Feature request - low row pitch bend range

[digimidi]

With more and more VIs becoming MPE capable all the time, they don't all implement MPE control the same way. Most of them at this point have their pitch bend for MPE set at 48 but regular pitch bend at their normal patch setting (usually +-2). I have found I like to do normal, full chord bends with the low row pitch bender separately from individual note bends with MPE. I would love it if we could set the low row pitch bend range separately from the MPE range. And as an added request, I would like to use the X of the X/Y/Z low row control for global pitch bend as well. Thanks for listening!

Gil Gowing

[Roger_Linn]

Thanks for the suggestion, Gil. Can you tell me what a typical musical use case would be for having the Low Row's Bend Range be different than one semitone per pad? For example, do you want to slide your finger 2 pads to the right and hear an octave of pitch change?

[digimidi]

With some of the VIs out there now, the MPE pitch bend is 48 and regular pitch bend (that seems to be what is triggered via the low row) is 2. Having the ability to slide individual notes with a wide range is great, but sometimes you wander to pitch bend an entire chord the same amount (2) like typical midi controllers. Some VIs see normal and MPE pitch bend the same, some you can set it up separately (pb and slide), but some are hard coded 2 for global and 48 hour MPE. I thought I would make the suggestion since there are many other parameters that can access hidden functionality.

[Roger_Linn]

Thanks, Gil. Given LinnStrument’s lack of a screen or editing UI, I try to avoid making it too confusing to use by adding many limited-use features, plus Geert’s time to add such features is limited. I’ve never received this request before, so as an alternative I wonder if it isn’t too difficult to simply change the global bend range in the synth?

[digimidi]

It’s possible but doesn’t help with VIs that don’t allow to change MPE range from 48. I get it’s an odd request. Thanks for responding though.

[TallKite]

I would like to use the X of the X/Y/Z low row control for global pitch bend as well.

This seems like a very useful option. It's logical because X is generally used for pitch bends. It would in effect add Y and Z data to the existing Bend option. Wouldn't be a burden on the GUI, just one more thing to swipe to after 0-127 and XCHPR. And not that hard to implement, just borrow from the existing code for low row bend.

I'm not sure I understand your other feature request. Here's what I think you're saying: Currently when you set the low row to BEND, if your pitch bend range is 48, sliding the entire 24 pads of width in the low row only gets you a half bend. (The midi pitch bend message's value goes from 8K at initial touch either up to 12K or down to 4K.) Since your synth's non-MPE bend range is fixed at 2, that's 1 semitone per 24 pads, which is awkward. But if you set your Linn's bend range to 2, so that you get 1 semitone per pad on the low row, that messes up your regular playing. You get 24 semitones per pad, super jumpy. So to get 1 semitone per pad for both regular play and low row bends, you need to set 2 separate bend ranges. Is that correct? If so, it wouldn't be hard to implement. The low row bend range would default to 2 semitones, and to change it you would long-press the low row BEND pad and swipe.

[Roger_Linn]

It’s possible but doesn’t help with VIs that don’t allow to change MPE range from 48. I get it’s an odd request. Thanks for responding though.

That wouldn't be affected because LinnStrument already permits any bend range from 1 to 96. The requested feature is to have two Bend Range settings, one for MPE bend range (already exists) and the other for simultaneous one-channel bend range. I'm not aware of any MPE synth that offers these two bend range settings but doesn't permit changing both of them.

[digimidi]

I'm not sure I understand your other feature request. Here's what I think you're saying: Currently when you set the low row to BEND, if your pitch bend range is 48, sliding the entire 24 pads of width in the low row only gets you a half bend. (The midi pitch bend message's value goes from 8K at initial touch either up to 12K or down to 4K.) Since your synth's non-MPE bend range is fixed at 2, that's 1 semitone per 24 pads, which is awkward. But if you set your Linn's bend range to 2, so that you get 1 semitone per pad on the low row, that messes up your regular playing. You get 24 semitones per pad, super jumpy. So to get 1 semitone per pad for both regular play and low row bends, you need to set 2 separate bend ranges. Is that correct? If so, it wouldn't be hard to implement. The low row bend range would default to 2 semitones, and to change it you would long-press the low row BEND pad and swipe.

This is correct. Until VIs allow for either separate settings for pitch bends or will use MPE bend range for normal bends, the low row bend is not as useful with MPE synths. Something I can deal with if it doesn't seem to be an issue with other users.

[Roger_Linn]

Hi Gil-- 2 questions:
1) I think your goal is to have both the upper 7 rows and the Low Row change pitch at one semitone per pad, correct?
2) What is the synth you're using that has one-channel bend range fixed at 2 semitones? I'm not aware of any synth with this limitation. Do you mean that your synth permits any one-channel bend range, but that your desired preset in that synth is set to 2 semitones and it's inconvenient to change it?

[digimidi]

Hi Gil-- 2 questions:
1) I think your goal is to have both the upper 7 rows and the Low Row change pitch at one semitone per pad, correct?
2) What is the synth you're using that has one-channel bend range fixed at 2 semitones? I'm not aware of any synth with this limitation. Do you mean that your synth permits any one-channel bend range, but that your desired preset in that synth is set to 2 semitones and it's inconvenient to change it?

1. Yes, that is correct. Having MPE range at 48 and global range at something less make that difficult.
2. There are several that don’t allow you to change the MPE setting (default to 48). Those will let you set a normal pitch bend tand but usually on +-12 and maybe +-24. Radical1 from Sound Radix and OPS7 from Plouge only goes to 12 and Spectrasonics Omnisphere only goes to +-24. Those are a few examples and they have to be changed patch by patch for standard pitch bend. Even just having the low row at +-2 as that the most standard pitch bend setting for patches would be better as low row bend is not really something that needs to transmit for MPE. Once again, I know I’m probably in the minority as no one else has jumped on this thread to comment.

[Roger_Linn]

Thanks for the info. I'll add it to the feature request list, but unfortunately I can't promise when it will be added.
For now, there's a solution: while in Channel Per Note mode, you can disable the assigned Main channel by pressing its lit button. Then all messages that would be sent over the Main channel will be sent redundantly over the per-note channels. To learn more, open the Panel Settings page, Per-Split Settings tab, then read the last paragraph of the section "MIDI Channels (columns 2 - 6)".

[digimidi]

Thanks for the info. I'll add it to the feature request list, but unfortunately I can't promise when it will be added.
For now, there's a solution: while in Channel Per Note mode, you can disable the assigned Main channel by pressing its lit button. Then all messages that would be sent over the Main channel will be sent redundantly over the per-note channels. To learn more, open the Panel Settings page, Per-Split Settings tab, then read the last paragraph of the section "MIDI Channels (columns 2 - 6)".

Thanks for listening Roger. And appreciate the workaround, that works for me.

[Tj Shredder]

Playing pitch with the LinnStrument is very different to bending pitch with a wheel. If I wanted this, I would try to get a cheap Midi keyboard with a wheel, and merge that Midi with the LinnStruments Midi… This is also very useful for key switches in orchestral libraries…
Btw. bending chords with the LinnStrument has its own advantage, as you can bend from a major chord to a minor chord for example. No wheel can do that. But it needs some practice…

[digimidi]

Playing pitch with the LinnStrument is very different to bending pitch with a wheel. If I wanted this, I would try to get a cheap Midi keyboard with a wheel, and merge that Midi with the LinnStruments Midi… This is also very useful for key switches in orchestral libraries…
Btw. bending chords with the LinnStrument has its own advantage, as you can bend from a major chord to a minor chord for example. No wheel can do that. But it needs some practice…

I have owned a Linnstrument since the first run of the 200 went on sale in 2015. And I have plenty of other keyboard controllers but that is not what I am wanting to do. Sometime, just a single swipe to bend an entire chord is what is needed vs moving all the notes independently. I’m good for now as Roger has given me a workaround that is not perfect but will work most of the time.

[Dirk Diggler]

Ah now I get it, sounds like you're looking for a polyphonic ribbon controller like the old Yamaha CS80.