Is there a way to adjust the sensitivity of Aftertouch (I have XF7).  I use it in Cars Bye Bye Love to trigger a pitch LFO in 2nd and 3rd verses on the last note of the little lead synth parts.  If you know the song, you know what I mean.

When I’m on stage playing live, I tend to move, jump, get animated, you know - get into the show, if you will.  If I’m not careful I will activate aftertouch on the notes prior to the last note by pushing too hard.  this is not per script.

Can I make aftertouch less sensitive, so I have to push down harder before it “triggers”?  Could it be adjusted/offset at the voice level, if so?

Unfortunately, I do not know of a way to do that.

In my KARMA Motif Software, I specifically added (in the code) an “intelligent aftertouch filter” because I like to provide aftertouch control of vibrato on most of the lead sounds, but I too found that it would be triggered too easily when you didn’t necessarily want it. What it does is creates an adjustable “time window” such that you have to press aftertouch for a certain period of time before it will actually be allowed to affect the aftertouch. This effectively removes most of the unwanted triggering of aftertouch since you have to consciously press it long enough for it to take effect. So even playing hard won’t trigger it unless you press for a certain period of time. I think I used an 85ms time window - but it’s adjustable.

I don’t know the song you’re speaking of offhand, so I don’t know where the “certain notes” you want to trigger it on are located in the phrase, but you might be able to create a zoning where the same voice is used on most of the keyboard WITHOUT aftertouch, and then only a few notes or a single note is zoned with the same voice modified WITH aftertouch, such that only the target notes are able to be affected by aftertouch.

Added:
Most of the Korgs I work with have a global “Aftertouch Curve” adjustment, which can affect how hard you have to press to make it kick in - but if the Motif XF has that, I may have never come across it.

For those curious, this is the song off of The Cars debut album:

Cars Bye Bye Love

The riff is simple E-D-A major chord notes, repeated 3 times, in Verses 2 and 3, ending on B (3rd note in E major).  The modulation is on the last B note of the 1st and 2nd passes.

Verse 2:  at 1:22, 1:29
Verse 3:  at 2:34, 2:42
(approx)

Issue:  Verse 3 is an octave lower than Verse 2.  B is the second note in first Emaj riff.  To isolate B over 2 octaves = 5 elements for one element played, but I need two elements for the tone.  5x2=10 plus I also use 2 elements in the voice to switch to a completely different “voice” at the bridge using AF1.  I’ve exceeded the Voice structure limits, while limiting the trigger risk to just the B note played at other times (which would otherwise probably be good enough).

I am realizing as I type that I wouldn’t know what this babbling means if I wasn’t the one writing it lol.

I can’t use mod wheel, I play EP with RH at the same time.  I also can’t use AF1 or AF2 switched by foot, these are assigned to turn voices on and off in different regions at different times of the song.

hmmm ... better be careful for now unless there’s more ideas out there.  Thanks much for thinking it through with ideas - I do appreciate the dialog, I learn a bit more with each and every thought.

Could you trigger the effect you want with a foot controller?

Aftertouch data can be sent via a MIDI message. A Yamaha MFC10 MIDI Foot Controller or a MIDI Solutions Pedal Controller could be used.

A MIDI Event Processor could probably be programmed to ignore low-value AT data, and only pass it if above a certain level. If necessary, the higher values could probably be scaled.

The Controller Set Assignment “Depth” setting can sometimes help with Aftertouch, although it isn’t a sensitivity adjustment. See page 61 of the XF Reference Manual.

5pinDIN - 21 February 2014 08:53 AM

Aftertouch data can be sent via a MIDI message. A Yamaha MFC10 MIDI Foot Controller or a MIDI Solutions Pedal Controller could be used.

A MIDI Event Processor could probably be programmed to ignore low-value AT data, and only pass it if above a certain level. If necessary, the higher values could probably be scaled.

The Controller Set Assignment “Depth” setting can sometimes help with Aftertouch, although it isn’t a sensitivity adjustment. See page 61 of the XF Reference Manual.

I have my footswitch in Assignable Foot Switch jack set to toggle AF1, and sustain pedal in the sustain jack.  I read pg 61, also Pg 32, didn’t find my answer (maybe I just don’t understand). 

thanks for the post!

Foot Controller is the way you’d want to go, not Foot Switch

motidave - 21 February 2014 09:22 AM

I have my footswitch in Assignable Foot Switch jack set to toggle AF1, and sustain pedal in the sustain jack.

The Pedal Controllers I mentioned are separate devices that connect via MIDI, and would send Aftertouch messages via MIDI. It’s totally separate from any pedals that you have plugged into the jacks you’re currently using.

An Event Processor also deals with MIDI messages. It would connect from the XF’s MIDI-Out to its MIDI-In, and modify the data. (Local Control would need to be turned OFF.)

 

motidave -

I read pg 61, also Pg 32, didn’t find my answer (maybe I just don’t understand). 

thanks for the post!

Page 32 isn’t relevant. (3)Depth on page 61 is the setting that determines how much a controller will affect whatever destination it’s set for. In your case, trying a different Depth setting might make it less likely that an accidental minor triggering of AT will be as dramatic. It won’t help if you’re unintentionally bottoming out the key travel.