MOTM

> VC sustain doesn't necessarily mean you are changing its level over time.
It
> could mean you are giving it an initial control voltage everytime you
strike
> a key.  Keyboard velocity could determine its level every note, or a key
> triggered S/H for a random sustain level every note.  I'd hate to see it
get
> too confusing or move too far away from what a VC-DADSR is supposed to be
> with it replacing sustain with "leakage".  There is always the UEG for
more
> complex decay curves.

I have a VC ADSR in my old modular (built around SSM2056, but this can
easily be replaced with my discrete LAG core), with CV inputs for all 4
parameters. 99% of my patches that make use of the CV inputs at all are
controlling Decay or Sustain. A (S&H) random voltage on Decay is my
favorite means to animate sequencer patterns. And Sustain is often
controlled
from a pedal or aftertouch. IMO it's important that the sustain level can
be both increased and decreased after the attack-decay phase with the
external
CV. Increasing the sustain level would be lagged with the attack time
constant
and decreasing sustain level would be lagged with the decay time constant.
That's the natural way to implement it, and musically very usefull and
"smooth".
Modulating Attack time with velocity is an obvoious choice as well.

IMO there is no need for multiple decay times or the like. (Speak\ufffdng of
hardware envelopes here) You will rarely make use of it, and when you don't,
the extra parameters are in the way. You can easily emulate multiple decay
rates with a standard VC ADSR and a comparator: When a certain level
is reached, the Decay time constant is switched to a new value by adding
or substracting a CV. You can even get a smooth switching of time constants
when you're using an overdriven amplifier rather than a hard switching
comparator.

JH.

use this