MeldaProduction

jmg8 · Post by **jmg8** » Wed Sep 16, 2015 1:05 pm

I have a question about the random modulator. If someone could please help?

I believe that it is not behaving correctly.

I have a hi hat, that has been synthesized in MPS. There is a midi pattern triggering it, but not at regular 1/8 or 1/4 etc. It's a pattern containing off beat AND on beat notes.

I would like to use the modulators to randomize some parameters on each of the hi hat hits (midi on notes) to make the pattern less robotic and more human.

I have the modulator set to the random tab, in steps mode. I want midi re-trigger for each note, to generate a different random value. I believe this is what "synchronize to LFO" is for. However in practice sync to lfo only lets us sync to fixed grid values like 1/4 or 1/8 etc. When I engage "midi re-trigger" in the "normal" tab (and then return back to the random tab) the random modulator now follows the phase of the lfo. Therefore all hi hats sound the same, there is no randomization happening.
I feel this does not behave as expected. Because the "LFO modulation" control (in the random tab) is to follow the shape/phase of the lfo NOT the "synchronize to LFO" which should ONLY be for sync settings.

Is there a way to use midi note on to generate a random value for each note?

Thanks.

MeldaProduction · Post by **MeldaProduction** » Thu Sep 17, 2015 9:06 am

Did you check the latest video tutorial? I think it was showing just this.

If it still won't work, send me a preset to info@meldaproduction.com (just use copy button in the bottom right and paste it as text).

jmg8 · Post by **jmg8** » Thu Sep 17, 2015 9:09 am

Unfortunately midi re-trigger is not in the video.
I will send you a preset.
Thanks.

leonalex · Post by **leonalex** » Thu Sep 17, 2015 10:50 am

hi jmg8, you can something like this by using the modulator envelope to modulate your high hat, then modulating the envelope sustain value with another modulator:

set the attack and decay of the envelope to 0 then modulate the sustain with a second modulator, set the second modulator to random with quite a high speed setting.

kinda acts like a midi triggered random sample and hold

jmg8 · Post by **jmg8** » Thu Sep 17, 2015 11:32 am

leonalex wrote:hi jmg8, you can something like this by using the modulator envelope to modulate your high hat, then modulating the envelope sustain value with another modulator:

set the attack and decay of the envelope to 0 then modulate the sustain with a second modulator, set the second modulator to random with quite a high speed setting.

kinda acts like a midi triggered random sample and hold

Thank you for your reply. I like your thinking. I understand what your saying. Setting the attack and release to 0 and only using the sustain value acts really as just a value amount, great. Plus the envelope can re-trigger from midi.
The problem though is the random mod that is modulating it will be out of sync with my hi hats and could even change the value of the other mod halfway though a hi hat hit. I need the random to sync to say 1/8th notes AND be re-triggered by midi.

leonalex · Post by **leonalex** » Thu Sep 17, 2015 12:38 pm

The problem though is the random mod that is modulating it will be out of sync with my hi hats and could even change the value of the other mod halfway though a hi hat hit

It seems the envelope shape is calculated only at the moment when the envelope is triggered so modulating the sustain level will only have effect the next time the envelope is triggered, no need to worry about syncing the other mod, Just have it running quite fast to get truly random values.

set attack, hold and decay to 0, set release to maximum and modulate sustain value with random modulation

then the parameter that the envelope is controlling with be set at a new random value every time a key is pressed, works for me unless I am not understanding your problem?

jmg8 · Post by **jmg8** » Thu Sep 17, 2015 1:01 pm

No it was me not you. I understand now. I didn't realise that the envelope was calculated at the moment it is triggered. This is a great work around! Very clever of you and thanks so much for the tip.

jmg8 · Post by **jmg8** » Thu Sep 17, 2015 1:37 pm

OK. So I had a go in the studio and it works great. I was able to randomize the transient attack, pan, filter, volume etc. all was going well until!.... I tried to randomize the noise adsr (decay) in MPS. It didn't work instead it just used the max value from my env mod for every hit. Am I doing something wrong?

leonalex · Post by **leonalex** » Thu Sep 17, 2015 2:14 pm

You could try to modulate the noise envelope directly with the random mod. Don't need the extra envelope in between.

Both envelopes will be calculated at the same moment, on note-on which is why it's not working probably.

jmg8 · Post by **jmg8** » Thu Sep 17, 2015 2:52 pm

Oh, yeah that makes sense.
Thanks again friend

MeldaProduction · Post by **MeldaProduction** » Thu Sep 17, 2015 4:03 pm

Ha! That's a really cool trick!!!

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Q: Random Modulator