> Step by step

2. HY-Seq Collection 2 CM’s modulation signal generators

1

Modulating a synth or audio effect’s parameters with a control signal (such as an LFO) is commonplace, but did you know that MIDI can also be modulated? Let’s see how it’s done. As in the previous tutorial, fire up an initialised HY-Seq Collection 2 CM in your DAW and use it to trigger any virtual instrument.

2

Any parameter with a mod slot can be modulated. Let’s modulate note length: head to the central Modulation Source Panel strip, drag and drop the blue target cross up to the Gate knob’s first mod slot (the grey circle with a cross inside), then drag in this circle to apply mod depth. Note length is now being swept around by a concealed LFO…

3

Head back to the Modulation Source Panel and click the ‘square with an arrow’ icon to pop open the Mod Signal Generator’s editing panel. Here, you can tab between five modulation sources: a regular LFO, a Probability LFO, a Step LFO, a ‘draw your own’ Multi-Point Envelope (MPE) and Sample & Hold. Let’s check out three of them…

4

The LFO features eight preset shapes, plus controls for Rate (clocked or freerunning), Offset, Phase and Jitter. The Width slider is a bit like a ‘mix’ amount – drag it left to flatten the waveform, and smooth the curve out with the Smooth parameter. Keep an eye on the real-time wave display to visualise your mod shape.

5

Step LFO allows you to drag and drop different waveform shapes onto each step – a bit like NI Massive’s Performer. Set a Speed between 32 bars and 1/32 notes, define a range of steps with the Start and End controls, then paint in unusual mod step shapes.

6

If you like drawing bespoke modulation curves, the Multi-Point Envelope (MPE) is where it’s at. Right-click to create breakpoints, then click and drag them around to form a mod shape. Rightclick and drag on a breakpoint to turn it into a curve point, then bend curves.