Dr. Dipwad
Experienced
An earlier Wish asked for a Pitch Follower range extension; the following includes that idea but goes way beyond it, with more-interesting applications.
The Basic Ask
I think the Pitch Detector should be able to detect various parameters...
(a.) how many notes you are currently playing (i.e., are you playing a single note, a 3-note chord, or a 7-note chord?);
(b.) what the highest note you're currently playing is;
(c.) what the lowest note you're currently playing is;
(d.) the average distance in half-steps between each pitch you're currently playing (i.e. "pitch density");
(e.) the average amount of harmonic "clash" between the pitches you're currently playing (low for 5ths and octaves, high for minor 2nds and tritones);
...and it should do so across a wider range of pitches, from the bottom of low-tuned 5-string basses up to very high guitar notes.
Parameters (a.) and (b.) would be configurable to detect pitches across a range of notes you define (where notes below the lowest of the range produce the same result as the lowest, and notes above the highest produce the same result as the highest).
The User Interface
In a given Preset, you could choose from various combinations of one or all of these factors to control the output, under two settings pages which define "Pitch Follower #1" and "Pitch Follower #2" for the patch. On the two settings pages (#1 and #2) governing the settings for each Pitch Follower, there would be options you could toggle on/off to select which of params (a.) through (e.) were being factored into the modifier output value. So, you could have Pitch Follower #1's output governed only by highest note and number of notes, but Pitch Follower #2's output governed by lowest note and pitch density.
Then, when choosing to assign a block parameter to a modifier, you'd choose either "Pitch Follower #1" or "Pitch Follower #2" (in the same place where, currently, you'd choose "Pitch Detector").
Some Possible Applications
So, you could have:
1. A chorus effect that's wetter and deeper when multiple pitches are ringing, but absent when you're playing one note at a time.
2. A distorted sound that's very fuzzy when dealing with an open-voiced chord made of 5ths and octaves, but cleans up when playing a dense or harmonically-clashy tight-voiced chord.
3. An effect that reliably responds to the pitch of the lowest (or, highest) note you're currently playing, without getting confused by the higher (or, lower) notes you're also playing.
4. A range of notes where, when you play those notes, a "Sustain Block" (if we ever get one, or a high-feedback delay, otherwise) causes THAT note to sustain, while notes outside that range are not sustained, and can be played over the sustained notes. (Very useful for the last note of the solo to Rush's "Limelight," for starters; but also usable where the auto-sustained range of notes are the low ones.)
I think a lot of folks have experimented with using an Expression Pedal to roll back and forth between two different sounds according to whether they're playing lead or rhythm; or whether they're playing open-voiced or tight-voiced chords.
The goal of this Wish is to allow automation of almost all those scenarios...or at least all those involving pitch(es) in any way.
Why This Makes Sense
It makes sense because it's an improvement on what people already try to do with the Pitch Detector. The applications listed above aren't very different from things people try to do today. But getting them right requires that the Pitch Detector be a bit "smarter" and "more discerning" than it currently is, with configuration options so that the user can pick which aspect of pitch detection he cares to use.
So this would be evolution, not revolution.
The Basic Ask
I think the Pitch Detector should be able to detect various parameters...
(a.) how many notes you are currently playing (i.e., are you playing a single note, a 3-note chord, or a 7-note chord?);
(b.) what the highest note you're currently playing is;
(c.) what the lowest note you're currently playing is;
(d.) the average distance in half-steps between each pitch you're currently playing (i.e. "pitch density");
(e.) the average amount of harmonic "clash" between the pitches you're currently playing (low for 5ths and octaves, high for minor 2nds and tritones);
...and it should do so across a wider range of pitches, from the bottom of low-tuned 5-string basses up to very high guitar notes.
Parameters (a.) and (b.) would be configurable to detect pitches across a range of notes you define (where notes below the lowest of the range produce the same result as the lowest, and notes above the highest produce the same result as the highest).
The User Interface
In a given Preset, you could choose from various combinations of one or all of these factors to control the output, under two settings pages which define "Pitch Follower #1" and "Pitch Follower #2" for the patch. On the two settings pages (#1 and #2) governing the settings for each Pitch Follower, there would be options you could toggle on/off to select which of params (a.) through (e.) were being factored into the modifier output value. So, you could have Pitch Follower #1's output governed only by highest note and number of notes, but Pitch Follower #2's output governed by lowest note and pitch density.
Then, when choosing to assign a block parameter to a modifier, you'd choose either "Pitch Follower #1" or "Pitch Follower #2" (in the same place where, currently, you'd choose "Pitch Detector").
Some Possible Applications
So, you could have:
1. A chorus effect that's wetter and deeper when multiple pitches are ringing, but absent when you're playing one note at a time.
2. A distorted sound that's very fuzzy when dealing with an open-voiced chord made of 5ths and octaves, but cleans up when playing a dense or harmonically-clashy tight-voiced chord.
3. An effect that reliably responds to the pitch of the lowest (or, highest) note you're currently playing, without getting confused by the higher (or, lower) notes you're also playing.
4. A range of notes where, when you play those notes, a "Sustain Block" (if we ever get one, or a high-feedback delay, otherwise) causes THAT note to sustain, while notes outside that range are not sustained, and can be played over the sustained notes. (Very useful for the last note of the solo to Rush's "Limelight," for starters; but also usable where the auto-sustained range of notes are the low ones.)
I think a lot of folks have experimented with using an Expression Pedal to roll back and forth between two different sounds according to whether they're playing lead or rhythm; or whether they're playing open-voiced or tight-voiced chords.
The goal of this Wish is to allow automation of almost all those scenarios...or at least all those involving pitch(es) in any way.
Why This Makes Sense
It makes sense because it's an improvement on what people already try to do with the Pitch Detector. The applications listed above aren't very different from things people try to do today. But getting them right requires that the Pitch Detector be a bit "smarter" and "more discerning" than it currently is, with configuration options so that the user can pick which aspect of pitch detection he cares to use.
So this would be evolution, not revolution.
Last edited: