LFO reset (retrigger) in H90 when signal in the gate?

[pvichoudis]

Hello, I am aware that the LFOs in several modulation algorithms of the H90 can be retriggered/reset via a footswitch.

I was wondering if you could provide the same functionality when a signal in the gate appears instead.

Having such a feature is particularly interesting in live situations. For example, to synchonize a tremolo/stutter effect using a tap tempo. From experience, tapping the tempo extremely precisely is very difficult to achieve. However, if one taps the tempo with a reasonable precision (e.g. +/- 2 bpm or so), the drift of the oscillators will virtually be indistinguishable if a single note played every 1 or 2 bars could reset the LFOs.

And doing so is way easier than doing it pressing a footswitch that often.

I am aware of at least one pedal in the market that offers this feature (the “Treminator” tap tremolo by Dreadbox) and I was hoping this could be done in the H90.

[tbskoglund]

Hello,

Thanks for your request. Just so I understand correctly, when you say “when a signal in the gate appears” do you mean the LFO would reset based off of the input signal?

There are many synthesizers where the LFO can be retriggered when a note is played, so every time you play a note you can have a more predictable, synced LFO sound. Is that the effect you are trying to achieve?

[pvichoudis]

Hi tbskoglund,

Many thanks for your reply! This is exactly the effect I am trying to achieve, I couldn’t have said it better! I simply prefer to retrigger the LFO using a pick rather than a footswitch, that’s all. Do you think such a feature could be feasible in an upcoming firmware release?

P.S.: I should have mentioned that we are a band with only two guitars, bass and drums. On stage, we do not use synths, click tracks, backing tracks, midi clocks nor other midi equipment. An example case is to play the arpeggiator part in the intro of one of our songs using an electric bass and the H90 (with the HotSawz or Polysynth algorithms). Since the part is pretty long (about 25 seconds), and the tempo tapped in the H90 doesnt match perfectly the actual tempo as played by our drummer, we often have audible drifts, thus the need for a convenient way to retrigger.

P.S.2: for some reason, my initial reply did not go through thus the repost – apologies for the duplication

[pvichoudis]

Hi tbskoglund, many thanks for your reply! This is exactly the effect I am trying to achieve, I couldn’t have said it better! I would like to retrigger the LFO with a pick rather than the footswitch. Do you think it is feasible?

P.S.: I just realized I should have described the use case: it is about a band with just two guitars, bass and drums – no synths, no click tracks, no backing tracks, no midi clocks nor other midi equipment. And a real-life example is to play the single-note arpegiator intro of one of our songs using an electric bass (and a H90 running the hotsawz or polysynth algorithm, with the LFO synced using tap tempo). The intro is about 25 seconds long, therefore without retriggering it is essentially impossible not to have an audible drift (with the above mentioned setup assuming a small offset between the tapped tempo and the actual one, as played by the drummer). In case it helps, here is the link for the track -> https://haneketwins.bandcamp.com/track/feel-the-burn

[brock]

It also has to do with the adjustable length of gate time, the Dreadbox based around it’s VCA, EGs & LFO.  Without that, there would be no control over the frequency of the retriggering.  For example, the LFO would be retriggered on each new input note that crossed the threshold level.

It’s a rare application of combined controllers.  In a Beebo (probably Zoia or similar), it would start with an Onset Detect or Env Follower module – for the note trigger – split off to a Trigger To Gate module, with a gate hold parameter.  And also split off to an LFO Reset.  I suppose it can be done.  I would think LFO Phase might get involved, as many will expect an LFO Retrigger to reset at the maximum height of the waveform.

It might be more straightforward to send a MIDI CC mapped to Retrigger from a sequencer.

[pvichoudis]

Hi brock, many thanks for your reply.

I have to admit that I dont understand much about synths and I wouldn’t know how complex such implementation could be (although I would be very disappointed if such a powerful and premium unit could not do it). As mentioned in my reply to tbskoglund, we are a band with only two guitars, bass and drums. On stage, we do not use synths, click tracks, backing tracks, midi clocks nor other midi equipment.

What I know for sure is that such a feature could be super useful. A typical example could be the track “Boulevard of Broken Dreams” by Green Day that happens to have a corresponding program in H90 namely “I Walk Alone”. And I am not sure how such tracks could be played consistently by bands with a similar setup to ours (using the H90). Please note that I do not refer to musicians that consistently manage to tap tempo with a sub-bpm precision).

P.S.: by the way, excuse my ignorance but it is the first time I post something in this forum and I am surprised why my reply to tbskoglund is not shown yet (maybe because I posted a link?)

[brock]

Hey, pvichoudis.  Sometimes a link or attachment flags a post for moderation.  It’s happened to me.  Seems like the forum security has ramped up lately, along with the bot replies with buried links in them.

I didn’t mean to get all technical.  Just thinking through the process, hoping to land on a simpler workaround.  Eventide developed a killer envelope follower, which is the first part needed for your feature request.  Matching it with the gate hold length would be the next step.

The Envelope Follower would also need to be linked to Retrigger, and probably done globally (available to any Program).  I can’t seem to think of an easier way to get you there now, with your current band setup.  MIDI does make it easier for sync’ed effects like this.  I also understand that live, no one wants to be strictly locked to dehumanized timing.

Stuff like ‘Boulevard’ … I had that effect set up in an AdrenaLinn III.  We pretty much had to play to that effect, not the effect following us.  And I suspect Green Day might’ve done the same.

Just some thoughts that haven’t gotten you any closer.  As it stands now, the options for Retrigger alone consists of external or onboard switching, or MIDI CC control.

 

[tbskoglund]

Hi again,

Thanks for confirming your feature request. Yes, I think this is a good idea and we’ve discussed something like this recently. I can’t guarantee anything but I have logged your request and I’d also like to have something like this in a future update.

We have recently update our forum moderation to block most URLs because of many bot posts. Sorry for the inconvenience, I’ve just allowed your original post to go through so we can check out your bandcamp link.

[pvichoudis]

Hi,

I completely understand that you can’t guarantee anything at this point, but I’m thrilled to hear that you’re considering including this in a future update!

[pvichoudis]

Hi brock,

thanks again for those clarifications, I understand much better now! As it stands now, none of the available retriggering options are very attractive to me.

For the moment I prefer to use the dreadbox (I just realized that I forgot to mention that I own one), hoping to have someday a firmware release that implements that feature.

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