Envelope Controlled Effect Parameters

[Sir Edward V]

So... I was just thinking about the Meatball Clone project, and how the signal strength changes the values of a resistor... And I think it might be possible to have envelope controlled parameters for any effect... The first thing I thought of was to have it control phaser speed... so how cool do you guys think this could be? any good ideas for what effect parameters to control? How crazy would it be to have it control a delay's delay speed? I can't even imagine what some of this stuff would sound like...

...Just a crazy idea I had...

[superbassman2000]

kinda like this?

http://www.backline-eng.com/FX-Tracker.html

Originally Posted by website

Set your sound apart with FX-TrackerTM, a unique multi-effects unit that allows guitar players to control their sound by changes in their playing style. FX-Tracker utilizes the note recognition technology developed for the successful RiffBoxTM looping device while incorporating many of the effects popular with musicians today. This allows you to tailor your own unique sound beyond what can be created using standard effects devices for only $319.

FX-Tracker includes 87 effects in the categories of Delay, Chorus, Tremolo, Flanger, Filter, Pitch Shifter, arpeggiator and MIDI output. With most of these effects, you can control timing or intensity of the effect by changing your playing speed or your pick attack. An additional delay effect can be placed before, after or in parallel with any of these effects to create unique layered sounds.

FX-Tracker is easy to setup and use. Plug your guitar into the input and run a cord from the output to your amp or effects pedal. Set the left switch to control which effect type is selected. Now you can use the lower two switch positions on each side to set four parameters that control the effect that was selected. Or you can also simply set the right switch to control which preset is selected and just dial through all the factory presets. Here are some of the features:




* Up to 87 effects and up to 100 preset locations
* Effect timing and effect depth can react to your playing speed and pick attack
* Seven main effects categories including delay, chorus, tremolo, flanger, filter, pitch shifter and MIDI output
* An additional delay effect can be placed before, after or in parallel with any of the six main effect types. This allows you to do things like effect only the straight signal or only the delayed signal or both.
* Delay time that can track your playing. Shorter delay with faster playing or longer delays with faster playing
* Your playing speed can change the modulation speed of chorus, tremolo, flanger, filter or pitch shifter
* Your playing speed or your pick attack can change the delay feedback level or the depth of the chorus, tremolo, flanger or filter effects
* Transition between a delay effect and any other effect by changing your playing speed or pick attack
* There are several automatic whammy and dive bomb effects available
* Reverse delay effect
* Programmable arpeggiator patterns can provide unique harmony effects
* Several envelope effects for volume, chorus, flanger, filter or pitch shifter
* You can time the second delay effect to the chorus, tremolo, flanger or pitch shifter modulation speed
* You can use two types of delays at once and time them to each other or your playing
* Several different stereo effects including delay, chorus, tremolo and flanger
* Up to 60 seconds of stereo delay time including looping functions
* Full MIDI implementation. Control any parameter with an external MIDI controller or use MIDI messages to select from the 100 presets
* Synchronize a MIDI drum machine to your playing speed on the fly
* 17 effects that output MIDI CC messages as waveforms, envelopes or arpeggio patterns based on your playing speed or pick attack to control other effect units or synth modules.
* Use and external MIDI expression pedal to manually modulate chorus, flanger, and filter or create a whammy pedal.

* You can download firmware updates to protect your investment

[superbassman2000]

and didn't the akai intelliphase have envelope-controlled something too?

[jaebee]

dont suppose anyone has clips?

[Sir Edward V]

I have no idea, I thought I actually had an original idea for once!

I know that the EHX polyphase can control the sweep of the phaser via envelope follower... but its different than what I was thinking of (and I found out about it after the idea cause I searched for envelope controlled)

I totally don't understand that thing you posted yet... sounds effin crazy/cool

[superbassman2000]

basically you can control parameters based on how fast/loud you play...say with a drive patch, the harder you play the more drive you have, or for delays you can control the feedback rate depending on how loud you play--stuff like that

[funkalicious101]

using an envelope to control the rate of an LFO would be extremely cool.

[Sir Edward V]

Originally Posted by funkalicious101

using an envelope to control the rate of an LFO would be extremely cool.

yeah thats the **** I'm talking about...

I might try making a envelope to control the delay time on my modded FAB echo...

I need more research though

[syciprider]

Some tremolos and vibratos use the attack to adjust the speed. Play soft and you get a very faint warble. Hit it hard and it speeds up until you get the wobble wobble effect.

I would imagine that what you have in mind is perfectly doable

[funkalicious101]

Originally Posted by syciprider

Some tremolos and vibratos use the attack to adjust the speed. Play soft and you get a very faint warble. Hit it hard and it speeds up until you get the wobble wobble effect.

I would imagine that what you have in mind is perfectly doable

really? can you please give some examples? because tremolo, in my opinion, would be the effect that would sound coolest with this.

[OhThePeacock]

Tremolo would be very cool with it but I think an extremely usable one would be a boost or a slight overdrive.

[Sir Edward V]

Originally Posted by OhThePeacock

Tremolo would be very cool with it but I think an extremely usable one would be a boost or a slight overdrive.

well I was thinking that it would be somewhat pointless with overdrive and distortion, because when you play harder it gets more distorted anyways...

[Sean S]

Doesn't the Pigtronix EP-1 Envelope Phaser act on this principle, as well?

[Sir Edward V]

Originally Posted by Sean S

Doesn't the Pigtronix EP-1 Envelope Phaser act on this principle, as well?

I think it does what the polyphase does, its like an envelope filter, but with phaser type filters... not adjusting speed but wahing to a phaser type noise

[Sean S]

hmmm

what about envelope-controlled delay time in a delay? that would make for some *&(#ing TRIPPY sounds

[bongomania]

The Toadworks Enveloope is an envelope-following blender. Very cool. It can be used both to blend more fx with a louder input signal, or less fx with louder input.

I've used a preamplified instrument signal into the CV controls of some older fx featuring a CV input jack. It's a bit of a hassle getting the signal to the right voltage range, but it directly allows for the types of parameter control you're talking about. E.g. if the fx unit allows CV control over the delay rate, then boom- there you go. It's a pretty glitchy system though, since each of your notes will vary in amplitude considerably throughout the envelope, and the CV control reacts immediately- so it's not like a loud bass note will trigger one rate (or other parameter) and then it stays at that rate, but rather the rate will go up and down within each note. Also, some CV inputs won't work due to needing a +/- voltage, unless you create an interface box that sets "nominal 0V" somewhere in the middle of your actual voltage spread.

Modular synths use this type of voltage-following parameter changing a lot, it's one of their very fun features. So if you wanted to DIY, you could borrow all the basic circuit elements from existing "open/shared" modular synth designs.

[SFjonstarr]

Originally Posted by funkalicious101

using an envelope to control the rate of an LFO would be extremely cool.

The only pedals I've tried that can do that are the Studio Electronics ModMax pedals. That's the type of thing thats more common with synth equipment and high end digital effects like the Eventide stuff or the Fireworx.