[sdiy] Vibrato range

[rsdio at audiobanshee.com]

Yes: alternative controllers like ribbons may need insane MIDI pitch bends to work without being limited by a piano keyboard. Of course, too much range starts to test the limits of the 14-bit command.

The Soundplane has 2.5 octaves (30 semitones) of range in the standard configuration. Unfortunately, when playing my old Pro-One (via Encore Expressionist) or Matrix-12, the control stops at one octave and a new MIDI note must be activated when sliding past an octave. It can be a seamless command string, but not always.

On the original topic of pitch-bending a top octave generator, I might be overly purist in my point of view: if the circuit doesn't lend itself to pitch bend without sacrifices, then I vote for disabling pitch bend (or not supporting it). Organs typically do not bend pitch, and the synths that allow it really sound goofy in my opinion. I assume that the other common use for a TOG is string synthesis, so I wonder whether it makes sense to support pitch bend. Then again, to contradict myself, strings are fretless instruments, so even the synthetic version should allow continuous pitch - especially when accessed via alternative controllers.


On May 6, 2016, at 10:20 PM, Dan Snazelle <subjectivity at hotmail.com> wrote:
> I sure love doing 8 octaves up and down with the ribbon controller on my kurzweil ;) 
> 
> On May 7, 2016, at 12:57 AM, Jonathan Lippard <jblippard at comcast.net> wrote:
>> Haven't we all needed to bend a note ten octaves up from time to time?
>> 
>> From: "Roman Sowa" <modular at go2.pl>
>> To: synth-diy at dropmix.xs4all.nl
>> Sent: Friday, May 6, 2016 1:02:27 AM
>> Subject: Re: [sdiy] Vibrato range
>> 
>> How about PitchBend? Musicaly usefull vibrato may not have much detune 
>> range, probably less than +/-50 cents, but the same TOG will also have 
>> to take care of Pitch Bend, right? Default range is +/-2 semitones, but 
>> +/-1 octave is not uncommon.
>> BTW, MIDI pitchbend range can be set by RPN message to a level beyond 
>> sanity.
>> 
>> Roman
>