Envelopes not retriggering in Unison mode

[adrianmaule]

I have a patch with a long attack and decay, 0 sustain, long release in both the filter and amp envelopes.  Lots of resonance on the filter 100% envelope, 50% key track, 0% cutoff...the envelope is doing the work here.  I need it for a particular song. 

In Unison Chord mode - I'm triggering a 5th - the envelopes aren't retriggering with each note.  I have the mode on Last R.  I've tried other key modes as well.

So I try it without unison...sure enough the envelopes retrigger as desired.

Back to unison, this time stacking 4 voices, no retrigger.

I need this to retrigger.  Please advise.

[guyaguy]

That sounds like expected behavior. The envelope is basically setting the relative voltage level that should be applied for each stage of the gate. If the envelope is retriggered the same voltage will be applied but will be affected by the current voltage position. It’s the same principle as having an open cutoff filter patch then manually turning down the cutoff manually. The envelope won’t open up as much because it has other voltage info telling it to close it off more. So in your example the envelope is retriggeded but the first envelope voltage is still telling the amp to keep closing.

What I think you’re looking for is an envelope reset (as opposed to retrig) feature which the Rev 2 doesn’t have. As workarounds: You can adjust your envelopes and let the sustain do more of the work that release is currently. A sustain pedal might help here if you are playing by hand. You can route a mod source like the wheel or exp pedal to the envelope stage to increase or decrease its length so you can control it in real time. If using the gated sequencer you can use a seq track routed to the release stage to cut it short on the steps needed. 

[Bing]

Is envelope reset common on other (or classic) synths?  I feel like the SE-02 had something like this for the short time I owned it.

[guyaguy]

Is envelope reset common on other (or classic) synths?  I feel like the SE-02 had something like this for the short time I owned it.

Possibly but I can’t think of any that I’ve had. Some analog synths with digital EGs offer it as a setting. But the function seems more common in VSTs and digital hardware.

[OneLittleFonzie]

I think this is how it is designed. You basically stack voices and the first trigger determines the envelope trigger. When you go above 4 you get something like a retrigger because only then you are using the second set of 4 voices.

I've just tried to use chord unison (I never use it). Pretty much not usable for me. When do you use this?