Yoshimi extras

[Folderol]

A few points that seem to get overlooked.

Most buttons and controls have tooltips if you hover the pointer over them. With controls, it usually includes the current numeric value. Sometimes in MIDI 0-127 styles, but mostly in actual values.

Yoshimi uses window 'stacks' to limit controls to sensible groups. A normal left click on the appropriate button opens a window to the next level. However, if you instead use the right mouse button, when it opens the new window it also closes the previous one which is particularly useful on a small screen. If you then right click on the close icon at the bottom, it will reopen the previous one so you can quickly run up and down the stack.

Effects always have one of their presets loaded (apart from EQ), which you can then edit as you please. As soon as you do so the background behind the preset name will turn blue. This is to warn you that it no longer is the default for that preset. It is particularly relevant when you save, and later reload an instrument or patch set, when you might not know it was changed.

[Martin Walker]

All very useful information Will - thanks!

There seems to be a very short shallow end for the Yoshimi, where even a few steps can take you into the deep end

Martin

[Folderol]

That's true, but at least there are steps, and you're not thrown straight into the deep end. Also you can stop at any step you like and still get useful results.

[Martin Walker]

Well said Will!

Martin

[Folderol]

If you have a controller that can send NRPNs then these will get much better resolution for things like detune sliders in the engine editors. The same is true for the frequency element of any effects. Even for the controls that don't have that amount of detail, you still get the benefit of having vastly more controller values to chose from than ordinary CCs.

However, there are a few NRPNs that take priority, such as vector control.

For those interested, there are two conversions. The first is from the input source, via the min/max modifiers, to a common floating point variable, and the second is from this to the actual control range of the learned item.

[Martin Walker]

[Folderol]

When Paul Nasca did the original design he put a lot of thought into default settings. The result is you can get some dramatic results with the simplest operations.

All the suggestions below are just starting points, and I would say most emphatically if you hear something you really like, save it immediately - you might never get it again!

With all of these your starting point is 'Simple Sound' and click on the 'Edit' button in the main window

AddSynth: Organ sound
Right click on the ADDsynth 'Edit' button.
Right click on 'Show Voice Parameters'.
Right click on 'Waveform'.
Click on 'Base Function' and change it from Sine to Sqr.
On the top row of the harmonic sliders set 2 and 4 to maximum, and 6, 8, 12, 16 about half way up.
Have a listen. This will already sound reasonable.

Right click on the Close icon, to go back to the Voice window then click on the '2' tab, and 'On'.
Here is where we cheat. Near the bottom click on 'Internal' and change it to 'Osc. 1', then move the 'Frequency' detune slider to the right so the box alongside reads about 2.33.
Also set the 'Pan' control at the top to the 3 O'clock position.

Click on the '3' tab, and 'On'.
Do the same to pick up Osc 1, but this time set the frequency slider to about -3.20 and 'Pan' at 9 O'clock.
You now almost have your pipe organ.

Click on the 'Close' icon, to go back to the ADDsynth window, then in 'Filter', set 'VSnsA' to zero for a bit of extra brightness.

Finally, right click on the 'Close' icon, then click on the 'Effects' button (below Kit Edit) and click on 'No Effect' and select 'Reverb' this will put your organ in a cathedral where it belongs

AddSynth Modulator:
Right click on the ADDsynth 'Edit' button.
Right click on 'Show Voice Parameters'.
Under Modulator click on 'Type' and select 'FM'.
Have a listen

Then below this, click on the Amplitude 'On' button.
Bit different isn't it?

Next move to the filter section an switch it on, also switch on the filter envelope. Which adds yet another dimension.

All of this is using just two sinewave oscillators. For a bit more depth try switching Unison on.

SubSynth: Choir sound
Disable ADDsynth and enable SUBsynth then right click on its edit button.
On the top row of the harmonic sliders raise number 4 so the bottom of its 'thumb' is level with the top of slider 5, then raise 2 and 3 until all the first 4 give a fairly natural looking slope. If you have the 'Reports' window open this will show as 2 @ 78, 3 @ 39, 4 @ 12.
That will already start to sound quite nice, but now, at the top pf the window set 'Band Width' to about 65 and try that.

To put our choir in it correct setting, right click on the close button, then right click on 'Effects'.
Click on 'No Effect' and select Reverb.

PadSynth: Chimes sound
Disable ADDsynth as before, then enable PADsynth and enter it's editor. This takes you to the harmonic structure. Every time you change these controls you will have to hit 'Apply' to register the changes.

Right click on 'Waveform' then change 'Base Function. from Sine the Gauss.
Move the second harmonic slider to maximum.
Switch Adpt. Harm to 'On'
This won't sound anything like chimes yet, but we are about to apply magic

Right click on 'Close.

Back in the padsynth harmonics window, set 'Overtones Position' to 'Power', then set 'Par1' to about 232, 'Par2' to 101 and 'Force H' to 100%.
Remember to click on apply.

This is pretty close now, so click on the 'EnvelopesLFOs' tab.
In the 'Amplitude Env' panel set 'D.dt' to about 3.6 seconds and 'Rdt' to about 5.3 seconds.

[Martin Walker]

Right - I'll be trying all that out forthwith.

Thanks Will!

Martin

[Folderol]

For those Yoshimi-cally challenged, this is what that AddSynth Organ sounds like, with the following extra tweaks:
Voice 3 moved up an octave (but still with voice 1 sound)
The main AddSynth Amplitude A.dt moved up to 41.4mS
The part effects Reverb D/W set to it's mid position.
http://www.musically.me.uk/themainevent/Test_Organ.wav

[Folderol]

Been doing 'stuff'. However this is what the chimes sound like. The only change I made here was dropping the Amplitude envelope S.val (sustain value) to zero. Otherwise if you hold on to the note, it doesn't sound very chime-like.

I can imagine this would make a nice doorbell sound for Arpangel

http://www.musically.me.uk/themainevent/Test_Chimes.wav

[Martin Walker]

Impressive!

Toccato could do with a little more bottom end on the pedals though

Martin

[Drew Stephenson]

That is a fine organ sound.

[Martin Walker]

That is a fine organ sound.

It's a stunning organ sound. I still think the really low notes need a bit more welly though

Martin

[Folderol]

Thank you both
Please don't forget this is just a quick and dirty version and only one rank of... errr... pipes. Look how few steps it took.

For a more detailed full organ (from my Collection) I would use '64ft Organ' for the pedals, as it has a real 'rumble' component, and 'Great Organ' for the main console. For other pipe ranks I would use 'Thin Pipe', and (from Companion) 'Stopped Pipe' and 'Cathedral Pipe Organ'. At a push 'Post Horn' can work quite well with the others.

PS.
64ft should really be 32ft - I got mixed up with the pipe ranks

What did you think of the chimes?

[Folderol]

LFO {no that's not flatulence}
Yoshimi has a slightly odd characteristic with these. The depth control actually goes to 200%.

If you have a sinewave shape, it doubles the LFO frequency in exactly the same way as a fullwave rectifer does to ordinary AC, at the same time the shape of the modulation is changed in an interesting way - especially if you just go to 150%

If it's a saw wave, it just doubles the frequency but with varying amplitude and mark-space ratio. A ramp becomes a sort of glitchy saw, and a square is a sort of glitch with a reducing square component as you increase amplitude.

I haven't put a 'scope on the other shapes

[Martin Walker]

Fascinating - I should you should start a Yoshimi blog Will.

I'd certainly follow it!

Martin

[Folderol]

It's a nice idea Martin, but once you start something like that, you have to keep it up - there's nothing sadder than an abandoned blog. Besides which, I barely have enough time for all the things I'm already trying to do

[Drew Stephenson]

Doesn't have to be just you though, a Yoshimi community blog might be worth a thought?

[Martin Walker]

Indeed - I'd love to find out more about the community and all the different things they are doing with Yoshimi.

Martin

[Folderol]

Well, I must say I haven't thought of that, but surely it still needs someone to manage the forum, dispose of spammers etc. and that's not going to be me. Indeed, I'm so saturated with this stuff, that from Wednesday through to the following Monday, I will be taking a sabbatical from all things technological, meandering around the New Forest.