Modulate Oscillator level in Paraphonic mode?

[saxomohawh]

Hello, is it really not possible to modulate oscillator level in paraphonic mode? Or am I missing something? I would like to modulate all oscillators level for a tremolo effect.

[GhouledKS]

Are you talking about modulation through a sequencer track or using an LFO envelope? If it's through the sequencer, you'll have to use track 5 or higher, but it's doable.

[saxomohawh]

I would like to do this:
Modulation source: LFO 1 - Modulation Destination Osc 1 Level
Modulation source: LFO 1 - Modulation Destination Osc 2 Level
Modulation source: LFO 1 - Modulation Destination Osc 3 Level
Modulation source: LFO 1 - Modulation Destination Osc 4 Level

It accepts these settings but nothing happens. In monophonic mode it works.

[soundxplorer]

I think in paraphonic mode the Oscillator Level control is taken over by the Amp Envelope signal. Since you want the same LFO modulating all oscillators, you should be able to get the same result by using that LFO to modulate the Amp instead. Or, is there an "osc level all" destination? I can't remember and I'm at work right now.

For paraphonic patches, I always use a +DC offset to hold the Amp wide open (turning the Envelope to Amp modulation down to zero). This lets all your notes ring out, so it's closer a true poly. In that case I would back off the DC offset a little so the LFO could mix in.

[saxomohawh]

Unfortunately there is no "Osc level all", but that would have been great. I tried using Amp Envelope but did not get a good result. Maybe I need to study how this works more in detail, but the result I got was very dependent on how hard you pressed the keys. Played soft there was no effect at all, and when playing hard it was clipping too hard.

[soundxplorer]

I tried using Amp Envelope but did not get a good result.

Sorry to be unclear, by "Amp" I meant the "VCA" destination, not the amp envelope.
Try these 3 things in your paraphonic patch:

1. Go to the Amp Envelope page and set the "VCA Env Amount" to 0.
2. Mod source: "DC" --- amount 64 --- Destination: "VCA"
3. Mod source: "LFO1" --- amount 64 --- Destination: "VCA"

Setting "VCA Env Amount" to zero means the VCA remains closed down completely, unaffected by the envelope. You won't hear any sound after doing that. So then step 2 fixes that by holding the VCA open with a steady DC offset. If you set the DC offset to 127 it would hold the amp open at full value, but instead I set it to half way at 64 so your LFO now has room to modulate it as well.

[saxomohawh]

Thanks! It works....almost. Under VCA Env Amt there are two settings for level: Amount and Vel Amt. With both set to 0, and following your suggestions above the tremolo effect works, but the sound never silences. It drones on and on.

[soundxplorer]

Thanks! It works....almost. Under VCA Env Amt there are two settings for level: Amount and Vel Amt. With both set to 0, and following your suggestions above the tremolo effect works, but the sound never silences. It drones on and on.

Sounds like one of two things - either you weren't in Paraphonic mode, OR there were other modulations going on other than listed above. If you start from a basic (initialized) patched and turn Paraphonic on, then follow those three steps, it should work. I typed that up while testing it on my Pro 2.

[saxomohawh]

I found the problem. It is the Oscllator 1 Sub Octave that keeps droning. But I dont understand why it behaves likes this, or what to do about it. Shouldnt it either follow oscillator 1, or not be affected at all?

[soundxplorer]

I found the problem. It is the Oscllator 1 Sub Octave that keeps droning. But I dont understand why it behaves likes this, or what to do about it. Shouldnt it either follow oscillator 1, or not be affected at all?

I never use the Sub in paraphonic mode, that's probably why I haven't encountered that. There's only one Sub, not 4, so it makes sense to turn it down on paraphonic patches.

You have to imagine paraphonic mode like this: it engages 4 hidden (software) VCAs in the mixer section, one for each oscillator, and those are automatically controlled by the Amp envelope. Other things like the Sub and Ext Audio Input are on separate mixer channels that won't be controlled by that envelope