How To Use Operator-Part 2
So, let's continue with part 2 and start with a default operator. Of course there is only so much you can show in a blog, in my online Ableton Course, I give a step by step guide into how to use every parameter. But I'm going to do my best!
Phase Parameter
The phase parameter is basically at what point of the waveform you're starting at.
360 degrees degrees is the whole waveform, zero would be the starting point 180 degrees would be half. So, based on where it starts, it will give you varying results.
Fixed Parameter
Fixed means the notes will not track up and down in the pitch and the keyboard. So what happens when I hit the fixed parameter is that the parameters change, you get frequency and you get multi knobs and the frequencies are out- putting at about 100 hertz, and it will remain there no matter what key I strike on the keyboard.
What multi is doing, It's multiplying the function so I can multiply it by 10, so, 100 hertz becomes 1000 and I can also divide it. This is a great tool for making those really nice kind of 'squelchy' bass lines in house.
The difference when it's not on fixed is when I play up/down the keyboard the notes change, but when I put it on fixed, when I play up/down the keyboard, the notes are going to remain consistent at that frequency.
Filter Section
So let's move to the right side of the oscillator. We can see the LFO filter and pitch envelope. This enables your filter section. You also have an envelope page, and you also have the actual filter here that controls the frequency and rez points. Here we have the typical 12 and 24 decibel cut, here you can select from five circuit types, (clean matches the filters found in the EQ8, OSR is a state variable circuit with hard clipping. MS2 is the salem key circuit with soft clipping and MSP is a hybrid between the MS2 do and PRD, PRD is allowed a circuit without resonance limited)
One thing worth mentioning is that ladder type filters were modeled on the moog ladder filter from the modular system, it's going to give you a different kind of sound. So you can go through them see the difference. The main thing is to be able to utilize the envelope for the filter, as well as the shaper which will add some distortion. And again, we're able to loop the filter envelope independently. So we can again create cool sounds, the whole point really is to build your own sounds and not to rely on presets, so that your uniqueness can come out.
Click the little square next to the attack parameter to activate the little blue dots which mean you can change the slope, and if you click on the little box to give you the slope parameters.
Shaper
So regarding the shaper, we have a soft hard and 4Bit which is going to be like using a Redux and aggressive kind of bit crushing. This shaper sounds nice with very resonate sounds, you can also increase the amount of drive and it's like a built in saturator within the filter and works in the same way saturator does. The shaper will add distortion,So you get different results based on which one you're picking.
Expression Controls Expression controls are controls you can change based on the way you play the instrument. For example, the velocity pitch in your keyboard, there's also a mod wheel, and these can all be expression controls. Your mod wheel is usually said to control the vibrato, but you can use it to control something else. Nearly all midi instruments have expression controls. Generally, when you see the word 'key' right next to a parameter that means that whatever note you play, it will modulate that parameter.
Frequency velocity and frequency key.
These are two expression controls within the filter section. By default, the frequency key is set to zero, and that means that the filter frequency will stay the same no matter what note you play.
The pitch that you play will control the filter frequency cut off and is based off the filter frequency cut off that you've already chosen. This can go up to 200% positive and negative and at negative the notes are going to be really bright and probably way too resonant. LFO Section You've got the rate, amount, type of waveform you want to effect the LFO.
You can set the LFO's frequency range within this chooser, low, high and sync.
Low will set it 50 seconds to 30 hertz, high will set at 8 hertz to 12 hertz sync will sync it to 1/48 bars. And because the LFO is capable of such high frequencies can also function as a fifth oscillator. When you turn on the LFO By default, it's affecting everything . So first thing I want to do is turn off these buttons here and I want to select the filter for example because that's what I actually want the LFO to effect.
Re Trigger
Re-Trigger means the LFO will restart the same position at it's phrase time each the note is triggered. When disabled, the LFO is free running the LFO obviously has it's own envelope here as well.
Destinations You don't only have to be stuck with one destination. You can also send your LFO to destination 'B'. as well as 'A' if you click on this drop down box, you have all these destinations, you can send the LFO to.
Stay tuned for the last segment, and thanks for sharing and liking!
