Reply To: Changing Key In Real Time Using My PitchFactor

[brock]

jmseiver:

Brock,

Thank you for helping me with this.

I have looked for an overview on MIDI CC "syntax" or whatever and I've yet to find anything specific on the WWW.  I will keep looking.

I hope this helps, rather than confusing the issue.  I have quite a few post replies that attempt to clarify MIDI control over the Stompboxes.  Here are the first two that I could find.  I'm sure there are many more if you use "Search this site" for brock MIDI.

New to MIDI – Controlling a PitchFactor and L6 M5

MIDI Control with Behringer FCB 1010

Maybe I can find a few more MIDI guides or references on the 'Net, or within this site.

Quote:

So, as I understand it, MIDI CC messages have two components that the user cares about:

1. CC number (#); e.g., 6
2. CC value (range); e.g., 0 – 5

The PitchFactor lets you assign your own CC# (0 – 99?) to the Control Knobs; I assigned CC# 6 to Control Knob 6 (the knob which changes the Key).  I can understand Eventide not assigning these numbers.

Yes.  Eventide didn't assign specific CC numbers for the most versatility and compatibility.  Just make sure that one CC number doesn't unintentionally conflict with another parameter that may be pre-assigned (defaulting) to the same CC Number.  Are you using the H9 Control app to program your PitchFactor?  I find it to be much, much easier to see everything at a glance in one place.

And you've grasped a very important distinction.  CC numbers range from 0-127 over a specific MIDI Channel.  Eventide chose to implement 100 of these [0-99].  There are 128 CC Values under each CC Number.  Think of it as a 128 knob amplifier or mixing console, with each one of the knobs or faders adjustable from 0 to 127.

Quote:

But I would expect Eventide to define the value ranges that acts on each Key; they have to know these ranges when they design the pedal.   ???

Yes and no.  There are 5 Stompboxes now, dozens & dozens of algorithms, and around 10 parameters for each algorithm.  Each one of those effect parameters is under MIDI control.  And it gets more complicated than that.

A parameter like the H910/H949 Pitch Control has 3 possible settings.  MIDI CC values will always have 128 possible values.  128/3.  The Diatonic algo has 12 Keys, and 13 Scales.  128/12, and 128/13.  A Delay parameter has hundreds of possible values by millisecond.  You won't be able to exactly select every possible millisecond increment (128 divided by, say, 3000).

I'm fortunate to have an embarrassment of MIDI options available to me.  Instead of fumbling around until I find a particular setting for MIDI control, I'll use a graduated "MIDI Knob" to adjust through the value range, or a keyboard encoder or switch to "step through" the possible combinations.  The PitchFactor parameters alone were a mission over MIDI.  But I – like you – had some specific external control in mind that was worth all the effort.

Quote:

BTW, for harmony only, how does the PF compare to the H8000FX in terms of the time delay between the fundamental note and the harmony one(s)?  Any idea?

John

I do not know.  I would have loved using an Eclipse or H8000 instead of my massive pedalboards.  But I've used an array of "pitch shifters" over the years.  Many, many manufacturers, "intelligent" shifting, "harmonizers", "octavers", Whammy's, "Voice" workers … the PitchFactor / H9 have been the most accurate & consistent with what I hear in my mind's ear.  And the most versatile.

As for the processing delay for pitch shifting … it's there.  I've never attempted to measure it, but I've found it to be negligible in context.  I do a lot of digital recording, so I'm all over the results at a microscopic level.  You may notice processing delay in isolation, but it "disappears" in a track or live venue.  We're talking about the threshold of human reaction time here.