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Table Of Contents
Modulation 3 “drives” the wavetables of all three oscillators, via the mod wheel. Stated
simply, you can simultaneously scroll through the Oscillator 1 and Oscillator 3 wavetables,
and change Oscillator 2’s pulse width—by moving the mod wheel.
Try a careful, very slow movement of the mod wheel, and you’ll hear drastic changes
within the wave configuration. Each incremental position of the wheel offers a different
digital pad sound. Avoid rapid movements, or this will sound like an AM radio.
Another potential modification procedure is hidden in the modulation intensity of the
Oscillator 1, 2, and 3 wave parameters. As mentioned for the Slapped Strat setting, the
value of this intensity parameter assigns both the step width, and direction, through the
wavetables. You can try modifications to the amount, using positive or negative values.
An interesting side-effect of FM assignment to Filter 2 (modulation routing 4—Lowpass
Filter FM) occurs when the mod wheel is moved to higher positions: the frequency
modulation of the filter is increased, causing all cyclical beats (vibrating pitches, detunes,
pulse width) to be emphasized. This also adds a rough, “hissing” quality to the overall
sound character.
FM offers vast scope for experimentation, and you can decide between:
An initial FM, using Filter 2’s FM parameter, which you can redraw (set a negative
modulation amount for modulation routing 4’s maximum) by moving the mod wheel
to its top position.
Permanent FM (and another modulation setup, saved for a different assignment). You
can also switch off FM, if you consider its effect too dirty sounding.
Real-time control is via pressure for a vibrato (modulation routing 10), and also for a slight
opening of the Cutoff to emphasize the modulation (modulation routing 9).
Using the ES2 Wheelsyncer Setting
Never obsolete—and undergoing a renaissance in new popular electronic music—are
sync sounds.
For a description of the technical aspects of forcing an Oscillator to sync, see Synchronizing
the ES2 Oscillators. Here’s the practical side of the playground.
Wheelsyncer is a single-oscillator lead sound; all others are switched off.
Although Oscillator 2 is the only one actively making any sound, it is directly dependent
on Oscillator 1.
If you change Oscillator 1’s pitch or tuning, the overall pitch of the sound will go out of
tune or will be transposed.
127Chapter 5 ES2