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Aftertouch and Portamento

Re: Aftertouch and Portamento

2013-03-28 by djangowes

Hi Chip,

fantastic job man! It works great : aftertouch and portamento are awesome add-ons on this lovely synth.
Congrats!

Ed.

--- In PolySix@yahoogroups.com, "chipaudette" <chipaudette@...> wrote:
>
> Hi All,
>
> My efforts to add aftertouch to my Polysix have finally reached the point where she plays! And, as a bonus for adding the pitch control circuitry to implement by aftertouch-driven vibrato, my Polysix now has portamento. Sweet.
>
> If you're interested, I've got a demo video:
>
> http://synthhacker.blogspot.com/2013/03/polysix-aftertouch-and-portamento-demo.html
>
> Chip
>

Re: Aftertouch and Portamento

2013-04-03 by chipaudette

If anyone was interested in details of how I used the Arp "Speed" knob to control the speed of the aftertouch vibrato, feel free to check it out:

http://synthhacker.blogspot.com/2013/04/polysix-re-using-arp-clock-for.html

Thanks for your interest...

Chip

--- In PolySix@yahoogroups.com, "chipaudette" <chipaudette@...> wrote:
>
> Hi All,
>
> My efforts to add aftertouch to my Polysix have finally reached the point where she plays! And, as a bonus for adding the pitch control circuitry to implement by aftertouch-driven vibrato, my Polysix now has portamento. Sweet.
>
> If you're interested, I've got a demo video:
>
> http://synthhacker.blogspot.com/2013/03/polysix-aftertouch-and-portamento-demo.html
>
> Chip
>

Re: Aftertouch and Portamento

2013-04-03 by alesisfusion8hd

Nice work!

--- In PolySix@yahoogroups.com, "chipaudette" <chipaudette@...> wrote:
>
> If anyone was interested in details of how I used the Arp "Speed" knob to control the speed of the aftertouch vibrato, feel free to check it out:
>
> http://synthhacker.blogspot.com/2013/04/polysix-re-using-arp-clock-for.html
>
> Thanks for your interest...
>
> Chip
>
> --- In PolySix@yahoogroups.com, "chipaudette" <chipaudette@> wrote:
> >
> > Hi All,
> >
> > My efforts to add aftertouch to my Polysix have finally reached the point where she plays! And, as a bonus for adding the pitch control circuitry to implement by aftertouch-driven vibrato, my Polysix now has portamento. Sweet.
> >
> > If you're interested, I've got a demo video:
> >
> > http://synthhacker.blogspot.com/2013/03/polysix-aftertouch-and-portamento-demo.html
> >
> > Chip
> >
>

Re: Aftertouch and Portamento

2013-04-04 by chipaudette

...and here's how I mounted the Arduino within the Polysix's enclosure:

http://synthhacker.blogspot.com/2013/04/polysix-mounting-arduino.html

Drilling through sheet metal always makes me feel like a tough guy...at least, more tough than brandishing me soldering iron. :)

Chip

--- In PolySix@yahoogroups.com, "chipaudette" <chipaudette@...> wrote:
>
> Hi All,
>
> My efforts to add aftertouch to my Polysix have finally reached the point where she plays! And, as a bonus for adding the pitch control circuitry to implement by aftertouch-driven vibrato, my Polysix now has portamento. Sweet.
>
> If you're interested, I've got a demo video:
>
> http://synthhacker.blogspot.com/2013/03/polysix-aftertouch-and-portamento-demo.html
>
> Chip
>

Re: Aftertouch and Portamento

2013-04-10 by chipaudette

Now I'm deep into tuning the response of my Polysix's aftertouch. You might be interested to see the variety of response curves that I tried.

http://synthhacker.blogspot.com/2013/04/polysix-aftertouch-curves.html

Has anyone spent any time tuning the aftertouch response on their other (aftertouch-enables) synths? What kind of curves worked for you folks? Did you like extremely sensitive aftertouch, or did you find that too annoying?

Chip

--- In PolySix@yahoogroups.com, "chipaudette" <chipaudette@...> wrote:
>
> Hi All,
>
> My efforts to add aftertouch to my Polysix have finally reached the point where she plays! And, as a bonus for adding the pitch control circuitry to implement by aftertouch-driven vibrato, my Polysix now has portamento. Sweet.
>
> If you're interested, I've got a demo video:
>
> http://synthhacker.blogspot.com/2013/03/polysix-aftertouch-and-portamento-demo.html
>
> Chip
>

Re: Aftertouch and Portamento

2013-04-15 by chipaudette

After tuning the aftertouch, now I'm tuning the portamento. While the portamento is a really nice addition to the Polysix, my implementation didn't sound as exciting as the portamento on my Mono/Poly. So, I dug into the Mono/Poly to see how it works...

http://synthhacker.blogspot.com/2013/04/portamento-voice-spreading-from-monopoly.html

I didn't realize that the Mono/Poly purposely spreads the pitch of the voices during a portamento slide. Cool! When I implemented the pitch spreading in the portamento on my Polysix, it suddenly came to life. Wow! Totally cool. Audio samples are in the video in the link above, if you're interested.

Do other synths besides the Mono/Poly spread the pitches during portamento? Or did the designers of the Mono/Poly hit upon something unique?

Chip




--- In PolySix@yahoogroups.com, "chipaudette" <chipaudette@...> wrote:
>
> Hi All,
>
> My efforts to add aftertouch to my Polysix have finally reached the point where she plays! And, as a bonus for adding the pitch control circuitry to implement by aftertouch-driven vibrato, my Polysix now has portamento. Sweet.
>
> If you're interested, I've got a demo video:
>
> http://synthhacker.blogspot.com/2013/03/polysix-aftertouch-and-portamento-demo.html
>
> Chip
>

Re: [PolySix] Aftertouch and Portamento

2013-04-15 by Ben Stuyts

Thanks, I never knew it did that. Very interesting to see that they actually put different caps in there for the Mono/Poly.

Ben

On 15 apr. 2013, at 02:51, chipaudette <chipaudette@yahoo.com> wrote:

>
> After tuning the aftertouch, now I'm tuning the portamento. While the portamento is a really nice addition to the Polysix, my implementation didn't sound as exciting as the portamento on my Mono/Poly. So, I dug into the Mono/Poly to see how it works...
>
> http://synthhacker.blogspot.com/2013/04/portamento-voice-spreading-from-monopoly.html
>
> I didn't realize that the Mono/Poly purposely spreads the pitch of the voices during a portamento slide. Cool! When I implemented the pitch spreading in the portamento on my Polysix, it suddenly came to life. Wow! Totally cool. Audio samples are in the video in the link above, if you're interested.
>
> Do other synths besides the Mono/Poly spread the pitches during portamento? Or did the designers of the Mono/Poly hit upon something unique?
>
> Chip
>
>
>
>
> --- In PolySix@yahoogroups.com, "chipaudette" <chipaudette@...> wrote:
>>
>> Hi All,
>>
>> My efforts to add aftertouch to my Polysix have finally reached the point where she plays! And, as a bonus for adding the pitch control circuitry to implement by aftertouch-driven vibrato, my Polysix now has portamento. Sweet.
>>
>> If you're interested, I've got a demo video:
>>
>> http://synthhacker.blogspot.com/2013/03/polysix-aftertouch-and-portamento-demo.html
>>
>> Chip
>>
>
>
>
> ------------------------------------
>
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>

Re: Aftertouch and Portamento

2013-04-21 by chipaudette

In trying to answer my own question regarding voice-spreading portamento on other synths, check out this link discussing the Oberheim OB-X analog polysynth:

http://www.retrosynth.com/~analoguediehard/studio/keyboards/oberheim_obx/index.html

If you skip down quite a bit (~2/3rds of the way), he talks about using the synth in Unison mode, which reveals the OB-X's imperfections in its polyphonic glide, which causes different glide rates for each voice. Hey! This is just like what I had discovered about the Mono/Poly! He is clearly in love with this sound, just like me.

Based on his text, though, it does not appear that the circuit for the OB-X was *purposely* designed to spread the voices -- it doesn't sound like Oberheim was purposely trying to have the glide rates be different, they just turned out that way. So, the purposely-detuned portamento in the Mono/Poly (and my modded Polysix) could still be a unique feature to itself.

What other synths have multi-voice glide? Are the individual glide rates purposely different from each other?

Chip

--- In PolySix@yahoogroups.com, "chipaudette" <chipaudette@...> wrote:
>
>
> After tuning the aftertouch, now I'm tuning the portamento. While the portamento is a really nice addition to the Polysix, my implementation didn't sound as exciting as the portamento on my Mono/Poly. So, I dug into the Mono/Poly to see how it works...
>
> http://synthhacker.blogspot.com/2013/04/portamento-voice-spreading-from-monopoly.html
>
> I didn't realize that the Mono/Poly purposely spreads the pitch of the voices during a portamento slide. Cool! When I implemented the pitch spreading in the portamento on my Polysix, it suddenly came to life. Wow! Totally cool. Audio samples are in the video in the link above, if you're interested.
>
> Do other synths besides the Mono/Poly spread the pitches during portamento? Or did the designers of the Mono/Poly hit upon something unique?
>
> Chip
>
>
>
>
> --- In PolySix@yahoogroups.com, "chipaudette" <chipaudette@> wrote:
> >
> > Hi All,
> >
> > My efforts to add aftertouch to my Polysix have finally reached the point where she plays! And, as a bonus for adding the pitch control circuitry to implement by aftertouch-driven vibrato, my Polysix now has portamento. Sweet.
> >
> > If you're interested, I've got a demo video:
> >
> > http://synthhacker.blogspot.com/2013/03/polysix-aftertouch-and-portamento-demo.html
> >
> > Chip
> >
>

Re: Aftertouch and Portamento

2013-04-28 by chipaudette

Hi All,

With the same Arduino + DAC hardware, I realized that I could also implement user-controlled detuning in my Polysix. I've always loved the detuned sound available in my Korg Mono/Poly, so I'm pretty happy that I now have it in my Polysix, too...

http://synthhacker.blogspot.com/2013/04/polysix-adding-detune.html

Chip

--- In PolySix@yahoogroups.com, "chipaudette" <chipaudette@...> wrote:
>
> Hi All,
>
> My efforts to add aftertouch to my Polysix have finally reached the point where she plays! And, as a bonus for adding the pitch control circuitry to implement by aftertouch-driven vibrato, my Polysix now has portamento. Sweet.
>
> If you're interested, I've got a demo video:
>
> http://synthhacker.blogspot.com/2013/03/polysix-aftertouch-and-portamento-demo.html
>
> Chip
>

Re: Aftertouch and Portamento

2013-04-29 by chipaudette

Here's a little more discussion on how I used the Detuning feature on my Mono/Poly to determine the default amount of detuning on my Polysix. It also shows (a little bit) how I chose to do the user controls for the detuning on the Polysix...

http://synthhacker.blogspot.com/2013/04/monopoly-amount-of-detuning.html

Chip

--- In PolySix@yahoogroups.com, "chipaudette" <chipaudette@...> wrote:
>
> Hi All,
>
> With the same Arduino + DAC hardware, I realized that I could also implement user-controlled detuning in my Polysix. I've always loved the detuned sound available in my Korg Mono/Poly, so I'm pretty happy that I now have it in my Polysix, too...
>
> http://synthhacker.blogspot.com/2013/04/polysix-adding-detune.html
>
> Chip
>
> --- In PolySix@yahoogroups.com, "chipaudette" <chipaudette@> wrote:
> >
> > Hi All,
> >
> > My efforts to add aftertouch to my Polysix have finally reached the point where she plays! And, as a bonus for adding the pitch control circuitry to implement by aftertouch-driven vibrato, my Polysix now has portamento. Sweet.
> >
> > If you're interested, I've got a demo video:
> >
> > http://synthhacker.blogspot.com/2013/03/polysix-aftertouch-and-portamento-demo.html
> >
> > Chip
> >
>

Re: Aftertouch and Portamento

2013-04-29 by djangowes

Hi Chip,

Once again, you did an awesome job. Congrats!

--- In PolySix@yahoogroups.com, "chipaudette" <chipaudette@...> wrote:
>
> Hi All,
>
> With the same Arduino + DAC hardware, I realized that I could also implement user-controlled detuning in my Polysix. I've always loved the detuned sound available in my Korg Mono/Poly, so I'm pretty happy that I now have it in my Polysix, too...
>
> http://synthhacker.blogspot.com/2013/04/polysix-adding-detune.html
>
> Chip
>
> --- In PolySix@yahoogroups.com, "chipaudette" <chipaudette@> wrote:
> >
> > Hi All,
> >
> > My efforts to add aftertouch to my Polysix have finally reached the point where she plays! And, as a bonus for adding the pitch control circuitry to implement by aftertouch-driven vibrato, my Polysix now has portamento. Sweet.
> >
> > If you're interested, I've got a demo video:
> >
> > http://synthhacker.blogspot.com/2013/03/polysix-aftertouch-and-portamento-demo.html
> >
> > Chip
> >
>

Disabling the Built-In Detuning

2013-08-17 by chipaudette

I've been living with my Arduino-based detuning modification for quite a while now...and I *love* it. My only real issue is that, when I switch the Polysix to Unison mode, it's own built-in detuning gets added to my detuning and the results are not always as predictable as I'd like.

So, I went and modified the Polysix to disable the built-in fixed detuning feature. As a result, I now have total control over the detuning amount, which makes it feel more more "correctly" detuned.

The mod is easy to implement (one wire) and easily reversed. If you're interested, you can check it out at:

http://synthhacker.blogspot.com/2013/08/polysix-disabling-built-in-detuning.html

Note that, if you are only relying on the built-in detuning, I do NOT recommend disabling the detuning. If anything, I'd recommend *increasing* the amount of detuning, not disabling it. That's an easy mod, too (swap R116 to a bigger value).

Thanks for reading!

Chip


--- In PolySix@yahoogroups.com, "chipaudette" <chipaudette@...> wrote:
>
> Hi All,
>
> With the same Arduino + DAC hardware, I realized that I could also implement user-controlled detuning in my Polysix. I've always loved the detuned sound available in my Korg Mono/Poly, so I'm pretty happy that I now have it in my Polysix, too...
>
> http://synthhacker.blogspot.com/2013/04/polysix-adding-detune.html
>
> Chip
>

Re: Disabling the Built-In Detuning

2013-08-17 by Mekonin

Don't forget that you can use Chord Memory to stack up up to six voices without them being detuned.

--- In PolySix@yahoogroups.com, "chipaudette" <chipaudette@...> wrote:
>
> I've been living with my Arduino-based detuning modification for quite a while now...and I *love* it. My only real issue is that, when I switch the Polysix to Unison mode, it's own built-in detuning gets added to my detuning and the results are not always as predictable as I'd like.
>
> So, I went and modified the Polysix to disable the built-in fixed detuning feature. As a result, I now have total control over the detuning amount, which makes it feel more more "correctly" detuned.
>
> The mod is easy to implement (one wire) and easily reversed. If you're interested, you can check it out at:
>
> http://synthhacker.blogspot.com/2013/08/polysix-disabling-built-in-detuning.html
>
> Note that, if you are only relying on the built-in detuning, I do NOT recommend disabling the detuning. If anything, I'd recommend *increasing* the amount of detuning, not disabling it. That's an easy mod, too (swap R116 to a bigger value).
>
> Thanks for reading!
>
> Chip
>
>
> --- In PolySix@yahoogroups.com, "chipaudette" <chipaudette@> wrote:
> >
> > Hi All,
> >
> > With the same Arduino + DAC hardware, I realized that I could also implement user-controlled detuning in my Polysix. I've always loved the detuned sound available in my Korg Mono/Poly, so I'm pretty happy that I now have it in my Polysix, too...
> >
> > http://synthhacker.blogspot.com/2013/04/polysix-adding-detune.html
> >
> > Chip
> >
>

Re: [PolySix] Re: Disabling the Built-In Detuning

2013-08-17 by Peter Mörck

He knows :)

In the post he linked to:
"The result is that the detuning has been successfully disabled. Now, when I switch to Unison mode, it sounds just like if you load up the Chord Memory function with 6 of the same notes."

----- Original Message -----
From: Mekonin
To: PolySix@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Saturday, August 17, 2013 12:30 PM
Subject: [PolySix] Re: Disabling the Built-In Detuning



Don't forget that you can use Chord Memory to stack up up to six voices without them being detuned.

--- In PolySix@yahoogroups.com, "chipaudette" <chipaudette@...> wrote:
>
> I've been living with my Arduino-based detuning modification for quite a while now...and I *love* it. My only real issue is that, when I switch the Polysix to Unison mode, it's own built-in detuning gets added to my detuning and the results are not always as predictable as I'd like.
>
> So, I went and modified the Polysix to disable the built-in fixed detuning feature. As a result, I now have total control over the detuning amount, which makes it feel more more "correctly" detuned.
>
> The mod is easy to implement (one wire) and easily reversed. If you're interested, you can check it out at:
>
> http://synthhacker.blogspot.com/2013/08/polysix-disabling-built-in-detuning.html
>
> Note that, if you are only relying on the built-in detuning, I do NOT recommend disabling the detuning. If anything, I'd recommend *increasing* the amount of detuning, not disabling it. That's an easy mod, too (swap R116 to a bigger value).
>
> Thanks for reading!
>
> Chip
>
>
> --- In PolySix@yahoogroups.com, "chipaudette" <chipaudette@> wrote:
> >
> > Hi All,
> >
> > With the same Arduino + DAC hardware, I realized that I could also implement user-controlled detuning in my Polysix. I've always loved the detuned sound available in my Korg Mono/Poly, so I'm pretty happy that I now have it in my Polysix, too...
> >
> > http://synthhacker.blogspot.com/2013/04/polysix-adding-detune.html
> >
> > Chip
> >
>





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

Re: [PolySix] Re: Aftertouch and Portamento

2014-03-13 by Fredrik Stolpe

Really cool work you're doing man!

/Fredrik


On Thu, Mar 13, 2014 at 1:18 PM, <chipaudette@yahoo.com> wrote:
 

Ever since I replaced my Polysix's Key Assigner with an Arduino, I've gotten a few requests for my code that is running on the Arduino.  Well, it may be ugly and it may be incomprehensible, but here it is:




Don't make fun of me for it's poor structure.  :)

Chip


Re: Aftertouch and Portamento

2014-03-14 by <josh.nursing@gmail.com>

Chip, your thoughts about re-using your code on a new Arduino Mega but trying to integrate the existing Polysix keybed/keyboard?

Re: Aftertouch and Portamento

2014-03-14 by <chipaudette@yahoo.com>

My code includes no keyscanning, so it doesn't know how to listen to the keybed.

If one were willing to code up the keyscanning routines, it would probably work OK (that's a guess).  Obviously, you'd lose the aftertouch by using the stock keybed.  The desire for aftertouch is what initially drove my whole project.

Even without the aftertouch, you'd still be able to have the portamento and fun detuning effects, but you'd need to be sure to still include the extra DAC (I got mine from adafruit) in order to get those fun behaviors.

The Mega could also become a MIDI interface to the outside world for note on/off messages.  Right now, it's just setup to receive incoming messages, but a smidgen more code would enable it to send outgoing MIDI messages that you could generate based on scanning the stock keybed.

Chip

Re: Aftertouch and Portamento

2014-03-15 by <josh.nursing@gmail.com>

Have you considered also replacing the main CPU and get total MIDI/Sysex control as well as control over CVs?

Re: Aftertouch and Portamento

2014-03-16 by <chipaudette@yahoo.com>

I have considered also replacing the other CPU, but I've got a nasty mess of wiring in my Polysix already, just from replacing the Key Assigner.

If I do replace the other CPU, it makes a lot of sense to layout of PCB.  At that point, I would have recreated the work that has been done by others like the Kiwisix.  That's some pretty serious business, and probably more than I'm interested in right now.

Also, the most important features that I'd want to replace from that CPU -- more control over VCF and VCA control -- I can probably get if I ever do add a 2nd oscillator for each voice.  In my mind, the 2nd oscillator for each voice will be its own Arduino, likely on its own custom little board.  Each voice's Arduino could also generate an arbitrary VCF and VCA control voltage for that voice...along with the 2nd oscillator for that voice.  That's where my mind is going...

Chip

Re: Aftertouch and Portamento

2014-03-16 by <josh.nursing@gmail.com>

Yes indeed, the wiring can become overwhelming.  For the existing voice assigner, you could do a little proto-board with the new socket and lead-out to a connector arrangement for your Arduino Mega to help clean up.

For sure, I believe the main CPU must be a daunting task. In fact even your work with the Key assigner seems non-trivial to start from scratch.

As for the new oscs, since I do not have as much flexibility as you in the Polysix, i.e. tapping into the Key assigner, which has the very cool side benefit of allowing you to sync any Arduino MIDI voice to the Polysix filter Envelope, I was going to do the same simpler thing that I planned with my Korg DW-8000, i.e. just put 6 separate input jacks into the VCF sections.

For the DW-8000 for now, I have only tried getting into the VCF through the main Noise generator input. This is distributed to all voices, but ultimately, I will do 8 inputs so that I can plug 8 separate set of oscs into the filters. Here, what is fun is that the DW-8000 is already MIDI-enabled, so that if I trigger the external Oscs with my master keyboard, I am also triggering the DW-8000 filter envelopes simultaneously: 8 new osc sets with plenty of flexibility (including Sync, FM, AM, Cross-Mod, etc...) + 8 synchronized VCF from Korg NJM2029s - should be awesome, and my own custom little hybrid.

So for the Polysix, I am planning 6 separate inputs, each with the 33K resistor to each voice. The fact there's no Key trigger sync yet for both in my setup makes it little benefit, so I will need to do either what you did, or get a Kiwisix or some alternative or build my own to reap the full rewards of more oscs into the SSM filters.

Cheers!

Re: Aftertouch and Portamento

2014-03-16 by <josh.nursing@gmail.com>

Forgot to say: about additional control on VCF, VCA, etc... through Arduino, yes that's a very interesting exploration. If we can tap into the CV inputs or make new ones, then we can have our own envelopes from the Arduino to expand the synthesis capabilities, even tapping into the Gate / Pitch CV it at all possible without replacing the Key assigner would be fun: external sequencing.

Re: Aftertouch and Portamento

2014-03-18 by <chipaudette@yahoo.com>

I've you're thinking of adding 6 pitch CV inputs (one for each voice), you could make them stereo jacks so that the "other" channel on that jack is the Gate CV.  If you inject a gate CV along with your pitch CV, it'll retrigger the envelope and you'll get what you want.

The problem, though, is that there's no great place to inject a gate signal so that it'll seemlessly replace the default gate signal.  Ideally, there's be a series resistor or cap that you pull off the board to use a break point to bring the signal off the PCB, do whatever you're going to do, and then put it back into the PCB.

Llooking at the schematic, I do see that each voice has a number of such resistors in the path where the gate CV drives the per-voice VCA (such as R141 on KLM-366).  But, there are no such series elements in the path from the gate generation source (IC4 and IC5 on KLM-366) to the VCF (IC34 on KLM-366).  That's a bummer. 

Perhaps, if you're lucky, you could follow the signal path on the actual PCB and perhaps you'll find a jumper wire in this signal path.  The jumper wires aren't on the schematic so I never know when I'll find them.  If there's a jumper wire in the path, you're all set.  Just cut the jumper, pull the default gate signal from one side, and inject your gate signal (or re-inject the default gate) and your done.  That would be very easy and nice.

If there's no jumper, you're stuck with a more invasive process like cutting a trace on the PCB.  That's not horrible, but it is a little more invasive.  But, to achieve your goal?  Could totally be worth it.  And if you don't like it, you could easily jump your cut trace with a little piece of wire.  No big deal.

Good luck!

Chip


Re: Aftertouch and Portamento

2014-03-19 by <josh.nursing@gmail.com>

The stereo jack is a very cool trick, Chip, thanks.

The KLM-366 and 367 aren't full of jumper wires like the effects board if I'm not mistaken, so not sure I can explore this for now but if I could have lots of CV insert points, that would be awesome.

I might try the idea of a new LFO or one LFO modulating another, but I am still waiting for parts.