TimeFactor: Why can’t small time increments be programmed to exp. pedal?

[duffmcshark]

When using the TimeFactor with an expression pedal, it seems like there has to be a 50 ms difference between the heel down and toe down positions.  I use an EHX 8 Step Program with mine and would like to dial in something much shorter, like 8 to 12 ms between the heel and toe positions; that way I can set it to randomly jump around small intervals.  As it currently is I can only get pedal to make changes in 8 ms intervals when set to longer delays, and using any more than 16 ms in a time change becomes too big a jump to be usable for what I’m doing.  Can this be changed?  Is there a reason for this?

[nickrose]

A lot of expression pedals are rather noisy, and as a result we have to wait for a non-infinitesimal change to take place before recognizing it. Otherwise, the values would be flickering around, with audible effects if connected to a preset's parameter.

For this and other reasons, the expression pedal is not the best way to make subtle changes.

If you restrict the range of expression pedal control (changing the MIN/MAX values), this will in effect increase the precision.

Since some people use these pedals with synth control voltages which will be cleaner than an expression pedal, we might want to thing about allowing an optional defeat/reduction of the filtering.

 

 

 

[brock]

External Time Modulation … excellent!  There are some amazing untapped effects to be had here.  I’m doubling up with a Source Audio Reflex through the 8 Step, and then out to my H9 / PitchFactor.  Modulating the modulator, in a real sense.

As Nick said, you’d have an easier time with fine resolutions using analog CV, or MIDI control (slightly better, but with its own set of hurdles).  But I use a few techniques that can get you closer to your goal.  One or more of them might be your answer.

First of all, use the H9 Control app.  Period.  I had a much harder time fine-tuning the PitchFactor from the stompbox itself.  I could dial in smaller increments with the encoder, but they didn’t always ‘stick’ in the programming.  In H9 Control, you can hold the CTRL / CMD key, and slowly move the mouse in tiny increments.  I should back up, and say that you do this while the ‘Heel’ or ‘Toe’ switch in the app is engaged [either side of the expression pedal ‘strip’].

Also with an expression programmer switch engaged, you can double-click on a DELAY time value, and enter it numerically.  Exact values for your upper & lower limits.  Sometimes, that won’t get you past the ‘jitter filter’; most times it will.  It depends on the algorithm selected, and exactly where the starting value is within the DELAY parameter range.

On the EHX 8 Step Program, the normal base setting for Depth is 5, for any Eventide pedal.  If you drop that to 4,3,2 … you can effectively lower the upper Toe limit.  Anything above 5, and you lose resolution over your EXP PED mapping.

Another thing to try is the Glide setting.  Bump it up from 0 towards 9, and you’ll never actually reach your programmed sequencer step positions.  So you could – for example – set your EXP PED delay time range to 50 or 100 mS, and dial up the Glide to sweep between fractions of that delay time full range.

[duffmcshark]

Thank you both for all your help! I switched to using the CV and got a long USB cable so I can use the H9 Control app and it’s working much smoother. Plus it’s nice to know why things work the way they do.

[Author]

Posts