The touch strip: Bend
Bend the pitch with a finger, and set how far it goes in the Utility menu.
The touch strip above the keys has three jobs: Bend, Spice and Dice. In Bend the centre is neutral. Touching a point jumps the pitch there, and sliding bends it. When you let go, the pitch drifts back to the middle.
- How the touch strip bends pitch and springs back
- How to switch the strip between Bend, Spice and Dice
- Where Bend Range and Relative Bend live
The steps5 steps
- With the Bend icon active (it is here), hold a note and slide a finger along the touch strip. Pitch moves with your finger and springs back to the middle on release. Press Next when you have tried it.
- Touch Spice, then touch Bend. The icons pick the strip's job. It is on Bend again now.
Stuck?
Touch Spice, then Bend, the two icons next to the strip.
- Open Utility, press into Preset, then Voice. The first line is Bend Range.
Stuck?
Press Utility, press the Preset knob, scroll to Voice, press, and Bend Range is the first line.
- Press to edit and turn it. The default is 12 semitones each way, a full octave.
Stuck?
Click, then turn the Preset knob.
- Press Utility to leave the menu.
Stuck?
Press the Utility button.
The icon beside the strip picks its job, and Bend Range in the Utility menu says how far a full slide goes.
On the real MicroFreak
By default the strip bends 12 semitones (one octave) each way, and Bend Range in Utility > Preset > Voice sets the range. Relative Bend in Utility > Global > Controls makes the first point you touch the zero, so movement is relative. The strip also controls Spice and Dice (see that lesson).
Questions1
Why does my pitch jump when I touch the strip?
By default, touching a point jumps the pitch to it. Turn on Relative Bend in Utility > Global > Controls if you would rather start from where you touched.