Input mode, Swing – Expert Sleepers Silent Way v1.7.3 User Manual

Page 19

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Input Mode

The ‘Input Mode’ drop-down controls how the plug-in’s inputs are com-
bined with the LFO signal. The options are:

Add - the LFO signal is added to the input signal. A typical use for
this would be to modulate an incoming pitch CV.

Multiply - the LFO signal is multiplied with the input signal. If for example the input
signal is an envelope CV, this gives the effect of the LFO depth being modulated by
the envelope. A common use for this would be to achieve a vibrato that fades up after
the start of each note.

Combine - effectively the first two options added together. In the example of the in-
put signal being an envelope, this gives you the basic envelope shape plus LFO
modulation, but the LFO is only heard when the envelope is non-zero.

Swing

The ‘Swing’ controls adjust the timing of the LFO in a manner similar to
the swing options found in many sequencer applications.

Essentially, every other sixteenth or eighth note is pushed back slightly,
changing the feel of a straight pattern to the ‘dum de dum de dum’ feel
of a triplet pattern. Of course, the LFO is not dealing in discrete notes, so
in the LFO’s case the effect is more that the time within pairs of sixteenth (or eighth) notes
is warped. But the effect is the same.

There’s a video on the Expert Sleepers YouTube channel which might make this clearer.

A particularly important application of swing is when the LFO is actually generating a
clock signal, for example to sync an external sequencer to the computer. Then applying
swing in the LFO can give you the swing effect on your externally sequenced pattern,
which is not something that’s usually otherwise possible. Again, check the Expert Sleepers
website for an example of this being applied to a TB-303 bassline.

Swing has two controls. The knob sets the amount of swing, in percent. 50% means no
swing (the middle sixteenth note is 50% of the way between the neighbouring notes, as
normal). Higher values of swing make the middle note later; lower values make it earlier.
At 100%, the middle note is right on top of the following note.

The dropdown menu to the right of the knob chooses between sixteenth and eighth note
swing.

NB The swing effect only applies when the host’s transport is playing.

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