The Yamaha AN1x Synthesizer mailing list

Hi,
Can someone please explain what the ribbon controller is used for, and how to use it,assign it,programe it etc. I found nothing in the hand book for the plg150an or in an1x edit.

Regards
Dmanx



--------------------
talk21 your FREE portable and private address on the net at http://www.talk21.com

DMANX@... said:
>
> Hi,
> Can someone please explain what the ribbon controller is used for, and how to
> use it,assign it,programe it etc. I found nothing in the hand book for the
> plg150an or in an1x edit.
>
> Regards
> Dmanx

Well, I'm not an expert, but I'll give it a bash.

A ribbon controller is a form of expression device that originated on the
early Moog modular synthesizers, although variations of the design go all the
way back to historical instruments like the Ondes Martenot. The idea is very
simple: a length of inductive or resistive material is touched by the
fingertip, elbow, nose, or other bodily protuberance, and changes the current
through a circuit by a certain amount based on where it's touched. This is
then used as a control voltage to alter the sound of a synthesizer.

The original ribbon controller was a springy length of fabric ribbon suspended
slightly above a block of wood with a cable that ran to a Moog synth. It was
about a foot long, and is best known for its use as a rocket launcher (see any
film footage of Keith Emerson in concert). Later, Moog figured out a way to
make a ribbon controller as a short length of sealed material that could be
easily mounted in a keyboard case and wired to a synth as a control source.
Moog's Micromoog used a ribbon as a pitch bender: up for sharp, down for flat.
It was also used on the Liberation portable keyboard and some other designs.

While this was going on, Yamaha made a large horizontal ribbon controller that
they mounted above the keys on their CS-60 and CS-80 analog synths. The
controller, unlike Moog's model, could remember where it was last touched, and
thus became not only a hands-on controller but also a set and forget tweaking
device. It was very comfortable to use and had a lot of proponents.

Fast forward 20 years, during which time only two instruments anywhere had a
ribbon controller: the KX1 and KX5 MIDI strap-ons from Yamaha used them for
pitch control. The technology was advancing like crazy but no one was putting
it into keyboards.

Things changed in a flash in the mid-1990s. I'm not sure who did it first, but
suddenly there were keyboards with Moog-style vertical short ribbons for use
as pitch or modulation controls (a current example is the Kurzweil SP series
of MIDI controller/pianos), keyboards with Yamaha-style horizontal ribbons
above the keyboard for assignable use (the Kurzweil K2500 series and the
Alesis Andromeda), and a new variant: short horizontal ribbon controllers
added as "extra" modulation devices to go with the conventional pitch and mod
controllers. Examples of this type include the Korg Prophecy ("I
want...LOG!!!") and practically every Trinity and Triton that came after it,
but not the Karma, boo hoo, the Kurzweil K2500s (yes they had one of these
too), the Roland JP-8000, and of course the AN1x.

These mini-ribbons were nice because they were not only position sensitive
(meaning they knew where they were being touched) but could also sometimes be
pressure sensitive (meaning they knew how hard they were being pushed). This
provided a separate source of control, so one appendage on a ribbon could do
more than one thing.

The original idea was that you could touch the ribbon and slide your finger
along it lightly to get one type of control, then dig in harder to add a
second type. The Korg Prophecy ("I want...LOG!!!") was the first machine to
offer this, and called the two types of controls Ribbon X and Ribbon Z. The
problem with the Prophecy was that the ribbon was too sensitive to touch; if
you touched it enough to get a usable X signal, you also got a Z signal that
wobbled around all over the place. As a result, users of the Prophecy ("I
want...LOG!!!") tended to set the Z sensitivity via its outside trimpot to all
the way UP, so that any touch of the ribbon sent Z to maximum, basically
making it a switch. Touch the ribbon at its center, get Z alone; touch the
ribbon and move around, get Z followed by X.

Yamaha, whose parent corporation has a part financial interest in Korg,
learned from this mistake, and used a much better design for the ribbon on the
AN1x...making it, in fact, the best ribbon of its type ever to be put on a
keyboard. On the AN1x, it's possible to touch the ribbon and get an X signal,
even move your finger around and change it... and THEN dig in hard, wherever
you are, to get a smoothly varying Z signal as well. Exceptional, and amazing
on a keyboard this cheap.

Ribbon X and Ribbon Z are available as two separate modulation control sources
in the AN1x's control matrix; you can assign them to a variety of parameters
in the same menu pages where you set up the front-panel knobs and pitch and
mod wheels and foot controllers. When you assign a parameter to be controlled
by Ribbon X, you should experiment with positive and negative values; some
parameters can be set up in such a way that moving your finger left of center
does nothing but right of center does something, or vice versa. I would
imagine that with some clever programming you could get the ribbon to do one
thing when you move left and another when you move right.

I recommend setting up a simple tutorial patch, nothing to use on a song but
just to learn how the ribbon works. Program the ribbon to control really
obvious things like oscillator pitch or overall volume, and discover how much
or little modulation leads to how much or little change. It won't take you
long to get a feel for how to use the ribbon.

In my work, I use the ribbon for unusual effects that are "momentary" and can
be shaded in with a touch of a hand, like resonant bleeps or tweaks to the
onboard effects processor. One thing that totally ticks me off, though, is
that effects control is very limited--I'm trying to remember the limitation I
ran into. I think it was that you can control return level but not send level,
so you can't feed a tone into the reverb and let it decay after you let go of
the ribbon.

Anyway, sorry I couldn't have been more help. Hope this gets you started.

mike

-- 
"Your trials and tribulations always remind me of one of those little
plastic sliding block puzzles - the picture never quite emerges,
all that happens is that the hole moves around... " (cassiel)
> < > < > < > < > < > < > < > < > < > < > < > < > < > < > < > < > < > <
metlay / atomic city / metlay@... / http://www.atomiccity.com

--- In AN1x-list@yahoogroups.com, DMANX@t... wrote:
> 
> Hi,
> Can someone please explain what the ribbon controller is used for, 
and how to use it,assign it,programe it etc. I found nothing in the 
hand book for the plg150an or in an1x edit.

You can use it for virtually anything. There are really no rules. The 
ribbon measure where along it's left-right axxis you are touching it 
(X dimension). Also how much pressure you are putting on it (Z 
dimension).

To incorporate the ribbon (X) on a patch in An1Xedit.....

1) Click on Matrix 1 button (to active the martix for scene 1)

2) On one of the mod routings click on SOURCE and select Ribbonx
3) Click on PARAMETER and grab one of the paramters
4) Click on DEPTH and set a dpeth
5) Now wiggle your finger on the ribbon and see how the sound changes

Everybody has their own favorites for the ribbon. Some map it to 
filter cutoff. I modulate pitch with the X and with the Z  I usually 
have something that affects the attack of the note (tchioo, wah, 
etc.).

Hope this helps,

Jerry

--- In AN1x-list@yahoogroups.com, DMANX@t... wrote:
> 
> Hi,
> Can someone please explain what the ribbon controller is 
used for, and how to use it,assign it,programe it etc. I found 
nothing in the hand book for the plg150an or in an1x edit.
> 
> Regards
> Dmanx
> 

The Ribbon Controller is simply another real time modulation 
source such as Aftertouch, the Mod Wheel or a Foot Pedal, etc.

The default MIDI CC's for the X & Z axis of the Ribbon Conttoller 
are 13 & 12 respectively so, if you program a knob or slider on 
your MIDI Controller to transmit MIDI CCs 13 and/or 12 your 
PLG150AN will respond to whatever destination you have routed 
the Ribbon X or Z Source in the Ctrl Matrix. Example: route A.RbX 
to the VCF Filter Cutoff parameter; Set Depth to a positive or 
negative amount to offset the Filter Cutoff from the default in your 
AN1x Voice - a setting of Direct will cover the entire value range.

Jon

Thanks for the advise.I think you have given me a history lesson as an extra bonus.

Regards
Dmanx


> DMANX@... said:
>
> Hi,
> Can someone please explain what the ribbon controller is used for, and how to
> use it,assign it,programe it etc. I found nothing in the hand book for the
> plg150an or in an1x edit.
>
> Regards
> Dmanx
>
>Well, I'm not an expert, but I'll give it a bash.
>
>A ribbon controller is a form of expression device that originated on the
>early Moog modular synthesizers, although variations of the design go all the
>way back to historical instruments like the Ondes Martenot. The idea is very
>simple: a length of inductive or resistive material is touched by the
>fingertip, elbow, nose, or other bodily protuberance, and changes the current
>through a circuit by a certain amount based on where it's touched. This is
>then used as a control voltage to alter the sound of a synthesizer.
>
>The original ribbon controller was a springy length of fabric ribbon suspended
>slightly above a block of wood with a cable that ran to a Moog synth. It was
>about a foot long, and is best known for its use as a rocket launcher (see any
>film footage of Keith Emerson in concert). Later, Moog figured out a way to
>make a ribbon controller as a short length of sealed material that could be
>easily mounted in a keyboard case and wired to a synth as a control source.
>Moog's Micromoog used a ribbon as a pitch bender: up for sharp, down for flat.
>It was also used on the Liberation portable keyboard and some other designs.
>
>While this was going on, Yamaha made a large horizontal ribbon controller that
>they mounted above the keys on their CS-60 and CS-80 analog synths. The
>controller, unlike Moog's model, could remember where it was last touched, and
>thus became not only a hands-on controller but also a set and forget tweaking
>device. It was very comfortable to use and had a lot of proponents.
>
>Fast forward 20 years, during which time only two instruments anywhere had a
>ribbon controller: the KX1 and KX5 MIDI strap-ons from Yamaha used them for
>pitch control. The technology was advancing like crazy but no one was putting
>it into keyboards.
>
>Things changed in a flash in the mid-1990s. I'm not sure who did it first, but
>suddenly there were keyboards with Moog-style vertical short ribbons for use
>as pitch or modulation controls (a current example is the Kurzweil SP series
>of MIDI controller/pianos), keyboards with Yamaha-style horizontal ribbons
>above the keyboard for assignable use (the Kurzweil K2500 series and the
>Alesis Andromeda), and a new variant: short horizontal ribbon controllers
>added as "extra" modulation devices to go with the conventional pitch and mod
>controllers. Examples of this type include the Korg Prophecy ("I
>want...LOG!!!") and practically every Trinity and Triton that came after it,
>but not the Karma, boo hoo, the Kurzweil K2500s (yes they had one of these
>too), the Roland JP-8000, and of course the AN1x.
>
>These mini-ribbons were nice because they were not only position sensitive
>(meaning they knew where they were being touched) but could also sometimes be
>pressure sensitive (meaning they knew how hard they were being pushed). This
>provided a separate source of control, so one appendage on a ribbon could do
>more than one thing.
>
>The original idea was that you could touch the ribbon and slide your finger
>along it lightly to get one type of control, then dig in harder to add a
>second type. The Korg Prophecy ("I want...LOG!!!") was the first machine to
>offer this, and called the two types of controls Ribbon X and Ribbon Z. The
>problem with the Prophecy was that the ribbon was too sensitive to touch; if
>you touched it enough to get a usable X signal, you also got a Z signal that
>wobbled around all over the place. As a result, users of the Prophecy ("I
>want...LOG!!!") tended to set the Z sensitivity via its outside trimpot to all
>the way UP, so that any touch of the ribbon sent Z to maximum, basically
>making it a switch. Touch the ribbon at its center, get Z alone; touch the
>ribbon and move around, get Z followed by X.
>
>Yamaha, whose parent corporation has a part financial interest in Korg,
>learned from this mistake, and used a much better design for the ribbon on the
>AN1x...making it, in fact, the best ribbon of its type ever to be put on a
>keyboard. On the AN1x, it's possible to touch the ribbon and get an X signal,
>even move your finger around and change it... and THEN dig in hard, wherever
>you are, to get a smoothly varying Z signal as well. Exceptional, and amazing
>on a keyboard this cheap.
>
>Ribbon X and Ribbon Z are available as two separate modulation control sources
>in the AN1x's control matrix; you can assign them to a variety of parameters
>in the same menu pages where you set up the front-panel knobs and pitch and
>mod wheels and foot controllers. When you assign a parameter to be controlled
>by Ribbon X, you should experiment with positive and negative values; some
>parameters can be set up in such a way that moving your finger left of center
>does nothing but right of center does something, or vice versa. I would
>imagine that with some clever programming you could get the ribbon to do one
>thing when you move left and another when you move right.
>
>I recommend setting up a simple tutorial patch, nothing to use on a song but
>just to learn how the ribbon works. Program the ribbon to control really
>obvious things like oscillator pitch or overall volume, and discover how much
>or little modulation leads to how much or little change. It won't take you
>long to get a feel for how to use the ribbon.
>
>In my work, I use the ribbon for unusual effects that are "momentary" and can
>be shaded in with a touch of a hand, like resonant bleeps or tweaks to the
>onboard effects processor. One thing that totally ticks me off, though, is
>that effects control is very limited--I'm trying to remember the limitation I
>ran into. I think it was that you can control return level but not send level,
>so you can't feed a tone into the reverb and let it decay after you let go of
>the ribbon.
>
>Anyway, sorry I couldn't have been more help. Hope this gets you started.
>
>mike
>
>-- 
"Your trials and tribulations always remind me of one of those little
>plastic sliding block puzzles - the picture never quite emerges,
>all that happens is that the hole moves around... " (cassiel)
> < > < > < > < > < > < > < > < > < > < > < > < > < > < > < > < > < > <
>metlay / atomic city / metlay@... / <a Target='_new' Href='http://talk21.btopenworld.com/redirect.html?http://www.atomiccity.com'>http://www.atomiccity.com</a>
>
>
>Community email addresses:
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--------------------
talk21 your FREE portable and private address on the net at http://www.talk21.com

Excellent post, Mike.  I've archived it for personal reference.

(What's that you're saying, Mr/Ms list user?  You don't locally archive
posts from lists as useful information for later study?  What's this - You
have to constantly go back and search the web archives when you distinctly
remember reading a post which answers your question?  I'm wondering, what do
you think a modern huge hard drive is for - just ripping CDs?  No, I would
suggest that it is a tool for learning, a quiet and faithful repetitor of
facts and figures which enhance your intelligence.  It doesn't mind
repeating information over and over again (unlike humans).  If you archive
excellent posts you not only improve your skills by reviewing that
information, you will be able to produce facts quickly for beginners and
reminders for the experienced.)

Here's a funl and useful tweak for the ribbon - assign reverb depth to the x
axis and delay depth to z.  A rub gives you Grand Canyon reverb, a press
gives you Swiss Alps echoes... a rub and a press gives you (um, this could
get too personal).

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

--- In AN1x-list@yahoogroups.com, "Ed Edwards" <edward.edwards@v...> 
wrote:
> I'm wondering, what do
> you think a modern huge hard drive is for - just ripping CDs?  No, 
I would
> suggest that it is a tool for learning, a quiet and faithful 
repetitor of
> facts and figures which enhance your intelligence.

Ed: 

I used to copy and paste synth tips from forums like this and paste 
in my palmpilot before flying out monday morning. People who thought 
I was busily scrutinizing my schedule didn't know I was 
reading "Three ways to use a ring modulator" while in the air. Hey, 
it beat printing it out and photocopying. :)

Nice reverb/delay tip. I'll be trying that out today.

Cheers,

Jerry