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Future Impact now available!! WAS: deep impact reissue!!! interested?

#8,001
OhulahanBass said:
I briefly tried the MIDI-CV on my Matriarch last night. It was pretty cool but I need to do some tuning to get the gate and pitch CV to behave properly. Perhaps it is because I was testing with the filter fully open but the tracking noise/tone I don’t like was more prevalent through the Moog than through the FI. It’s still hard for me to describe but it is in most tracker synths and seems to be most prevalent in the 1-3k range and with a single oscillator. I usually scoop that out with the FI EQ for bass patches or saturate it with heavy timbres and filtering for leads.

Tonight I will try with the Studio Electronics Boomstar as it has 1/8 CV input and doesn’t require me to split the gate to filter and VCA so it maybe a bit more simple to dial in.
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I still have no idea what you’re talking about. Perhaps record an audio clip and isolate what you are referring to.

The FI itself does have a kind of pitched click on the front end of notes if the oscillators are at a high enough level. It’s a very high B if I recall correctly. I did point this out to Andras a few times but he doesn’t seem to be able to hear it. Could that be what you mean?
 
#8,002
OhulahanBass said:
I briefly tried the MIDI-CV on my Matriarch last night. It was pretty cool but I need to do some tuning to get the gate and pitch CV to behave properly. Perhaps it is because I was testing with the filter fully open but the tracking noise/tone I don’t like was more prevalent through the Moog than through the FI. It’s still hard for me to describe but it is in most tracker synths and seems to be most prevalent in the 1-3k range and with a single oscillator. I usually scoop that out with the FI EQ for bass patches or saturate it with heavy timbres and filtering for leads.

.
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From your description it is not clear for me what is your problem with the tracking of analog synths. On the video demo of the FI4 I am playing three clips with analog synths. The first with a mini Moog, the second with a Moog Mavis. On these two clips you can clearly judge the tracking. Is your experience different from that what you see on the demo?
Andras Szalay
 
#8,003
Andras Szalay said:
From your description it is not clear for me what is your problem with the tracking of analog synths. On the video demo of the FI4 I am playing three clips with analog synths. The first with a mini Moog, the second with a Moog Mavis. On these two clips you can clearly judge the tracking. Is your experience different from that what you see on the demo?
Andras Szalay
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I know about the video you posted, that is why I ordered. I’ve tuned the CV out on the FI up a tad and have great note tracking on my Boomstar now, results are pretty good.

The only thing I’m experiencing with the FI v4 as a standalone device or as a controller of synth modules that irks my ears is a bit of pitch instability at the beginning of notes or on fast lines. It isn’t a glitch, the note will trigger fine it just has an unstable tone. This is more prominent when controlling synths and can be masked some with filter sweeps and a slower attach. I’m messing with the “note on” control to try to reduce this with some success. It is hard for me to describe the tone as anything beyond tracking tone because many (perhaps all) trackers seem to have it. I’ll try to record a sample triggering the synth from bass and then from midi and post tonight.
 
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#8,004
OhulahanBass said:
I know about the video you posted, that is why I ordered. I’ve tuned the CV out on the FI up a tad and have great note tracking on my Boomstar now, results are pretty good.

The only thing I’m experiencing with the FI v4 as a standalone device or as a controller of synth modules that irks my ears is a bit of pitch instability at the beginning of notes or on fast lines. It isn’t a glitch, the note will trigger fine it just has an unstable tone. This is more prominent when controlling synths and can be masked some with filter sweeps and a slower attach. I’m messing with the “note on” control to try to reduce this with some success. It is hard for me to describe the tone as anything beyond tracking tone because many (perhaps all) trackers seem to have it. I’ll try to record a sample triggering the synth from bass and then from midi and post tonight.
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@Quatschmacher mentioned that the v4 has a tracking option for either "accuracy" or "speed"- which are you using out of curiosity?
 
#8,005
OhulahanBass said:
I know about the video you posted, that is why I ordered. I’ve tuned the CV out on the FI up a tad and have great note tracking on my Boomstar now, results are pretty good.

The only thing I’m experiencing with the FI v4 as a standalone device or as a controller of synth modules that irks my ears is a bit of pitch instability at the beginning of notes or on fast lines. It isn’t a glitch, the note will trigger fine it just has an unstable tone. This is more prominent when controlling synths and can be masked some with filter sweeps and a slower attach. I’m messing with the “note on” control to try to reduce this with some success. It is hard for me to describe the tone as anything beyond tracking tone because many (perhaps all) trackers seem to have it. I’ll try to record a sample triggering the synth from bass and then from midi and post tonight.
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What you are describing is the normal and well-documented behaviour of the tracking circuit. From the manual:

Pitch Tracking

This controls how the FI4 responds to pitch information received from your instrument via the audio input:

• PRIORITY PUSHBUTTON (SPEED/ACCURACY):

Selects whether the FI4's pitch tracking prioritizes speed or pitch accuracy.

When set to SPEED, a note is outputted as soon as a trigger is detected; this is at the pitch of the previously-played note until the pedal has determined the pitch of the new note, whereupon it jumps to that new pitch. This works well for notes which are close together in pitch but it can cause a "pitch blip" if making big leaps.

When set to ACCURACY, a note is only outputted once its pitch has been determined. This slightly increases latency but eliminates the "pitch blip". This is especially useful when playing octave leaps, or when using pitch as a Flexi source or range control.
 
#8,006
@Quatschmacher

That is essentially what I have been describing, albeit not in the exact terms of the extremely well-written manual. I did say it was apparent to all pitch trackers, and the FI v4 is my favorite so far.

I checked, and I have been using accuracy mode. Raising the "note on" position also seems to help; then, you can mask that "tracker tone" with the filter starting low and then layer harmonic content. The "tracker tone" pitching effect is harder for me to mask with lead sounds, but I have achieved many bass sounds that sound as solid as keyboard triggering. I'll keep working toward crisper execution until I have reached the limit. Sorry if one unclear report derailed the thread too much.
 
#8,007
OhulahanBass said:
@Quatschmacher

That is essentially what I have been describing, albeit not in the exact terms of the extremely well-written manual. I did say it was apparent to all pitch trackers, and the FI v4 is my favorite so far.

I checked, and I have been using accuracy mode. Raising the "note on" position also seems to help; then, you can mask that "tracker tone" with the filter starting low and then layer harmonic content. The "tracker tone" pitching effect is harder for me to mask with lead sounds, but I have achieved many bass sounds that sound as solid as keyboard triggering. I'll keep working toward crisper execution until I have reached the limit. Sorry if one unclear report derailed the thread too much.
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You wouldn’t need to check if you were in “accuracy” mode; the default is “speed”. So you would have had to specifically engage “accuracy” mode within every patch for it to be active.

The pitch blip is not there at all in “accuracy” mode because the note only gets outputted once the pitch has been fully calculated.

My guess is you are describing something else that is more likely to to do with the cleanliness of your input signal. Are you using low action and/or roundwounds? These can cause more “false” triggers as they create a lot of overtone content in the sound.

If you think it’s something else then please upload a recording and point out exactly what you’re referring to as simply saying “tracker tone” isn’t really helping us to identify what you’re talking about.
 
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#8,009
I got one of the first 100 v4s, signed, and all I can say so far is WOW. There is so much to dig in to with just the built-in 99 programs, but the Editor makes it so easy to audition and install other programs from the online database. I'm just barely starting to scratch the surface of what the editor can do.

I think I'll write this up in more detail if anyone is interested but I've got the FIv4 integrated with my HX StompXL in the send/return loop. Presets on the HX can have multiple snapshots. Each snapshot can send MIDI CC on selection and set what CC the expression pedal sends. I've built a couple of HX presets each with 4 snapshots. Each assigned to an HX button and named for the FI patch I want to use. For example, pressing the "BladeRunner" button on the HX sends MIDI CC to the FI to turn it on, program change to FI to select that Vangelis-style synth sound, and enable chorus, delay and reverb in the HX after the return. I have a Mission Engineering expression pedal connected to the HX so I can choose any FI parameters that I want real-time control over.

I don't have to remember if FI program 32, 52, or 68 was the one I want for a certain song, as the HX buttons are named for what they are.

Then there's MIDI Clock sync so the tap tempo on the HX can control the FI. So much easier than using the tap tempo on the FI.

As if all that wasn't enough, I have wireless Bluetooth MIDI sent to the HX, with Out/Thru connected to the FI. From my tablet or phone, I can use a simple app like MIDI Commander to have a whole list of FI patch names and their corresponding program numbers. So while the HX snapshot labels are great for live work, I don't have to create dozens of them to be able to quickly select whatever FI program I want at a glance. It's the next best thing to having the FI Editor's Manager tab on a mobile device.
 
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#8,010
Here are a couple photos of the setup I talked about in my last post. With this board I can go ampless or easily run a cable from the Thru on the Canvas back to my amp. The Cioks4 can run off a USB battery shown here, or off a regular TrueTone 1-spot. For festival stages where we have to get on and off stage quickly and won't be set up for more than 2 hrs, I don't even need to worry about AC. XLR out from the Canvas and either an instrument cable or my wireless receiver into the HX are the only things I need to hook up. Easy!

Getting back on topic here, I'm loving the FIv4 so far with everything it brings to the table. I used to only have the HX and figured the FI would be a fun toy I'd use once in a while but after I started playing with it, I had to build a whole pedalboard around it so that I could always have it with me and not have to mess with extra cables every time.
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#8,011
Just loving the V4 FI! I'm fortunate to now have a midi bass, so tracking is not an issue. Playing does require specific technique adjustments though. Its still a thing with strings and not a midi keyboard.

Anyway, I have a feature request. In the FI the only options for keyboard tracking (pitch follow) are off or 1:1. Would it be possible to add more some more options: 1/4, 1/2, 3/4, for example? And make it selectable via a cc message? Thanks.
 
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#8,012
Kiwigrass said:
Just loving the V4 FI! I'm fortunate to now have a midi bass, so tracking is not an issue. Playing does require specific technique adjustments though. Its still a thing with strings and not a midi keyboard.

Anyway, I have a feature request. In the FI the only options for keyboard tracking (pitch follow) are off or 1:1. Would it be possible to add more some more options: 1/4, 1/2, 3/4, for example? And make it selectable via a cc message? Thanks.
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Variable tracking was another thing I asked for a while ago. The might have been an issue with the tracking.

would love to see hear it in action with the MIDI bass. Glad you’re enjoying it.
 
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#8,016
Quatschmacher said:
I’m the one looking like I’ve been stranded on a desert island for months looking about twice as wide as I actually do. The other is Gábor of panda.
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Thank you for that and for all the excellent work y'all did on the FI V4, good to have a face to go with the names.

I finally got the Editor working and updates my #5140 and having much fun.
 
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