes?viewallreplies=1

Current Yamaha Synthesizers: Montage Classic 7, Motif XF6, S90XS, MO6, EX5R

 
Posted : 08/08/2017 2:55 pm
Joel
 Joel
Posts: 594
Prominent Member
 

Hi like Jason, Phil and others members answer to you, there is several way to change a sound to another.

I have made a video in French subtitle in English explaning some ways to do it, Scene Memory, SSS, Live set, it can help you :

https://youtu.be/7-dgintT0gg

For AWM2 parts you have also XA control :

https://youtu.be/nl9E7XxW_tw

Or change from one part to another when KBD control is set to off .....

You can use the Super Knob for morphing, Phil have this videos about it :

https://youtu.be/AjLaVHoldAE

https://youtu.be/X9bmNFRsWks

Using scene by Blake :
https://youtu.be/Y8suPcpYESg

 
Posted : 08/08/2017 4:23 pm
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