Casio CZ/ VZ/ FZ - Pro Series

Thanks for you additional comments, Scott. I may play around with 
the VZ some more one of these months to see if I can push the limits 
you discuss. 

--- In CZsynth@yahoogroups.com, "Scott Nordlund" <gsn10@h...> wrote:

[snip]

> . .  *but* it's only positive modulation, so the LFO can't, 
> for instance, crossfade two different modulators, or anything
> really cool like that.

Hmmmmmmm.  That would be cool to do on the VZ!!!

>  And since there's 
> only one source, you can't use the mod wheel to control the level 
of one 
> oscillator and the foot pedal to the control the level of a 
different one.  

Although you can have more than one source routed to the amp envelope
(Aftertouch, Foot Controller, Mod Wheel, and Defined Controller), 
you are right. all you can do is affect the bias globally for all 
amp envelopes in all modules.

> The modulation options are pretty good, but it seems to me like
> it's geared more torward subtle things.
> 
> The amp sensitivity at least is independent from velocity
> sensitivity, which does have different curves, independent for
> each oscillator, that CAN crossfade or switch or whatever.

Hmmmmmmm. I never played around with the velocity curves, but I see 
you are right!!!! There is a "negative" curve that could be used for 
cross fades.

> The fixed modulator:carrier ratio is different, it just means that
> when a two-oscillator pair is set to phase modulation, it's stuck
> at one frequency ratio that makes square wave-ish sounds and can't
> be changed.  You can get around that by muting the modulator and
> turning on EXT PHASE, letting the two previous oscillators act as
> truly independent modulators.

This is what I have done--used one line not as a sound source but to 
modulate a second line (via EXT PHASE). I seem to recall playing 
around with slow attacks and rapid decays on the DCAs of the 
modulating modules, though I can't remember what the effects were.

In theory it would seem to make sense that the amount of the 
modulation (eg, ((module 1 DCO/DCA interacting with module 2 
DCO/DCA) in turn interacting with module 3 DCO/DCA) to affect module 
4 would change the ratio you mentioned. [Line A + M3 ==> M4.]

However, since I haven't done much with sound design on the VZ in 
some time, I will defer to your explanation.

--Steve