The Yamaha AN1x Synthesizer mailing list

hi there,

Newbie to the AN1x scene... veteran synth guy from the 60's ;-)

i just wanted to know wether this was common to all AN1x's....

The aftertouch responds too quickly ..even with only my *light* touch...it
modulates into aftertouch overdrive very quickly.

Even when playing the MC 505 and looking at the edit...the channel
aftertouch info is beserk !

Is this common ??...is this faulty ?? .... is there a fix for this ??

Thanx for your time.


-- 
cheers,

N
Y
M
o

To listen to some muzak from my current 12 cd's ..

http://www.mp3.com/nymo
http://www4.tpgi.users/nymo

Hi,

>Newbie to the AN1x scene... veteran synth guy from the 60's ;-)

Same here!


>i just wanted to know wether this was common to all AN1x's....
>
>The aftertouch responds too quickly ..even with only my *light* touch...it
>modulates into aftertouch overdrive very quickly.
>
>Even when playing the MC 505 and looking at the edit...the channel
>aftertouch info is beserk !
>
>Is this common ??

Yes, unfortunately, the AT on the AN1x is pretty touchy -- too touchy for my liking.  It both presses down too easily, and too early, for my playing style.  I like an AT that you really have to torque down on to make it work.

>...is this faulty ?? .... is there a fix for this ??

None that I'm aware of.  :^(  I suppose that you could add an "AT level" slider/knob like my D-50 used to have, but that would only fix half the problem (the light pressure).

Regards,

-BW

--
Bruce Wahler
Ashby Solutions\ufffd   http://music.ashbysolutions.com
978.386.7389  voice/fax
bruce@...

--- In AN1x-list@yahoogroups.com, Bruce Wahler <bruce@a...> wrote:
> Hi,
> 
> >Newbie to the AN1x scene... veteran synth guy from the 60's ;-)
> 
> Same here!
> 

60's baby/70's child...

> 
> >i just wanted to know wether this was common to all AN1x's....
> >
> >The aftertouch responds too quickly ..even with only my *light* 
touch...it
> >modulates into aftertouch overdrive very quickly.
> >
> >Even when playing the MC 505 and looking at the edit...the channel
> >aftertouch info is beserk !
> >
> >Is this common ??
> 
> Yes, unfortunately, the AT on the AN1x is pretty touchy -- too 
touchy for my liking.  It both presses down too easily, and too 
early, for my playing style.  I like an AT that you really have to 
torque down on to make it work.
> 
> >...is this faulty ?? .... is there a fix for this ??
> 
> None that I'm aware of.  :^(  I suppose that you could add an "AT 
level" slider/knob like my D-50 used to have, but that would only fix 
half the problem (the light pressure).
> 

A couple of common workarounds:

1) On the AN1x, you can scale the AT amount in the Ctrl Matrix per 
Voice but, this has no affect on the AT values which appear at the 
MIDI Out port :-(

2) Many current multitimbral hardware modules (samplers, ROMplers, 
synths, etc.) allows AT reception to be disabled per channel - while 
on older modules you might be limited to disabling AT globally. I use 
this trick on my sampler - disable AT reception at the Track level.

3) Some brands of multiport MIDI Interfaces, or MIDI Patchbays (not 
so popular these days?!), allow AT to be filtered at the Port level. 
I know some old, out of production, Opcode Interfaces allow these 
type of settings. On the lower end of the price spectrum the catch 
was that filtering only worked WHILE connected to an active host 
computer. On the higher end models this type of setting could be 
retained in memory of the Interface itself without being connected to 
a host computer. You might want to check out some current models. 

4) You can easily filter and/or scale MIDI Event data once recorded 
into your favorite DAW/MIDI Sequencer (LOGIC, CUBASE, SONAR, 
whathaveyou...)

regards,

Jon

> >...is this faulty ?? .... is there a fix for this ??
>
> None that I'm aware of.  :^(  I suppose that you could add an "AT level"
slider/knob like my D-50 used to have, but that would only fix half the
problem (the light pressure).

Which begs the question:  Does anyone on the list own a factory repair
manual for the AN1x?  If so, please contact me off-list to discuss the
schematic.  From just an overview with the back off I wasn't able to find a
way to adjust the aftertouch sensitivity.  Aftertouch is usually generated
with a strip of material which changes resistance under pressure.  A simple
modification may help this problem (which also bothers me... I love using
aftertouch for effects... you don't have to do anything but press harder
;"/   )

Ed Edwards
Leader: Ezekiel's Wheel      \ufffd\ufffd\ufffd\ufffdRetro-Progressive Rock\ufffd\ufffd\ufffd\ufffd
http://www.untiedmusic.com/ezekiel
http://artists.mp3s.com/artists/227/ezekiels_wheel.html
\ufffd\ufffd.\ufffd\ufffd\ufffd.\ufffd\ufffd\ufffd.\ufffd\ufffd\ufffd.\ufffd\ufffd\ufffd.\ufffd\ufffd\ufffd.\ufffd\ufffd\ufffd.\ufffd\ufffd\ufffd.\ufffd\ufffd\ufffd.\ufffd\ufffd\ufffd.\ufffd\ufffd\ufffd.\ufffd\ufffd\ufffd.\ufffd\ufffd\ufffd.\ufffd\ufffd\ufffd.\ufffd\ufffd\ufffd.\ufffd\ufffd\ufffd.\ufffd\ufffd\ufffd.\ufffd\ufffd

----- Original Message -----
From: "Bruce Wahler" <bruce@...>
To: <AN1x-list@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Sunday, March 16, 2003 6:44 PM
Subject: Re: [AN1x] Aftertouch on AN11x


> Hi,
>
> >Newbie to the AN1x scene... veteran synth guy from the 60's ;-)
>
> Same here!
>
>
> >i just wanted to know wether this was common to all AN1x's....
> >
> >The aftertouch responds too quickly ..even with only my *light*
touch...it
> >modulates into aftertouch overdrive very quickly.
> >
> >Even when playing the MC 505 and looking at the edit...the channel
> >aftertouch info is beserk !
> >
> >Is this common ??
>
> Yes, unfortunately, the AT on the AN1x is pretty touchy -- too touchy for
my liking.  It both presses down too easily, and too early, for my playing
style.  I like an AT that you really have to torque down on to make it work.

>
>
> Regards,
>
> -BW
>
> --
> Bruce Wahler
> Ashby SolutionsT   http://music.ashbysolutions.com
> 978.386.7389  voice/fax
> bruce@...
>
>
>
>
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>
>

Hi Jon,

>> >The aftertouch responds too quickly ..even with only my *light* 
>touch...it
>> >modulates into aftertouch overdrive very quickly.
>> >
>> >Even when playing the MC 505 and looking at the edit...the channel
>> >aftertouch info is beserk !
>> >
>> >Is this common ??
>> 
>> Yes, unfortunately, the AT on the AN1x is pretty touchy -- too 
>touchy for my liking.  It both presses down too easily, and too 
>early, for my playing style.  I like an AT that you really have to 
>torque down on to make it work.
>> 
>> >...is this faulty ?? .... is there a fix for this ??
>> 
>> None that I'm aware of.  :^(  I suppose that you could add an "AT 
>level" slider/knob like my D-50 used to have, but that would only fix 
>half the problem (the light pressure).
>> 
>
>A couple of common workarounds:
>
>1) On the AN1x, you can scale the AT amount in the Ctrl Matrix per 
>Voice but, this has no affect on the AT values which appear at the 
>MIDI Out port :-(
>
><snipped>

These work-arounds are valid, but a) some of them don't work live; and b) all of them either scale down the aftertouch, or eliminate it entirely -- which the AN1x can already do, in a manner of speaking.

My real wish is to change the point where the AT kicks in.  I think I could live with the present AT response curve, if it was all "shifted down," so to speak; i.e., normal playing would not trigger the AT, but really pushing down on the key would.  The original Alesis Quadrasynth had the right idea, although there was an annoying click when you crossed the threshold into AT.  This is a mechanical design problem, however, and would required disassembling the AN1x keyboard and making changes.  I haven't been so inclined to try anything, particularly on an out-of-production keyboard that might be difficult to replace.

Regards,

-BW

--
Bruce Wahler
Ashby Solutions\ufffd   http://music.ashbysolutions.com
978.386.7389  voice/fax
bruce@...

cant say i really have had any problems with my aftertouch, or anything with my an1x...she's about 4 years old now.  and she works beautifuly.  sorry i cant help

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Dynymo Records 
  To: AN1x-list@yahoogroups.com 
  Sent: Sunday, March 16, 2003 6:24 PM
  Subject: [AN1x] Aftertouch on AN11x


  hi there,

  Newbie to the AN1x scene... veteran synth guy from the 60's ;-)

  i just wanted to know wether this was common to all AN1x's....

  The aftertouch responds too quickly ..even with only my *light* touch...it
  modulates into aftertouch overdrive very quickly.

  Even when playing the MC 505 and looking at the edit...the channel
  aftertouch info is beserk !

  Is this common ??...is this faulty ?? .... is there a fix for this ??

  Thanx for your time.


  -- 
  cheers,

  N
  Y
  M
  o

  To listen to some muzak from my current 12 cd's ..

  http://www.mp3.com/nymo
  http://www4.tpgi.users/nymo



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[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

--- In AN1x-list@yahoogroups.com, Bruce Wahler <bruce@a...> 
wrote:
> Hi Jon,
> 
> >> >The aftertouch responds too quickly ..even with only my 
*light* 
> >touch...it
> >> >modulates into aftertouch overdrive very quickly.
> >> >
> >> >Even when playing the MC 505 and looking at the edit...the 
channel
> >> >aftertouch info is beserk !
> >> >
> >> >Is this common ??
> >> 
> >> Yes, unfortunately, the AT on the AN1x is pretty touchy -- too 
> >touchy for my liking.  It both presses down too easily, and too 
> >early, for my playing style.  I like an AT that you really have to 
> >torque down on to make it work.
> >> 
> >> >...is this faulty ?? .... is there a fix for this ??
> >> 
> >> None that I'm aware of.  :^(  I suppose that you could add an 
"AT 
> >level" slider/knob like my D-50 used to have, but that would 
only fix 
> >half the problem (the light pressure).
> >> 
> >
> >A couple of common workarounds:
> >
> >1) On the AN1x, you can scale the AT amount in the Ctrl Matrix 
per 
> >Voice but, this has no affect on the AT values which appear at 
the 
> >MIDI Out port :-(
> >
> ><snipped>
> 
> These work-arounds are valid, but a) some of them don't work 
live; and b) all of them either scale down the aftertouch, or 
eliminate it entirely -- which the AN1x can already do, in a 
manner of speaking.
> 

Well, yeah Bruce - that's why I presented a number of options: 
some are valid for live performance and others are applicable 
only in studio situations. None of them address the limiting 
factor directly: the AN1x AT is oversensitive to many players 
touch.


> My real wish is to change the point where the AT kicks in.  I 
think I could live with the present AT response curve, if it was all 
"shifted down," so to speak; i.e., normal playing would not trigger 
the AT, but really pushing down on the key would.  The original 
Alesis Quadrasynth had the right idea, although there was an 
annoying click when you crossed the threshold into AT.  This is a 
mechanical design problem, however, and would required 
disassembling the AN1x keyboard and making changes.  I 
haven't been so inclined to try anything, particularly on an 
out-of-production keyboard that might be difficult to replace.
> 
> Regards,
> 
> -BW
> 

Maybe somebody will devise a hardware mod? 

Jon

Silly that Yamaha didn't put in an "Aftertouch off" switch.

A hardware mod would be most welcome. We need someone to post the 
service manual.

On Monday, March 17, 2003, at 09:50 PM, Jon wrote:
>
> Maybe somebody will devise a hardware mod?
>
> Jon
>

Anybody know a qualified Service Technician with access to 
such materials? Don't know what legalities - if any - would be 
involved.

Jon

--- In AN1x-list@yahoogroups.com, xpander <xpander@e...> 
wrote:
> Silly that Yamaha didn't put in an "Aftertouch off" switch.
> 
> A hardware mod would be most welcome. We need someone 
to post the 

> service manual.
> 
> On Monday, March 17, 2003, at 09:50 PM, Jon wrote:
> >
> > Maybe somebody will devise a hardware mod?
> >
> > Jon
> >

> Anybody know a qualified Service Technician with access to
> such materials? Don't know what legalities - if any - would be
> involved.
That's why I asked for a contact off-list.  I wouldn't want it to be posted,
just to discuss it with someone who owns it.
Ed Edwards
Leader: Ezekiel's Wheel      \ufffd\ufffd\ufffd\ufffdRetro-Progressive Rock\ufffd\ufffd\ufffd\ufffd
http://www.untiedmusic.com/ezekiel
http://artists.mp3s.com/artists/227/ezekiels_wheel.html
\ufffd\ufffd.\ufffd\ufffd\ufffd.\ufffd\ufffd\ufffd.\ufffd\ufffd\ufffd.\ufffd\ufffd\ufffd.\ufffd\ufffd\ufffd.\ufffd\ufffd\ufffd.\ufffd\ufffd\ufffd.\ufffd\ufffd\ufffd.\ufffd\ufffd\ufffd.\ufffd\ufffd\ufffd.\ufffd\ufffd\ufffd.\ufffd\ufffd\ufffd.\ufffd\ufffd\ufffd.\ufffd\ufffd\ufffd.\ufffd\ufffd\ufffd.\ufffd\ufffd\ufffd.\ufffd\ufffd