Okay, if this is information I ever had in my head, it’s lost without a trace.
Don’t laugh - this sh*t happens when you get old and it will happen to you, too. Most likely not as bas as me because 70s were pretty harsh for chemicals. heh heh
I am not quite ‘getting’ Sync Chance/Sync in the Chance Effect on the Pyramid.
Add a synced probability (”sync chance” parameter). If sync = ”1/4”, all beat notes will have a different probability of being played. If sync = ”1/16”, all sixteenth notes will have a different chance to be played…
So, it’s probably confirmation bias that makes me want to imagine that this means that irrespective of the Chance values above it, if you set SYNC to 1/4, then all 1/4 notes will follow SYNC CHANCE
or
Does it mean that if the primary CHANCE % is reached, that all other notes for 1/4 of a measure will follow the SYNC CHANCE
or
Does it mean that in addition to the CHANCE %, that all notes that occur on that specific division noted in the SYNC parameter follow the SYNC CHANCE
Whut?
Really, I’m an idiot.
Please, if you respond - type slow.
I’m going to take a guess that Sync Chance is the probability that it will be applied to the first clock tick of the Sync division or later ticks so that, for example, if you have a flow of 16th notes and it’s sync’d to 1/4, then every 1/4 note Chance will be applied once in that period, and depending on the Sync Chance it is more or less likely to be applied to the first 16th note, instead of any one of the remaining three 16ths in that 1/4 note period, if at all, based on the Chance percentage. It’s a pretty powerful parameter, allowing one to write a line that maintains fundamental hits, and only applies Chance to accenting notes, thus allowing for a constantly evolving, non-repeating line, which is super useful for keeping things fresh during a live performance while tweeking on a synth, so that your audience is less likely to notice you are gratuitously wanking away (something far too easy to fall into when playing live.
SYNC CHANCE is the probability of all notes on the 1/4 (or whatever) grid. If you are not sure: set sync to extreme values (100% = always play, 0% = never play) and test it yourself.
I never use this feature. If I do something, I create step automatization in effects step mode. Offers much more flexibility.
Assumes an even division of the measure (1/4, 1/8, or 1/16)
Sets a different Chance % for Events that occur on those divisions
Have no idea if this works for offsets, which may be your own application (say, from Live recording and if an Event occurs slightly before the “1” - not sure what the determinative resolution of the applied grid might be)
So the Chance Effect allows two layers of Chance possibilities which is amazingly flexible and awesome.
Factor in that some of us use the Pyramid and other external sources to modulate FX Parameters and we are in some mindblowingly awesome territory.
I’ve been following this topic with interest. You’ve done a heroic job trying to explain sync chance. I’m still struggling, though!
There’s a concept that is described in the manual that I still can’t understand. Maybe I just need an example:
If sync = ”1/4”, all beat notes will have a different probability of being played.
I think you’re saying something similar here:
Sets a different Chance % for Events that occur on those divisions
I think it’s the word “different” that perplexes me. Different as in none of them the same? Random? What does the percentage you enter mean across all those notes?
Im glad someone is getting something out of my very public insane ramblings.
I am under the impression by saying its a “different” probability is that it is a different probability than the main Chance percentage.
That is, when you set the parameters in the Chance effect, there are two different probabilities you can set: one for “on grid” events, and the other for all other events.
Couple that with step automation or modulating the effect parameters with incoming CCs and boom: fun for the whole family.
If thats not clear enough, one example might be to make a drum track with a Chance effect. Set the Chance to soemthing like 25%, but set the Sync Chance at something more like 70% or even 100 and set to 1/4. At 100, all you 4 in rhe floor kicks and things on the beat will always play while everything else will be at 25% probability.
Subject to change if someone corrects me, but thats my current impression.
Yes, two probabilities. Fun starts when they are different.
Step automation can be used to set parameter values (e.g. probabilities) for each step, and for each step differently. Many times, I have patterns with - let’s say - 12 notes and three of those points have a randomized pitch. “Step automatization” is not such much about the “auomatization”, but about setting values which can be different for each and every step. There are many applications for this; personally, I hardly ever use sync chance. But maybe I set an overall probability for all notes and then chance a couple of values for selective steps.
