Remember: Arps traditionally did not do melodies. Instead, this (what you find in the Motif/MOXF and MONTAGE) is a re-invention of the traditional arpeggiator. Arpeggios traditionally did up, down, up/down, down/up, and random, etc. Later they were capable of producing more complex rhythmic effects; eventually you could create phrase-based melody arps, counter-melody arps, and the kind of guitar intelligent chord voicing arps that you find in the XS/XF/MOXF/MONTAGE.

It should be clear now what the CONVERT TYPES are designed to do. With this knowledge you can start to apply the tools for creating your own arpeggios. In Part 2, we’ll take a close look at some of the more detailed arpeggios, and the way they were made – for example, those used for strumming guitars, etc.

There are some 256 User Arpeggio locations. You discard unwanted arps by overwriting them, or you can manage them in UTILITY mode. They will be stored in their own internal FOLDER. Go to [UTILITY] > “Contents” > “Data Utility” > find the “ARP” Folder – this contains your USER ARPS. Access the “JOB” function to select/deselect ARPs.

Recording Drum Arps

As you know by now, the Fixed Note “Convert Type” is designed to play back the exact keys you have fed in. While this is ideal for drums, it also means you can use an Arp Phrase to play an exact music phrase. How you use the feature is up to you. Do remember the rule: 16 unique note numbers. This means your Drum Kit selection is limited to a 16-piece drum kit. You can hit each drum over and over again, but you are limited to 16 different drum instruments.

You can create drum tracks using the onboard recorder or an external DAW like Cubase. Create your drums by your favorite means (Groove Agent is a powerful Cubase plugin tool for creating drum pattern data), then export your creation as MIDI data and convert it into MONTAGE Arpeggio phrases using the User Arp convert feature.

In Part 2, we’ll take a look at how the different Convert Types deal with Chord phrases. Ready to start? Click here.

As you can see in the above screenshot, the Effect parameters are unchecked or greyed out because they cannot be used individually for Elements. This is because of the selected Destination. The entire sound (all Elements together) is routed through the selected destination (Effect). “InsA-HSH G” (Insert A – High frequency Shelving Gain), which is an EQ, and “Reverb send” are both situations where the entire program is processed and so it is not possible to select just a single Element.

In CONTROLLER SET 4 and 6 (Destinations “cutoff” and “AEG release”, respectively) the boxes are checked for all Elements. Here you have a choice, and all Elements are opting in.

In CONTROLLER SET 3 (Destination “Element Level”), the box is checked only for Element 8. The programmer would have had to uncheck Elements 1-7 in order to OPT OUT.

A CONTROL SET on the Motif XF consisted of a SOURCE (physical control) and a DESTINATION (target parameter). DEPTH dealt with the application of the controller – both range and direction – to appropriate Destinations, but only when you were provided the option to select specific Elements individually. Also, the Motif XF had only six Control Sets, while MONTAGE provides 16 Control Sets per PART, plus an additional 16 for the COMMON/Audio level of editing. There are also a host of new parameters like Curve Type and Polarity, as well as advanced shaping tools that let you customize the application of controllers.

These new shaping tools exponentially increase the DEPTH function that was available in the Motif and MOXF series because it no longer has to be linearly applied. In fact, MONTAGE allows you to completely customize the DEPTH shape, plus you can apply it manually or automate its application. This is at the core of the MONTAGE Motion Control Synthesis Engine.

The layout is a bit different, but the operation is fundamentally the same:

• If a Performance Part doesn’t require individual Element assignments, you can keep the Controller Box Switch as it is – all Element Switches default to ON.
• If you want to make individual Element assignments, you have to edit the Controller Box Switch matrix.

CONTROL ASSIGNMENTS are easy to deal with because they are seen within the PART’s Element/Operator view and are made intuitively as you think about them. It’s very much like patching a modular synth in that, as you build your sound, you make the necessary connections/assignments. The key thing here is that the Destination (parameter) determines whether or not the Element/Operator Switches appear or not. Obviously, some Destination parameters are PART destinations (i.e., they affect all Elements or Operators together, like common Volume, Send to Reverb and Variation, etc.) while others are individually switched per Element or Operator (like Element Level, Element Pan, AEG, FEG and PEG parameters, Cutoff, Resonance, LFO, etc.). This can be seen as equivalent to the kind of “patching” you would do in voltage controlled analog synthesizers if you had a wall unit full of modules. Think about all the individual envelopes you can control within the eight PARTS – each with as many as eight Elements (if AWM2) or eight Operators (if FM-X).

The “PERFORMANCE 10: ControllerBoxSwitchA” example includes a simple Super Knob morphing between two different organ Waveforms within a single Part:
Element 1 = Gospel.
Element 2 = 1st Four Draw.

Instead of the organ sound occupying a Part, here each organ sound is a single Element within the same Part.

Element 1 Gospel is assigned to the right (fully clockwise) position of the Super Knob. Element 2 1st Four Draw is set to the left position. In the center position you will hear an equal mix of both.

The first step is to make the Super Knob assignments in the “Common/Audio” Controller Box: The first two Knobs (Assign1 and Assign2) are set to link with PART 1 on this upper Common/Audio level (the Super Knob level). Instead of morphing between PARTS, we are now working within a single PART by manipulating individual Elements (since this is an AWM2 sample based program). Each Element references a Waveform. A Waveform organizes a set of samples mapped to respond across the keyboard at specific pitches and velocities.

From the HOME screen:

• Press [EDIT].
• Press the upper [COMMON] button.
• Select “Control” > ” Control Assign.
• With the AUTO SELECT (green) active you can view the assignments either by moving the Knob itself or setting the DISPLAY FILTER = ALL:
  

  

Next, follow the assignments in the Part Controller Box, which is basically the same as morphing between Parts, but this time using the Element Level as destination. Let’s take a look at the two PART 1 destinations:

• Press the [PART SELECT 1/1] to view “Edit – Part1 – Common”.
• Select “MOD/CONTROL” > “CONTROL ASSIGN”.
• Ensure that “Auto Select” is active (green).
• Move ASSIGN KNOB 1:

• Then move ASSIGN KNOB 2:

(Top screenshot) Assignable Knob 1 (Ratio +63) = Element Switch 1 ON, Element Switch 2 OFF.
(Bottom screenshot) Assignable Knob 2 (Ratio -64) = Element Switch 2 ON, Element Switch 1 OFF.

It should be noted here that you can STORE the position of the Super Knob with the PERFORMANCE. So if you want this Performance to come up with the 1st Four Draw Element alone, you would store the Super Knob at a value of 0. If you wanted the Gospel Element alone, you would store the Super Knob at a value of 127. If you wanted to recall the sound with both Elements, you would store the Super Knob at 64 (for both at equal level), or any balance you desire.

From the PERFORMANCE (HOME) screen:

• Touch “Motion Control” in the main screen’s left column.
• Touch “Super Knob” in the second column.
• SUPER KNOB value is in the lower right corner.

SOURCE: DESTINATION CONTROL ASSIGN Shortcut:

This is a good example of how easy it is to assign a parameter (Destination) to a controller (Source) with MONTAGE. Up until now on our “scuba tour,” we’ve been going through all the screens where this all takes place, but here’s a quick and easy assignment for you snorkelers. Say you’ve selected the Rotary Speaker TYPE as Insert Effect “A” and you want to assign Rotary Speaker: Speed Control to the MOD WHEEL. (Notice this Performance does not have it assigned).

Start from the HOME screen (touch the icon in the upper left corner):

• Press [EDIT].
• Press [PART SELECT 1/1] to view the PART 1 parameters.
• Touch “COMMON” (blue) in the lower left corner or the screen.
• Touch “EFFECT” in the left column.
• Touch “INS A” to view the parameters of the Rotary Speaker.
• Move the cursor to highlight Speed Control (shown):

• Press the [CONTROL ASSIGN] button (located to the left of the screen below the Super Knob), which is now illuminated. The Destination Parameter will appear in the screen and it will tell you to activate (move) the controller you wish to assign:

• Now move the Mod Wheel:

Done! This procedure takes you immediately to the Controller Assign screen, where you can tweak the Controller response (Depth) and/or Delete the assignment (Lower right corner of this Control Set screen). Notice that the Element Switches do not appear since they are unavailable – that’s because all Elements will be affected by the application of the Rotary Speaker Speed change.

In the OVERVIEW you can now see how the MW (Controller) is linked to PART 1 (magenta):

The [CONTROL ASSIGN] button, located to the lower left of the screen below the Super Knob, will glow whenever you move the cursor highlight to a potential assignable parameter. This allows you to rapidly assign, then scale and shape the application of that controller.

PAGE 2:

The currently displayed “DESTINATION” has a number from 1-16. Touch that designation to view its data. Touch the parameter setting to view an overlay of possible parameter Destinations.

The Super Knob starts with the center position (64). This is useful for combining it with Part Assignable Knobs, which are set to center position by default. For this reason, selecting Bipolar (Polarity) for all assignments in the Part Controller Box is needed, since Bipolar allows you to move the parameter up or down, depending on whether a positive or negative value is set for RATIO. Positive values increase as the Knob is turned clockwise

The Assignable Knobs can be used for controlling the listed eight parameters: Cutoff, Resonance, Insert “A” Dry/Wet, Insert “A” LFO Speed, Insert “A” Feedback Level, Element LFO Pitch Modulation Depth (vibrato), AEG Attack, AEG Release.

At same time you can use the Super Knob, which controls the Assignable Knobs 1+2. But you should avoid using the Super Knob and the Assignable Knobs 1+2 at same time, because they are controlling the same parameter.

You can see the movements of the Super Knob at the LEDs of the Assignable Knob 1+2.

I’ve edited and stored this PERFORMANCE, renaming the individual Destinations for this PART (PART 1) (DISPLAY NAME). By default, they are simply named: Assign 1, Assign 2, Assign 3, Assign 4 and so on.

This DISPLAY NAME will appear on the main PERFORMANCE screen when PART 1 is the “selected” (highlighted) PART, as shown below:

They will read ASSIGN1, ASSIGN2, etc., when you are on the upper level of the PERFORMANCE (because they can be doing different things if you activate other PARTs), but if you select Part 1, the name you provide as the “Display Name” will appear. (Select the Part by pressing [PART SELECT 1/1] or by touching the TYPE/NAME box above PART1.) Now you will see that I’ve identified what each of them is doing to PART 1. Because you can SELECT only one PART at a time, it makes total sense to be able to read what that Knob is assigned to – this cuts down immensely on the guessing about what a Knob is doing!

It appears that many of the PRESETs simply have the word “Assigned” as the PART “Display Name” – which at least lets you know it is doing something. If it is not assigned, the Display name area appears blank.

Using the “Display Name”

From the upper COMMON/Audio level (or when the PERFORMANCE NAME is highlighted), the KNOBS will simply read ASSIGN 1 – ASSIGN 8. When you select an individual PART (either by touching the PART Name or by pressing [PART SELECT 1/1] ~ [PART SELECT 8/8]), you have the option of viewing the KNOB assignment by what it is doing. You can even give it a “nickname” – anything that you wish. This is extremely cool because you can be descriptive. The Presets only indicate which Knob is “Assigned” when you select an individual PART.

Imagine the PART Knob is controlling an FM Element that causes RING MODULATION when you raise its Modulation Index (Output Level). Saying it is “Output Level” is not as helpful as naming it “+RingMod”.

So selecting any single PART 2-8 (so that it is the highlighted PART) will show you what each of the knobs is assigned to control. This can be very useful and can make exploring Performances much easier because, when scuba diving, it can get quite deep!

Catch up on the previous article in the series – “Mastering MONTAGE 7: Super Knobs Values” here.

Next article – “Mastering MONTAGE 9: Controller Box Switches” – available here.

Limiting the range via the Super Knob Values might be easier than trying to find the intended ranges using only the parameter of the Part Controller Box. If you make rough settings in the Part Controller Box first, you can do the fine adjustment of the range to be controlled in the Super Knob window with Value 1 and Value 2.

To be clear: It is not the range of the Super Knob itself that is limited with the Value settings. The Super Knob is still working through the complete range from leftmost to rightmost. Only the controlled parameter range of the target will get smaller.

You can use the example “Performance 0008 Super Knob Values” for checking the Value 1 + 2 function. It includes only one Part and one control set with the Destination LFO Speed of the chorus effect. This allows you to recognize the parameter changes very easily.

The settings in the Common/Audio and Part1 Controller Boxes are very simple and basically no different from previous examples:

The CURVE is Standard; POLARITY is Bi; and the RATIO is set to +32, which enables full parameter control when the KNOB is moved from minimum to maximum:

For fine adjusting the controlled parameter range, you can use Value 1 and Value 2 in the Super Knob window. Begin by changing the default values of 0 and 127 to values which give a useful control range:

The setting 12 – 86, for example, would allow change from a very slow chorus to a fast vibrato chorus. As you initially make the setting, you may need to move the Super Knob to REFRESH its control over the parameter.

These parameters are found in the actual MONTAGE. From the main PERFORMANCE (HOME) screen:

• Press “Motion Control”.
• Select “Super Knob”.

Across the top is what is referred to as VALUE 1 (green) and on the bottom is VALUE 2(blue). Start by setting VALUE 1 to 12 and VALUE 2 to 86.

As you move the SUPER KNOB from its 0 position (7 o’clock) through its 127 position (5 o’clock), you will see that this parameter is only moving from a value of 12 through a value of 86 – with a value of 49 in the center.

Note: If you use the center position of the Super Knob as starting position, the center position will no longer correspond to the current parameter setting. In general, set the range for what you require, and STORE the PERFORMANCE with the Super Knob’s direct value wherever you desire.

For example, if the Values range is set to 32 – 96, the value of the center will not change, because the amount of decrease and increase is basically 32 on both sides of the center position. But in the case of 12 – 86, the center position would change.

Catch up on the previous article in the series – “Mastering MONTAGE 6: Super Knob Complex” here.

Next article  – “Mastering MONTAGE 8: Assignable Knobs” – is available here.

As you can see, the Part Assignable Knobs are all assigned to corresponding Common Assignable Knobs. This allows individual control of each assigned parameter.

Because these assignments are basically made as you develop your ideas about what you want to accomplish, you will naturally start by assigning individual controls to a knob, but recognize that it can get as complex as you desire. Multiple destinations can be assigned to a single knob. This is important to mention here because often you may be using two similar PARTS to create a LEFT and a RIGHT version – and will want to use a single Knob to control both together. We’ll get to that in a future article, but it is important to mention that you have the choice!

To locate what is shown above, from the PERFORMANCE (HOME) screen:

• Press [EDIT] (Edit – Common/Audio).
• Select “CONTROL” in the left column in the screen.
• Select “CONTROL ASSIGN” in the second column.
• Activate AUTO SELECT and turn the first 5 Knobs.
• AssignKnob 1/ Part 1 Assign 1. This is on upper level COMMON/Audio – the overall COMMON Level.

To actually see what the PART 1 Assign 1’s DESTINATION parameter is, you must go to the individual PART EDIT and look at its assignment.

Assigning the functions to individual/separate Knobs is not necessary. It would also be possible to assign more than one Part’s Assignable Knob to the same Common Assignable Knob, or you can assign several parameters to the same knob on the Part Control screen – it’s really up to you. The consequence of combining multiple parameters to a knob is that they will share the overall range and direction of movement, although this can be adjusted/compensated for at the parameter assignment. How you assign items to Knobs, and whether they are individual or grouped, is a production decision/preference.

Part 1 of this example includes a percussive analog synth sound, which is faded out (volume) by moving the Super Knob to right. At the same time, the Filter Decay Envelope gets longer (FEG Decay1) and the Reverb Send increases.

Highlight each of the DESTINATIONS 1, 2 and 3 in turn to view the SOURCE, CURVE TYPE, POLARITY, RATIO and PARAM 1 (curve dynamic) for each assignment.

As shown in the screenshot below, you can view the three PART1 assignment Destinations simultaneously by setting the DISPLAY FILTER = ALL.

Hint: You can [SOLO] PART 1 or simply [MUTE] PART 2. As on the Motif, buttons 1/1 through 8/8 are SELECT and the buttons directly below (1/9 thru 8/16) act as MUTE/SOLO. By isolating just PART 1 you can hear how turning ASSIGN KNOB 1 turns down PART 1.

Notice that the RATIO is -32 (negative values reduce), and the PARAM 1 function (10) is the CURVE you are hearing – changing this to anything else will make this clear. Please experiment. When PARAM 1 = 0, notice that the reduction in volume is practically immediate. PARAM 1 = 5 is basically linear

Five of the SUPER KNOB functions are listed in the upper COMMON level – three to PART 1 and the last two (KN4/KN5) that are affecting PART 2. These are seen by selecting PART 2 and viewing its individual PART CONTROL > CONTROL ASSIGN.

Part 2 includes a fat, stacked trance pad sound, which is faded in by moving the Super Knob to right. Filter modulation begins as you move the Knob from the center position:

PART 2 – DESTINATION 2 Cutoff (Assign Knob 5). As you turn the Super Knob clockwise, you close the FILTER for all Elements:

Press [PART SELECT 2/2]. Nothing is assigned to PART 2 for Knobs 1, 2 and 3, but KNOBS 4 and 5 are set to VOLUME and CUTOFF.

You can isolate PART 2 and listen to how individual Knobs 4 and 5 interact with PART 2.

Notice that in the Destination Volume screen, this is COMMON VOLUME and so it affects all Elements. Destination 2 on the right (Cutoff) is a destination that can be switched per Element (similar to the Motif Control Sets).

Explanation: The Common VOLUME parameter turns all Elements in this PART up or down together. If you want to instead control individual Elements, you would target “Element Level,” not the Common Volume. Since each Element has its own FILTER and therefore its own CUTOFF setting, you can opt out or opt in on a per Element basis when you are dealing with this setting. The MONTAGE will show you the Element Switches based on the DESTINATION parameter in question.

Catch up on the previous article in the series – “Mastering MONTAGE 5: Super Knob Morph” here.

Next article: “Mastering MONTAGE 7: Super Knob Value Ranges” is here.

The first step is – as always – routing the used Part Assignable Knobs 1 + 2 (Destinations) to the Common Assignable Knobs 1 + 2 (Sources) on the Common/Audio level using the Control Assign function.

Recall “Super Knob Morph A”

From the HOME screen (touch the Home icon in the upper left corner):

• Highlight the PERFORMANCE NAME: “Super Knob Morph A”.
• Press [EDIT].
• Press the [COMMON] button (right side upper COMMON button).
• In the screen select “Control” (left column of the screen) > “Control Assign”.
• Make sure the AUTO SELECT option is active (green).
• Move Common Assignable Knob #1 to recall its setting.
• Then move Common Assignable Knob #2 to recall its setting.

Here you can see that:

• Destination 1 = PART 1 Assign 1; Source = AsgnKnob 1.
• Move Common Assignable Knob 2: Destination 2 = PART 2 Assign 2; Source = AsgnKnob 2.

You can view both of these assignments by touching the DISPLAY FILTER and setting it to “ALL”. (The Display Filter simply changes what you are viewing at the current time.)

After doing this, the assignments in the individual PARTS can be made. You do so by dropping into PART EDIT. Let’s view PART 1 first:

• Press the [PART SELECT 1/1] right front panel.
• The screen will read “Edit – Part1 – Common”.

This should light the lower [COMMON] button for ELEMENT/OPERATOR. If it does not, that means you were last viewing an individual ELEMENT, so press the lower [COMMON] button, which is also found in the lower left corner of the screen (blue).

For Part Common Volume using polarity Bipolar, the following basic settings works well:

• Select “MOD/CONTROL” (left column of the screen) > “Control Assign”:

If you move ASSIGN KNOB 1 you will see that:

• Destination 1 = VOLUME.
• Source = AsgnKnob 1.
• Polarity = Bi.
• Ratio = -64.
• Param 1 = 5.

The graphic shows that as you turn up the SUPER KNOB this PART will be turned down in Volume.

Select PART SELECT 2 (the button is labeled [PART SELECT 2/2]):

• Press the [PART SELECT 2/2] button.
• The screen is now: “Edit – Part2 – Common”.

Now when you move ASSIGN KNOB 2, you will see that:

• Destination 1 = VOLUME.
• Source = AsgnKnob 2.
• Polarity = Bi.
• Ratio = +63.
• Param 1 = 5.

The graphic shows that, as you turn up the SUPER KNOB, this PART (which starts at silence) will be turned up in Volume. In the minimum position, you will only hear the Saw wave; in the maximum position only Square wave; in the center position, a mix of both. These particular examples use the STANDARD Curve Type. This should be easy to follow, hear and understand.

Recall “Super Knob Morph B”

This example is basically the same with a few small changes: The Super Knob starts at 127 (fully clockwise), thus starting with the Square Wave, and morphs to the Sawtooth as you move counterclockwise. The rate of change is different too.

Let’s see what’s going on:

From the HOME screen (touch the Home icon in the upper left corner):

• Highlight the PERFORMANCE NAME: “Super Knob Morph B”.
• Touch “MOTION CONTROL” in the screen just under “HOME”.
• Touch “SUPER KNOB” in the second column.

Here you can see that the SUPER KNOB is stored at a value of 127, effectively reversing its application:

• Touch “OVERVIEW” (top of the second column) to view the routing scheme.
• Change the “PART” from COMMON to “PART 1” to view the assignments to PART 1.
• Touch the box “Edit PART 1 Control Settings”.

This will take you directly to PART 1 Controller setup. Now you can toggle between PARTs 1 and 2 using the PART SELECT [1/1] and [2/2] buttons on the right front panel.

Notice how the application of the controls are being altered by the PARAM 1 setting of “3”(for PART1) versus “7” (for PART2). These determine how fast one PART fades out and the other PART fades in.

Extra Credit:

Let’s experiment by checking out using different Curve Types to get a slightly different morphing process. For example, set the CURVE TYPE = “BELL” shape with opposite positive/negative RATIO settings for the PARTs:

• Set PART 1 (Sawtooth) to RATIO = -64 (above).
• Set PART 2 (Square) to RATIO = +63 (below).

This allows you to get the Sawtooth wave at the extremes (top graphic) and the Square wave only in the middle (bottom graphic) of the Super Knob travel.

Another example – the “AM” shape with opposite positive/negative RATIO settings – allows you to switch alternately between Saw and Square as you turn the knob from minimum toward maximum:

(Try to avoid applying AFTERTOUCH while viewing the ASGN KNOB 1/ASGN KNOB 2 with the AUTO SELECT option active.)

Note: Navigating back and forth may, at first, seem to be a chore (because you must select the PART and then move the KNOB in order to view what you want) but as you begin to recognize that each PART has its own set of functions the power of this is revealed. The time you spend navigating and experimenting will be well rewarded as you get used to just how deep “scuba diving” with MONTAGE can get! This kind of access to parameters and controllers is the equivalent of patching analog synth modules together to make a sound and is the first step to understanding the MOTION CONTROL SYSTEM.

For example, you can make the STANDARD Curve Type selection work a bit more smoothly. Set the RATIO = -32 and +32 for Parts 1 and 2 respectively, using the Bipolar CURVE TYPE for both. Set the PARAM 1 = 3 for PART 1 and PARAM 1 = 7 for PART 2. This PARAM will change the CURVE TYPE structure, with the graphic giving you a good indication of what is actually happening.

Explore the PARAM 1 settings to see how it changes the curve. At a RATIO of -32 and +32, and with both set as PARAM 1 = 5, you still get a bit of the PART that fades out when you reach the extremes, instead of silence from the faded PART at the extreme

For Part 1 (fade out of Saw wave) you could use alternately polarity Unipolar with a Ratio of 32, which works especially well if the Super Knob starts with left position.

Catch up on the previous article in the series – “Mastering MONTAGE 4: Super Knob Bipolar” here.

Next article: “Mastering MONTAGE 6: Super Knob Complex” here.

The Super Knob position 64 (Center) is the start position. On close inspection you can find CENTER when two of the ladder LEDs light simultaneously as you reach the 12 o’clock position. When the Performance is stored, the current position of the Super Knob is documented; in this case it will correspond to the STORED parameter setting of LFO Speed = 2.69Hz.

• In the left column of the screen press “Effect” > “INS A” to view the parameters inside the Classic Flanger:

The Super Knob moved from center to left reduces the LFO Speed from 2.69Hz to the minimum of 0.00Hz.

The Super Knob moved from center to right increases the LFO Speed from 2.69Hz to the maximum of 39.70Hz.

As a result, the Super Knob controls the complete parameter range,  just as in the previous Unipolar examples. But here the starting point is different. In case of Bipolar, the Super Knob works bi-directionally. In the Unipolar examples, the initial setting was the minimum and we could increase the speed only. Here, we can move in either direction from the initial setting.

If a specific LFO speed is intended as the basic starting point, using Bipolar might be more useful, because the intended speed will correspond exactly to the center position (Super Knob = 64). Modulations in both directions are possible using Bipolar.

Basically the decision to use Unipolar or Bipolar will depend on the start position of the Super Knob and the kind of control you require musically. If it starts at left, Unipolar is more useful. If it starts at center position, Bipolar is recommended.

Catch up on the previous article in the series – “Mastering MONTAGE 3: Super Knob Unipolar” here.

This example shows the modulation of the LFO Speed in the opposite direction (negative). This is achieved here by starting the Classic Flanger at its highest Speed (39.7Hz) and setting the Polarity to a NEGATIVE value, so that applying the same movement reduces the LFO SPEED from maximum to minimum.

The Classic Flanger LFO Speed in the Part Effect window is set to  39.7Hz (maximum):

The Part Controller setting is Unipolar with Ratio = -32.

• Select “Mod/Control” > “Control Assign”:

The Super Knob position 0 (left) is the start position. It corresponds to the parameter setting of LFO Speed at maximum = 39.7H:

The Super Knob moved from left to right controls the complete parameter range in reversed order from LFO Speed 39.7Hz to 0.00Hz.

Extra Credit Exploration:

In this example, the COMMON ASSIGN KNOB 1 has been tasked with controlling PART 1’s Assign Knob 1. PART 1’s ASSIGN KNOB 1 is set to control the Part 1 INSERTION EFFECT “A” parameter (LFO SPEED).

Touch the parameter contained within the “DESTINATION 1” box to reveal the list of potential assignment destinations that can be selected. There are a ton of potential options – more than you might think. Use the DATA DIAL to explore the options. In this particular example, by selecting PART 1 > PART 1 Assign 1 we are linking PART 1’s first knob with the Super Knob.

These potential Destinations – the parameters available via the upper overall “COMMON/Audio” level of the program – will give you an idea of the depth of the engine. When you see the top line indicate “EDIT – Common/Audio“ you can assign these parameters to the Super Knob. The INSERT A and B referred to here are those dedicated to the A/D (Audio) INPUT PART. Like every other PART, it has its own Dual Insertion Effect. The A/D INPUT is grouped with the COMMON overall parameters. This is why this level of the architecture is referred to as “Common/Audio”:

If you select an Ins A or B(A/D Part), the Reverb, the Variation, or the Master Effect can each have as many as 24 potential parameter destinations (the actual number of available parameters will vary depending on the effect TYPE currently active in the processor). When an Effect Type is assigned to the processor, the parameter names that are available to be controlled will automatically appear in the list. Those parameters not available for real time control will not appear. (Only parameters that are deemed musically useful are available for real time control.)

If you select the “AD Param” you can control Volume, Rev Send and Variation Send amounts of an incoming signal. These are followed by each of the 16 MONTAGE synth PARTS, each of which have eight assignable knob destinations. That’s 128 Assignable Knobs, plus the eight for the Common/Audio level.

As we’ll learn, Parts 1-8 can be linked with the Super Knob, but every Part has its own eight Assignable Knobs for when that Part is individually selected (highlighted).

Press the “X” in the screen to exit or press [ENTER] to make a selection assignment.

If you touch the “DISPLAY FILTER” box, you can see all of the assignable devices. Changing the Display Filter does not change anything other than what you are currently viewing.

Overview shortcut:

Again, let’s practice navigating using the available shortcuts.

• Recall the PERFORMANCE and touch the HOME icon.
• [SHIFT] + [INFO] = Overview screen (shown below). Notice that in the PART box, “PART 1” is selected and in the diagram a highlight box also appears around the number “1”:

The Part Assign Knob 1 is linked to PART 1 (green line), which is under control of the Super Knob (blue line). You can go from this information screen directly to “Edit Part 1 Control Settings”. This shortcut will take you directly to the Part Mod/Control > Control Assign screen. If you then activate the AUTO SELECT box, touching/moving a controller will display its assignment. Or simply set the “Display Filter” = ALL to view all assignments for the currently selected PART.

Important Note: Parameter Destinations for the COMMON/Audio level of the PERFORMANCE are different from the available parameter Destinations for an individual synth PART. The INSERT EFFECT A and B that appear among the COMMON/Audio Destinations refer to the A/D INPUT (AUDIO IN) PART, while the INSERT A and B that appear among the synth PART parameter Destinations are those applied to this particular PART.

Catch up on the previous article in the series  – “Mastering MONTAGE 2: Super Knob Common” here.

Next article: “Mastering MONTAGE 4: Super Knob Bipolar” is available here.

The Polarity setting in each is Uni (Unipolar). You can see that one has a Curve showing increase (a positive value) while the other has a Curve applying a decrease (a negative value). This means that the leftmost position of the Super Knob corresponds to the parameter value settings of the Effect window, which are:

• LFO Speed = 0.21Hz
• PM Depth = 80

Note that the parameter value is not 0; rather, it starts at the value as set, and is offset by the Super Knob.

To view the Variation Effect, touch “EFFECT” in the left column and “VARIATION” in the second column. As you can see, when the Super Knob is at minimum (fully counterclockwise), the LFO Speed is 0.21Hz and the PM Depth is 80

Listen while moving the Super Knob to the right. This increases the LFO Speed (Ratio is +22; the positive value indicates how steep the change is) and decreases the PM Depth (Ratio -19; the negative value indicates how steep the decline is). The LFO Speed starts at 0.21Hz and will increase from there. While the PM Depth starts at a setting of 80, the -19 (negative value) setting ensures it will be decreased from there. The Ratio determines what happens (direction and depth of application) to that parameter as the Super Knob is moved from minimum (0) toward maximum (127).

Because the Common Assign Knobs are routed automatically to the Super Knob, only the two assignments for Knob 1 + 2 are needed here.

Experiment with different values for both the Ratio values and the initial LFO Speed/PM Depth values to gain an understanding of what you are changing and how they interact.

Param 1 (Parameter 1) – experiment with this and observe how it changes the incline of the application of the control. It alters the shape of the Curve! So turning the Super Knob does not have to be a straight line increase or decrease (not at all); in fact, you can customize this “curve type” by an astounding degree. More “Parameters” will be added according the Curve Type selection – more on that in a future article. For now, let’s just stick to the Standard Curve.

Experiments

Important Hint: If LFO Speed is initially set to 0.0Hz, you will hear no modulation when the Super Knob is set to 0. By having an initial setting of 0.21Hz, there is a slight movement to the sound right away. This, of course, is a programming preference. Often you want a certain amount of movement to start, and then have the controller adjust that amount. Controlling the range of application is a programmer’s choice.

Try this: Highlight and adjust the LFO Speed parameter directly to hear its adjustment to the speed of modulation from a minimum of 0.0Hz to a maximum of 39.7Hz. You can do so by highlighting the parameter directly in the Variation Effect screen (shown above) and use the Data Dial to change the actual setting value. The initial setting of 0.21Hz is approximately one cycle every 5 seconds — as you approach 20 times a second, you will notice that the speed of modulation/movement itself is creating a low frequency pitch of its own; it practically becomes a buzzer, and at the maximum of 39.7Hz, the LFO is an audible oscillator. In other words, the LFO crosses over from being a low frequency “rate” into being an audible pitch.

Next, try applying higher frequency LFO Speedsat different PM Depth settings. Notice that if PM Depth is 0, naturally, you hear no modulation, no matter what the speed.

Here’s a theoretical situation where this programming would be used: You want to increase the LFO Speed but not have it go into the bizarre (pitch) range that happens as you approach maximum speed. So you want to increase the Speed but decrease the Depth, simultaneously. (This is a job for either two hands, or the Super Knob!)

This is just one of many different scenarios for assigning items to the Super Knob: One gesture accomplishes multiple things.

Summary: Here we have learned that COMMON Assign Knobs 1-8 are automatically assigned to be controlled by the Super Knob. The significance of this will become more clear when we begin to program the PART 1-8 Assign Knobs 1-8, where you can assign a PART parameter to an Assignable Knob and then link the Part’s Knob to the Super Knob.

Depending on your front panel EDIT selection (COMMON or PART 1-8), the Assign Knobs 1-8 take on different roles. If you envision a full front panel, where every Knob is a separate entity, you would have eight Assign Knobs for the COMMON edit parameters, eight Assign Knobs for PART 1 edit parameters, another eight Assign Knobs for PART 2 edit parameters, another eight Assign Knobs for PART 3 edit parameters, and so on. That would be a total of 72 physical Assignable Knobs in a Keyboard Controlled Performance.

Now the reason for the Super Knob comes into focus. You would probably never need to assign this many controls to a single playable sound – it would be difficult for your ear/brain to take in what was happening. But if you think of the eight Parts of a Keyboard Controlled Performance program as one big modular synth that has 64 Oscillators, 64 Filters, 64 Filter EGs, 64 Amplifiers, 64 Amplitude EGs, etc., you begin to understand the scale and scope of the controller matrix on tap here with MONTAGE. The word “massive” is not hype.

Each PART can have 16 assignable Destination (parameters) for the various controllers: Assignable Switches 1/2, Ribbon, Mod Wheel, PB Wheel, Foot Controllers, Aftertouch, and more. You can choose to use the Assignable Knobs directly or linked to the Super Knob. You can assign functions to multiple controller or spread them out as you desire. As we go deeper into the Motion Control Synthesis Engine we will explore these possibilities and pick up some tips on how to navigate and view exactly what’s going on. We highly recommend you take your time and unfold this a layer at a time.

In the example above, we see that the Super Knob can control multiple parameters simultaneously to achieve a specific result — in this case, the Chorus LFO speed is increased, at the same time its Depth is reduced. By adjusting the CURVE you can fine tune this dual action with a single controller gesture.

Extra Credit:  Using the Navigation Shortcuts

Shortcuts:

• Call up the PERFORMANCE “Super Knob Common” and press the HOME icon
• Press [SHIFT] + [INFO] (HOME) buttons to jump to the Motion Control OVERVIEW screen

Here you can view the Controller Wheels/Ribbon, Assignable Knobs/Buttons, Fader and Super Knob  assignments. Touch each of those words directly in the screen to toggle its connections on and off. Shown are the “Assignable” Knobs (green) and the “Super Knob” (blue). Turned off in the viewer are the “Controller” and “Fader.” You can see how the two knobs and the Super Knob are linked to COMMON.

Tip: In the “Part” box the word “COMMON” appears. Change this using the [INC/YES] button or the DATA DIAL. You can select any of the numbered Parts 1-16 (Assignable Knob parameters are available for PART 1-8). Notice how changing the value from “COMMON” to “PART 1”, “PART 2”, etc., actually changes the lighted front panel buttons on your right front panel. Selecting Parts — even selecting “COMMON” — can be done in the screen or by pressing an available corresponding button. Begin to make sense out of the lighted buttons — they always tell a story about what’s going on in your screen!

Return the item to “COMMON” on the OVERVIEW screen.

The box next to the PART > COMMON is a direct shortcut to the Controller Setting screen of the currently selected Part (“EDIT COMMON CONTROL SETTINGS”):

• Touch “Edit Common Control Settings” to go to the Common Edit Control screen
• This shortcut from the Controller Assignment takes you directly to the controlled parameter

“Aha!”

Power Tip: Once you arrive on the Controller Settings screen, you can view the 16 assigned Source/Destination functions of any Part, or the “Common/Audio” level, four at a time, by highlighting the DISPLAY FILTER box and selecting “ALL” (as shown in the screenshot below).

Use the PAGE function to view up to 16 Destinations per programming level. MONTAGE will keep track of the number of assignments per Part and for the Common/Audio level of editing. The “+” sign in a Destination box allows you to ADD a new Source/Destination parameter assignment. The “DELETE” box in the lower right corner removes the selected Source /Destination assignment.

If [AUTO SELECT] is green, you can move a controller to see what is assigned to it or you can move the cursor to the DISPLAY FILTER box and use the Data Dial to view the available options:

This Display Filter allows you to view (not alter) assignments made to a specific controller; when you change the Display Filter you are changing what you are viewing. It is a Display *Filter* because it is allowing you to see just what is assigned to the various Control Source options:

• Assign Knobs 1-8.
• Motion Sequence Lanes 1-4.
• Envelope Follower Parts 1-16, AD, and Master.

In this first programming example, we saw that the Super Knob is linked to COMMON and that COMMON is assigned to vary two Destination parameters. The Destination 1 box is assigned to control the Var LfoSpd. The box with a “+” sign will allow you to ADD a control routing (called a Destination). The “DELETE” box in the lower right corner will allow you to undo a Destination. There can be 16 Destinations (assignments) per PART.

Destination 2 in our example assigns Assignable Knob 2 to Var PmDpth. At this upper COMMON/Audio level of the architecture this includes the following PARAMETER DESTINATION:

• INSERT B (when assigned to the A/D INPUT)

The significance here is that you can control, in real time, the Insertion Effects that are assigned to the A/D INPUT Part. Each MONTAGE PART (including the A/D Input) has its own dedicated dual Insertion Effect processor – which can be automated by the Motion Control Synthesis Engine. A Microphone can use a pair of Insert Effects (a Delay LCR and something else) and you can, for example, control the Dry/Wet Balance and number of repeats (Feedback level) by assigning control to one or more of the available COMMON Assignable Knobs:

• INSERT A (when assigned to the A/D INPUT)
• REVERB (System Effect)
• A/D INPUT Parameters

The significance here is that, at the top COMMON level, all eight Parts can be influenced (or not), depending on how much signal you send into the shared System Effect processors. In other words, every PART has a SEND amount into the Reverb and Variation processors, and you can determine how much per Part. Effect parameters for the chosen Effect TYPE will be available as assignable Destinations. We saw this in the first example, where we were controlling parameters within the 2 Modulator Chorus TYPE:

• A/D INPUT Parameters

Here you can control the VOLUME, as well as the SEND amounts to the Reverb and Variation SYSTEM EFFECTS for the A/D INPUT Part. This gives you full automation of audio signal coming into MONTAGE — which could be anything you place in front of a microphone, or another keyboard, or other playback source:

• MASTER EFFECT

The significance here is that you can automate control over the Master Effects – making it a PART of the Motion Control situation:

• PART 1 – AS1 through AS8
• PART 2 – AS1 through AS8
• PART 3 – AS1 through AS8
• PART 4 – AS1 through AS8
• PART 5 – AS1 through AS8
• PART 6 – AS1 through AS8
• PART 7 – AS1 through AS8
• PART 8 – AS1 through AS8

• 

It is very important to understand these assignments. They allow the Super Knob to control specific items within each separate PART. As we stated at the beginning of this tutorial, the Super Knob automatically controls the eight COMMON Assignable Knobs 1-8 and it works directly on those upper level/shared parameters. Notice that listed here is each of the eight Keyboard Controlled PARTS, as well as each of their eight Knobs. This means that, with an assignment selection here, you are linking the individual PART’s control of a Destination parameter to the movement of the Super Knob.

In our next lesson, we will see how this intermediate step opens the door to a wide, wide world of synth patching. We will drop down a level to the individual Part and the parameters that only affect a single Part within a Performance. We will assign PART 1’s Assignable Knob 1 so that it follows the movement of Super Knob and yet controls a parameter exclusively (locally) within just one Part, PART 1. The selection of potential Destinations will change and will include parameters specific to this particular PART as an individual component within the PERFORMANCE.

Catch up on the previous article in the series: “Mastering MONTAGE 1: The Super Knob” here.

Next Article: “Mastering MONTAGE 3: Super Knob Unipolar” is available here.

We’ll start with an “Init Normal AWM2” Performance:

• Press [CATEGORY SEARCH] and select “Init”
• Choose “Init Normal (AWM2)”

From the main screen of a Performance (HOME), touch the Home icon in the upper left corner of the screen – this will automatically take you to the main screen of the current Performance, and it will highlight the Performance Name. From here we can begin our tour of the MOTION CONTROL SYNTHESIS ENGINE:

• Touch “MOTION CONTROL” — the second item in the first column of the screen
• Touch “SUPER KNOB” — the fifth item in the second column of the screen:

If you turn the Super Knob you will notice that all eight Assignable Knobs move in concert under the control of the one Super Knob. No special assignment needs to be made to have this control at this programming level. Because we are at the upper Common level of the architecture, each of the eight Assignable Knobs are automatically linked to the Super Knob. Currently, they are not assigned to do anything – again, this is for you to decide on a per program basis. These Assignments can be made to a specific set of parameters that are common to all the PARTS associated with this PERFORMANCE (including the A/D Input Part). These COMMON parameters are referred to in the architecture as the “Common/Audio” parameters.

The Super Knob can be assigned at the overall top level to parameters that could affect all controlled PARTS (in common) or are available to all PARTS (in common), including parameters for the Analog-to-Digital Audio Input Part. (The A/D Input is included along with the overall Common parameters because it can be a control Source assigned to influence any of the synth Parts.)

The Super Knob can also be simultaneously assigned to control specific parameters within a PART by linking the PART’s ASSIGNABLE KNOBS to the Super Knob found on a deeper level. (More on that as we go along.)

At first glance, the MONTAGE appears to have just eight Assignable Knobs and the Super Knob. In the actual programming, every Performance has a set of eight Assignable Knobs on this upper “Common/Audio” level of the architecture, and each of the eight possible synthesizer Parts under “Keyboard Control” has a set of eight Assignable Knobs of its own, at the PART level of programming! Any or all of the individual synth Part’s eight Assignable Knobs can be linked, so that they, too, follow movement of the Super Knob (or not). This is entirely programmable, and all can be influenced by the Super Knob, if you wish. These multi-dimensional changes and interactions are at the heart of the Motion Control Synthesis Engine.

The LED PATTERN Type setting (lower right in the screenshot above) allows you to choose different behaviors and color schemes for the Super Knob (including OFF, for those with no sense of adventure/style and who are certain they don’t want a colorful flashing knob). You will find that it is not only colorful but a highly useful multi-dimensional control. The SUPER KNOB value setting in the lower right corner indicates the currently stored value for the Super Knob (its current location). In the screenshot, notice that all eight Assignable Knobs and the Super Knob are set to the middle value: 64.

Knobs, Knobs, Knobs

We should mention that in addition to the Assignable Knob functions, the eight Knobs can be used to QUICK EDIT the currently selected PART (or all Parts together). This is similar to how the Motif XF had three rows of eight parameters, each of which could be applied to the currently selected PART or all PARTS together (Common). You may notice also that the selection here is a bit different:

• Row 1 TONE = Cutoff, Resonance, FEG Depth, Portamento, Attack, Decay, Sustain, Release.
• Row 2 EQ/FX = Low Gain, Low Mid Gain, Mid Gain, High Mid Gain, High Gain, Pan, Variation Return, Reverb Return.
• Row 3  ARP/MS = ClockSwing, ClockUnit Multiply, Arp Gate Time, Arp Velocity Rate, Motion Sequence Amplitude, Motion Seq Shape, Motion Seq Smooth, Motion Seq Random

The cursor highlight (above) is showing the selected PART item – which can be “COMMON” (all Parts together) or any of the 16 potential Synth Parts within the PERFORMANCE. This is called “QUICK EDIT” because they allow you to apply offsets to the stored value within the program. The CUTOFF knob in the TONE row, for example, offsets the eight potential Filter Cutoff Frequency settings within the currently selected PART.

When editing a single PART, remember, there are eight Elements, each with its own Filter and Filter Cutoff Frequency setting. If you simply want to make the sound brighter, adjusting this CUTOFF knob in a positive direction (clockwise), is like applying an offset increase to eight separate Filters. To select the first Knob to offset PART 1’s Cutoff Frequency you would select PART [1] and make sure the front panel [TONE] button is illuminated. These QUICK EDIT functions allow for overall changes to be made quickly … and, as we will see, you can dive deeper and select a specific Element, a specific Filter and assign one of the Assignable Knobs to it (separate from all others).

If COMMON is selected, that one QUICK EDIT knob could, in theory, be adjusting the Filter of all the PARTs together – similar to the Motif/MOXF-series Quick Access Knobs. In the Motif XF, for example, you also have 24 Knob parameters for the selected Part, two of them being assignable (AS1/AS2). Here you have 24 Knob parameters; however, since you have eight Knobs that are assignable per Part, you do not see them listed here — they have a separate view. Each Part, when individually selected, has 24 Quick Access knob parameters plus its own eight fully Assignable Knobs. And yes, each of the fully Assignable Part Knobs can be set to control multiple destination parameters, simultaneously, each with their own range and direction!

SUPER KNOB always available

The SUPER KNOB does not have to be selected, nor does any special condition need to exist, for it to control its assigned parameters. Even if you are using the Knobs to control a specific Part directly (via QUICK EDIT, as in Part 1’s CUTOFF), the Super Knob can still be used to function as assigned to the PARTs it’s assigned to control. The [ASSIGN] button that is just to the left of the Super Knob simply alerts you to what the red step-ladder indicators that encircle each Knob are indicating at the moment. It does not affect whether or not the Super Knob is functioning — it functions whether this is lit or not.

As we go along, you will see how useful the Super Knob can be when performing on MONTAGE. We will be introducing you to concepts that are bound to be new, but we will attempt to unfold them a step at a time so that you can follow along. It is highly recommended that you explore the basic programs provided (as a download) with this series of articles rather than diving into the Factory Performances (which include many, many advanced routing scenarios that may or may not be easily decipherable at first glance). The basic examples provided here have no extra frills to disturb the learning process – seeing and hearing the results will be the best way to learn what is going on. Theory is one thing; experiencing it is entirely a different thing.

You will notice that all eight of the Knob icons and lighted step-ladder LEDs around the Assignable Knobs move together, initially. You’ll be able to adjust the movement, the range and the direction and apply that to the selected (assigned) parameters, as you require. And in a similar fashion to the way sound is created with a huge modular synthesizer, you will be making assignments (routing connections) that cause different components within the synth engine to interact.

As you can see, the default for the Super Knob is for it to change values from a Minimum (0) at 7 o’clock (green) to a Maximum (127) at 5 o’clock (blue). The green color for VALUE 1 indicates Minimum, and the blue color for VALUE 2 indicates Maximum. You can easily reverse the direction by making VALUE 1 = 127 and VALUE 2 = 0:

Now, when you move the Super Knob, Assign Knob 1 will move in the opposite direction from the other seven knobs, effectively reversing the direction of application of the controller. As we go along we will see that this can be useful for fading something out while another knob might be fading something in, etc. Also, by adjusting the VALUES for green (1) and blue (2) you can limit the range of application to just a specific region. Later we will see how this can be used to fine tune the application of your controller function. This will be done by ear, based on the musical results that are useful for your program.

In the next article in this series we will tackle Super Knob Common assignments, i.e., controlling parameters within a SYSTEM EFFECTS. The SYSTEM EFFECTS are “shared” by all PARTs in that they are available via an Auxiliary Send per channel. Control over them is therefore indeed a COMMON assignment. If, for example, you want to control one of the two INSERT EFFECTS assigned to a specific SYNTH PART, that would be handled on the PART (Assignable Knob) level of programming — because each Synth Part has its own set of eight Assignable Knobs! In the articles that follow, we’ll dive deeper to the individual Part parameter assignments, where we are specifically controlling one Part separately from the others.

Background on Controllers and the Parameters they Control

When thinking about assigning parameter destinations to control from physical controllers, the musician must think about the physical gesture used to apply the controller and the direction of response. In other words, a Mod Wheel moves from a nominal minimum position (fully down) smoothly to a maximum position (fully up). You can quickly understand this best matches parameters that have values that move in that direction — 0 through 127, for example. Attempting to assign control for panning to the MW would not seem to be optimum because you would always be guessing about where center is exactly. Some parameters are minimum to maximum, like volume, send levels, etc. — while some move above and below a center (pitch bend, pan position, etc.) and sometimes you just want to limit the amount of change. Assigning Volume to the Mod Wheel is a controller parameter match, as both move from a minimum value toward a maximum. But for every rule there are going to be exceptions – so throw away the rule book! Say you want use the MW to pan one sound from the left position in a mix to the right position, while simultaneously panning another sound from right to left! In this case they will pass each other somewhere in the middle.

The way the eight individual Assignable Knobs interact with the Super Knob and the application of change is what we will be digging into here. And this is where you will discover why it is indeed “super.” Although the gesture will be simply moving the Super Knob from minimum to maximum, you can define the result that this has on the tone engine to a degree that boggles the mind. Simply sweeping the Super Knob from minimum to maximum can have two sounds criss-crossing in the stereo panorama, passing each other several times with just the single gesture!

Here’s another important point: The application of any physical controller is always a matter of personal preference. It’s how far you like to move the Mod Wheel to get the amount of vibrato you like. It’s how far you move the PB wheel to get the amount of change you desire. It’s how hard you want to strike a key to get the response you desire. So is setting the range and direction of movement within the Motion engine. It’s all of these things and they are as individual as you are.

As you go through the exercises in these articles, please follow through with experimenting when instructed. Hearing the influence a parameter has on the result is what learning is about here. Remember, programming is really making decisions that are personal preferences.

The Live Set used in the Mastering MONTAGE series can be downloaded by clicking here. (Note: Before downloading, be sure to make a backup USER file (.X7U) so you will have a document of your own user data. Loading the data will overwrite any data you have in User memory.) This Live Set presents 16 basic AWM2 (based) Performances, as shown below:

In this series of articles, we’ll be using these to illustrate the fundamentals of navigating and looking at these Controller assignments. Please follow along with the given examples, as they are designed to take you through discovering the different layers of the architecture. Each example is designed to start your exploration, and this tutorial assumes you are following along, hearing exactly what is being affected by the assignments being discussed. These example Performances were originally assembled by Peter Krischker (Easy Sounds, Europe) for the Yamaha programming team — we have simply edited and expanded on these basic setups and use them as programming launching points to explain and explore the architecture.

Next article: “Mastering MONTAGE 2: Super Knob Common” is available here.