Hi All,

Someone has probably brought up this one before but I can't recall seeing it. My friend Bill J. complained that occasionally changing the modulation wheel setting on his 7000 changed the volume. On checking this out on mine I found that it happens when one of the Organ Tabs is selected. Also when one of the new Electric Organ voices is selected (e.g. Fast Rotor). It doesn't appear to happen on other voices and the effect is the same whether the expression pedal is connected or not.
Any thoughts?

Len C.

There are a few of us that have been batting this problem about.The mod wheel and the expression pedal have been blamed. Thanks, this is one more specific instance. Maybe we can nail this one down someday.

Bernie

Members,
I and some of my local keyboard friends (most converted organ players) never use the mod wheel and wonder why it is included in the keyboards of today. I have locked mine as it would move when relacing my dust cover and cause some wierd sounds.

Maybe we are missing something. Some of you old pro's tell us when you use it when playing.

Fran in Sunny Florida sure beats snow

Fran in sunny Florida, I don’t know if it beats it but it sure melts it.

I use it very often especially when playing a guitar sound. When playing a sustained guitar sound on my KN I turn the mod wheel up fully after striking the key. This gives the same kind of sound as when a jazz guitar player moves that silver knob or bar on his guitar when playing. Cool vibrato sound. Very authentic to say the least. Some of these died in the wool expression pedal guys complain that without the expression pedal there is no way to play an organ sound loud and then decrease the volume after hitting the note, the way they do on an organ. If you hit an organ note and then move the mod wheel up you have complete control of that function to any desired degree of volume you so desire. There are those that would call it a bug, I would call it a great asset to my playing. Of course there is another way of doing this but this way is pretty straight forward and relieves me of the cumbersome old fashion swell pedal with all it’s downsides.

Grandpa Doug

When playing a "natural" (or authentic) instrument, the player can influence the sound in regard to the possibilities from the instrument. You can add pitch bend to a guitar, vibrato to a violin, etc.
To make these instruments sound natural on a keyboard, we need some assistant "tools". First of all, play the sound in the range that the original instrument is capable of. You can add dynamic expression with touch sensitivity (and some with the expression pedal?). Furthermore you can use the pitch bend wheel. And last but not least you can use after touch and the modulation wheel to add effects like detune, panning, delay, filter, amplitude and pitch variations. When you look into SOUND EDIT -> CONTROLLER, you will see that available settings for after touch and modulation wheel are the same. The more you use the modulation wheel, the less likely you'll forget to check its status.
Just gan't figure out why Technics set the amplitude on the modulation wheel as the default.....
P.S. While I was typing this post Grandpa Doug responded. As you can read, I don't agree with him on the use of the wheel on the organ voices instead of a "swell" pedal. I prefer to keep my hand on the keys as much as possible, as I lack better playing skills.
Ad

[This message has been edited by Ad Rouw (edited 02-16-2003).]

Ad, I believe the discussion was on the modulation wheel. Fran stated Quote: “I and some of my local keyboard friends (most converted organ players) never use the mod wheel and wonder why it is included in the keyboards of today. I have locked mine as it would move when relacing my dust cover and cause some wierd sounds. Maybe we are missing something. Some of you old pro's tell us when you use it when playing”.

You are not the only one that prefers to use the swell or expression pedal on the keyboard. In fact I found this subject to be a very sore spot in the heart of many longtime organ players. One of them said the pedal was absolutely necessary for it is impossible to decrease the volume of an organ note when once played. The swell pedal is indispensable when playing organ just because of this one thing. Among other things I was chastised when in response to the above I pointed out different ways this can be done. Hopefully they wished I would say no more on the subject. I said, wish granted and left that form.

My response to Fran was on the question of the mod wheel, was direct to her question. She and some of her organ friends never have used it and don’t even know why it’s included in the keyboards of today. I have given her two of the main ways I use it. The keyboard does not come with an expression pedal so had technics overlooked the former organ player? Technics decided a number of years ago to discontinue the production of organs. Many other companies have done so also. So do they have something against organ players or do they want to squeeze more money out of them former organ players or did they provide a way to do things without that pedal? Ad, the mod wheel can be used for the purposes I stated in response to Fran’s inquiry and also many more ways. If you prefer to use the swell pedal to accomplish this then by all means use it. I prefer another way. Neither one is either right or wrong. Always two ways to skin a cat. Some like to do it with their feet and some like to do it with their hands.

Grandpa Doug

Hi Ad and Grandpa Doug,

Interesting the way different people use the KN7000. I can the see the validity of Grandpa Doug's use of the modulation wheel in lieu of an expression pedal for organ sounds although I'm one of the old diehards who likes the expression pedal. As Ad points out with most sounds you can go in under Sound Edit and Controller to view and if desired change the settings for the Modulation Wheel but apparently not (at least I can't see how to do it) for Organ Tabs or Digital Drawbars. That being said I still find the 7000 a magnificent instrument but getting to know all of capabilities and limitations takes some doing.

Cheers
Len C.

[This message has been edited by manorcourt1991 (edited 02-16-2003).]

Grandpa Doug.......you might need to edit your last post to Fran.....Fran is a "HE" not a "she".

Marilyn.....from sunny Florida also.

My face is Red and I'm at a loss for words. Fran please forgive me. Just shows to go ya, I'm getting old. I think Whathisname might be right, I might need glases and maybe something else.

Grandpa Doug

Hi Grandpa Doug,

I appreciate your postings and especially the prozaic way you describe things as they happen in your musical life.
Sure, I might use the keyboard in another way than you do, but I'm always eager to learn from others. I think on the subject of the preset of the modulation wheel on organ tabs, I guess that my personal taste may have influenced my comment in this matter. Can live and play well the way it is and meanwhile discuss it among friends.
Regards, Ad.

Hi AD.
On some Yamaha Organs (HX's and HS8'S) they had a slot provided for a second pedal alongside the swell pedal which performed the same function as the Modulation Wheel.
It was excellent add on when playing guitar pieces and also Big Band as you could similate the portamento slide of those instruments and was very effective as an ending to certain Big Band tunes.

Regards
P.B.

Doug n Ad,
Appreciate your replies. I will have to practice using the wheel with different instruments. Using auto rhythm does free the left hand.
Doug, with Francis for a name ,I am use to being mistaken for a female. My mother had two boys and was hoping for a girl when I came along, so she kept the name and changed the spelling.

cheers,

Fran (the man) in Florida

Fran, you have made me feel much better now. I was really feeling down in the dumps this morning after reading Marilyn’s chiding. Thanks for your kind understanding. I have done somewhat the same thing relative to ethnic things. I guess Ruthie is right when she says I should put my brain in gear before I start running my mouth. She also thinks I should do a little penance. Next time we go to Florida, we should stop in to see you and also Marilyn and take you all to dinner. I said, that ain’t penance, that would be fun. For awhile, she said, until you had to open up your wallet, you old tightwad and pay for it. I guess Ruthie knows me better than I think.

Grandpa Doug