Korg Forums

[Prasanna]

Is it possible to set the pitch bend to go for more than a whole note?

[Daz]

In what mode ? Combi, Seq or Program ?

[Prasanna]

Preferably in the sequencing mode, but I'd like to know about the other modes too...Thanks

[shrike]

Pitch band range is set for each program (in program mode) separately and is applied in any other mode according to settings in Edit Pitch menu in Program mode.

When you assign few programs to timbres in combi or tracks in sequencer, pitch bend will range according to every program's own settings.

Meaning this:
- if you assign some lead sound to timbre/track 1, and pitch band range in Edit pitch menu for this program is set to 2 semitones, when you play this lead and move pitch band all the way it will modulate this lead for two semitones;
- if you assign some string to timbre/track 2, and pitch band range in Edit pitch menu for this program is set to 12 semitones, when you play this string and move pitch band all the way it will modulate this strings for 12 semitones (full octave).

So you have to make needed pitch band range settings for every program and then in combi and sequencer pitch band range will have different (or the same) values for each program.

[Prasanna]

Thank you so much, Shrike.

[jerrythek]

Sorry, but this answer is wrong.

You are able to over-ride the Program's Pitch bend settings while in Combi and Seq Modes. See the parameter on Pg2 for Pitch - it defaults to PRG which is the behavior Shrike is talking about. But you can change that value to "force" the bend range to whatever you want/need. No problem.

Regards,

Jerry

[shrike]

[Renkster]

I have the same question, except - how can you pitch bend > 2 semitones - for example, by an octave - by inserting control changes? I went to track edit, create control data, chose pitch bend and put in a range of 0 - 1536. However, the resulting pitch bend that sounds on song playback is still limited to the original 2 semitone range. Even though, by 2 other methods, I've enabled an octave range of pitch bend on the actual joystick controller. Note, I'm not touching the joystick while recording; I just want to have the pitch bend in my song via CC changes.

[billbaker]

A controller with a range of + or - 127 would be effectively pushing the pitch bender to it's fullest extent up or down. That's the control's range - and that range has nothing to do with how far a pitch goes up or down.

What the program does with that information will depend on how that (pitch) modulator is set up to react. A program set up to bend +/- 2 semi-tones does that at the full extent of the control (127) -- less than that (122) would be short of true pitch by a few cents. On the other hand, a program set up to do a two octave (+/-24) swoop would only hit two octaves at the fullest extent of the control, and at that resolution under-playing a pitch bend could sound like a "wrong" note.

Putting in a control number larger than the parameter can read (1536) doesn't change the pitch because that's determined within the program, not as a global parameter as might be the case for a true analog synth. The pitch program only reads the first 127 and can only apply it as set up in the program -- everything above that useable control range is moot.

The higher the control number and the lower the modulation range the smoother the transition between pitches - a low control range with a high pitch change reveals "stair-stepping" as if you were dragging a finger up the keyboard rather than a true analog style (smooth) pitch bend.

BTW - most GM voices will only do +/- 2 semi-tones (whole step) pitch modulation.


BB
_________________
billbaker

Triton Extreme 88, Triton Classic Pro, Trinity V3 Pro
+E-mu, Alesis, Korg, Kawai, Yamaha, Line-6, TC Elecronics, Behringer, Lexicon...

[SanderXpander]

Pitch bend is not a normal midi controller actually. It is 14-bit, meaning a resolution of 16384 steps, or 8192 up or down. Exactly to avoid this "stair stepping" effect. Some synths/controllers unfortunately use a subset of the intentionally higher resolution of pitch bend.

I don't know what to say about your problem though - if you are sure the sound is set up correctly (verify this with the joystick) it should work via the track edit too. Have you tried the maximum value?

[Renkster]

Thanks for the replies! SanderXpander, the pitch bend as a CC still only bends one whole tone up, even with the maximum value of 8192.

BillBaker, as for the controller range of +-127, while that may be true, it doesn't seem to be the kind of units I'm supposed to enter for the pitch bend as a "control change", where the range you can enter is +- 8192. I think I understand that you're saying the controller is limited to +-127 distinct gradations when it is physically used. But for what I'm trying to accomplish, never touching the joystick but rather putting in the bend through the "Create Control Data" screen and selecting the "Pitch bend" radio button, I'm not sure how the +-127 units of range applies. Like SanderXpander said, I think the resolution there is +-8192.

So let me ask you this: How would you trigger a perfectly smooth pitch bend of an octave range to occur in a song, without ever touching the controller?

[Renkster]

SanderXpander, I forgot to mention, I did verify, by moving the stick, that I had set up the pitch bend joystick controller to bend an octave.

[billbaker]

@ renster,

I'd save a program whose pitch bend range was an octave - +/- 12 semitones - then use the standard pitch bend controls. That bend range would apply for that program either individually or in combi mode provided no other over-ride were imposed. Smoothness would depend on resolution of the control, and I am, frankly, not sure whether doing it in sequence rather than the actual joystick CC would result in better or worse results.

The other option would be to set up a receiving control (AMS) within the program that would change the actual pitch of the oscillator. That solution would, I think, apply with programs. I'm not sure how it would work within a combi or sequence set up. It might actually work better because it could be applied to an individual program or track within the sequence without sending the more global joystick control.

BB
_________________
billbaker

Triton Extreme 88, Triton Classic Pro, Trinity V3 Pro
+E-mu, Alesis, Korg, Kawai, Yamaha, Line-6, TC Elecronics, Behringer, Lexicon...

[Renkster]

Just to clarify, by "smoothness" I mean that every gradation of pitch will sound for an equal amount of time (something very unlikely to happen under manual control). I am not referring to the abruptness of change from one gradation to the next, which I think is what you thought I meant, although that kind of smoothness would be good to have as well. Sorry for being vague...

[Renkster]

"not referring to the abruptness of change" * in tone frequency *