The Yamaha AN1x Synthesizer mailing list

Jim,

At 12:50 a 6/2/2001 +0200, you wrote:
>----- Original Message -----
>Fra: Bruce Wahler <bruce@...>
>I have only briefly played with the ribbon controller and meant to get 
>back to it but have been busy with other, mostly using the modulator 
>wheel. What is the advantage of the ribbon? Why is it (or is it?) more 
>natural for example than a mod wheel....in what kinds of cases do you 
>prefer the ribbon over the mod wheel?

It's not necessarily more "natural" than the wheel, but it is a lot faster, 
and more closely coupled to the player's hand movements, IMHO.  It also has 
the advantage of an automatic return-to-zero as soon as the hand is removed.

I prefer the wheel when I plan to add a constant amount of modulation for a 
fairly long time -- opening a filter, or panning/morphing from one sound to 
another -- or when I need greater accuracy.  I prefer the ribbon for quick 
stabs, or when I want to modulate two things at the same time.  (The 
two-mod technique is tricky at first, but it comes in handy!)  As with all 
human interfaces, whether you agree or not is a matter of personal taste.

>While we're at it, I know I can assign most (if not all) parameters to a 
>controller...but if anyone had a list over the TOP best things to assign 
>to the mod wheel, and also to the ribbon controller I bet it would 
>help....Anyone?

It's really personal taste, but here's my $0.02:

Mod Wheel -- vibrato, if it's used in an on/off sort of way; VCF cutoff or 
resonance; slave VCO frequency on sync patches; morphing

Ribbon X -- pitch bends:  I like to set it up so that up OR down movements 
from center cause the same change (both up or both down); slave VCO 
frequency (for talking sounds)

Ribbon Z -- very heavy vibrato, for quick stabs


Regards,

-BW

--
Bruce Wahler
Design Consultant
Ashby Solutions"
www.ashbysolutions.com
CloneWheel Support Group moderator
978.386.7389  voice
978.964.0547 fax
bruce@...