A few ACE questions...

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Hi everybody,

Just would like to ask a few questions to other ACE users:

I read in the manual that it was possible to do "classic FM sounds" using the phase modulation knob of the LFO1. Unfortunately, there's no exemple in the manual to get those sounds.
Can someone explain this to me with a small tutorial?

Moreover, i would like to know what the cross modulation knob is for? when i click it, it appears to be named FM VCO1/VCO2 but how to use this function in a good way?

Thanks to everyone
Cheers
Vinz

PS: waiting for ACE XL... it will be a killer synth...

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This is LFO2 modulating phase of LFO1 for an FM-ish sort of patch:

http://www.box.net/shared/9xu95g8ucm

The only tricks are: LFOs running fast (the 'LF' part is not necessarily true in ACE, of course), and with this patch LFO2's waveform is drawn by the 'tap map'.

What makes ACE really stand out versus a lot of synths is what can be fed into the phase mod knob of LFO1 - logically, anything that can be plugged into it.

Some possibilities for modulating LFO1's phase mod knob are:
- LFO2 as a sine wave
- LFO2 as some other wave
- LFO2 as 'tap map' (the waveform is drawn by the mapping generator on the tweak tab)
- OSC1 with the curvy/triangle waveforms
- any signal with (messy) frequencies removed by a filter (resulting in a less chaotic sound out of LFO1)
- one of the filters self-oscillating
- any combination of these, or something different entirely :)

Any cable everywhere!

There are patches in the factory bank that use this technique, and I know for sure some possibly interesting examples in the bank I have in my sig.

[e] The cross knob on OSC2 is a little bit 'magic' to me, not real sure - I think I like it best used very moderately.

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From the manual:
"Cross-modulation. In ACE, this is analogue frequency modulation (unlike digital FM) in which VCO 1 modulates VCO 2. You should also think of this parameter as having a constant default modulator (+5V) which can be replaced by any signal you like."
Cheers,
Scott

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Thank you very much guys... now i guess what it should sound like...

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Arggh just realised one thing: i thought cross modulation was leading to horrible sounding effect but indeed that's because i was using it in standard quality mode.
To take the best of this feature it must be used in accurate mode... too bad for my core2duo that already suffer with some of my patches...

Anyway, thanks for the tips...

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You can use a self oscillating filter as a modulator and LFO1 as a carrier. The tricky part is getting the tuning right.

Ringmodulate the filter output with adsr2 in a Multiple and use the Multiple output to phase mdoulate LFO1.

Connect the filter input with LFO1 output and set gain to -48dB (this keeps the filter input silent, more or less, and helps to keep resonance in tune)

Check it out, this patch uses two self oscillating filters as modulators:

http://www.u-he.com/ace/download/UH_Fil ... lators.h2p

Little trick: It uses the +5v source to turn the Cutoff modulation inputs into secondary Cutoff knobs.

;) Urs

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Thank you so much guys! And thanks Urs for the template!
Now i understand the way FM synthesis works...

Vinz

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