How automation should work

str

You're in "Voice edit" mode tweaking parameters for a particular drum. You like the sweep effect from quickly raising and lowering the coarse tuning on the main oscillator, so you use the encoder to select "Coa", hold shift and depress the encoder to bring up an automation submenu, which shows something like:

Low  hi    len  var
0      127 16   up

"Low" and "hi" give the parameter's upper and lower automation bounds, "len" sets the automation length in 16th steps and "var" determines in what order the automation changes over time. 

So with these default settings, when you play the sequencer, the coarse tuning would start at 0 at step 1 and increase to 127 by step 16, returning immediately to 0 for the next bar. 

---

That's my idea of how it should work anyway. Is the LXR capable of doing this? I have still yet to understand how automation currently works (the manual is confusing in this area). 

admviolin

but even easier, just press record and move the knob in real time!

rudeog

Automation in the context of the LXR is the ability to set any one parameter to a specific value at a specific step. You have 16 steps and 8 substeps per step. For each of these substeps you can choose two parameters to "automate" and what value they should be at that particular step/substep. You can also record it in realtime if you figure out the right CC and set your midi controller appropriately.

I think what you want for your case is the LFO. You can set it to retrigger on each step (or not), and can set the phase, depth, etc. So all of what you want to do is possible with the LFO. It's just not expressed in exactly the same terms as you described.

str

Automation in the context of the LXR is the ability to set any one parameter to a specific value at a specific step. You have 16 steps and 8 substeps per step. For each of these substeps you can choose two parameters to "automate" and what value they should be at that particular step/substep. You can also record it in realtime if you figure out the right CC and set your midi controller appropriately.

I think what you want for your case is the LFO. You can set it to retrigger on each step (or not), and can set the phase, depth, etc. So all of what you want to do is possible with the LFO. It's just not expressed in exactly the same terms as you described.

Ah ok, thanks for the explanation. 

What does "retrigger" mean? 

I think the automation is starting to make sense. When you hit record, depending on what quantization setting you have, it records whatever value a particular parameter's at for x amount of steps? 

rudeog

Retrigger means that it starts the LFO cycle at it's beginning phase. So you can actually use the lfo as an envelope against any parameter.

When recording, it detects CC messages and assigns those at the closest quantization step. So you have to actually be moving the controller for it to record anything (as opposed to setting it to some value, leaving it there and hoping that it records that static value for the rest of the steps). ie, depending on what you are doing it might just be easier inputting the values at each step on the LXR itself.

str

When recording, it detects CC messages and assigns those at the closest quantization step. So you have to actually be moving the controller for it to record anything (as opposed to setting it to some value, leaving it there and hoping that it records that static value for the rest of the steps). ie, depending on what you are doing it might just be easier inputting the values at each step on the LXR itself.

Ok, so if I wanted to start step 1 with parameter "coa" at 0 and gradually increase the parameter value to "127" by step 16, what would be the easiest way to do it? Play the sequencer and record the sweep? Or input the values in parameter mode? 

I think ideally (and again, I'm no expert on the hardware capabilities) you could use a function like the pattern generator to assign the automation values for a parameter. 

Möbius

I have a similar issue:
I like long filter sweeps by using an extrem slow LFO.
The problem is that it starts at different phases using a sequencer.
I don't know if this is normal because I recognized this behaviour for analog synths, too.
OK, I could use the retrigger function to trigger the LFO by another voice, but I will loose one voice this way.
It would be great, if it would be possible to trigger the LFO once, when the sequencer is started (Maybe by using the start command).
This way the Phase of the LFO will be the same for subsequent runs.

rudeog

Can't you just set the LFO to the correct tempo sync rate for one measure (1/1 ?), sawtooth, and set the phase according to where you want to start?
I'm not at my LXR now so can't try it.

Möbius

Can't you just set the LFO to the correct tempo sync rate for one measure (1/1 ?), sawtooth, and set the phase according to where you want to start?
I'm not at my LXR now so can't try it.

Yeah, you are right! This is the way to go.
But while syncing to an external sequencer with bpm=0 it think the maximum sync length is 4/1.
It would be cool to have something like 8/1, 16/1, 32/1 and 64/1.
In my voice I use a frequency setting of frq=3 resulting in a very slow cut-off sweep at 140 bpm.

erwanone

Hey rudeo it would we awsome if you add your explination of the lfo in the wiki...THe manual ressources on lfo isnt really complete, the retrigger foction is not explain too.

str

Alright, so more on automation: 

If I wanted just the last 4 steps to include a really fast sweep on a particular voice for parameter "coa" from 0 to 127, what would be the best way to achieve this? 

PS 140 bpm best bpm 

rudeog

If you wanted to do that, you might need to tie up another voice by putting a single hit (on that other voice) in position 13 and having the LFO on that other voice set to 1/4 but having it control your first voice coarse parameter.

Alternatively you can add automation parameter values for those last 4 steps setting each to a successive value between 0 and 127, however the limitation of this is that when using automation parameters it does not interpolate (a feature which I think needs to be added). Interpolation means it smoothly moves from one value to the next like the LFO does. So instead it would jump to that value for the next step and you'd get 4 separate tones instead of a rising pitch as it moves.

@erwanone Yes, I plan to start making contributions to the wiki as well.

str

If you wanted to do that, you might need to tie up another voice by putting a single hit (on that other voice) in position 13 and having the LFO on that other voice set to 1/4 but having it control your first voice coarse parameter.

Alternatively you can add automation parameter values for those last 4 steps setting each to a successive value between 0 and 127, however the limitation of this is that when using automation parameters it does not interpolate (a feature which I think needs to be added). Interpolation means it smoothly moves from one value to the next like the LFO does. So instead it would jump to that value for the next step and you'd get 4 separate tones instead of a rising pitch as it moves.

@erwanone Yes, I plan to start making contributions to the wiki as well.

Yes! Interpolation. Do you think it'd be possible to make something like the pattern generator for different interpolation points? 

Möbius

But while syncing to an external sequencer with bpm=0 it think the maximum sync length is 4/1.
It would be cool to have something like 8/1, 16/1, 32/1 and 64/1.

Is there a chance to implement longer sync times?
I would really love this!!!

borfo

As long as we're talking about sync multipliers and dividers wishlist items, I use my LXR as the clock master - it'd be great to be able to output clock with different multipliers and dividers, in addition to being able to multiply/divide an external clock...

erwanone

Hey since wr are on lfo, how do you manage to use the step note lfo fonction? I cant ear a change only on this function, how use it??? Thanks

rudeog

What do you mean by the step note lfo function?

erwanone

I mean the step note in the lfo destination. I set the lfo mod ton 128, use all sync frequencies or frequencies, try with retrig or not, but i cant hear a diffrence in the sound/notes. I would like to use this function to randomize notes of a track but i cant make it work... thanks!

rudeog

In order to make this work you need to set the step note value on that voice to a note (it should NOT be set to "any"). The LFO will be centered on that note. Also it will only affect the midi note that is sent on the channel set for that voice (will not affect the pitch of the drum voice. If you want to modulate that then set your target to "coa"). The actual note that is programmed on the step is ignored if the step note is set to something other than any.

erwanone

Hooo ok thank you