MOTM

Hi all,

I had a pretty basic "theory" question about how decay works in a 
(mono) modular:

Let's say I have a simple [keyboard -> vco -> vcf -> vca -> mixing 
desk] setup, and that I'm using an eg to control the vca.

When I press a key on the keyboard, it triggers a certain note on the 
vco and also makes the eg fire. Then when I take my finger off the 
keyboard, does that note instantly stop sounding at the vco level? I'd 
be inclined to think "yes" but then what about decay....

If I take my finger off the keyboard, the eg wants to have the signal 
continue - if there's no more signal, obviously the "decay" control is 
irrelevant.

Is it then the case that the vco in a modular is *always on* so that 
you *need* a vca to just selectively bring up the volume when a note is 
actually being played? And the purpose of voltage control is to just 
adjust the frequency, not turn the signal "on" or "off"?

I ask this because I'll be growing my modular (from just a filtering 
station) in very slow increments, so I want to make sure I get the 
order right.

thanks,
Matthew

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--- In motm@yahoogroups.com, Matthew Hiscock <audio@b...> wrote:
> Hi all,
> 
> I had a pretty basic "theory" question about how decay works in a 
> (mono) modular:
> 
> Let's say I have a simple [keyboard -> vco -> vcf -> vca -> mixing 
> desk] setup, and that I'm using an eg to control the vca.
> 
> When I press a key on the keyboard, it triggers a certain note on the 
> vco and also makes the eg fire. Then when I take my finger off the 
> keyboard, does that note instantly stop sounding at the vco level? I'd 
> be inclined to think "yes" but then what about decay....

No and I think "release" is the proper term for decay here.

> If I take my finger off the keyboard, the eg wants to have the signal 
> continue - if there's no more signal, obviously the "decay" control is 
> irrelevant.

Yes, if you're talking about release.
 
> Is it then the case that the vco in a modular is *always on* so that 
> you *need* a vca to just selectively bring up the volume when a note is 
> actually being played? And the purpose of voltage control is to just 
> adjust the frequency, not turn the signal "on" or "off"?

Yes, always on.
 
> I ask this because I'll be growing my modular (from just a filtering 
> station) in very slow increments, so I want to make sure I get the 
> order right.
> 
> thanks,
> Matthew
> 
> _________________________________________________
> + Reviews for Xpander/365Mag: www.365mag.com +
> + and Exclaim magazine: www.exclaim.ca +
> + The Bootleg Sounds label: www.bootlegsounds.com +

Barry

I think you have a minor misconception aboot the VCO.  The keyboard does 
not cause the VCO to trigger or fire.  The  VCO is always "on", the 
keyboard (in your configuration) is telling the VCO what frequency to 
generate.  If you remove the ADSR and the VCA from the patch, you will 
see that the VCO is always on and that the frequency depends on the last 
keyboard note played.

The keyboard is sending oot two signals in your patch: 1 is the CV to 
the VCO to determine the pitch of the note and 2 is the gate to the ADSR 
to determine the dynamic envelope.

Does this help?

PLL, BFG

Matthew Hiscock wrote:

> Hi all,
>
> I had a pretty basic "theory" question about how decay works in a 
> (mono) modular:
>
> Let's say I have a simple [keyboard -> vco -> vcf -> vca -> mixing 
> desk] setup, and that I'm using an eg to control the vca.
>
> When I press a key on the keyboard, it triggers a certain note on the 
> vco and also makes the eg fire. Then when I take my finger off the 
> keyboard, does that note instantly stop sounding at the vco level? I'd 
> be inclined to think "yes" but then what about decay....
>
> If I take my finger off the keyboard, the eg wants to have the signal 
> continue - if there's no more signal, obviously the "decay" control is 
> irrelevant.
>
> Is it then the case that the vco in a modular is *always on* so that 
> you *need* a vca to just selectively bring up the volume when a note 
> is actually being played? And the purpose of voltage control is to 
> just adjust the frequency, not turn the signal "on" or "off"?
>
> I ask this because I'll be growing my modular (from just a filtering 
> station) in very slow increments, so I want to make sure I get the 
> order right.
>
> thanks,
> Matthew
>
> _________________________________________________
> + Reviews for *Xpander/365Mag*: www.365mag.com +
> + and *Exclaim* magazine: www.exclaim.ca +
> + The *Bootleg Sounds* label: www.bootlegsounds.com +
>

Ah yes, you're right. Silly error. I guess the above would be a better 
title.... well, more accurate anyways.

Either way, thanks Barry and Greg for the help.

Matthew

On 23-Jun-05, at 9:02 PM, coyoteous wrote:

> --- In motm@yahoogroups.com, Matthew Hiscock <audio@b...> wrote:
>> Hi all,
>>
>> I had a pretty basic "theory" question about how decay works in a
>> (mono) modular:
>>
>> Let's say I have a simple [keyboard -> vco -> vcf -> vca -> mixing
>> desk] setup, and that I'm using an eg to control the vca.
>>
>> When I press a key on the keyboard, it triggers a certain note on the
>> vco and also makes the eg fire. Then when I take my finger off the
>> keyboard, does that note instantly stop sounding at the vco level? I'd
>> be inclined to think "yes" but then what about decay....
>
> No and I think "release" is the proper term for decay here.
>
>> If I take my finger off the keyboard, the eg wants to have the signal
>> continue - if there's no more signal, obviously the "decay" control is
>> irrelevant.
>
> Yes, if you're talking about release.
>
>> Is it then the case that the vco in a modular is *always on* so that
>> you *need* a vca to just selectively bring up the volume when a note 
>> is
>> actually being played? And the purpose of voltage control is to just
>> adjust the frequency, not turn the signal "on" or "off"?
>
> Yes, always on.
>
>> I ask this because I'll be growing my modular (from just a filtering
>> station) in very slow increments, so I want to make sure I get the
>> order right.
>>
>> thanks,
>> Matthew
>>
>> _________________________________________________
>> + Reviews for Xpander/365Mag: www.365mag.com +
>> + and Exclaim magazine: www.exclaim.ca +
>> + The Bootleg Sounds label: www.bootlegsounds.com +
>
> Barry
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
_________________________________________________
+ Reviews for Xpander/365Mag: www.365mag.com +
+ and Exclaim magazine: www.exclaim.ca +
+ The Bootleg Sounds label: www.bootlegsounds.com +