Control Parameters in a Synthesizer

There are  three controls that apply to an entire Synthesizer. They affect all MIDI channels and all Programs assigned to those MIDI channels.

• expression selection — Just below the single-channel-view / multi-channel-view button is the expression selection switch. There are two possible selections: you can select "volume only (cc7)" in which case the MIDI Volume continuous controller number 7 is used as the expression control for Synful Orchestra; or you can select "expression (cc11) and volume(cc7)" in which case the MIDI Expression continuous controller number 11 is used as the expression control for Synful Orchestra and the MIDI Volume continuous controller number 7 is used only to control the output gain of the synthesizer.  IMPORTANT: if you select  "expression (cc11) and volume(cc7)" but incorrectly use cc7 to shape phrases then Synful Orchestra will sound more like every other synthesizer — the expressivity of Synful Orchestra will be comprised — so be careful.

Continuous expression control is very important for Synful Orchestra. The expression control (cc7 or cc11 depending what you have selected) is what you use to create expressive phrasing gestures in Synful Orchestra  -- small crescendi and decrescendi during long notes; dynamic shaping of rapid note phrases, etc. When the expression control changes it affects which phrase fragments are selected by the Synful RPM synthesis engine — see RPM - Reconstructive Phrase Modeling — and it changes the timbre or tone color of the synthesized sound. If you are playing from a keyboard  you will generally want to map a continuous foot controller to the expression control. If you  select  "expression (cc11) and volume (cc7)" button you will want to map the foot controller to cc11. When you edit your continuous controllers in your sequencer you should see allot of activity in cc11 and much less activity in cc7. If you select the other button "volume only (cc7)" then you should map your foot controller to cc7 and you should see allot of activity in the cc7 controller — the cc11 controller will be ignored.  

• delay for expression — this is an on-off switch. It displays red when on and gray when off. Delay for expression is a special feature of Synful Orchestra that allows for added expressivity for recorded midi sequences. See Delay for Expression for complete details.

• tune orchestra  —  this slider is found just below the Channel Grid in the Synful Orchestra Control Panel. The value of the slider is displayed in Hertz (Hz) or vibrations per second and gives the frequency of A above middle C. Standard tuning is A=440 Hz so this is the Synful Orchestra default. Many professional orchestras tune slightly higher than A 440 Hz -- for example, A 445 Hz -- to achieve a more "brilliant" sound. You can adjust the tune orchestra slider to achieve desired brilliance or to match other live instruments or recordings. The tune orchestra value is the same for each Synthesizer. The tune orchestra control parameter controls the tuning of all current instances of Synful Orchestra. It can be automated using MIDI continuous controller 110 (cc110) — see MIDI Control and Automation of Synful Orchestra Parameters in Synful Orchestra Help .

• Room Size W — see Localization and Section Controls

• Room Size L — see Localization and Section Controls

• Room Size H — see Localization and Section Controls

• golden ratio — see Localization and Section Controls

• constrain ratio  — see Localization and Section Controls

• Listener Loc X — see Localization and Section Controls

• Listener Loc Y — see Localization and Section Controls