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Pitch 24

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I can't get the MW to pitch 24 half steps up or down. It does pitch but like 21 half steps. I tried with different Performances and on some of them it works full 24, but I can't figure out why.

 
Posted : 05/06/2019 12:54 pm
Bad Mister
Posts: 12304
 

Pick one, (any one) that you can get it to go to 24 - reveal the name
Pick one, (any one) that you can’t get to go to 24 - reveal the name

This way someone else can experience what you say you’re experiencing and help, and if it is not too much trouble, let us know how you are going about setting the MW to do pitch. And just for fun what you want to accomplish... there might be a different way.

 
Posted : 05/06/2019 3:25 pm
Jason
Posts: 7910
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I can tell you why you get less than 24 semi-tones.

You are using "Pitch" to stretch the pitch of a sample. Each sample can only be stretched a maximum of 24 semi-tones.

Some Waveforms have a sample on every key like pianos. Many utility sounds do not sample every key. Perhaps you get one sample for every 8 chromatic keys. In this case, the keys without a sample will already be stretched.

Middle C = Sampled (non stretched)
C# = Not sampled (Middle C sample stretch +1)
D = Not sampled (Middle C sample stretch +2)
D# = Not sampled (Middle C sample stretch +3)
E = Not sampled (Middle C sample stretch +4)
F = Not sampled (Middle C sample stretch +5)
F# = Not sampled (Middle C sample stretch +6)
G = Not sampled (Middle C sample stretch +7)
G# = Sampled (not stretched)
A = Not sampled (G# sample stretched +1)
A# = Not sampled (G# sample stretched +2)
B = Not sampled (G# sample stretched +3)
... and so on.

So say you hit D# then use your modwheel to further stretch this note using the "Pitch" destination. Since D# is already Middle C +3, you can only ADD 21 semi-tones before your total is +24. This is why if you go chromatically up playing different notes and use your modwheel to stretch the pitch - you'll notice a step-wise change in the maximum range (the maximum will change as you play different notes).

Waveforms (PARTs/Performances) with every key sampled will not exhibit this. And the least amount of samples any given PART has - the "worse" this will get since the underlying keybank will have larger stretches natively even before you start applying the modwheel-controlled pitch offsets.

The other consideration is if a sound already has coarse tuning programmed in. If it's already programmed for say +4 - you'll only be able to add another +20 through the modwheel-controlled offset.

Make sure that your ratio is large enough to be able to "reach" full swing +24 and -24. Make sure you have the mode as bi-polar for negative and positive. The usual suspects for "maybe it's you" kinds of problems.

 
Posted : 05/06/2019 4:15 pm
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Jason, I get it now. In fact, that's the exact note I was using, D# :)).
Bad Mister, I have to play with my band the song called "We `found `love" by Rihanna and I was trying to build the Performance. In the middle of the song there is a build up, with a Lead sound that's going 3 or 4 Octave up. I'm using the Performance called MAYDAY MW for this. From Mod/Control in the menu, and then Control Assign, I set the Mod Wheel to do the pitch. But it does pitch from D#1 up to C3. Now I understand why, but I don't know how can I solve this. I mean if I could get it to rise 2 octaves I would be happy.

 
Posted : 05/06/2019 5:08 pm
Jason
Posts: 7910
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MODX tries to be smart and manipulate the stretching so you get the best unstretched sound. Problem is you cannot use "coarse" and "note shift" together to try to force a different stretch. The closest non-stretched sample is the G above D#. But that doesn't really help because what I want is to force pressing the D# to really press G# but "pre-bend" it down by -4 to make it sound as D# but still allow +24(+4) range for stretching. No matter, I can do this differently.

Since notes are stretched "up" - it seems - go from the other direction. Follow this:

1) PART 1 (of "Mayday MW" ) - edit this PART
2) "Mod/Control" -> "Control Assign". For destination = coarse (element parameter): set curve type to dogleg. Polarity = uni, Ratio = -34, Param1 = 0, Param2 = 0. Note: what I wanted was a reverse "normal" curve - a ramp that starts at the maximum negative value then ramps UP to 0. "Dogleg" is the closest I can get to that without having to employ user curves. It works fine.
3) Now to get this to work, play D#3 (your destination pitch) starting with the modwheel at full "down" position. This applies a negative offset to stretch the pitch down. Now roll it up - full up will be your target note of D#3.
4) If you still want to play this at D#1 - then go to "Part Settings" -> "Pitch" and change "Note Offset" to +24. Now play D#1 and use the modwheel.

Be aware of an anomaly at F5 (between E5 and F5) when settings are as step 4. If this isn't what you want - you could always setup a 2nd PART with these steps 1-4 but only one key active (D#1) then the 1st PART use full keyboard except notch out D#1. So PART1 is full keyboard with original settings - except D#1 is not part of the note range and PART2 is just D#1 with the settings modified as steps 1-4.

 
Posted : 05/06/2019 7:14 pm
Bad Mister
Posts: 12304
 

I posted a couple of examples (MODX CONNECT files zipped; Unzip them and open with MODX CONNECT)

"2octave pitch sweep" you can sweep the tuning through two octaves using the MW or the Super Knob (FC7)
"Mayday MW 2oct"
"Mayday MW 2oct..."

If you choose a Waveform that is a multi-sample, (think- "multi-sample" is used to prevent the sound from chipmunking/munchkinizing as you go up in pitch, imperative on acoustic instrument sounds, not so much on synthy type sounds) you will run into the behavior that you are experiencing. However, with an understanding of sample-based tech, you can choose a Waveform that translates properly (without being a multi-sample).

This is pretty standard in PCM sample based synthesizers. The AWM2 Waveform used in the example I posted does not exhibit your issue. And, of course, FM-X, not being based on audio recordings that munchkinize in the same way audio sampling does...

Conclusion: choosing an Acoustic Piano and expecting it to behave like a synthy Waveform that is used across all keys might be a bad choice.

Choosing the right Waveform for what you want to accomplish is always the first step in programming.
With more time, I could build the low pitch climb that goes behind the chord stabs which simultaneously climb through a couple of octaves.

But you should be able to take it from here. Let us know. Need pitch sweeps that go uninterrupted into the stratosphere? - you have a pure synthesis engine in the MODX (it’s the FM-X)...!!!

Hope that helps.

Attached files

2oct pitch sweep.X8B.zip (1.8 KB)  Mayday MW 2oct....X8B.zip (1.7 KB)  Mayday MW 2oct.X8B.zip (1.7 KB) 

 
Posted : 05/06/2019 8:13 pm
Jason
Posts: 7910
Illustrious Member
 

Folks generally try to sweep UP - the "rise" is a common deal. Since samples are generally stretched up by the tone engine already (when every key is not sampled - this is not an expectation or a dig - just a fact which explains what's going on) this decision to "up-stretch" takes away from your budget to "up-pitch". So go the other way. Start from 2 octaves below and then raise up the natural pitch. That's what I suggested and outlined above. Then you can avoid running into having to deal with "pre-stretch" (up) which takes away from your budget. You start with the modwheel causing all the samples to be -24. Then raise to +0. Then note shift by +24. Or you could make the modwheel travel through -12 to +0 in the middle to +12. Destination = Element 1 Coarse. Curve type = standard. ratio = +32. polarity = bi. Set note shift to +12. When mod wheel is all the way "down" it's only an octave stretch down instead of 2 octaves.

It's like wrenches - how the ends are bent at slight angles. You can use it the "forward" way - which lets you turn the nut a certain amount. But turn the wrench around - and you get a different range which may help. Sometimes approaching a problem from the "backwards" gets you there.

 
Posted : 05/06/2019 8:55 pm
Bad Mister
Posts: 12304
 

...Or simply use the Super Knob... it can be stored at 0 (minimum), at 64 (center) or at 127 (maximum) ... changing direction is as intuitive as clockwise/counterclockwise. MW is naturally a minimum-to-maximum Controller, which will typically default to minimum on program recall. It’s why I included the Super Knob in each of the examples above.
Hint: Super Knob = center when it lights four LEDs at 12 o’clock

 
Posted : 05/06/2019 9:28 pm
Jason
Posts: 7910
Illustrious Member
 

Either way works. Both of my examples with modwheel will raise pitch when modwheel traverses through minimum to maximum values. Dogleg params 1 and 2 at 0 and negative ratios gives you an "inverse ramp" - where it ramps up but starts from negative values. The other bipolar example with positive ratio will do the same thing but starts low (subtracting) - modwheel rolls forward - crosses a midpoint where there is no add/subtract - then adds as modwheel is fully "up". So neither example I gave has you using the modwheel backwards. My "backwards" was approaching this as offseting positive - starting with a maximum negative offset - then subtracting less as you roll the modwheel forward. Which is opposite. Usually you add more instead of subtract less. They both end up doing the same thing to pitch except one starts with a non-stretched sound at the minimum modwheel=0 position (the conventional "forwards" way which doesn't work out) or has the pitch maximum stretch when sound is minimum modwheel=0 position (the "backwards" way).

 
Posted : 05/06/2019 10:12 pm
Jason
Posts: 7910
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Illustrated.

 
Posted : 05/06/2019 10:43 pm
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Topic starter
 

wow, that's a lot of programming stuff there. Thanks both for the details. I may not understand all, but I'm happy you guys are here. Thanks also for the MODX CONNECT tip that I didn't know of.

Now, seeing that this can be done, I wonder if it's possible to make it go 4 octaves 🙂

 
Posted : 07/06/2019 12:21 pm
Bad Mister
Posts: 12304
 

Need pitch sweeps that go uninterrupted into the stratosphere? - you have a pure synthesis engine in the MODX (it’s the FM-X)...!!!

 
Posted : 07/06/2019 1:42 pm
Jason
Posts: 7910
Illustrious Member
 

FM-X is better for very wide pitch offsets because pitch offsetting FM-X does not alter its sound. You can just manipulate the carrier so pitch is changed the same way it normally would be when pressing different keys. For AWM2 - you get the issue of "stretching" samples do not create a natural sound. So the pitch-offset sound is different from the sound you get if you played the natural key (non-offset) that is the same distance away, in pitch, as your desired offset value.

That said, I can get AWM2 to stretch about 5 octaves before it starts to break down using the "backwards" approach where I apply a negative offset and ramp up to the unison pitch (unison of the key pressed). For some lower notes - the result goes "sub sonic" - so the sound goes to silence at some part of the range.

A better way may be to use portamento. You would at least end up with the real samples at each end (for the lowest and highest notes).

 
Posted : 07/06/2019 3:25 pm
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Hey Sebastian, I've got a really good home-made sample for the build up in We found love (I've tried programming it on the MW, but I realized it would be much easier if I just sample the whole section and import the .wav in my MODX). Hit me up at dimitrijecvetkovic.sound@gmail.com if you're interested and I can send it to you.

 
Posted : 09/06/2019 8:38 pm
Jason
Posts: 7910
Illustrious Member
 

I didn't listen to the song before. Now I listen to it - it's not a smooth sweep. Portamento works fine. Mode=Full-Time, Time=43, Time Mode=Time 1, Legato Slope=0 (although I didn't try setting to anything other than default). If I play chromatic notes in that 1/4 note triplet feel, Portamento takes care of the rise for me. Full-Time mode makes sure the rise doesn't "reset" like it would if I didn't play legato - so I don't need to worry about legato playing.

If the rise happens faster than chromatic notes - then you can skip and do wider intervals here and there.

Using this method - you can cover as many octaves as you have access to (128 notes meaning 10 1/2 octaves - using the octave buttons to reach the full range - if you want). AWM2 won't be stretched beyond its limits or beyond what sounds "right".

 
Posted : 10/06/2019 7:26 am
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