EXS24 mkII pitch parameters enable you to adjust the tuning and transposition of the loaded sampler instrument.
Transpose field: Transpose EXS24 mkII in semitone increments. This not only affects the pitch but also moves the zones by the specified value.
Random knob: Set the amount of random detuning applied to each voice. Use this parameter to simulate the tuning drift of analog synthesizers or to thicken the sound. Random is also effective when you are emulating various stringed instruments.
Tune knob: Raise or lower the pitch of the sampler instrument in semitone increments. At the centered position—click the small 0 at the top—no pitch change occurs.
Remote field: Remotely change the pitch of complete instruments in real time. You can define a key on your MIDI keyboard that is used as the original, or “reference,” pitch. After the reference pitch is set, playing any of the keys in a range of ±1 octave above or below this key changes the pitch of the entire instrument, rather than triggering a sample. This is similar to the Pitch Bend function but is quantized to semitones.
Fine knob: Tune the sampler instrument in cent increments—1/100th of a semitone. Use this parameter to correct samples that are slightly out of tune or to create a thick chorus-like effect.
Pitch Bend Up/Down pop-up menus: Set the upper and lower limit of pitch bends in semitones. A value of 0 disables pitch bends.
Note: When you choose Linked in the Pitch Bend Down pop-up menu, the bend range is identical in both directions—for example, if you assign an upward bend of 4 semitones, the downward bend is also set to 4 semitones, resulting in a combined bend range of 8 semitones (9, if you include the standard pitch, or “no bend” position).
Glide and Pitcher sliders: Set the time it takes to slide from one note pitch to another with Glide. Glide behavior depends on the Pitcher parameter setting.
When Pitcher is centered, Glide determines the time it takes for the pitch to slide from one note to another—the portamento time.
When Pitcher is set to a position above the center value, Glide determines the time it takes for the pitch to glide down from this higher value to the normal pitch value.
When Pitcher is set to a position below the center value, the pitch glides from this lower setting back up to the normal pitch value.
You can modulate Pitcher by velocity. Set the upper slider half to determine the setting for maximum velocity and the lower half for minimum velocity. By dragging the area between the two slider segments, you can move both simultaneously. When the upper half of the Pitcher slider is set above the center position and the lower half below the center position, lower velocity values cause the pitch to rise from the lower setting up to the original note pitch, whereas higher values cause it to fall from the higher setting down to the original note pitch. When both halves of the Pitcher slider are set either below or above the centered position, a low or high velocity slides up or down to the original pitch. Depending on the position of the upper and lower halves of the slider—relative to the center position—the time required for the slide up or down to the original note pitch can be adjusted independently for both soft and hard velocities.
Note: In Legato mode, Glide is active only on tied notes and envelopes are not retriggered when tied notes are played. In other words, playing a series of tied notes results in only a single envelope trigger. In Mono mode, Glide is always active and the envelopes are retriggered by every note played.