Messages

1

preenfm2 and preenfm3 / Re: eurorack 2.11 cv to instrument new mode

« on: July 20, 2020, 04:51:56 PM »

Quick update: I find the the mode selecting the channel at random to be super useful for percussion patches. I have set up some really fun FM percussion sounds in which it doesn't entirely matter which order they are in -- load them up on a Combi and let the gate choose which sound to play. Really fun. Great add -- thanks, Xavier.

2

preenfm2 and preenfm3 / Re: [Resolved in 2.05B4] Pitchbend response?

« on: July 20, 2020, 03:40:46 PM »

I did it at a Mult of 6.00 on O*Fh and it worked perfectly. Thanks, Xavier.

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preenfm2 and preenfm3 / Re: [Resolved in 2.05B4] Pitchbend response?

« on: July 18, 2020, 06:56:11 AM »

My finding is that PreenFM2 has non-linear Pitchbend response. It bends down much faster then bending up from center position.

Hi Xavier,

I wasn't an owner back when this thread was started, but I'm finding that this odd pitch bend response is back in the v2.12B. When I put Pitchbend at +10, it does a perfect octave up but then so far down it's actually out of audible range.

Is there any way to fix this going forward? Thanks so much.

4

preenfm2 and preenfm3 / Re: eurorack 2.11 cv to instrument new mode

« on: June 29, 2020, 11:20:25 PM »

You can select the Unipolar or Bipolar CV with jumpers behind the PreenFM PCB.
They are marked.
-5Vto+5 or 0to+10

Thanks for the heads up. I think generally, yes, I’d want this input to receive bipolar signals – but for this function in particular I’d want unipolar. Could that be done in software?

5

preenfm2 and preenfm3 / Re: Exponential Envelope Option?

« on: June 29, 2020, 04:38:09 PM »

Hi please implement this! The attack stage has to be exponential in order for humans to perceive the response as linear. This thread supports this https://www.muffwiggler.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=102357 and I'm sure there is other data out there. A linear envelope won't be as snappy and or do modulation sweeps the same. I'm on the fence about buying one and this issue is really the deal breaker

Hi. Thanks for your support of this idea and link to the MW thread – but this shouldn’t be a deal breaker for buying the PFM2. It’s an absolutely incredible and flexible box that continues to inspire me most every time I plug it in. There are so many features packed into it – and Xavier has continued to add new ones (such as the random voice selection via CV gates) that only add to the value.

The envelope issue is simply something I noticed when converting DX-7 patches and think it would be a nice add.

6

preenfm2 and preenfm3 / Re: Exponential Envelope Option?

« on: May 28, 2020, 11:38:07 PM »

Thanks to you both. I am hesitant to even mention this because I hate when people compare the DX7 to the Preen. But here is an example of my Preen playing a single operator at the fastest attack and the DX7 (please ignore the hiss from the Preen -- this was a quick example so I didn't plug in directly to my output ... also, this is from Dexed, a DX7 emulator, but this is consistent w my experience with the actual hardware as well):

https://www.dropbox.com/s/j3sj5oljoej9526/No%20Click.wav?dl=0

There is a bright "clickiness" to every note on the DX that is not present on the Preen. You can even get it when you turn all the EG levels on a DX to 0 but leave the attack EG level at 99. A lot of the time, sound designers will add a little attack time to get rid of the sound where it's not appropriate -- but percussion sounds often utilize it to their advantage.

Again, I hate to mention this because I think people spend too much time comparing the two synths and the Preen is wonderful and a million times more flexible. And I'm not sure exactly what is in the DX7 code that accounts for it -- a little research suggests that Yamaha "faked" an exponential shape. But regardless, this would be a great feature to have given how full-bodied this synthesizer already sounds.

7

preenfm2 and preenfm3 / Exponential Envelope Option?

« on: May 28, 2020, 03:42:18 PM »

I was wondering: is it possible to create an option to use exponential envelopes? My understanding is that PFM2 uses linear envelopes, but my sense is that exponential would help with some of the percussion sounds where a slightly faster attack would be appropriate.

Not sure if this would be a global parameter or per sound. But is something like that doable?

8

preenfm2 and preenfm3 / Re: eurorack 2.11 cv to instrument new mode

« on: May 26, 2020, 11:10:32 PM »

I just uploaded the lastest firmware and found this feature ... love it! It's a great way to control a drum kit using a single CV in.

One question: instead of choosing CV 1 and CV 2 with negative voltage as it is now, can you make this control a unipolar input in the next firmware update? That way it could be chosen with, say a sequencer which usually output unipolar CV, not bipolar.

9

preenfm2 and preenfm3 / Re: RANDOMIZER

« on: January 30, 2020, 01:48:26 PM »

Really excellent video showing how to use the Randomizer to build, shape (and save) sounds:
https://youtu.be/jRP0g-hWwAI

10

preenfm2 and preenfm3 / Re: FareyPreenFM2 little programming tool

« on: January 27, 2020, 07:06:44 AM »

I actually found this works on Mac ... I think the MIDIbus stuff was fixed in the intervening years. Cool little tool, it takes a little time to understand how to use it -- basically, you can set the Farey sequence ratios in two sets of 2OP and then there are three ranges you can send them to the Preen, since it only can go up to multiples of 16. Then you can load other patches and then apply the Farey seq ratios to the patch's envelopes and modulation. Pretty neat.

11

preenfm2 and preenfm3 / Re: PFM2 & Ableton

« on: January 24, 2020, 10:09:04 PM »

Works great, TY, Xavier!

12

preenfm2 and preenfm3 / Re: FareyPreenFM2 little programming tool

« on: January 24, 2020, 03:57:24 PM »

Revive! This seems like a really interesting tool ... did anyone ever get it working on Mac?

13

preenfm2 and preenfm3 / Re: PFM2 & Ableton

« on: January 24, 2020, 03:08:31 PM »

Awesome! I'm on Mac but am very much looking forward to trying this out.

14

preenfm2 and preenfm3 / Re: New Patch Banks

« on: January 22, 2020, 01:04:41 AM »

These are great – thanks for sharing. I’ve been thinking about starting a thread about tips on how best to tweak DX7 patches but this may be as good as any. Obviously there’s been a lot of people asking about feedback – and Xavier’s talked about how feedback is less necessary with saw and noise waveforms. But I’ve found it difficult to reproduce some of the peculiar crackliness of feedback at the highest feedback and level settings on the DX7. It’s not just noise.

Thoughts?

15

preenfm2 and preenfm3 / Re: PFM2 & Ableton

« on: January 21, 2020, 02:38:33 AM »

I may not have been clear – I’m able to get the editor to talk to the Preen and Ableton (the device knows when I’m changing a parameter). What I’m not able to do is get Ableton to talk to the editor.

Is that doable?