Macros

[pricer]

Hey there Squids,

I accept that you may want to keep certain info under wraps for promotional purposes, but i thought i'd throw a few questions at you.

You've already mentioned that these macros will be open to the public for development - so what level of programming are we talking about here, something along the lines of HTML or is it at a C++ level (where my brain usually explodes) . What is the range that these macros will allow the user to do? Is it likely that there will be a lot of dedicated macro makers as well as patch makers?

For example, could you sync filter emphasis to the cutoff - so the emphasis drops lower, as you go into the bass frequencies (ala MiniMoog)? Or keeping on the synth theme, how about programming oscillator drift?

Is it possible to create specific macros to specific synths to increase the realism? Knowing your vast collection and knowledge of synths it would be great to have these features.

[telebunke]

You've already mentioned that these macros will be open to the public for development - so what level of programming are we talking about here, something along the lines of HTML or is it at a C++ level (where my brain usually explodes) .

It's gonna be assembler - which will also cause your stomach to implode.

tele

[pricer]

i'd best save up my epointz for a virtual colostomy bag!

Any links for Assembler coding?

[pricer]

OK, just looked at source-code, this pic just about sums up my response :

[Squids]

Woah. What an imagination you have! That's not what I meant about the macros. ST2 has ALWAYS had macros that are assignable by the sound developer. In fact, even ST1 had them. It's those 4 knobs in the macro section. Unfortunately they aren't user assignable. Maybe in the future they will be though. There are a lot of new features in Philharmonik and ST2.1 but we can't have everything we'd like all at once.

The macros I was speaking of are assigned by us in Miroslav Philharmonik to do some cool things that suit performance aspects of the sounds. You can control the controls with whatever CC you want. In fact, you have a lot of flexibility with the midi control assignments which is already a lot of potential power to do some of the things you're talking about.

[Kim Lajoie]

You actually don't need user-programmable macros to do the things you've suggested, so long as you have a capable sequencer.

For example, could you sync filter emphasis to the cutoff - so the emphasis drops lower, as you go into the bass frequencies (ala MiniMoog)?

Assign filter cutoff and resonance to two different MIDI CCs (for example, CC1 for filter cutoff and CC2 for resonance). CC1 is good because that's modwheel. Then use your sequencer's advanced MIDI features to generate CC2 messages with inverse data for each CC1 message.

Or keeping on the synth theme, how about programming oscillator drift?

Real easy. Use one (or both!) the LFOs. One thing to remember - LFO1 is controlled by modwheel in most cases, and acts per note (each note has its own independant version of LFO1). LFO2 is (usually) always active and acts per part (LFO2 is shared among all notes on that part).

If you don't mind forfeiting the use of your modwheel (you can always reassign it in your sequencer if you want anyway), you can "stick" CC1 to maximum value (turning LFO1 on to maximum all the time). then set speed, depth, and pitch of LFO1 to small values. Because each note has its own LFO1, playing notes staggered (not all on at once) will cause the note's LFOs to be out of phase, giving a nice subtle drifting feel.

Is it possible to create specific macros to specific synths to increase the realism?

You can save MIDI CC assignments with child patches in SS2/ST2, so they're already assigned when you load it later.

Hope that helps (and wasn't too complicated!).

-Kim.

[pricer]

Thanks Kim! You're a legend!