MODIFIERS & CONTROLLERS
140
Doc Q7.0
Damping
7.2.3
If MODIFIERS add automation or remote-control in “real time,”
damping
allows these changes to happen in
“stretched time.” Normally, parameters change at the same rate as modifier sources. Their values may be re-
mapped as we saw above, but changes happen simultaneously. Every little tremble of your foot is reflected by a
little tremble in the sound.
DAMPING
allows you to add hysteresis—a little “viscosity” or “elasticity”—so changes in
the parameter don’t accelerate as quickly as those in the source.
At low settings,
DAMPING
adds a little smoothing. Try a setting of 4–12 ms to “grease” a wah or to ease the edges
of a step-sequence to eliminate clicks and pops. Medium settings can “relax” a whammy or cover up for a
“scratchy” expression pedal. With high damping, sound changes glide like honey. Quick motions are entirely
swallowed up, while a simple footswitch can be used to create a 1000-ms-long ramp of sound change. Used
appropriately, damping adds tremendous power to the MODIFIER system.
Auto Engage
7.2.4
While it may sound like the precursor to an arranged marriage,
AUTO ENGAGE
is actually a powerful feature that
brings a block out of bypass when the
SOURCE
for a modifier on one of its parameters changes in a predefined way.
The classic example is a Wah that turns on automatically when you rock the pedal and then turns off when you
return to the heel-down position. You might also use Auto Engage to create a pedal that controls the speed of a
Rotary Speaker and then bypasses the effect when pulled all the way back.
Try it! You’ll quickly find that Auto Engage comfortably eliminates the need for expression pedal “toe” switches.
How the effect turns ON or OFF is determined by the values of two parameters:
AUTOENG
– Determines whether or not the block containing a modifier will automatically engage or bypass
based on the level of a modifier source. The SPEED (“SPD”) options engage the effect when the controller
changes more than 5% in any 20 ms interval. The POSITION (“POS”) options engage the effect when the
controller value is 5% greater than or less than the
OFF VALUE
(depending upon whether the
OFF VALUE
is less
than or greater than 50% respectively).
For example, setting the Auto-Engage to “SLOW SPD” will bypass the effect when the controller value is less
than, say, 5% (default). To engage the effect the controller (foot pedal) must be moved more than 5% in a 20
ms interval. This requires that the pedal be moved somewhat rapidly and prevents the effect from engaging
erroneously if the pedal droops. Setting the Auto-Engage to SPD POS will bypass the effect in the same
manner but the effect will engage when the controller exceeds 10% (5% + 5%) regardless of the rate of
change.
OFF VAL
– Sets the threshold that the value of the current
SOURCE
must cross for auto-engage to occur.
When
OFF VALUE
is set below 50%, the effect is bypassed when the controller goes BELOW the
OFF VALUE.
If
OFF VALUE
is set to 50% or higher, the effect is bypassed when the controller goes ABOVE than the
OFF VALUE.
For “HEEL down = bypassed, set to 5%. For “TOE down = bypassed, set to 95%.
Use SLOW settings to “loosen” Auto Engage so your effect doesn’t snap on or off unexpectedly. Set to OFF to
disable Auto Engage.
