The Yamaha AN1x Synthesizer mailing list group photo

Yahoo Groups archive

The Yamaha AN1x Synthesizer mailing list

Index last updated: 2026-04-28 22:40 UTC

Thread

Ribbon stuck at lowest level

Ribbon stuck at lowest level

2003-10-09 by cernikj_98

I'm new to the An1x and the list. I just picked up an An1x and it 
seems that once I touch the ribbon controller, whatever value it is 
assigned to drops down to its lowest value as if my finger was still 
on the ribbon at its lowest point. I know it can be set to relase to 
the last touched position but it goes to the lowest no matter where i 
leave off. 
is this something anyone else has experienced? Is the ribbon bad? 
Does anyone know if it a new ribbon controller can be purchased and 
replaced?

Thanks,
Joe

Re: [AN1x] Ribbon stuck at lowest level

2003-10-09 by Bruce Wahler

Hi Joe,

>I'm new to the An1x and the list. I just picked up an An1x and it 
>seems that once I touch the ribbon controller, whatever value it is 
>assigned to drops down to its lowest value as if my finger was still 
>on the ribbon at its lowest point. I know it can be set to relase to 
>the last touched position but it goes to the lowest no matter where i 
>leave off. 
>is this something anyone else has experienced? Is the ribbon bad? 
>Does anyone know if it a new ribbon controller can be purchased and 
>replaced?

Jimmy's right:  This is a bug/feature of the AN1x.  If you program the modulation matrix to use Ribbon X on all of your patches, you'll probably find that some of them latch at the last-touched point, while others drop to zero.  There's probably some method to this madness, but nobody on the list has figured it out yet.  Part of the problem seems to be that the setting changes over time -- I can go back to a patch that I could swear works one way, and it's working the other way!  I've given up on depending on the ribbon controller for long-term modulation tasks.

If you find out what's going on, please post the information here.  I'm sure lots of owners would like to know what the secret is.

Regards,

-BW
--
Bruce Wahler
Ashby Solutions\ufffd   http://music.ashbysolutions.com
978.386.7389  voice/fax
bruce@...

Re: [AN1x] Ribbon stuck at lowest level

2003-10-09 by RayMaxer (Digital Illusions)

Hi Bruce and Jimmy and Joe... and all others
Well... as I figured out (and as far as I remember there is some notice in the manual about it) it works depending on assignation of RbX to Pitch Up in Ctrl Matrix this way :

Just assigning RbX to Cutoff with no other assign of RbX in the whole Matrix to anything else makes ribbon stay at the position where you pulled finger from it.

Assigning RbX to "Pitch Up" (with 0 amount) in another slot makes it return to default position, which (AFAIR and AFAIN) may be different (meaning center or the left edge of ribbon) on the destination to which RibbonX is routed.. 

This all works as it should for me practically always, but I think I had a situation not long time ago, when I couldn't figure out why it was working still one way when I thought that conditions were for another..
This may be linked to : I am not sure how it works when there are several destinations (besides Pitch Up) selected .. does anything change or not.

Currently, I just checked the simple Cutoff and Pitch Up thingy on a Init patch to be sure about what I am writing.. 

Hope that helps a bit, but let me know if it doesn't work this way or anything else you'll find about it.

Ray.
Show quoted textHide quoted text
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Bruce Wahler 
  To: AN1x-list@yahoogroups.com 
  Sent: Thursday, October 09, 2003 5:09 PM
  Subject: Re: [AN1x] Ribbon stuck at lowest level


  Hi Joe,

  >I'm new to the An1x and the list. I just picked up an An1x and it 
  >seems that once I touch the ribbon controller, whatever value it is 
  >assigned to drops down to its lowest value as if my finger was still 
  >on the ribbon at its lowest point. I know it can be set to relase to 
  >the last touched position but it goes to the lowest no matter where i 
  >leave off. 
  >is this something anyone else has experienced? Is the ribbon bad? 
  >Does anyone know if it a new ribbon controller can be purchased and 
  >replaced?

  Jimmy's right:  This is a bug/feature of the AN1x.  If you program the modulation matrix to use Ribbon X on all of your patches, you'll probably find that some of them latch at the last-touched point, while others drop to zero.  There's probably some method to this madness, but nobody on the list has figured it out yet.  Part of the problem seems to be that the setting changes over time -- I can go back to a patch that I could swear works one way, and it's working the other way!  I've given up on depending on the ribbon controller for long-term modulation tasks.

  If you find out what's going on, please post the information here.  I'm sure lots of owners would like to know what the secret is.

  Regards,

  -BW



[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Re: [AN1x] Ribbon stuck at lowest level

2003-10-09 by cernikj_98

Thanks all for your help. It seems to me though that on every patch 
that uses the ribbon it drops to the left edge once I touch anywhere 
on the ribbon. Perhaps you can test this for me. On the stock 
patch "Chick" 066, when I first bring it up and play it's sort of a 
bright analog brass lead sound. Once I touch the ribbon (anywhere on 
the ribbon) there is alomst no sound at all. Only a very muted pluck 
sound. My assumption here is that the ribbon controller is stuck in 
the left edge position because of a physical problem with the ribbon. 
Can someone try that patch and let me know what you get? If you get 
the normal sound rather than the muted one that should prove that 
there is something amiss with mine.

Thanks again for all your help,
Joe

PS I reset all programs to the original values as instructed in the 
manual.


--- In AN1x-list@yahoogroups.com, "RayMaxer \(Digital Illusions\)" 
<digil@d...> wrote:
> 
> Hi Bruce and Jimmy and Joe... and all others
> Well... as I figured out (and as far as I remember there is some 
notice in the manual about it) it works depending on assignation of 
RbX to Pitch Up in Ctrl Matrix this way :
> 
> Just assigning RbX to Cutoff with no other assign of RbX in the 
whole Matrix to anything else makes ribbon stay at the position where 
you pulled finger from it.
> 
> Assigning RbX to "Pitch Up" (with 0 amount) in another slot makes 
it return to default position, which (AFAIR and AFAIN) may be 
different (meaning center or the left edge of ribbon) on the 
destination to which RibbonX is routed.. 
> 
> This all works as it should for me practically always, but I think 
I had a situation not long time ago, when I couldn't figure out why 
it was working still one way when I thought that conditions were for 
another..
> This may be linked to : I am not sure how it works when there are 
several destinations (besides Pitch Up) selected .. does anything 
change or not.
> 
> Currently, I just checked the simple Cutoff and Pitch Up thingy on 
a Init patch to be sure about what I am writing.. 
> 
> Hope that helps a bit, but let me know if it doesn't work this way 
or anything else you'll find about it.
> 
> Ray.
>   ----- Original Message ----- 
>   From: Bruce Wahler 
>   To: AN1x-list@yahoogroups.com 
>   Sent: Thursday, October 09, 2003 5:09 PM
>   Subject: Re: [AN1x] Ribbon stuck at lowest level
> 
> 
>   Hi Joe,
> 
>   >I'm new to the An1x and the list. I just picked up an An1x and 
it 
>   >seems that once I touch the ribbon controller, whatever value it 
is 
>   >assigned to drops down to its lowest value as if my finger was 
still 
>   >on the ribbon at its lowest point. I know it can be set to 
relase to 
>   >the last touched position but it goes to the lowest no matter 
where i 
>   >leave off. 
>   >is this something anyone else has experienced? Is the ribbon 
bad? 
>   >Does anyone know if it a new ribbon controller can be purchased 
and 
>   >replaced?
> 
>   Jimmy's right:  This is a bug/feature of the AN1x.  If you 
program the modulation matrix to use Ribbon X on all of your patches, 
you'll probably find that some of them latch at the last-touched 
point, while others drop to zero.  There's probably some method to 
this madness, but nobody on the list has figured it out yet.  Part of 
the problem seems to be that the setting changes over time -- I can 
go back to a patch that I could swear works one way, and it's working 
the other way!  I've given up on depending on the ribbon controller 
for long-term modulation tasks.
> 
>   If you find out what's going on, please post the information 
here.  I'm sure lots of owners would like to know what the secret is.
Show quoted textHide quoted text
> 
>   Regards,
> 
>   -BW
> 
> 
> 
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Re: [AN1x] Ribbon stuck at lowest level

2003-10-09 by RayMaxer (Digital Illusions)

Could you send me the patch , I don't have any originals left in my AN-1x , i think :-)
[in case you are new to sysex dumping]
select the patch , press "Bulk Dump" , select one voice and record into seq. or some Sysex program and export as a MID file (or Logic file if you use Logic).
and send me to personal e-mail..

p.s. though "Global" setting may make some influence here too ... 
p.p.s. in fact , if that happens after global reset of An-1x, then I think you right that it's a broken ribbon :(

Ray.
Show quoted textHide quoted text
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: cernikj_98 
  To: AN1x-list@yahoogroups.com 
  Sent: Thursday, October 09, 2003 10:30 PM
  Subject: Re: [AN1x] Ribbon stuck at lowest level


  Thanks all for your help. It seems to me though that on every patch 
  that uses the ribbon it drops to the left edge once I touch anywhere 
  on the ribbon. Perhaps you can test this for me. On the stock 
  patch "Chick" 066, when I first bring it up and play it's sort of a 
  bright analog brass lead sound. Once I touch the ribbon (anywhere on 
  the ribbon) there is alomst no sound at all. Only a very muted pluck 
  sound. My assumption here is that the ribbon controller is stuck in 
  the left edge position because of a physical problem with the ribbon. 
  Can someone try that patch and let me know what you get? If you get 
  the normal sound rather than the muted one that should prove that 
  there is something amiss with mine.

  Thanks again for all your help,
  Joe

  PS I reset all programs to the original values as instructed in the 
  manual.



[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Re: [AN1x] Ribbon stuck at lowest level

2003-10-10 by Ed Edwards

Joe,
Unfortunately, I think you're analysis is right.  Probably a hardware
problem.  That stock patch does not behave like that on my AN.  The symptom
of immediately going to a value when moved is the way a digital sensing
circuit behaves with a bad control.  Basically, the software doesn't waste
valuable time continuously polling the controllers - it relies on interrupt
hardware signals to change a value.  So what's going on is your ribbon is
somehow stuck on it's lowest value, but the operating system doesn't know
about this until you generate an interrupt by changing the controller - and
in your case when it's detected by the software it always changes to the
lowest value.

If you're brave and not intimidated by a screwdriver, pull out the 30 or so
screws on the back of the AN1x and check any connectors to the ribbon cable.
They may be just dirty or loose and re-seating them might be all that's
wrong.

Ed Edwards
Leader: Ezekiel's Wheel      \ufffd\ufffd\ufffd\ufffdRetro-Progressive Rock\ufffd\ufffd\ufffd\ufffd
http://www.untiedmusic.com/ezekiel
http://artists.mp3s.com/artists/227/ezekiels_wheel.html
\ufffd\ufffd.\ufffd\ufffd\ufffd.\ufffd\ufffd\ufffd.\ufffd\ufffd\ufffd.\ufffd\ufffd\ufffd.\ufffd\ufffd\ufffd.\ufffd\ufffd\ufffd.\ufffd\ufffd\ufffd.\ufffd\ufffd\ufffd.\ufffd\ufffd\ufffd.\ufffd\ufffd\ufffd.\ufffd\ufffd\ufffd.\ufffd\ufffd\ufffd.\ufffd\ufffd\ufffd.\ufffd\ufffd\ufffd.\ufffd\ufffd\ufffd.\ufffd\ufffd\ufffd.\ufffd\ufffd

Re: [AN1x] Ribbon stuck at lowest level

2003-10-10 by Ed Edwards

Hi Ray,
Thanks for this discovery.  I'll test it on my AN1x.  One point which should
be added is that this quirk has been discussed previously and IIRC somebody
noticed that if the synth was set for Mode 1 that the behavior was more
predictable.  The Mode thing is for how the synth generates and responds to
MIDI... I forget where you access this... might be something drastic you
have to do to change it like holding down some keys on boot-up.  Anyhow, I
use mine in Mode 2 (the less reliable one for the ribbon) due to having to
send some non-standard MIDI messages to it via a guitar synth.  (I suppose
that I could have mined the list archives to find out specifics on this, but
I'm lazy and have just decided to live with it.  Laziness has helped my
memory though by forcing me to remember which patchs the ribbon behaves
with.)

Ed Edwards
Leader: Ezekiel's Wheel      \ufffd\ufffd\ufffd\ufffdRetro-Progressive Rock\ufffd\ufffd\ufffd\ufffd
http://www.untiedmusic.com/ezekiel
http://artists.mp3s.com/artists/227/ezekiels_wheel.html
\ufffd\ufffd.\ufffd\ufffd\ufffd.\ufffd\ufffd\ufffd.\ufffd\ufffd\ufffd.\ufffd\ufffd\ufffd.\ufffd\ufffd\ufffd.\ufffd\ufffd\ufffd.\ufffd\ufffd\ufffd.\ufffd\ufffd\ufffd.\ufffd\ufffd\ufffd.\ufffd\ufffd\ufffd.\ufffd\ufffd\ufffd.\ufffd\ufffd\ufffd.\ufffd\ufffd\ufffd.\ufffd\ufffd\ufffd.\ufffd\ufffd\ufffd.\ufffd\ufffd\ufffd.\ufffd\ufffd

Re: [AN1x] Ribbon stuck at lowest level

2003-10-10 by RayMaxer (Digital Illusions)

you're welcome.
Yeah, I know about those modes.. 
in fact, I wrote a "Random Patch Generator" small proggie for AN-1x before Gary implemented this feature into AN1x-Edit. And this proggie used CC's to alter all the params in he patch, and because of that AN-1x had to be set to MODE 2 (in which practically all parameters have specific CC hard-preset to control it).
And yes, the MODE is changed on bootup by holding "ASSIGN" button.. just checked , it's on Page 96 of manual.
and BTW, as I already opened manual, see page 75 at the top .. small text.. reagrding Ribbon and releasing it...
dont know about influence of "Mode" on ribbon behavior though...
Ray.
Show quoted textHide quoted text
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Ed Edwards 
  To: AN1x-list@yahoogroups.com 
  Sent: Friday, October 10, 2003 6:53 AM
  Subject: Re: [AN1x] Ribbon stuck at lowest level


  Hi Ray,
  Thanks for this discovery.  I'll test it on my AN1x.  One point which should
  be added is that this quirk has been discussed previously and IIRC somebody
  noticed that if the synth was set for Mode 1 that the behavior was more
  predictable.  The Mode thing is for how the synth generates and responds to
  MIDI... I forget where you access this... might be something drastic you
  have to do to change it like holding down some keys on boot-up.  Anyhow, I
  use mine in Mode 2 (the less reliable one for the ribbon) due to having to
  send some non-standard MIDI messages to it via a guitar synth.  (I suppose
  that I could have mined the list archives to find out specifics on this, but
  I'm lazy and have just decided to live with it.  Laziness has helped my
  memory though by forcing me to remember which patchs the ribbon behaves
  with.)

  Ed Edwards
  Leader: Ezekiel's Wheel      »»»»Retro-Progressive Rock««««
  http://www.untiedmusic.com/ezekiel
  http://artists.mp3s.com/artists/227/ezekiels_wheel.html
  °·.·°·.·°·.·°·.·°·.·°·.·°·.·°·.·°·.·°·.·°·.·°·.·°·.·°·.·°·.·°·.·°·.·°


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Move to quarantaine

This moves the raw source file on disk only. The archive index is not changed automatically, so you still need to run a manual refresh afterward.