Modifiers "Exponential" and "Linear"

Thenewexhibit

Experienced
Can somebody explain what this means in Layman's terms in the modifiers? I'm using it on Reverb for creating pads with the stack feature.

Also, in firmware 19.01 and later for the Axe-Fx III (FM3 and FM9 followed) you can select between:

  • Exponential damping (default: classic damping style where the modifier value has an exponential attack/decay
  • Linear attack/decay
It may be obvious, but still not getting what it practically means between the two haha
 
It has do with the dampening. Linear is the same speed through the dampening time/range. Exponential slows down at the ends.
Got ya! I saw it about dampening, but I’m wondering what that means exactly too; dampening sonically and frequency wise? Or does it have to do with speed of how fast the attack and release work?
 
Got ya! I saw it about dampening, but I’m wondering what that means exactly too; dampening sonically and frequency wise? Or does it have to do with speed of how fast the attack and release work?
as I understand, "damping" in this case only refers to how the modifier value changes - not to the sound
 
Damping won't change the sound of a toggled function like reverb stack, other than adding a delay between switch press & toggle action.

On a continuous parameter with an obvious effect on the sound like whammy control, you can turn up damping and hear/see the difference in the dot's movement with linear vs. exponential damping.
 
Damping won't change the sound of a toggled function like reverb stack, other than adding a delay between switch press & toggle action.

On a continuous parameter with an obvious effect on the sound like whammy control, you can turn up damping and hear/see the difference in the dot's movement with linear vs. exponential damping.
Got ya! So for all intents and purposes, turning the damping up is essentially referring to setting the “attack” and “release”, right?
 
The attack and release are the dampening. With them at zero, linear/exponential doesn't matter.
Got ya! That’s what I was thinking.

That being said, I still don’t know what “exponential” means in regards to the attack and release and how it affects things and why one would choose that over linear.
 
I’ll have to try this with a whammy and see how the yellow dots move. I don’t normally use a whammy, but if that’s a good block to use to illustrate this, I’ll try it out.
 
Got ya! That’s what I was thinking.

That being said, I still don’t know what “exponential” means in regards to the attack and release and how it affects things and why one would choose that over linear.
Practical example: Having a single momentary switch on a midi controller control a whammy like the the Digitech Ricochet. Attack and release control how fast the pitch raises and then falls again. Linear will have the pitch raise and fall evenly. Exponential will have the pitch raise slow down as it gets closer to the top, and vice versa when it falls down again.
 
Practical example: Having a single momentary switch on a midi controller control a whammy like the the Digitech Ricochet. Attack and release control how fast the pitch raises and then falls again. Linear will have the pitch raise and fall evenly. Exponential will have the pitch raise slow down as it gets closer to the top, and vice versa when it falls down again.
THAT’S what I was looking for in regards to exponential vs linear!!!!! Hahahha thank you for that explanation!

So does that mean that if you set for example attack to 500ms; if it’s set to “exponential”, it will still come to it’s full setting in 500ms, but the timing of the way it reaches it’s full setting throughout that 500ms is different than a linear fashion. Is that correct/am I making sense in that explanation?
 
So does that mean that if you set for example attack to 500ms; if it’s set to “exponential”, it will still come to it’s full setting in 500ms, but the timing of the way it reaches it’s full setting throughout that 500ms is different than a linear fashion. Is that correct/am I making sense in that explanation?
Exponential takes more time than the actual damping value. For one reason or another it covers about (or maybe exactly) half of the remaining distance in half the damping time. So toggling min-max with damping at 1000 ms, it takes 500 ms to reach 50%, another 500 ms to 75%, 500 ms to 87.5%... with the speed constantly decreasing. In theory that would never reach the final value, but eventually it sounds close enough and the device would (probably) round to and stop at the final value.
 
Exponential takes more time than the actual damping value. For one reason or another it covers about (or maybe exactly) half of the remaining distance in half the damping time. So toggling min-max with damping at 1000 ms, it takes 500 ms to reach 50%, another 500 ms to 75%, 500 ms to 87.5%... with the speed constantly decreasing. In theory that would never reach the final value, but eventually it sounds close enough and the device would (probably) round to and stop at the final value.
That’s really interesting! I wonder why the default is “exponential” if it seems to be less predictable?
 
I appreciate all of the talk on this, everyone! Next question would be this: "Exponential" or "Linear" in the modifier section?
I find it to be kind of a personal setup in terms of how you "play" the pedal for swells or wah or whatever, and what you hear. I'm constantly futzing with the damping settings and the curve to find what feels best - probably different for everyone.
 
When choices like this have no discernible difference to my ear, I leave it set to the default and move on. Sure, understanding and learning is worth it, definitely. But I also don’t let these questions take up my time (not saying you are).

Usually what happens is one day I try again and suddenly hear the difference.
 
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