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Chapter 9: The A6 Modulation Matrix
ANDROMEDA A6 REFERENCE MANUAL 191
CHAPTER 9:
CUSTOM MODULATIONS
Chapter 5: Program Functions just presented us with a detailed look at the main
programmable functions of the A6’s modules that comprise a Program:
OSC 1 and
OSC 2, FILTER 1 and FILTER 2, the PRE FILTER MIX, POST FILTER MIX and VOICE MIX audio
mixing modules, plus the modulation source modules of the
LFOs, ENV 1, ENV 2 and
ENV 3.
Referring back to
Chapter 2: Playing the A6, we also covered the performance
functions of the A6: how to use the Display, the
CLOCK module (SEQUENCER and
ARPEGGIATOR), the MASTER module (VOLUME and TUNE), the KBD MODE and PORTA
modules, and the performance wheels, ribbon controller and pedals.
As far as modulation is concerned,
Chapter 6: Modulation and Envelopes, and
Chapter 7: LFOs, Sample and Hold and Process covered the most important
modulation sources.
So looking at the A6’s front panel, it would be easy to conclude that we’ve covered
just about all there is to know about the A6.
Well, not quite. Now we’ll explain how the modulation sources can be routed and
controlled within a program.
MOD FUNCTIONS OVERVIEW
We’ve already covered much in the way of modulation when we presented the LFOs
and Envelopes topics in Chapter 6. There were also many instances where a
MOD
button was mentioned, if only briefly, as a way to route additional mod sources to
the function being discussed. In this Chapter, we’ll detail one of the most flexible
features of the A6 called the Modulation Matrix. This technology expands the
modulation capabilities of the A6 by leaps and bounds.
Where the default and hardwired modulations in the A6 provide the standard, most-
used modulations, you can think of the Mod Matrix as a “system of custom mod
paths”. There will be times that the default mod paths won’t be able to offer the kind
of modulation you really need to do the job. The Modulation Matrix, which is the
engine underneath the
MOD buttons, permits taking any one of the A6’s 79
modulation sources and routing it to any one of 175 destinations. That’s 13,825
possible new mod paths. In addition to the standard “hardwired” modulations,
there’s almost no route you can imagine that can’t be implemented if you’re creative
about it.
Between the many “hardwired” and the 45 custom mod paths available, you have
thousands of potential modulations per Program – and they’re all programmable.
AVOID DUPLICATION WITH HARD-WIRED MODS
The MOD functions are so flexible, they may fool you into using them when one of the
pre-wired modulations would be a wiser choice. For example, in Oscillator 1’s
MOD
buttons, you can choose PITCH WHEEL as the source and FREQUENCY as the
destination…but you don’t need to do that to get pitch bend, because that’s already
handled by the
PITCH ASSIGN system above the wheel itself. Similarly, the Mod