Kurzweil:Dead Letters March 1998
From Sonikmatter
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280: Z - EFFECT page
Date: Mon, 9 Mar 1998 20:21:33 +1000 From: cowzar <cowzar@ASCCOMP.NET> Subject: ########## 280: Z - EFFECT page
Hi ,
without the fanfare.........or drum roll :)
here is the EFFECT page.....
to ask a question, just reply to this email.
Also, Brian would like to thank Dave Collett, Waldo LaTowsky for the edits and fixing my bad typing and English mistakes. Tony Palermo, for pointing the way and keeping things running smooth. David Fox (Kurzweil), for the instant replies and gathering of obscure and 'hidden' features. Rob Walstrom, for putting it where it can be obtained by all. Daniel Fisher (Sweetwater), for advice above and beyond the call of duty.
here it is......
enjoy,
Brian Cowell,
- THE EFFECT PAGE *
by Brian Cowell. Copyright 1998 by Brian Cowell. All rights reserved.
Class ID: 04 The EFFECT Page
This part deals with the K2s EFFECTs section.
The EFFECTs have always been the 'weak' link on the K2s, as they have been described as 'inflexible' and 'noisy'. And there wouldn't be too many of us that would argue this point.
The culprit is a DIGITECH 256 sound chip.
K2000 users are stuck with it. K2500 users can be splashing around with the much awaited 'KDFX' option very shortly.
But a 'weak' link can be a 'strong' link.
How many digital synthesisers 'drown' their sounds in high tech EFFECTS processors rather than standing on their 'unprocessed' sound? Not many!
In my opinion, being able to program a synth with a powerful and flexible synth engine helps users to be better programmers without relying on 'fixing' the sound with a supadupa EFFECT! Because when you get into a studio, the effects are usually stripped away anyway!
Enough of my dribble... :)
Let's take a look at the EFFECTs page:
EffectPreSet:1 Sweet Hall
Adjust: Source: Depth Wet/Dry Mix :0%Wet OFF 0 None :0 OFF 0 None :0 OFF 0
The first thing we will do here is an example.
example ** 4-1 **
1. Using PROGRAM 199 'Default Program' 2. Set the KEYMAP at 'Grand Piano' 3. press EFFECT
The EFFECT is set at '1 Sweet Hall' (on a K2000). So, with the cursor highlighting '1 Sweet Hall',
4. press [EDIT]
We are now in the 'EditEffect' page.
This is what we are going to talk about.
EDIT EFFECT
The 'preset' EFFECTs on the K2s are made up of 'configurations'. When we create a sound, we can save it and call it a PROGRAM. When we create an EFFECT, we can save it as a PRESET.
When we create PROGRAMS, we can either use Kurzweil's 'PreSet' EFFECTs, or we can create our own. This is where 'EDIT EFFECT' comes in.
When we are in the 'EDIT EFFECT' page, we are actually looking at the 'configuration' of that EFFECT. In the case of '1 Sweet Hall', its 'configuration' is that of the "Ultimate Reverb". The 'configuration' contains the parameters that make up the 'preset'.
By pressing the [CHAN/BANK] button, you can scroll through the 27 types of configurations.
There are 47 'PreSets' already, with the option for you to create and save 80 more.
HIDDEN EFFECTS
>From time to time, you hear comments about the Kurzweil's 'hidden effects'. And a lot of people can become confused and even frustrated about where and how to access these EFFECTS (Presets).
There's nothing special about them, but they are there if you want to use them.
This is what Kurzweil's official spokesman, David Fox, had to say:
The Digitech 256 comes with 127 preset effects. Since the Digitech has 127 slots, there are 127 possible effects that you can call up on the K2000. To spread those numbers out over the 10 banks, they are accessible using the following numbers.:
1-37 100-109 200-209 etc up to 900-909
We overwrite the first 47 presets with our own effects settings (0-37 and 100-109). We create our own objects in the Setup ROM which cover up the ones Digitech created.
But the other 80 effects (#s 48-127) are still accessible by typing in the appropriate K2000 number (a number between 200 and 909).The K2000 will say 'Not Found' because there is no Kurzweil object in ROM at that number. But it still sends a program change to the Digitech, calling up that number. You must type the number in (as opposed to scrolling with the wheel) because when scrolling, the operating system is designed to skip over "Not Found" object numbers. You could also send a program change (with FX Mode set to Master and sending the command on the FX Chan) to call up the effect.
Keep in mind that there is nothing special about these effects- they are simply the presets that Digitech chose.
This is the list of hidden effects with the appropriate K2000 locations.
K2K# EFFECT NAME CONFIGURATION
200 Medium Chorus Stereo Chorus 201 Slow & Sweet Stereo Chorus 202 Slim Machine Para+Cho+Dly+Mix 203 I Love Leslie EQ+Chor+4Tap+Mix 204 Rapid Sweep Stereo Flange 205 Animal Flange Para+Fla+Dly+Mix 206 Tubular Flange Stereo Flange 207 Animal Flange 2 Stereo Flange 208 Chorus Room Chorus+Room+Mix 209 Chorus Delay Cho+Dly+Room+Mix
300 Slap Chorus Stereo Chorus 301 Delayed Flange EQ+Flan+4Tap+Mix 302 Swimming Delay Para+Fla+Dly+Mix 303 Fat Chr Thin Dly Para+Cho+Dly+Mix 304 Rotary Organ Stereo Chorus 305 Flange Solo Stereo Flange 306 Flange Pan EQ+Flan+4Tap+Mix 307 Soap Opera Fla+Dly+Hall+Mix 308 High Synth Lead Fla+Dly+Hall+Mix 309 Crisp LeadSynth Para+Cho+Dly+Mix
400 Piano Chorus Chorus+Room+Mix 401 LA Chimes Delay+Hall+Mixer 402 Fat Synth Bass Fla+Dly+Room+Mix 403 Keyoard Cho/Vrb Chorus+Hall+Mix 404 AdagioForStrings Fla+Dly+Hall+Mix 405 Sharpened Edges EQ+Flan+4Tap+Mix 406 Guitar Solo 1 Cho+Dly+Hall+Mix 407 Full Bass Cho+Dly+Room+Mix 408 Guitar Delay Cho+Dly+Hall+Mix 409 Lead Guitar 1 EQ+Chor+4Tap+Mix
500 Lead Guitar 2 Cho+Dly+Hall+Mix 501 Row Yer Rowds Cho+Dly+Hall+Mix 502 Stereo Image 1 Stereo Chorus 503 Metal Guitar EQ Para+Chorus+Mix 504 Monster Gate EQ+Gated+Mixer 505 Ambient Snare Ultimate Reverb 506 Fat Snare Gated Reverb 507 Big Snare Chambr Ultimate Reverb 508 Gates Of Hell EQ+Gated+Mixer 509 Bright Drum Room Ultimate Reverb
600 Darker Drum Room Ultimate Reverb 601 Kick Chamber Ultimate Reverb 602 Big Kick Room Ultimate Reverb 603 DelayVerb Delay+Hall+Mixer 604 SplashVerb 1 Delay+Hall+Mixer 605 DelayVerb 2 Cho+Dly+Room+Mix 606 Echo The Left Cho+Dly+Room+Mix 607 To The Right EQ+Reverse+Mixer 608 600ms Reverse Reverse Reverb 609 400ms Reverse Reverse Reverb
700 200ms Fast Gate Gated Reverb 701 Absolute Gate Gated Reverb 702 350ms Gate Gated Reverb 703 Chorus Rev Right Chorus+Hall+Mix 704 Delay Chase Room Delay+Hall+Mixer 705 Chorused Bedroom Chorus+Room+Mix 706 Low Boost Graph Graphic EQ 707 Mid Boost Graph Graphic EQ 708 High Boost Graph Graphic EQ 709 Parametric #1 Parametric EQ
800 Parametric #2 Parametric EQ 801 Parametric #3 Parametric EQ 802 Sweeping Hall Fla+Dly+Hall+Mix 803 VocalVerb Cho+Dly+Hall+Mix 804 Dark Reverse EQ+Reverse+Mixer 805 Slow Combed Room Fla+Dly+Room+Mix 806 Space Flanger EQ+Flan+4Tap+Mix 807 Super Stereo Para+Cho+Dly+Mix 808 Crystal Hall Room Simulator 809 Big Chorus Room Cho+Dly+Hall+Mix
900 On The Town Fla+Dly+Room+Mix 901 Dark Bird Chorus+Room+Mix 902 Light Flange Rm Fla+Dly+Room+Mix 903 GeneralVerb Cho+Dly+Hall+Mix 904 Funky Bow EQ+Reverse+Mixer 905 Vox Whispers Delay+Room+Mixer 906 Slightly Combed Fla+Dly+Hall+Mix 907 Into The Abyss Cho+Dly+Hall+Mix 908 Pink Melon Cafe EQ+Chor+4Tap+Mix 909 Chorus in a Hall Chorus+Hall+Mix
CONTROLLING THE EFFECTS via MIDI IN REALTIME
Controlling the EFFECTS processor in 'real time' is something else that doesn't appear in the K2000 manual.
Peter Buick explains:
The K2000 uses the Digitech 256 chip for its effects processor. When in Program Mode, the operating system in the 2000 allows you to assign any MIDI controller to Wet/Dry Mix plus two additional parameters related to the effect. (The choice of controllable parameters changes depending on the effect configuration. They are the parameters you see when you go to edit the effect.)
However, when FX Mode is set to Master, these parameters are actually "hard wired" to specific controller numbers. When FX Mode is set to Auto, Program, or Setup, the K2000 actually remaps the controller number you pick to the "hard wired" numbers.
But if the FX Mode parameter on the Effects page is set to Master, then the remapping which takes place within the program is not applied. So to control the effects processor in real time, you must use the controller numbers assigned by Digitech. Unfortunately, these controller numbers were not documented in the K2000 manual, hence this document.
To control the effects processor in this manner, hit the EFFECTS button. Change FX Mode to Master, and set FX Chan to the channel you will use to send the controller info. (You can also send program changes on this channel to switch effects, so it is usually best to pick a channel that is not being used for notes.) In version 3, these settings are remembered as long as the Power Mode parameter on the MIDI receive page is set to User. For earlier versions, you will have to re-enter the settings each time you power up.
In the following chart, the parameters are grouped by Configuration. Multi FX will contain parameters found in more than one configuration.
Ultimate Reverb
Decay time 77 Room volume 78 HF damping 14 Envelopment 32 Early Decay 29 Early Diffusion 30 Later Delay n/a Later Diffusion 93 Dry Level 28 Early Level 31 Later Level 92
Room Simulation Gross Size 90 Decay Time 15 Listening Position 79 HF Damping 14 Dry Level 28 Reverb Level 88
Reverb in Multi FX RevPre-Delay 80 Hi-Freq Damp 83 Reverb Decay 82 Revin dry 86 Revin flange 87 Revin Delay 85
Gated Reverb Pre-Delay 80 Decay Time 38
Envelope 39 Accent Dly 01 Dry Level 57 Accent Level 02 Right Level 62
Left Level 94
Reverse Reverb Pre-Delay 80 Reverse Time 89 Accent Delay 01 Accent Level 02 Dry Level 57 Right Level 66 Left Level 65 Accent Lvl L 50 Accent Lvl R 51
Parametric EQ Band 1 Freq 03 Band 1 level 04 Band 2 Freq 05 Band 2 level 06 Band 3 Freq 07 Band 3 level 08 EQ level 58
Graphic EQ 63 Hz 41 125 Hz 43 250 Hz 45 500 Hz 47 1.0 Khz 42 2.0 Khz 44 4.0 Khz 46 8.0 Khz 48
Stereo Chorus Chorus Delay 10 LFO Speed 13 LFO Depth 12 Dry Level 57 Right Level 54 Left Level 52 Chorus Level 53
Stereo Flange Flange Delay 33 LFO Speed 37 LFO Depth 36 Feedback 35 Dry Level 57 Right Level 61 Left Level 59 Flange Level 60
Stereo Delay Delay Time 22 Feedback 17 Dry Level 57 Right Level 56 Left Level 55 DelayDry In 19 Delay Chr In 18 Delay Flg In 21 Delay EQ In 20 Delay EQ Src 16
4 Tap Delay Tap 1 Delay 24 Tap 2 Delay 25 Tap 3 Delay 26 Tap 4 Delay 27 Feed Delay 23 Feedback 17 Dry Level 57 Tap 1 Level L,R 67, 68 Tap 2 Level L,R 69, 71 Tap 4 Level L,R 75, 76 Tap 2 Level 70 Tap 4 Level 73
Other Wet/Dry Mix 91 Bypass 09 LowPass Filter 49
NOTE:
In the interest of signal to noise performance, the effects
dry level parameter should be left at 0, and the Wet/Dry mix
(91) should be used instead. Some of the above parameters may
only be found in a Multi FX patch.
REDUCING NOISE IN THE EFFECTS
The K2000 and the K2500 both use the DIGITECH 256 EFFECTs processor. When the K2500 was released, Kurzweil had 'optimised' the EFFECTS so they were less noisy. This was done by changes to the 'configurations' and saving the new 'presets'. They are usually called K2500fx.KRZ, and can be found at various sites around the web.
Daniel Fisher (Chief Soundware Engineer at Sweetwater) explains:
- To make your stock K2000 Effects noticeably cleaner, try the following:
Edit a Program (try preset 2 "Stereo Grand"), go to its Effects Page and EDIT the Effect (Warm Room). If you find that none of the Levels are at 10, adjust them. (Leave the Dry Level at 0.)
If some values are lower than others, raise the highest value to 10 and move the others up proportionately. (For Warm Room, try Early Lev 4 and Later Lev 10.) Now save the Effect to a new location.
You will notice that the Effect is now much wetter. Simply lower the Wet /Dry Mix until it sounds like the original. (For "Stereo Piano" try 30%.) You can use the Compare button to switch between the Edited Program and the original. Now save this Program.
Lets move into some manipulation... :)
WET / DRY MIX
This is where the sound is processed if we want it to have an EFFECT. If we have it at 0%, then the sound is unprocessed and is said to be 'dry'. If a sound has even a little bit of EFFECTs on it, then it is said to be 'wet'. That means the sound could have 30% or 100%, and it would still be considered 'wet'.
So in theory, 0% is DRY, and 1% to 100% is known as 'wet'.
When we set the corresponding 'ADJUST' parameter, the percentage will represent how much of the EFFECT we want to process 'all the LAYERs' in.
The 'SOURCE' parameter lets us apply a controller to the EFFECT so we can further modulate the sound. We could, for instance, use the 'ModWheel' to control the mix by making it 'dry' more or 'wet' more. So the addition of the 'SOURCE' will provide further control over a sounds wet/dry mix.
Remember that the K2000 will respond to the MIDI command of MIDI 91. This is FX DEPTH (MIDI 91).
Moving on....
NONE & NONE
These 2 additional slots allow you to further control the 'presets' configuration without having to [EDIT] the PRESET and 'save' it as another PRESET.
So, depending on the 'PRESET', you can pull some of the configurations parameters and control them in realtime.
Lets take a look...
example ** 4-2 **
1. Using PROGRAM 199 'Default Program' 2. press [EDIT] 3. we know the KEYMAP is 'Grand Piano' (if not press KEYMAP)
4. press EFFECT 5. the 'EffectPreSet:' is at '1 Sweet Hall' (on a K2000) 6. change 'wet/dry mix:' to 45 % (this is my usual setting) 7. change 'SOURCE' to MWHEEL. 8. change the 'DEPTH' to 10
Now play the keyboard and move the ModWheel.
9. change the 'DEPTH' to -10 (this removes some of the reverb)
Now play the keyboard and move the ModWheel.
10. change the 'SOURCE' to PWHEEL (that's the PITCH BEND WHEEL) 11. change the 'DEPTH' to 10
Now play the keyboard and move the ModWheel.
You will notice that when you bend the PWHEEL up the sound gets 'wet', but when you bend down, the sound gets 'dry'.
This is because the PWHEEL has both a positive direction and a negative direction.
Go and try the 'DEPTH' at -10 and see everything is reversed again.
But what if I want 'wet' (or 'dry') in both directions?
That's when we use the 'ABS-PWL'. The 'ABS-PWL' is the 'Absolute Pitch Wheel'. If we turn the alpha dial wheel (big knob on the front) 2 clicks clockwise, the 'ABS-PWL' appears!
Try it in place of the PWHEEL and check your results.
Oh, if you don't want the sound to 'bend', then go to the COMMON page and change the 'Pitch Bend Range:' to 0ct.
Experimentation is the key! :)
I hope I've added to your pool of knowledge.
This closes Installment 4 for Class O4: The EFFECT Page
Direct all questions to the K2000 mail list: <K2000@AMERICAN.EDU>
Special thanks to David Fox (Kurzweil), Peter Buick (K2K Group), and Daniel Fisher (Sweetwater Sound)
--Brian Cowell http://www.sweetwater.com/k2000/b-cowell/ http://www.soundengine.com/astra.html
420: Re: A Technique Challenge
Date: Sat, 14 Mar 1998 08:40:38 -0800 From: Jeremy Lee <lee@ANEIVA.COM> Subject: ########## 420: Re: A Technique Challenge
>I need some string work ala the violins in "Ride of the Valkiries" >(Sigfried/Wanger), that sharp attack then drizzle down sound (best way I >can describe it).
It's called a sforzando (sfz).
>The attack is fine, but I can't get the legato descent >and tremelo. The strings also (if conducted right) de-tune a bit during >those passages. This is not something to play on the keys (try it, if you >can I want to hear it!) but to sequence, so combining different programs in >sequential notes would be OK. Though I do believe that the whole thing can >be done in one program in V.A.S.T.
The sfz itself would be easy with an amplitude envelope. The trill could be accomplished by assigning a square lfo to the pitch.
If you need the rising notes at the beginning of the phrase to be included in the patch, there are a couple of ways that I would try to start. You could program the individual pitches in their own layers with a pre-delay, or try to do it with a lfo or fun. I'm guessing that you could use a s+h on a ramp lfo to change the pitch at the start of the note, then have another layer with the sfz and trill. This would only be a 2-layer program.
Hope this helps. I'm new to this list, and hope to gleen much from you all.
Jeremy
931: Z - AMPENV class
Date: Tue, 31 Mar 1998 12:05:20 +1000 From: cowzar <cowzar@ASCCOMP.NET> Subject: ########## 931: Z - AMPENV class
Hi Class,
Firstly, many thanks to David Collett...my Editor.
Here is the AMPENV page along with ENV2 & ENV3 pages.
Enjoy and learn from it. But more importantly experiment with it. That is what programming the new and unknown is about....
So we've done......
KEYMAP -> PITCH -> OUTPUT -> EFFECT ........AMPENV(ENV2,ENV3)
we are getting more advanced now !
hope your learning,
Brian Cowell....
- THE AMPENV PAGE *
by Brian Cowell. Copyright 1998 by Brian Cowell. All rights reserved.
Class ID: 05 The AMPENV Page
AMPENV is short for AMPlitude ENVelope.
If you're in any way familiar with analog synths, then the term ADSR or VCA will sound familiar. This process is used to control and 'mold' how our sounds would sound in relation to volume. We could make sounds 'drone' on forever, or we could make them percussive in nature. This was a feature that made 'analog' instruments unique at the time, as so many variations and types of sounds could be created by manipulation of the ADSR sliders.
AMPENV is the 'ADSR' of the K2s. And it's a lot more powerful and
flexible than what is normally found on digital synths.
We need to understand a point about the way digital synths use waveforms (samples). If a 'sample' doesn't have a 'loop' built into it, then there's no way it's going to hold (like in a pad) forever. It's like expecting a 'kick drum' to sustain until you release the key. It just doesn't happen! :) But it could happen if a 'loop' were built into it.
OK! When we use a KEYMAP (which we know is made up of lots of samples), the actual 'samples' applied to the KEYMAP have their own set of parameters which tell the Kurzweil how to play them. That's right! The 'sample' itself has built into it its own 'envelope' parmeters.
Where are they?
Well, lets take a look...(its not an example)
1. Using PROGRAM 199 'Default Program'
2. Press [EDIT]
3. Press KEYMAP (we can see 'Grand Piano')
4. Press [EDIT] again. (We are now in EditKeymap )
5. mMove the cursor down to 'Sample :1 Grand Piano-G#1'
6. Press [EDIT] again. (We are now in EditRomSample )
We are now in the area where you can see the waveforms of the
ROM samples.
7. Press MISC
You can see a whole heap of parameters relating to this sample.
The parts we are interested in is DECAY RATE and RELEASE RATE:
DECAY RATE tells the Kurzweil that when the 'sample' starts,
it will 'decay' to zero in this period of time. In easier
terms,it's the speed limit of the sample. If there is a low
number used, the sound will take longer to go quiet. Higher
numbers will quicken the decay rate. This is while you're
holding down a key.
RELEASE RATE tells the Kurzweil that when the 'sample' is
released (say halfway through the 'decay' time), how long it
will take to go quiet. So, if you take you're finger off the key
before the sample has 'decayed to silence', then the RELEASE RATE
will tell it how long before it will silence. So this parameter
takes over when you've released the key.
Same with 'DECAY RATE': high numbers will cause it to go to
silence quickly, whereas low numbers cause it to take longer.
Why have I brought you to this part of the Kurzweil for AMPENV?
Well firstly, I wanted you to see that there was a 'master' setting for 'samples' when it comes to manipulating its envelopes. Also, you must remember that this affects only that 'sample' within the KEYMAP. When you are here, you are messing around with the sample itself and how it plays.
On the other hand, the AMPENV will affect *all* samples within the KEYMAP. So it can 'override' the sample's normal settings to something that you want. AMPENV pages can appear in two forms:
Let's look at the first AMPENV page...
Mode:NATURAL
Well, NATURAL is the 'samples' normal settings as we've just seen from the EditRomSample. When you adjust this from NATURAL to USER, we see the following:
The second AMPENV page...
Att1: Att2: Att3: Dec1: Rel1: Rel2: Rel3: Loop:
0s 0s 0s 0s 0s 0s 0s Off
100% 0% 0% 100% 0% 0% User Inf
OK! When we are at this page, we've 'overriden' the normal settings for settings of our own. That's why you can see "User" under "Rel3:". If, for example, you wanted to go back to NATURAL, then with the cursor on USER, you would turn the wheel and the first AMPENV page would appear.
The first problem 'analog' users say is..."where is Sustain?"
Well, Kurzweil calls it "Dec1:" Decay. (Don't blame me for this!) :)
So, in 'analog' terms, using the old ADSR...
Att1: is Attack
Att2: & Att3: are the Decays
Dec1: is Sustain
Rel1: is the Release.
The thinking with most digital synths is these types of envelopes. They
are advanced and are very flexible.
The AMPENV will 'mold' your sound. So let's look at an example...
** example 5-1 **
1. Using Program 199 'Default Program'
2. Press [EDIT]
3. Press KEYMAP and change it to '153 Very Dull Sawtooth'
4. press AMPENV and adjust the screen to look like this
Att1: Att2: Att3: Dec1: Rel1: Rel2: Rel3: Loop:
0.06 0.26 0s 0.20 0.48 0s 0s Off
100% 75% 0% 90% 0% 0% User Inf
This a good example of how an 'analog' buff would use the
AMPENV to represent the stuff of yesteryear!
We could have used Att3 and set Att2 at 0s & 0%.
Why you ask?
Well, let's look into it a little deeper.
On an analog machine, the ADSR represented our envelope. The problem with this was that the envelopes had 'linear' slopes. The 'attack' time would go 'straight' (linear) to the 'decay' section which would then proceed to the 'sustain' section.
But with 3 'attack' sections, the AMPENV allows us make the envelopes have a 'curved' attack on a sound. And we can use the flexible 'attack' sections to simulate the analog 'decay'. And in the previous example, that's exactly what 'Att2:' settings was doing. It was simulating the old 'analog' DECAY section. (Remember that Kurzweil's 'Dec1' is equivalent to the SUSTAIN on an old analog machine.)
And a lot of you have probably worked out that the 'release'section on the AMPENV page (Rel1: Rel2: Rel3:) is providing a 'curve' for when the sound is releasing.
Remember this though: If there are no settings in any of the blocks, such as 'Att3' in the previous example, then the Kurzweil will just ignore it and go to the next block. So, in our last example, the Kurzweil went in this order when it was processing the envelope: Att1 -> Att2 -> Dec1. When the key was released, it went to Rel1.
There's nothing too extreme on this page until you get to the 'Loop:' part on the AMPENV page.
So let's discuss it and do a whole heap of examples.
LOOP:
There are seven loops available which extend the flexibilit of the AMPENV settings even more. When set to OFF, it just processes the AMPENV as normal.
But because the AMPENV parameters are executed from left to right, we are also given the option to have the AMPENV proceed as if it were a 'LOOP'. And we can tell it how many times we would like it to 'LOOP' via the 'INF' (INFINITY) parameter. This actually is just a counter for the loop.
So we can have the AMPENV behave like a LOOP. Well, let's look at the types and how the K2's execute them.
1. SEG1F -> Forward Loop
Att1:Att2:Att3:Dec1 then Att1:Att2:Att3:Dec1 (looping)
2. SEG2F -> Forward Loop
Att1:Att2:Att3:Dec1 then Att2:Att3:Dec1 (looping)
3. SEG3F -> Forward Loop
Att1:Att2:Att3:Dec1 then Att3:Dec1 (looping)
4. SEG1B -> Bi-Directional Loop
Att1:Att2:Att3:Dec1 then Dec1:Att3:Att2:Att1 then
Att1:Att2:Att3:Dec1 etc.....(looping)
5. SEG2B -> Bi-Directional Loop
Att1:Att2:Att3:Dec1 then Dec1:Att3:Att2 then
Att2:Att3:Dec1 etc......(looping)
6. SEG3B -> Bi-Directional Loop
Att1:Att2:Att3:Dec1 then Dec1:Att3 then
Att3:Dec1 etc.......(looping)
Always remember this though: If you haven't put a time in the
appropriate blocks, then it may not loop correctly. If you recall, I
said that the K2 will ignore the block if it doesn't have a value other
than 0 in it. But then again, it may be what you're after! :)
I know that it's a little bit to grasp by reading, so let's do some examples:
** example 5-2 **
1. Using PROGRAM 199 'Default Program'
2. press [EDIT]
3. press KEYMAP and change it to '6 Ensemble Strings'
4. press OUTPUT and change it to 'Auto'
(the sound is dull and very quite at the moment)
5. press AMPENV and set the page to look like this.
Att1: Att2: Att3: Dec1: Rel1: Rel2: Rel3 LOOP
0.12 0.38 0.44 0.48 0.48 0s 0s seg1F
100% 54% 65% 100% 0% 0% 0% Inf
Now play a key (or a chord) and hold it.
Can you hear how the sound has movement now?
It's not some 'lifeless' string pad, is it? :)
The settings of 54% & 65% is what the movement is being
created by. You're just manipulating volume levels!
Now let's make it a bit more usable and practical.
If we leave it like this, it will be just another 'Ensemble
Strings' Kurzweil sound.
What can we use to change the 'Ensemble Strings' sound without
affecting the pitch? "Hands up please class...Who knows the
answer?"..."You there at the back of the class with a propeller
on your head!...(Sorry about this.)
The answer is 'TIMBRESHIFT'.
6. press KEYMAP and change 'TimbreShift:' to -14ST
7. press EFFECT and change it to '1 Sweet Hall'.
Then change the 'Wet/Dry Mix:' to 45%.
Now play a key or chord.
If you like it, then SAVE it!
8. press AMPENV. Then change 'seg1F' to 'seg2F'.
Now play the keyboard again.
Then try the other 'seg..' settings.
9. press PITCH. Then change 'Src1:' to 'MWheel' (or Foot),
then change the 'Depth:' to 1200ct.
Now play again and use your controller.
The guy with the propeller on his head has asked a question....
"Brian, what would happen if I wanted to use AMPENV as the
source on the PITCH page?"
Well, change the source on the PITCH to AMPENV and listen to
the result. The PITCH moves all over the place...maybe it's
what you want. What is happening?
The PITCH depth is set at 1200ct. So when we press a key, the
AMPENV goes to 100% in the 'Att1:' block, which means it has
forced the PITCH to go up 1200ct (1 octave). It then goes to
54% of 1200ct (which is around 648ct)...then goes to 65% of
1200ct(which is 780ct)...etc. It doesn't really sound pretty.
But it can be used!
We could use it, for instance, on a filter. But that's at a
latter stage.
Just don't think it can't be used for anything else. Especially
you lovers of 'analog' sounds. This will become a favourite
parameter for you at a latter stage. :)
Moving on...
Well, while we are talking envelopes, we might as well include another two pages of the Kurzweil, which are similar to what where talking about here. They are, of course, ENV 2 & ENV 3.
ENV 2 & ENV 3
These are ENVelope 2 and ENVelope 3. If you are wondering where ENV 1 is...its AMPENV!
These two envelopes are different from AMPENV in two ways:
1. The range of them is greater. By this I mean that we can have a
*positive* (like AMPENV) setting, and we can have a *negative* setting. Why? And why the difference?
Well, if we used AMPENV as a 'source' like in our last example, we could *push* in only 1 direction...a *positive* direction. The word *positive* is probably a little deceiving here as you could use it in a *negative* sort of way...So, before I confuse you more, I'll break the explanation down a bit:
Think of a car......that's right! A car! :) This car is going to nowhere also.
Imagine that a car is your Kurzweil!
The fuel would be the KEYMAP. The engine the ALGORITHM. Your ignition key is the equivalent to pressing a key. The muffler(exhaust) would be the EFFECT. The accelerator pedal would represent AMPENV!
Pushing the pedal down all the way down is, in AMPENV terms, 100%. The time taken would be "Att1:Att2:Attt3....etc". And it would represent the volume of the car also! :)
Just say we wanted to use the wind screen wipers, and we don't have something to turn it on and tell it what to do. (also imagine that the wipers are vertical up the window...not horizontal like normal.)
We tell the car that we want the accel. pedal to be the 'source'. In other words, when we push the accelerator pedal down, the engine will rev and the wipers will turn only the amount the pedal is down. Not very practical in this sense, is it? And one more thing...the wipers will go in only one direction. OK if you want half your window clean! :)
This brings us to point number 2:
2. ENV 2 & ENV 3 are just controllers.
Unlike AMPENV, which affects the volume of our sound, ENV2 & ENV3 will do nothing unless they are told to be a 'source' for something.
You can play around with these two envelopes forever,and they won't do anything unless they are a 'source' for something. I've said this twice so you will know I'm trying to say something here!
Back to our car...we left the engine running. :)
We don't want the wipers to be driven by the accelerator pedal (AMPENV). So the best way to imagine ENV2&3 is to think of them in terms of a steering wheel.
When the steering wheel is central, we are at 0%. When we turn the wheel fully right, we are at 100%. When we turn the wheel fully left, we are at -100%.
Now, if we told the wipers that the steering wheel was going to be its 'source', then we could clean the window by turning the wheel left & right. (I told you this car was going nowhere!) :)
But seriously now, we can do a lot with ENV 2 & ENV 3.
And when we combine them with AMPENV, we have some really useful tools.
So let's do some really practical examples using them!
This is very similar to some sounds I have in my *personal* collection, which I'm slowly 'leaking' to the public! :)
** example 5-3 **
1. Using PROGRAM 199 'Default Program'
2. press KEYMAP and change it to '151 Sawtooth'
3. press ALG. and change it to ALG:2
2POLE LOWPASS -> PANNER
(Yes! We will do something more advanced.)
4. press AMPENV and make the page look like this:
Att1: Att2: Att3: Dec1: Rel1: Rel2: Rel3: Loop
0.04 0s 0s 0s 0.96 0s 0s Off
100% 0% 0% 100% 0% 0% User Inf
(this will take the initial 'hard' edge of the sound and make
it a little smoother.)
5. press ENV2 and make it look like this:
Att1: Att2: Att3: Dec1: Rel1: Rel2: Rel3: Loop
0.10 0s 0s 0s 0.30 0s 0s Off
100% 100% 100% 100% 0s 0s 0s Inf
(Notice that the initial 'Att1:' is slightly slower than the
'Att1:' in the AMPENV settings. There is a reason that AMPENV
will be leading ENV2. I'm gearing up to the explanation.)
Now we get to the 'guts' of this sound:
6. press F1 FRQ and change 'Coarse:' to B1 62Hz
(I want the sound to be extremely dull.)
7. change the 'Src1:' to ENV2 and set the 'Depth:' to 4800ct.
(I've told the sound to be dull in step 6.
Then I told the 'filter' that I wanted to go from dull to
bright when the key was pressed which ENV2 is controlling.
You can try a different setting than 4800ct if you like.)
8. press F2 RES and change 'Src1:' to AMPENV and change the
'Depth :' to 8.0db
(remember that I said that the AMPENV was slightly 'faster'
than ENV2?)
The sound is racing from dull to bright in steps 6/7 because
of ENV2. But the F2 RES will be racing faster due to AMPENV
being quicker! And AMPENV is quicker because we made 'Att1'
quick!
9. press PITCH and change 'Coarse:' to -12ST
10. And set 'Src1:' to ENV2 and change its depth to
'Depth:' 1200ct
Now play the keyboard and see what you've created.
If you play fast, you will notice the pitch of the sound goes
off tune. This is because you're playing faster than ENV2
(which we told it to be a 'source', on the PITCH page.)
Play with this a bit by swapping the AMPENV and ENV2 parameters
around where we've set them and see what you come up with.
Oh, I used ALG 2 because my PROGRAM was going to use panning,
but then I decided against......"$#23$rf@ Brian......" :)
And you haven't even used EFFECTs yet!
Let's do another one. I know you're thirsting for knowledge. Here's one for you wannabe THX lovers.
** example 5-3 **
1. Using PROGRAM 199 'Default Program'
2. press ALG and change it to ALG 1 'HIFREQ STIMULATOR'
3. press KEYMAP and change it to '6 Ensemble Strings'
and change the XPOSE to 12ST
4. press AMPENV and make the page look like this:
Att1:Att2:Att3:Dec1:Rel1:Rel2:Rel3:Loop
1.08 0s 0s 0s 7.90 0s 0s Off
100% 0% 0% 100% 0% 0% User Inf
5. press ENV2 and make the page look like this:
Att1:Att2:Att3:Dec1:Rel1:Rel2:Rel3:Loop
0s 0.02 1.32 0s 0s 0s 0s Off
0% -100 100 100 0% 0% 0% Inf
6. press OUTPUT and change the PAN to this:
'PAN :L * R'
'Mode:Auto'
The PITCH will be sliding because of ENV2, while the volume will
be slowly rising because of the long 'Att1:' setting on the
AMPENV page.
7. press EFFECT and use '5 Arena' with the 'Wet/Dry mix:' at 50%.
8. press PITCH and change 'Coarse:' to -24ST.
And also set the 'Src1:' to ENV2 and the 'Depth:' to 1200ct
9. press DUPLYR. We now have 2 LAYERS the same.
Look at the top right hand side of the display and you will
see that it says '<> LAYER 2/2'.
So what we are editing now is LAYER 2.
10. press OUTPUT and change it the PAN to this:
'PAN :L * R'
'Mode:Auto'
11. press ENV2 and change it to this:
Att1:Att2:Att3:Dec1:Rel1:Rel2:Rel3:Loop
0s 0.02 1.88 0s 0s 0s 0s Off
0% -100 100% 100% 0% 0% 0% Inf
You will notice that this is slihtly longer in time than the
ENV2 used in LAYER 1. That's because I wanted the illusion of
the sound sliding to halt like "THX" does. This is all the "THX"
sound is, except some of the sounds are falling in PITCH rather
than rising. We probably should have increased the AMPENV 'Att1:'
time also. What the heck! It's just an example! :)
That's it for this example.
But I know you would like another, so this one if you Vangelis fans...
especially "BladeRunner" lovers.
** example 5-4 **
1. Using PROGRAM 199 'Default Program'
2. press KEYMAP and change it to '153 Very Dull Saw' and also
set the XPOSE to 12ST.
3. press OUTPUT and change PAN to this:
'Pan :L * R'
'Mode:Auto'
4. press AMPENV and change it to this:
Att1:Att2:Att3:Dec1:Rel1:Rel2:Rel3:Loop
1.08 0s 0s 0s 7.90 0s 0s Off
100% 0% 0% 100% 0% 0% User Inf
(this is the same as the last example)
5. press ENV2 and change it to this:
Att1:Att2:Att3:Dec1:Rel1:Rel2:Rel3:Loop
0s 0.02 2.88 0s 0s 0s 0s Off
0% -100 100 100 0% 0% 0% Inf
6. press PITCH.And then set the 'Src1:' to ENV2 and then
set the 'Depth:' to -1200 ct.
People who know the 'END TITLE' music to the film Blade Runner
will recognise this falling sound.
"Where do you think you're going?" "I haven't finished with you yet! Here's another example."... :)
This is a little more advanced but demonstrates nonetheless.
** example 5-4 **
1. Use PROGRAM 199 'Default Program'
2. press ALG.9. and set the blocks as this:
LOPASS -> SHAPER -> LP2RES
3. press KEYMAP and change it to '151 Sawtooth', then set the
'TimbreShift :' to -22ST
4. press AMPENV and make the page look like this:
Att1:Att2:Att3:Dec1:Rel1:Rel2:Rel3:Loop
0.16 0.36 0.32 0s 0.38 0s 0s Off
100% 92% 0% 0% 0% 0% User Inf
5. press F2 AMT, then change the 'Src1:' to AMPENV and set
the 'Depth:' to 0.85x
6. press F1 FRQ and change 'Coarse ' to F#7 2960Hz.
7. press F3 FRQ, then change the 'Src1:' to LFO2 and set its
'Depth' to 2400ct. Ooops! Set the 'Coarse ' to E4 330Hz
8. press PITCH. Then change 'Coarse ' to -12ST.
Now change the 'Scr1:' to AMPENV and set its 'Depth ' to
1200ct.
And add your own EFFECT!
This sound is not perfect.
But it gives you an idea of what is possible.
And it concludes AMPENV, along with ENV2 & ENV3.
Hope this has helped.
This closes Installment 5 for Class O5: The AMPENV Page
Direct all questions to the K2000 mail list: <K2000@AMERICAN.EDU> Brian Cowell
930: Crazy FUNs
Date: Tue, 31 Mar 1998 12:15:10 +1000 Reply-To: K2000 user's group <K2000@AMERICAN.EDU> Sender: K2000 user's group <K2000@AMERICAN.EDU> From: cowzar <cowzar@ASCCOMP.NET> Subject: ########## 930: Crazy FUNs.... MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
> > Also, expanding on this ..anyone have any other really crazy uses for > the FUN's and/or DSP functions? > > Thanks > Drew
Hi,
Try slipping the FUNs into the PITCH page. Also have the GLOBAL=ON. And use lots of LFO2.......especially in the 4POLE dsp. function. Use big numbers in the DEPTH.
Use one of the CLOCKs in the FUNs. Then have that FUN be an input for another FUN. Then use them in as 'sources' in 2 different pages.
LOOP your AMPENV and use that in a FUN.
Get in there.....don't be to scared to get 'WET' ! :) (Bad reverb joke there.)
heheheheheh,
Brian Cowell,
40: Re: Z - PITCH Class
Date: Mon, 2 Mar 1998 09:31:20 -0800 From: Tony Palermo <Palermo@SPRYNET.COM> Subject: ########## 40: Re: Z - PITCH Class
Attention Class!
Just to keep the threads straight in the archives, I'm re-posting three replies to Brian Cowell's Pitch Class that weren't replies to the original subject line of "Z - PITCH Class" (note the word PITCH is all caps.)
<begin snip>-----------------------------------
Date: Mon, 23 Feb 1998 From: "David B. Heffner" <heffner@LYCOMING.EDU> Subject: ########## 41: Z - PITCH: Coarse Frequency Question
Brian Cowell, I just finished your PITCH tutorial. Great job; it's inspired me for a few songs. If the affect of using TIMBRESHIFT under KEYMAP is the same as upping the COARSE parameter on the PITCH page and lowering the XPOSE on KEYMAP a cooresponding amount, is it ever necessary to do the second senario in a practical sense? Anotherwords, do you ever "have" to do this while sound designing? Moving TIMRESHIFT seems so much more intuitive, as shown in your KEYMAP tutorial.
Dave
Date: Tue, 24 Feb 1998 From: Jason <jfewings@CENTRAL.MURDOCH.EDU.AU>
Just a comment on the use of pitch slides, which may help people overcome some problems when working monophonically or using other techniques as described by Brian in this lesson.
If you choose a keymap high up on your keyboard range (C8) for example and if you set this as the keymap for the entire keyboard with a keytracking of 100cts (or what ever you desire) then you will find that you get a much better range of pitch bend.
You will need to make sure that the C8 keymap is assigned to C8 on the keyboard.
The reason that this works is that the kurzweil can play back up to 96kHz which is one octave higher than what it is sampled at for a sample at 48kHz.
You can then bend all the way down.
Now sometimes the samples get grainy played back that slow, but if you are doing lots of portamento then you probably will not notice the graininess and it may even add something to the sound. You will however notice the clicks that Brian spoke of.
This is really only of consequence if you want to use the high end of the keyboard for doing this pitch sliding and for Bass lines or the such you may find that a sample of C4 may give better results.
The other way to increase upward bending range is by decreasing your sampling rate. You will get 1 octave upward bending at 48kHz, about 1 1/2 at 44.1 khZ and more than 2 octaves at 22kHz. Also you will save on sample memory.
Jason Fewings
880: Re: programming question
Date: Mon, 30 Mar 1998 12:21:42 +0800 From: Jason <jfewings@CENTRAL.MURDOCH.EDU.AU> Subject: ########## 880: Re: programming question
Thisisgone wrote:
>
> Is there anyway to assign the sample wave as the evelope controller?
> im sure it can be done....still havent received my manual yet.
You could try algorithms with cross mod x in the algorithm structure. The 2 unit one is better than the one unit one. There is also some other algorithm blocks with mod in them. Though you can only assign the amp mod of the sample to the internal DSP generated waveforms.
I think the algorithm is #11, (I'm not at the k2k and I don't have the manual in front of me.) Mail me privately if you need more info.
Jason Fewings Godlike Productions
Re: Sequencer copying
Date: Wed, 4 Mar 1998 10:31:56 -0700 From: "C.K. Haun" <ck@RAVENWARE.COM> Subject: ########## 91: Re: Sequencer copying
>How do I copy one song onto the end of another? You can do this a few ways, most of which I can't document in detail because I'm not sitting at my board, but I'll tell you the place to look. The basic thing to do is to enter the sequencer (SONG button), hit EDIT, then hit the TRACK soft button. Scroll through all the myriad things you can do to a track. You can copy, you can grab sections/all of a track, you can bounce tracks around, you can do most of the things you want to do. Of course, you have to do it on a track by track basis, which can be a bit of a pain.
What I really recommend is using the Arranging feature of the sequencer to do this, and to deal with your second question also.
By having one master song that includes other songs as parts, you can do things like repeat song segments multiple times, have multiple copies of "sub-songs" contained in the master song, and so on.
Really look into this feature, it's hard to explain in a few words, but it's the real reason I bought the K2500, because the on-board seq. has features like this.
C.K. Haun Ravenware Industries
CK@Ravenware.com
"Postcards from the Undermind"
now available from Ravenware Records
Ravenware Music HTTP://www.ravenware.com/music
Ravenware Software HTTP://www.ravenware.com/sware
