Lexicon LEXICON480LV4 Owner's Manual page 129

A single note can be patched to trigger an event, or a
range of notes can control a single event. The following
procedure assumes you have made MIDI connections
and set the 480L's MIDI channels.
To patch a MIDI note event to a sampler event:
1. Press CTRL to enter the Control Mode. Go to page
4.
2. Use SEL to select the patch to create (only the first
four patches can be used for events).
3. Push the SRC slider all the way up to NOTE
EVENT.
4. Use DST to select the event you will control.
5. If you want to use a single key to trigger an event,
set LOW NOTE and HIGH NOTE to the same value.
6. If you want a range of keys to trigger an event, use
LOW NOTE to set the low end of the range, and HIGH
NOTE to set the high end of the range.
7. After setting up your patches, be sure to save the
new settings in a register.
Creating Custom Master Controls
Control over a single parameter at a time is useful, but
things really begin to get exciting as you experiment
with controlling several parameters simultaneously
from a single MIDI controller. In effect, you can create
a custom master control for a unique set of parameters.
Using this custom master in real time can produce
stunning effects never heard before.
The ability to choose different settings of SCALING for
two or more parameters controlled by the same con-
troller also raises some interesting possibilities. Don't
forget that using negative SCALING for one parameter
and positive SCALING for another will cause the first
parameter to decrease while the other increases.
A word of caution: not all parameters respond well to
real-time control. Due to the current limitations of digital
technology, it is simply impossible to alter certain
parameters in real time without audible artifacts. This is
Appendix A: MIDI and the 480L
the case whether you are controlling the parameter
remotely via MIDI, or from the unit's front panel. We
considered locking out these parameters, but after
careful thought we included them, since what is not
acceptable in one application may not be a problem in
another.
Some Notes On Controllers
Many MIDI synths and keyboards have a very limited
number of controllers. Sometimes the pitch and mod-
ulation wheels or levers are the only options available
for remotely controlling the 480L. However, you may
not wish to produce modulation or pitch bending at the
same time that you are controlling the 480L. All is not
lost. Most synths allow you to shut off the effect of these
controllers. So, for example, moving the pitch bender
doesn't actually bend pitch.
This is where things get interesting. Usually, when the
synth is set to ignore its controllers, controller data is
still sent out the MIDI port. We have found this to be the
case with a variety of different brands and models of
synthesizers. Just set the synth to ignore its mod wheel
and pitch bender, and then use them to control the
480L. As long as you don't wish to control the 480L and
bend pitch or add modulation at the same time, these
controllers can easily do double duty. Synthesizers
which memorize ranges for the mod wheels and pitch
benders for each preset program are the best choices
for use with the 480L.By using the corresponding
register table, you could have some programs use the
pitch bender to bend pitch, and not affect the 480L, and
other programs could control the 480L, but not bend
pitch.
The Yamaha DX7 II D and DX5, the Oberheim Matrix
6, and the Korg DW-8000 are just a few examples of
synthesizers that can be used in this manner.
If you plan to do serious work with MIDI, consider
purchasing a keyboard (such as the Yamaha KX76 and
KX88, or the Kurzweil MIDIBoard) which is specifically
designed to function as a MIDI system controller.
These keyboards have several programmable control-
lers, allowing you to control the 480L without sacrificing
control over other equipment in your MIDI system.
A-5