Master Expression

I have someone who would like to use 16 channels of audio, but wants to easily be able to control the volume from each with one control.
A colleague came up with the idea of a Master Expression control, which could be operated from a potentiometer using CC values.
Is there any feasible way that all enclosures could be 'lumped together' inside a master enclosure which could have a large negative dB level set to allow volume control from max to zero?
I can't see a simple way of doing this, even using the full ODF.

Regards,

Alan.

MidDev (François) of this forum set one up for me. Contact him. Ed

[B. Milan]

Hello Alan,

The CODM doesn't allow the means to have a Master Expression pedal in the true sense with one controller operating the others. However you can easily map several virtual continuous controllers to a single physical controller under the Organ settings | Connect continuous controllers to organ continuous controls menu so that by activating one pedal from your console it will connect to all of the virtual expression pedals. This is the quickest and easiest method and does not require any programming on your part.

The full ODF format does allow for a master expression pedal to operate as a real organ would by using continuous control linkages and double linkages, such as the master pedal in the MW 3-31, but this requires beginning your editing within the full ODF format and not the CODM format.

Hello Alan,

The CODM doesn't allow the means to have a Master Expression pedal in the true sense with one controller operating the others. However you can easily map several virtual continuous controllers to a single physical controller under the Organ settings | Connect continuous controllers to organ continuous controls menu so that by activating one pedal from your console it will connect to all of the virtual expression pedals. This is the quickest and easiest method and does not require any programming on your part.

The full ODF format does allow for a master expression pedal to operate as a real organ would by using continuous control linkages and double linkages, such as the master pedal in the MW 3-31, but this requires beginning your editing within the full ODF format and not the CODM format.

Hi Brett.

I figured there is no way to do this with the CODM, but even using the full ODF there are issues.
The main problem is that severe attenuation is required for the volume control. Far more attenuation than would be provided by conventional swell shades.
Of course I could make each swell box have the attenuation attribute, so that when a master controller is applied it could make all output go to zero. The problem with that is that when the normal expression pedals are used, the attenuation would be far greater than desired, although I could possibly limit the CC range just for those pedals.
It all seems rather inelegant.

Regards,

Alan.

[B. Milan]

Hello Alan,

I am not sure I follow you. How are you wanting the master expression to function? Like the MW 3-31? If so this involves using internal continuous controllers and linking the master controller to the other internal controller IDs which will control the already set values for filtering and amplitude. The master expression doesn't change how the expression boxes sound, it just controls the other two (or more if present) expression shoes internally. You would need to set up continuous control linkages and then also use the continuous control double linkage tables to achieve this.

Perhaps you are trying to achieve a different effect, if so I am not clear on what that is from your post above.

When using the method I descibed the master expression overrides the regular expresison pedals from the position they are left in. The values that the regular expression pedals are set at will not go any further thus there wouldn't be a further effect of additional attenuation or filtering.

Here's the bit of text from the MW 3-31 manual that describes the master expression functionality and how it affects the other expression shoes:

The Master expression pedal operates just as it would on a real organ. Using the Master pedal will operate both sets of virtual shades for the Main and Solo chambers. The default is set up for use with the Master expression pedal and it displays fully open while the other two expression pedals are fully closed. While in this state the Master will control the full range from open to close of both chambers. However, if either the Main or Solo pedal are left open or slightly open, then the Master will only cover the range from the current position of the other pedals. For example if the Main pedal is half open then the Master will operate this chamber from half to full and back to half even if the full range of the Master pedal is utilized. Ideally one would want to leave the Main and Solo pedals fully closed for proper use of the Master pedal. Likewise, if you decide not to use the Master expression pedal and map two MIDI expression pedals to the Main and Solo pedals then the Master should be fully closed so that the Main and Solo pedals may have full operation.