ALESIS ANDROMEDA A6 - Manual (Page 199)

Chapter 9: The A6 Modulation Matrix
A NDROMEDA A6 R EFERENCE M ANUAL 197
A F EW G ROUND R ULES
• The mod paths created from the Mod Matrix are programmable per Program.
This means that each of the A6’s 128 Programs can have a unique set of
custom mod paths, or none at all.
• Therefore, all Mod Routes routings must be written into memory with the
STORE button, just like any other Program or Mix parameter.
• When there are multiple MOD buttons in a module, you can actually assign
multiple sources to the same destination. You can also take the same source
and route it to different destinations simultaneously.
When a destination is being modulated by two or more sources, their effects
on the destination are summed together. This means that the effect of one
source used alone may be added to, subtracted from or even interfered with
by the introduction of another source. This situation may be further enhanced
(or aggravated) when positive amounts are used on some of the sources and
negative amounts are used on the others. Keep experimenting!
• The range of a modulation may not be enough to do the job in some cases. No
problem. Since mod sources assigned to the same destination are summed,
just add the same Source again in another Mod path and adjust
LEVEL until
the required range is achieved. If you still need more just do it again. Also,
since the same Source can be used several times, each
LEVEL can be used for
“fine tuning”: a Source can be used to provide very fine increments of change
if necessary. Try it.
• When modulating a destination that already has a high initial value (above 50
or so) by a positive source value, it is recommended that the initial value be
set to a lower amount. This is suggested so that the modulation has enough
“headroom” to be effective.
If, for example, the destination’s initial setting is near its maximum, in many
cases the effect of positive modulation may not be heard because the
destination’s amount is already near maximum to begin with. Envelope 3
Level is a good example of this—if the VCA is already wide open, adding
positive modulation from another source will have no effect. Some
experimentation is required depending greatly on the nature of the
Modulation Page you’ve created.
• Conversely, when modulating a Destination that has an initial setting of a
lower (below 20 or so) value by a negative LEVEL value, it is recommended
that this initial setting be set to a higher amount. If, for example, the
Destination’s initial
LEVEL is 10, in many cases the effect of negative
modulation may not be heard because the Destination’s amount is already
near its minimum to begin with. Again, some experimentation is required.
• As you audition new MODs you’ve created, you may experience some results
that you didn’t expect. This may be due to the fact that many of the
modulations are inter-related and editing one parameter could possibly affect
another indirectly.
Infinite feedback loops: It is possible to program sources and destinations that
result in infinite loops. For example, the frequency of LFO 1 can be modulated
by LFO 1 itself. Sometimes this is useful, other times you may need to turn the
MOD off to get the program to work correctly.