Korg Forums

kanthos · Posted: Wed Oct 09, 2013 11:41 pm Post subject: Mono Legato mode and velocity

I'm pretty new to actual synth programming, so this might be a silly question, but I couldn't find a standard definition on Google as to what Mono Legato should do (in general), nor in the manual, nor did I find anything that cleared it up here on the forums so far.

Take factory preset User-B-088 - Screaming Mini. Mono Legato is turned on, and the legato mode is set to Normal. Play one note, striking the key as hard as you can, and do not release it. Then play a different note, striking the key as gently as possible. The second note sounds at the volume of the first note. I assume this is because, as the M3 Parameter Guide says, envelopes and LFOs aren't retriggered when you're playing in legato mode, so the volume I hear for the second note would just be whatever the volume is, as affected by the amp envelopes; since this particular lead has a short attack and decay, I'm likely hearing the sustain stage's volume based on the velocity of the first note.

In short, this means that legato phrases are played with a uniform volume, based on the velocity of the first note in the phrase, when in Normal mode.

I can see that if I switch the Mode to "Use Legato Offset", the envelopes and LFOs are retriggered and the sample is played back from the legato start point. For this sound, and some others I've tried with, there's a slight click or pop, so it's not as smooth.

Is there a setting I'm not aware of that will avoid retriggering the envelopes, so the sound is smooth, but will also adjust the volume based on the velocity of the second note played? This is causing me problems playing a mono lead line where if I hit the first note too quietly or too loudly, the remainder of the phrase is either too quiet or too loud, and it takes a bit of the expressiveness away, being able to shape the volume of a phrase via velocities. And, with my hand on my joystick for pitch bend and vibrato, I don't have another controller I can use to just adjust the volume in the way a B3 player would use a swell pedal. (Incidentally, I do have an expression pedal connected to my M3, but I'm using it for bringing sounds in and out in a combi by using CC #11 (Expression), so I can't repurpose it.)

Incidentally, I notice that velocity of subsequent notes DOES affect legato phrases EXB-Radias sounds that are set to Mono with Trigger Mode: Single. For example, Radias factory preset INT-F-058 - Dukey Lead, behaves as I'd like it.

Is this just a limitation of the EDS engine, or is there a workaround?
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Keyboard Rig: Korg Kronos, Moog Sub 37, Waldorf Blofeld Module, Neo Instruments Ventilator II, Moog MiniFooger Delay, Strymon BigSky, Roland KC-150, Mackie 802-VLZ4 Mixer

Bald Eagle · Posted: Thu Oct 10, 2013 3:21 am Post subject:

I think the Parameter Guide has a decent definition of what Mono Legato should be ...

kanthos · Posted: Thu Oct 10, 2013 3:33 am Post subject:

I questioned the parameter guide's definition because other synths (software synths, at very least), plus the EXB-RADIAS, behave differently.

I can't use the ribbon since I only have the module (why they didn't make it a tiny bit bigger and put the ribbon and switches on it is beyond me), but that's definitely a good idea.

Poly Legato is something I'll look at for some sounds, but for others, like the Screaming Mini, the mono mode Unison is being used, so going to poly for poly legato turns an exciting, fat sound into a boring one in this case. That's a good idea in general, and it does solve the volume problem.
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Keyboard Rig: Korg Kronos, Moog Sub 37, Waldorf Blofeld Module, Neo Instruments Ventilator II, Moog MiniFooger Delay, Strymon BigSky, Roland KC-150, Mackie 802-VLZ4 Mixer