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EssenceFM firmware V5.3

KODAMO	Posted on Mon 08 Nov 2021, 11:06 PM A quite small update this time, the v5.3 is out: https://kodamo.org/firmwares.php Features / UI [Mono outputs] In performance mode, parts can now be assigned to any mono output (1L, 1R, 2L, 2R, 3L, 3R, 4L, 4R) in addition to the stereo pairs. In mono mode, panning is ignored. [Envelopes] Moving the first point doesn't scroll the display anymore (prevents unwanted scrolls) [Envelopes] Clearing a voice resets all volume envelopes to an ADSR-like shape for quicker editing. Pitch envelopes are reset with a segment before and after sustain. Units made with this firmware pre-installed come with all empty voices configured with these envelope shapes. If you want to get this on your updated EssenceFM you need to clear a voice then copy-paste it to all other empty voices. To make the process easier you can: -Press Dec then Paste multiple times to quickly overwrite all 128 voices from a bank -Copy whole banks by doing Copy-Paste in In Global > Sorting > Voice Bank Once you've overwritten all empty voices press the Voice button to get to the voice list, then press Save two times to save all edited voices. Note: saving a lot of edited voices can take a few seconds. Bug fixes [Panning] Panning can now go to 100% right [Startup] Fixed a bug that could freeze the EssenceFM at startup [Patch] Modifying the Round Robin parameter when the patch isn't edited yet do not reset its value to 1 anymore You can share your impressions/feedback here.
BeneathClouds	Posted on Tue 09 Nov 2021, 09:42 PM Thanks Kodamo! The envelope improvements are a welcome timesaver when creating new voices. I also appreciate the mono output assignment for performance mode, as we can now make the best use of the available outputs. Very nice. There is however a minor graphical regression in the Effects & Routing section within the patch mode. The horizontal bar now overlaps the right hand Fx1/Fx2 section. Please see the attached screenshot. Nothing impactful. I just thought I'd bring it to your attention. Cheers 🙂 screenshot1.png
Synthplus81	Posted on Tue 09 Nov 2021, 09:52 PM Startup bug fix is very welcome. Thank you!
KODAMO	Posted on Thu 11 Nov 2021, 01:47 AM Thanks Kodamo! The envelope improvements are a welcome timesaver when creating new voices. I also appreciate the mono output assignment for performance mode, as we can now make the best use of the available outputs. Very nice. There is however a minor graphical regression in the Effects & Routing section within the patch mode. The horizontal bar now overlaps the right hand Fx1/Fx2 section. Please see the attached screenshot. Nothing impactful. I just thought I'd bring it to your attention. Cheers 🙂 Thank you for reporting this, firmware was updated to v5.3b As usually we'll immediately fix bugs reported right after a firmware release. Then after a few days, it will become permanent until the next "big" version (v5.4 or v6 if there is a lot of changes)
BeneathClouds	Posted on Thu 11 Nov 2021, 07:47 PM My pleasure. Thanks for the fast response. I only wish all synth manufacturers were as responsive and communicative as you are 🙂 Thanks again 🧡
Soarer	Posted on Sun 21 Nov 2021, 11:20 PM It is not possible to modulate phase offset though it is a mod destination. As soon as a mod source is added in the mod matrix it just makes a strange sound and does not respond to modulation. Note Number and RNG does work though. Hope to see this fixed in the next update.
KODAMO	Posted on Mon 22 Nov 2021, 11:15 AM Mod sources that happen on Note On (RNG, Velocity, Note Number...) set the phase once, which is what is expected. Continuous mod sources (aftertouch, CC, LFO...) will constantly force the phase to some position, which will create weird noises. There may be a few solutions to this but for now best is to avoid using continuous sources with phase offset as a destination, unless that's the effect you're looking for.
jmax313	Posted on Mon 22 Nov 2021, 03:31 PM thank you for listening and implementing the mono outputs 🤟🤟🤟🤟 this will help mixing soooo sooo much! 😀
Soarer	Posted on Mon 22 Nov 2021, 04:58 PM Okay but it would be great to be able to modulate it. It does not make weird noises when you change it manually though. I want to do oscillator sync but if you could implement oscillator sync as a synthesis method that would be fantastic.
Dr.Synth	Posted on Tue 23 Nov 2021, 06:40 AM Soarer, Modulating phase with a continuous controller is not how you do "Oscillator Sync" in a FM/PM synth. To create 'sync' you use a rising sawtooth wave (sometime called a ramp wave) as a modulator. Helps when the carrier is a harmonically rich wave (saw, square) just like on an analog synth. Sync effects on sine or triangle wave are not that pronounced. The modulation level needs to be pretty high, and start with both the carrier and modulator at ratio = 1.0; you can get more extreme "sync" with setting the carrier to 2.0 or 3.0, but be aware can quickly get aliasing. So use the 'smooth' or 'rounded' saw/square waves for the carrier (Here's example (on an SY99) : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VNippzAL_jk The 'glitch' that exists with CC I reported a while ago, but what it does to the phase is something I personally find unique and useful and something no other FM synth can do, and I've asked Kodomo to keep it 'unfixed'. Manny
Soarer	Posted on Tue 23 Nov 2021, 10:46 AM Thanks for your reply Manny - it was your method that Charles Ferraro was showing in a video that I wanted to use 😀 Using an LFO sawtooth wave is not possible for modulating phase because of this problem so how would you do it on the EFM?
Dr.Synth	Posted on Wed 24 Nov 2021, 04:59 AM Soarer, I'll post an example patch for you in the Sound Banks section within a week (I'm busy with some other stuff at the moment and my EFM isn't hooked up) Manny
Soarer	Posted on Wed 24 Nov 2021, 05:12 PM Great thanks 👍🏻
Soarer	Posted on Sat 18 Dec 2021, 01:46 PM Here are some bugs or behaviours that I’d like to see changed in the next firmware. 1. In the voice sequencer you can accidentally move the first trig when scrolling. The first trig can be moved by taping on the name and moving left/right. 2. When you delete a trig in the voice sequencer the view jumps to another trig on a different track and that is really disorienting since you may have a longer list of voice tracks. Much better if it changed to the next/previous trig on the same track. 3. When making sequences it is tedious to have to turn off “Trigger Once” and setting length from infinite to a shorter value for every new trig you add. Please let the sequencer remember what you did previously or make an optional setting to turn this on/off. 4. Voices are not copied/pasted properly. Often when copying a voice by tapping the background and pressing Copy, then recalling your voice and pasting the copied voice it doesn’t work.
KODAMO	Posted on Mon 20 Dec 2021, 03:56 AM These are great UI suggestions, they'll probably make their way into the firmware we're preparing. It should be ready in about a week.
KODAMO	Posted on Mon 20 Dec 2021, 09:00 PM 4. Voices are not copied/pasted properly. Often when copying a voice by tapping the background and pressing Copy, then recalling your voice and pasting the copied voice it doesn’t work. We haven't been able to reproduce the issue. Are you sure the copied voice and the recalled one are different ? (if you pressed Save just before Copy, pressing Recall then Paste will do nothing). If there is a bug then we'd like to know how to reproduce it
Soarer	Posted on Tue 21 Dec 2021, 10:31 AM Sounds really good thanks! Yes the copying and pasting mostly works so I don’t know exactly when or why it happens. It seems to happen after a longer duration of editing. I’ll film it next time. Also happens without recalling the voice and no, I’m not pressing save at all.