Tutorial 8 - Output and Common pages. Overview -------- Through the preceding tutorials, we've examined a number of sound creation and manipulation controls for the K2000. However, there are also methods to control the audio output of a patch, and the player's interaction of a patch. In this tutorial, we will examine the OUTPUT page, which allows us to control the routing of audio, and the COMMON page, which enables setup of performance parameters. Technical Discussion -------------------- The OUTPUT page basically allows us to determine which output jacks will be used by our patch, and its left/right positioning. Additionally, there is a final gain stage, allowing us to adjust the final volume of the sound for maximum signal-to-noise ratio, and best "normalization" of user-developed patches. The COMMON page allows us to determine the amount of pitch bending over the entire range of the Pitch Wheel, the setting of global controls and the selection of monophonic play. If you have selected a patch to act as a "monosynth", a number of parameters will be listed to support available legato and portamento options. First, a note about "Globals", the setting of global controls. One problem with many digital synthesizers has to do with LFOs (and other repeating controls) that restart every time a key is hit. Older analog synths had discrete circuitry to handle the repeating nature of an LFO, and it would cycle whether notes were sounding or not. When you played a note, the LFO would affect the sound at whatever the current position of the LFO was. This led to some of the "irreproducible results" that made analog synth performances unique. Many techno and house tracks feature very slow LFOs, with very fast note playing, giving a sweeping quality to a musical passage. Generally, digital synths will start their LFOs at a keypress, since there is no physical LFO circuitry, but just some logic describing an LFO's effect. Kurzweil provides the Globals: field to allow some of the flexibility of the old analogs, while still allowing digital-style LFO reset. This (sort of) gives us the best of both worlds. When the Globals: field is set to ON, LFO2, ASR2 and FUNs 2 and 4 are globalized; i.e., they run regardless of whether a key is being pressed or not. While we haven't worked with FUNs or ASRs, you will be able to see the effect of a Global LFO in the Patch Run section of this tutorial. Secondly, both of these pages contain information that would lead us to believe that additional patch layers are available. Why call a page COMMON? Common to what? What does the OUTPUT page crossfade with? Well, you guessed my secret - all of the patches we've done so far only have one "layer" of sound. The K2000 allows any patch to have up to three layers; each one is the equivalent of one of the programs we've been working with. There are even special patches (called drum patches) that allow 32 layers! While we will be exploring layered patches in future tutorials, they needed to be mentioned here to explain some of the terminology you will see on these pages. By the way, the COMMON page is so named because the parameters contained there are global to all layers in a patch. And the crossfade parameters allow different layers to be crossfaded by any controller. So there ... now you know! OK, let's do some patches! Patch Run #1 : Output Page manipulation I'll be you've already guessed the naming convention for patches used in this tutorial. YES!, they are all prefixed with "[ddg]08/01", as I am a helpless egomaniac. While thorazine sometimes helps, it hasn't affected my patch programming, yet... Select patch "[ddg]08/01 pan 1" and play a chord. Simple piano sound, but with a stereo spread. Play lower notes - they come out the left speaker; and higher ones come out the right. Jump into the patch editor (by pressing the EDIT key), then move to the OUTPUT page. First, you will notice that I have the Pair: field set to A(FX). No, this isn't a subtle nod to the Aphex Twin; rather, it lets us know that the output of the sound will go to the A Output jacks on the back of the K2000. The A Output jacks do more than send sound out that pair. They also "service" the effects processor, an important point to consider if you have decided to use the K2000 internal effects. On the K2000 keyboard, you have two output pairs: A(FX) and B(DRY), while the K2000R has a third output pair. How you use these outputs is determined by how you have your K2000 wired into your audio system. If you are using only the MIX output or headphone jack, all output pairs are routed to these jacks. The only difference is whether something "goes through" the effects (via pair A) or bypasses them (via any other pair). If you are using the individual output pairs, this setting controls where the sound is heard. One note about the A(FX) pair -- these output jacks are actually stereo jacks. If you connect the proper cabling, you will actually create a "patch point" between the dry A output, and the effects processor. If you just connect a standard 1/4" plug into the A output jacks, you will be bypassing the effects processor completely. A flexible recording arrangement is to have the A outputs processed through the internal effects, then output through the MIX output pair. By plugging the B outputs separately into the mixer, this output is removed from the MIX output, and can be treated separately at the mixer NOTE: if you connect a pair of standard mono cables from the A output pair to your mixer or amp, no effects will be heard. The A output pair will contain the patch information routed to the A bus *before* it gets to the effects processor. The Pan: field allows you to determine the left/right location of the sound through the selected output pair. This position can be further modified by the contents of the Mode: field. The settings for Mode are: Fixed : No controls can change the pan position. +MIDI : The MIDI pan controller (MIDI 10) modulates the pan position, with the Pan: parameter treated as "center", and the MIDI pan controller modulating the position from that spot. Auto : This is basically a key-tracking option for the pan position. Middle C (MIDI note 60) is the "center point" for the tracking, with keys above and below modifying the pan position, based on the Pan: field. Reverse: This is a reversal of Auto -- basically high notes are moved left, and low notes are moved right. The Gain: field is another part of the gain-staging, and can be used to normalize a patch with other similar patches. Use of this parameter is related to your use of the AMP page's Gain: field -- you will want to balance the use of these two fields to allow for appropriate gain without internal distortion (unless distortion is what you are shooting for!). The CrossFade: and XFadeSense: fields are typically used for fading between layers in a multi-layer patch. Although they are simply a gain modulation, it is best to reserve these for layer cross-fading. Per the Musician's Guide, the attenuation (volume control) curve of the CrossFade control "is optimized specifically for crossfades." In the selected patch, I've set the pan position to center, and set the Mode: field to Auto, explaining the stereo spread. To see how the Mode: interacts with the Pan: parameter, set pan fully left, and play notes across the keyboard. Notice that notes at or below Middle C will play full left, while notes higher that Middle C will move progressively rightward. Now, change the Mode: field to Reverse, and again play a range of notes. Now, low notes will spread to the right. If you have a MIDI controller that can transmit the MIDI Pan parameter (MIDI 10), or if your computer sequencer can control pan, we can experiment with the +MIDI Mode. Change the Pan: position to center (by adjusting the * character to the center of the range) and change the Mode: field to +MIDI. Using an external MIDI controller, adjust the MIDI pan controller while playing some notes. The values of this controller range from 0 to 127, with 64 considered "center". Does just what you might expect. Again, however, this positioning is based on the Pan: field -- the Pan: location is always considered "center". Move the Pan: field to the far right, then again play notes while adjusting the MIDI pan controller. Notice that setting the Pan controller higher that mid-point (controller's value = 64) has no effect - you just can't get any farther right. However, moving it lower than mid-point will move the pan position leftward. Patch "[ddg]08/01 pan 2" is a patch that uses an algorithm that has two outputs. Enter the patch editor, and move to the OUTPUT page. Notice that this page looks much different. While all of the information is still available, you can now control the pan position of each algorithm output separately, and well as having them interact. The Mode: field of the 1: keymap is set to Auto, and the Mode: of 2: is set to Reverse. Run your thumb along the keys, and you will hear two distinct sounds "dance" between the speakers. Patch Run #2: Common page manipulation Select patch "[ddg]08/02 pbend". Play a note, and swing the pitch bend wheel. I've got this patch set up so that there is an entire octave of pitch bend. Enter the patch editor, and move to the COMMON page. Note that the Pitch Bend Range is 1200 cts. Change this field to its maximum - 7200 cts, or six octaves. Now, play a note and move the pitch wheel. Notice that the swing is much greater. However, you will also notice another phenomenon - the pitch bend up "loses steam" about halfway through its throw, then does no more bending. Why would this be? Again, just like with any other pitch manipulation, there is a maximum upward transposition for any sample. This is just as true when using a pitch wheel as it is when placing samples in a keymap, or transposing the sample on the PITCH page. So, when using extreme pitch bends for effect, you may want to use a sample with a lower sample rate, allowing a much higher transposition range. Next, select patch "[ddg]08/02 mono1", and play a few notes. This patch is set up like "a real man's analog" - a monosynth. Play a low key, then a high. The latest note to hit will always take precedence. Enter the patch editor, and move to the COMMON page. You will notice a number of parameters are listed that didn't exist before! Move the cursor to the Monophonic: field, and change it to OFF. The new parameters disappear. Turn it back on, and let's look at each field. The Legato Play: field determines when a monophonic note should run the attack stage of the various filters. When Legato Play: is ON, a second note played while the first is held is considered "an extension" to the original note, and no attack will be triggered. This is great for smooth, watery lead lines, and snaky basses. Change the Legato Play: field to ON to see how it reacts. When Legato Play is set to OFF, an attack will be triggered with each new note. Turn the Legato Play: back to OFF, and notice the sharp difference when a smooth, fast line is played. Portamento is a real throwback. Several "classic rock" bands in the 70's made a good living off portamento. Flip the Portamento: field to ON, and play some high-to-low note combinations. Mmmmm, such a Anthemic move... The Portamento Rate: field determines how fast the sound moves up and down the tonal scale. Synthesizers support two different rate types - equal time and set rate. The K2000 supports set rate portamento, meaning that the sound will move a certain distance each second. Some popular analog synthesizers (like the popular TB-303) use an equal time rate, which has the sound move through the range in exactly the same amount of time, regardless of the distance to travel. Each has its particular sound -- so learn the sound of the K2000, and implement is in your own patches. Finally, the AttackPortamento: field controls one thing -- whether you have to be holding a note in order for Portamento to sound. Change this field to OFF, and check the sound of both legato and Staccato note runs. Switch it back on, and hear the difference. This is a very subtle effect, but (when set to OFF) one that can add many variations to a lead synth patch, or (when set to ON) a consistent slide for sound effects and techno/house accents. Patch Run #3: Global options. Using patch "[ddg]08/03 glbls", play a fast-paced organ chord lick. Interesting, but nothing special. Now, enter the patch editor, and move to the COMMON page. Change the Globals: field to ON. Now, play the same organ licks, only do them for about eight measures. Notice the slow swelling and receding throughout the phrase? This is the effect of a global LFO on a filter, and is a really hot sound in most popular music. Jump to the LFO page, and check out LFO2. When the COMMON/Globals: field (Globals field on the COMMON page) is set to ON, the second LFO starts cycling when the patch is selected, and doesn't stop until you select a different patch. When you are trying to create a sound that will have a "long term" cycle, regardless of the length of notes being played, Global LFO is the ticket. When COMMON/Globals: is set to OFF, the second LFO for each voice will begin cycling when a note is pressed. This is a very different sound, useful in its own right (like for chorus, tremolo, vibrato and flanging effects). When creating your own patches, imagine the sound you are trying to get, and which type of LFO handling is appropriate. That's all for tutorial #8. We will soon be moving into more advanced programming, so don't slow down yet. I've forwarded a new version of the future tutorial table of contents to bach.nevada.edu and Keith Cowgill. This will give you some insight on where we are going... As always, you can reach me at : ddg@wi.rr.com Hope you have success with your programming fun!