Jun Murakami App Factory

This chapter describes the parameters that relate to how you perform and how you layer tones, rather than the sound itself. On screen, these correspond to the light-blue sections (Patch scope). For where each section is located on screen, see → Chapter 4 "Screen Tour"; for the sound-side (white section) parameters, see → Chapter 7 "Tone Parameter Reference".

8.1 What Are Patch-Scope Parameters?

Whereas the white sections (Tone) determine "the sound of each of the Upper / Lower tones," the light-blue sections (Patch scope) determine "how those two tones are layered and how they are played." Think of them as a framework one level above the sound itself, covering everything from when a MIDI note is received to when sound is produced.

Patch-scope parameters fall into two kinds, depending on their range of effect.

The per-section parameters hold independent values for Upper and Lower even on the actual MKS-80 (internally, they are distinguished by the Group byte of the IPR as Upper = 01 / Lower = 02). Synth-80 follows this behavior, letting you set these performance and expression values separately for Upper and Lower.

The per-section parameters are also shown in light blue on screen. When you want to set them while comparing Upper / Lower side by side, switch the Tone editor to expanded view, where you can check the values of both layers in two rows, upper and lower (→ Chapter 4 "Screen Tour" §4.6).

8.2 MASTER (Master Tune / Dynamics Sens / Stereo Mode)

The MASTER section gathers three global settings that affect the whole Patch.

Master Tune

Fine-tunes the pitch of all VCOs within a range of ±50 cents. This is an overall correction for matching the tuning to the actual hardware or to other instruments.

Master Dynamics Sens

Adjusts the depth of the response curve to MIDI Velocity (1–127) across the whole Patch at once. Lower values reduce the difference between soft and hard playing, while higher values widen the dynamic range. It works multiplicatively with the DYNAMICS TIME / DYNAMICS LEVEL of each envelope on the Tone side (for DYNAMICS TIME / LEVEL themselves, see → Chapter 7 "Tone Parameter Reference").

Stereo Mode

Determines how Upper / Lower are routed to the stereo bus. This reproduces the output assignment on the rear panel of the actual MKS-80.

8.3 KEY MODE (Key Mode / Split Point)

Key Mode

This is the core setting of the Patch, determining how the two tones, Upper and Lower, are combined.

In DUAL and SPLIT, the voice pool is divided between Upper and Lower. When the maximum polyphony (Polyphony) is 8, Upper and Lower each use up to 4 voices. If layered sounds or chords cut off earlier than expected, raising the Polyphony may help (→ Chapter 12 "Settings and Performance").

Split Point

When Key Mode is SPLIT 1, this specifies the MIDI note at which the keyboard is split. This key and above are assigned to Upper, and below it to Lower. It has no effect in WHOLE / DUAL / SPLIT 2 (in these modes, the Split Point display is dimmed).

8.4 BALANCE (Upper / Lower Volume Balance)

This is a global setting that determines the volume ratio between the Upper Tone and the Lower Tone. Balance affects the sound only when Key Mode is DUAL or one of the SPLIT modes. In WHOLE mode, Lower is always silent, so moving this knob does not change the result. Balance also has no effect when Stereo Mode is set to Separate (see §8.2).

8.5 OCT SHIFT (Octave Shift)

Transposes all received MIDI notes in octave steps. Use it when you want to shift the pitch of an entire layer at once, separately from the VCO range (Foot setting).

Octave Shift is a per-section parameter. In DUAL / SPLIT, Upper and Lower can hold separate values, so you can, for example, layer the Lower one octave lower.

8.6 ASSIGN MODE (Assign Mode / Unison Detune / Hold)

The ASSIGN MODE section determines how received notes are assigned to voices, and whether notes are held. All of these are per-section parameters.

Assign Mode

Unison Detune

The amount of pitch offset between the voices stacked in UNISON-1 / UNISON-2 / POLY-2. At 0 they are perfectly in phase; raising it detunes the voices from one another, adding thickness. It has no effect in SOLO / POLY-1, since there are no voices to stack.

Hold

Determines whether sound continues to be held after note-off.

8.7 GLIDE (Glide / Portamento)

Sets the time over which the pitch transitions smoothly from the previous note to a new note (portamento). In the Poly modes, each voice glides independently. Glide is a per-section parameter.

VCF Key Follow follows Glide. When the pitch moves smoothly during a glide, and Key Follow is active, the filter cutoff transitions slowly along with it.

8.8 PITCH BEND (Bend Sens / VCO-1 · VCO-2 Bend Mode)

Pitch Bend Sens

Determines the maximum bend width of the Pitch Bend Wheel. The actual bend amount is determined in combination with the Bend Mode (WIDE / NORM) described below. At SENS = 100, NORM gives about ±12.5 semitones, and WIDE gives twice that, about ±25 semitones.

VCO-1 Bend Mode / VCO-2 Bend Mode

Determines whether Pitch Bend is applied to each VCO, and the width if so. Since VCO-1 and VCO-2 can be set independently, you can, for example, bend only one of them.

VCO-1 / VCO-2 Bend Mode are per-section parameters.

8.9 MOD & AFTER TOUCH (AT Sens / LFO-2 Rate / Sync / LFO-2 Destination)

The MOD & AFTER TOUCH section controls LFO-2, which is used to add expression during performance. LFO-2 is an LFO with a fixed Triangle waveform, driven by the Mod Wheel and Channel Aftertouch.

AT Sens

The modulation amplitude (the depth of LFO-2) when the Mod Wheel or Channel Aftertouch is applied to its maximum. The two share the same bus, and whichever is deeper takes priority.

LFO-2 Rate

The frequency of LFO-2 (0.016–16 Hz, per the MKS-80 spec). The waveform is fixed at Triangle.

The small SYNC button below LFO-2 Rate switches the control between free Hz rate and host-tempo sync.

In tempo sync, one LFO-2 cycle equals one selected note value. If no host tempo has been received, Synth-80 uses 120 BPM as the fallback. Turning SYNC off restores the previous free Hz Rate, so you can try tempo sync without losing the original LFO-2 speed. Like LFO-1, the synced LFO-2 phase is reset on the first note from silence and when you change the note value; additional notes played while a sound is already active do not retrigger the phase.

LFO-2 Rate, SYNC, and Sync Division are per-section parameters. Upper and Lower can have different LFO-2 sync settings in DUAL / SPLIT modes; in WHOLE mode they stay synchronized like the other per-section values.

LFO-2 Destination

Selects the destination of LFO-2 (driven by the Mod Wheel / Aftertouch).

When Destination is VCF, Rate / SYNC do not affect the sound because the MKS-80 behavior is a static aftertouch offset rather than an LFO wobble. Rate / SYNC matter when Destination is VCO.

AT Sens / LFO-2 Rate / Sync / LFO-2 Destination are all per-section parameters. You can give Upper / Lower separate vibrato settings.

8.10 Patch Volume (Per-Patch Volume Trim)

Patch Volume is a volume trim saved together with the Patch (±12 dB). Use it to even out the overall level on a per-Patch basis when volume varies from one sound to another.

Its position in the signal path is as follows.

... → Effect Chain → Patch Volume → Master Volume → output

Patch Volume sits after the Effect Chain and before the Master Volume. The difference is that, whereas Patch Volume is saved with the Patch, the Master Volume is an overall trim that is not included in the Patch. For the concepts of Master Volume, CPU load, and output level, see → Chapter 12 "Settings and Performance".