Getting Modulation Amounts < 1

[muleskinner]

Does anyone know a good way to do this?

I find it frustrating, particularly with pitch, that there's no obvious way of getting a modulation amount less than one which is too coarse for subtle pitch drift. It's a pity 'fine pitch' isn't a mod target.

I have a hacky way of achieving it whereby I use an ADSR envelope with zero attack, amount of one and low sustain and send whatever I'm using to modulate the pitch via that but this is a bit of a kludge and requires setting the envelopes to ADSR.

Anyone have a better workaround?

[RobH]

Would you be able to do this by using a CV source into the pedal inputs maybe? I've never tried using the CV input so not sure what the options are if thats only to control FX setting or what tbh.

[muleskinner]

Hmm, yes you could probably do it with the CV inputs or mod wheel or something like that. Requires something plugged in though!

But that does give me an idea - maybe I can do it by sending via the FX sliders and using a very low amount on that? That would have to be programmed per step though so, again, bit of a PITA! Perhaps I could use velocity and the fixed velocity setting, that's worth a try...

[John the Savage]

If you're using two oscillators, you could simply modulate them in opposite directions (i.e. one positive and the other negative) using the same LFO set to a very slow rate and a depth of just 1.  That would create the elusion of drift without upsetting the perceived center of pitch.  Using two LFO's set to different rates works even better in this regard.  But if you're after yet more subtlety, that's what the 'Drift' parameter is for, no?  And if you're really looking to split hairs, detuning a single oscillator by just 1 cent using the Fine Tune parameter, with the slop also engaged, will definitely find you some middle ground while still being random enough.  For that matter, heavy but slow pulse-width modulation also creates a detune effect of sorts.  Etc.

Anything more subtle than that and I have to ask the rhetorical question, what's the point?

Cheers!

[RobH]

If you're using two oscillators, you could simply modulate them in opposite directions (i.e. one positive and the other negative) using the same LFO set to a very slow rate and a depth of just 1.  That would create the elusion of drift without upsetting the perceived center of pitch.  Using two LFO's set to different rates works even better in this regard.  But if you're after yet more subtlety, that's what the 'Drift' parameter is for, no?  And if you're really looking to split hairs, detuning a single oscillator by just 1 cent using the Fine Tune parameter, with the slop also engaged, will definitely find you some middle ground while still being random enough.  For that matter, heavy but slow pulse-width modulation also creates a detune effect of sorts.  Etc.

Anything more subtle than that and I have to ask the rhetorical question, what's the point?

Cheers!

Because 28 day long LFO cycle or GTFO!!!

[John the Savage]

Sorry, I just realized that I wrote "Drift" above, but on the Tempest the parameter is called "Slop".  I've been using too many other synths as of late.  At any rate, the "Slop" functionality on the Tempest is particularly subtle: i.e. definitely less than a modulation amount of 1.

Cheers!

[muleskinner]

If you're using two oscillators, you could simply modulate them in opposite directions (i.e. one positive and the other negative) using the same LFO set to a very slow rate and a depth of just 1.  That would create the elusion of drift without upsetting the perceived center of pitch.  Using two LFO's set to different rates works even better in this regard.  But if you're after yet more subtlety, that's what the 'Drift' parameter is for, no?  And if you're really looking to split hairs, detuning a single oscillator by just 1 cent using the Fine Tune parameter, with the slop also engaged, will definitely find you some middle ground while still being random enough.  For that matter, heavy but slow pulse-width modulation also creates a detune effect of sorts.  Etc.

Anything more subtle than that and I have to ask the rhetorical question, what's the point?

Cheers!

Thanks - I've tried 'osc slop' but that's slightly different isn't it? Seems to be an almost random drift or something. It's very subtle and not very controllable.

I like the idea of very slow LFO(s) - could use a combo of this and envelopes with very slow transition times as well.