Sampler Modulation

Modulation

Adding modulation to samples greatly expands the possibilities of their sound beyond the original audio. To achieve this, various devices are chained together to create a modulation envelope. Separate envelopes are used to affect five basic properties of a sample: Volume, Panning, Pitch, and the Cutoff and Resonance of an added filter. These five envelopes are collected together as a Set. Any number of Sets can be created and each instrument has its own unique Set list.

The individual samples of an instrument can be assigned any one of its Sets, allowing different samples be affected by modulation in different ways. A Set can also be assigned to multiple samples simultaneously and any changes made to a Set will affect all linked samples.

Modulated samples are processed polyphonically (each instance of a sound is generated independently).

The interface is split into three sections. At the upper-left is the Set list Load & Save and the large section to right graphically shows the results of the device chain. The lower section contains the properties selector and device chain.

Creating Modulation Sets

The bottom section of the Modulation interface is dedicated to the creation of envelopes for the five basic properties of a modulation Set: Volume, Panning, Pitch, as well as the Cutoff and Resonance of an added filter (they will be unavailable until a filter is chosen from the drop-down menu). Each property has its own Input slider, which is used to adjust the starting value of the envelope.

The envelope is constructed by inserting modulation devices, creating an interactive chain. To add a device from the list, either double-click on it or drag and drop it into the chain at the desired position. Immediately before every device are a set of four buttons which change how the envelope will be altered by that device: Add, Subtract, Multiply and Divide.

Modulation Devices

Note that the name of a device will change to reflect the modulation property it is affecting.

Common Device Layout and Controls

Each modulation device has a standard set of buttons to perform common functions:

• - Remove the device from the chain.
• File:3.0 device-minimize.png - Minimize the device.
• - Move the device to the left or right. Right-click to move to the start or end of the chain.
• - Enable/disable the device.

• - Toggle synchronizing the device to milliseconds or beats. Not present on all devices.
• - Toggle values to bipolar (positive and negative) or unipolar (only positive).

AHDSR

The AHDSR device is an envelope whose five properties alter its shape over time.

• Attack: How quickly the starting value rises up from zero.
• Hold: The value is held for this length of time before falling.
• Decay: How long it takes for the value to decrease to the percentage level set by Sustain.
• Sustain: The value will be sustained at this level until a Note-Off event.
• Release: How long it takes for the value to fall to silence.

Envelope

• Point Controls:
  • Time:
  • Value:
  • Curve:
  • Length:

• Ext. Editor:
• Loop:
• Sustain:
• Release:
• Presets:

Fader

A configurable fader used to create a variety of fade in/outs.

• Scaling: The scaling that will be applied to the fade. The default is linear, but you can also select from two exponential and two logarithmic scales.
• From: The starting value.
• To: The ending value.
• Duration: The length of time the fade will last.
• Delay: The fade will be delayed by this amount of time.

Key Tracking

The Key-Tracker device works in much the same way as the Velocity Tracker, except it adjusts a parameter according to note value instead of velocity.

• Min: Minimum note range that will be used for input.
• Min: Maximum note range that will be used for input.

LFO

The LFO device allows you to easily create a constantly looping Automation. Any effect parameters can be modulated this way, even those of plugin effects or instruments which cannot normally be modulated within the plugin itself.

• Mode:
  • File:Vvoois renoise lfo sine.png - Sine wave oscillator.
  • File:Vvoois renoise lfo saw.png - Sawtooth oscillator.
  • File:Vvoois renoise lfo pulse.png - Pulse oscillator.
  • File:Vvoois renoise lfo random.png - Random oscillator.

• Frequency: The speed of the modulation in Lines per Cycle. For example, an LPC of eight will cycle the LFO once every eight pattern lines.
• Amplitude: The maximum range that will be applied to the destination parameter. 100% will modulate the full range.
• Dephase:
• Delay:

Operand

A simple value input device. The "Input" slider at the beginning of the chain is also an Operand device.

• Value: The value which will alter the envelope.

Velocity Tracking

This device alters its value by responding to the velocity values of notes.

• Mode
  • Clamp: Note values played outside of the min/max range will be clamped at the min/max values.
  • Scale: The entire velocity range is scaled to fit in this device's min/max range.
• Min: The minimum value.
• Max: The maximum value.