It's All About Control

If you feel that music is about entering data offline instead of performing in real time, sure, go with the mouse. But if you want to wrest control from the machines and put it in your hands — where it belongs! — keep reading.

THE GENESIS OF CONTROL

Controlling soft synths or tone modules with controllers is very similar to the process of using automation in sequencing programs. In live performance, your keyboard controller sends MIDI continuous controller data that controls specific synth parameters. In the studio, physical control motions are recorded as MIDI-based automation data, which upon playback, controls soft synths (and/or signal processors).

CONTROLLER TYPES

Many musicians use dedicated hardware control boxes. These typically have assignable faders, knobs, and buttons that transmit MIDI automation and control data.

A more recent development involves keyboard controllers with an onboard collection of hardware controls. M-Audio, CME, Edirol, Korg, and Novation are particularly well-known for these, but note that many synthesizers (e.g., the Yamaha Motif line) have assignable controllers that can control anything from synth parameters to sequencer transport controls.

LOOKING AT THE MAP

The process of assigning hardware controllers to software parameters is called mapping. There are three common methods:

Templates. This is the easiest way to go; the software being controlled will have default controller settings (e.g., controller #7 affects volume, #10 controls panning, #72 edits filter cutoff, etc.), and loading a template into the hardware controller maps the controls to particular parameters.

MIDI learn. This is the next easiest option. At the software, you select a parameter and enable “MIDI learn” (typically by clicking on a knob or switch — ctrl-click on the Mac, right-click with Windows). Twiddle the knob you want to have control the parameter, and the software recognizes what’s sent and maps it.

Fixed assignments. In this case, either the controller generates a fixed set of controllers, and you need to edit the target program to accept this particular set of controllers; or, the target software will have specific assignments it wants to see, and you need to program your controller to send these controllers.

CATCHING UP WITH THE CURVE

One of the big issues with controllers is how you punch in with pre-recorded data already in the track. If the physical position of the knob matches that of the automation, no problem: Punch in, and all is well.

But what happens if the parameter is set to minimum, and the knob you want to have control it is full up? This is also an issue live: Suppose you call up a preset with the filter cutoff at max, you want to “tweak” the filter setting with a hardware knob on your controller keyboard, and the knob is at minimum? There are several protocols for handling this.

Just plain jump. Turn the knob, and the synth parameter jumps immediately to that value. This may not be a problem when playing live, but can really stand out in a recording if there’s a sudden and unintended change.

Match-then-change. Nothing happens when you change the physical knob until its value matches the existing parameter value. Once these values match, the hardware control takes over. This creates a much smoother transition, but there may be a lag between the time you start to change the knob and the time it matches the parameter value.

Parameter nulling. This is pretty much relegated to studio automation, and is becoming less common as motorized faders (described next) become more economical. With nulling, there are indicators (typically LEDs) that show whether a controller’s value is above or below the existing value. Once the indicators show that the value matches (e.g., both LEDs light at the same time), you can then punch in, knowing that the transition will be smooth.

Motorized faders. This requires bi-directional communication between the control surface and synthesizer or sequencer, as the faders move in response to existing automation values. This is the best way to go: Just grab the fader and punch, secure in the knowledge that the transition will be both smooth and instantaneous.

GOTCHA!

Rotating a “virtual front panel” knob in a soft synth may have much higher resolution than controlling it externally via MIDI, which is limited to 128 steps of resolution. In practical terms, this means a filter sweep that sounds totally smooth when done using VST or similar automation protocols may sound “stair-stepped” when controlled with an external hardware controller.

While there’s no universal workaround, some synthesizers have a “slew” or “lag” control that rounds off the square edges caused by transitioning from one level to another.

THE “KORE” OF GETTING YOUR “ACT” TOGETHER

Software companies understand that they could help make life easier for musicians by simplifying the mapping and controlling process. One such effort appeared in Propellerhead Software’s Reason 3.0, which introduced a protocol that included presets for a variety of hardware controls (Figure 1). In fact, part of installing Reason involves telling it what controller you’re using. Once that’s done, you have pre-mapped options for the various modules within Reason, and where different “pages” for the controllers extend control to multiple modules.

Native Instruments’ Kore took this concept into a more universal direction. A hardware/software combination, Kore includes a hardware controller (Figure 2) that’s pre-mapped to their instruments (as well as many others, and you also can do custom mappings for unsupported instruments). Kore is a multi-purpose product, and its ability to find sounds from a database has perhaps overshadowed the hardware control part; but ultimately, the control aspects might be more significant in the long run for many musicians.

The most important aspect of Kore’s control protocol is that there is a consistency from one instrument to another: When you reach for the knob that controls filter cutoff in one instrument, the same knob will control filter cutoff in another instrument.

Cakewalk’s ACT (Active Control Technology; Figure 3) that debuted in Sonar 6 provides a mapping protocol where a single control surface can control signal processors, soft synths, and host program parameters (mix, pan, mute, aux send level, etc.). The hardware affects whichever module has the “focus.” ACT has a learning curve, and it takes a little while to work your way around Kore too. But once you learn which knobs control which parameters, and the control surface becomes familiar, you can fly around those parameters and play or edit in a much more spontaneous fashion.

DO IT YOURSELF

I feel ACT-like options will become increasingly prevalent, but when doing assignments, you need to think ahead. For example, I have several different synth plug-ins, and came up with ACT mappings for them using a Peavey PC-1600x 16-fader hardware controller.

However, I thought about which faders would control which parameters before I started the actual mapping process. Synthesizers obviously have more than 16 parameters, but thankfully, I don’t want to control all of them in real time. Besides, remembering assignments for 16 faders is about my limit if I want to concentrate on the music. So, I came up with the following “parameter greatest hits”:

1. Filter cutoff 1

2. Filter resonance 1

3. Amplitude envelope attack

4. Amplitude envelope decay

5. Amplitude envelope release

6. Filter envelope attack

7. Filter envelope decay

8. Filter envelope release

9. Primary oscillator symmetry/pulse width

10. Oscillator balance/mix

11. Secondary oscillator detune

12. Effect depth (for whatever effect may be applied)

13. Overall level

14. Custom 1 (for parameters unique to 15 particular synths)

15. Custom 2

16. Custom 3

LEND YOUR SYNTH A HAND

You might be surprised how much a hardware controller can help both live and in the studio, but be aware that you need to have a consistent strategy regarding those assignments if you want to simplify your life instead of complicate it. Happy playing!