The Controller panel The Controller panel contains standard Master Volume and Pitch and Mod controls, Keyboard Mode/Note Triggering sections and four virtual (freely assignable) controls. The panel also has a patch display and standard Select/Browse/Save patch buttons (these are always shown even if Thor is folded). The Keyboard Mode section In this section you make basic keyboard related settings for a patch. It has the following options: | Function | Description Polyphony This setting determines the number of voices that you can play simultaneously when Polyphonic mode is selected. The maximum number of voices is 32. Release Polyphony This governs the number of voices that are allowed to naturally decay/ring out (in the release phase of the envelope) when new notes are triggered and Polyphonic mode is selected. E.g. if you set this to “0”, any new note(s) will cut off the release of any previously triggered notes. Mono Legato Mono Legato mode is monophonic regardless of the Polyphony setting. It works as follows: Hold down a key and then press another key without releasing the previous. Notice that the pitch changes, but the envelopes do not start over. That is, there will be no new “attack”. Mono Retrig Mono Retrig is also monophonic and this mode means that when you press a key the envelopes are always retriggered. Polyphonic This is the standard polyphonic play mode - you can play the number of voices set with the Polyphony parameter. Portamento On/Off/Auto The knob is used for controlling portamento - a parameter that makes the pitch glide between the notes you play, rather than changing the pitch instantly as soon as you hit a key on your keyboard. By turning this knob you set how long it should take for the pitch to glide from one note to the next as you play them. There are three basic portamento modes: • In Auto mode, there will only be any portamento when playing more than one note. If any of the Mono modes is selected, portamento will only affect the legato notes. • When set to On, portamento is applied to all notes. • Off means no portamento. Note Triggering section Using the buttons in this section you can select in what way Thor will respond: • Via note input only. • Via the Step Sequencer only (see “Step Sequencer”). • Or both. The section also has a standard Note On indicator. About the assignable controls • The rotary knobs and buttons in the Controller panel are assignable controls that can be assigned to multiple parameters and functions in Thor. • You assign parameters to the knobs and buttons in the Modulation Routing panel (these are located on the “Modifiers” sub-menu - see “Modulation bus routing section”). • Movements of the assignable controls can be recorded as automation. • Each control can be assigned to any number of parameters. • Clicking on the label for a Rotary or Button lets you type in an appropriate name for it. About the button key note function To the right of the two assignable buttons there are corresponding spin controls and displays. These can be used to assign a key for turning the button on momentarily, as long as the key is held down. Use the spin controls (or click in the display and move the mouse up or down) to assign a key for the button status. The assigned key will now turn the function(s) assigned to the button on for as long the key is held down. Note that the key note function can only switch from off to on, not the other way around, so make sure the button is deactivated if you wish to use this function. An assigned key will not trigger a note, only the button status. Also note that the button will not light up when you press the assigned key. The Pitch Bend and Modulation wheels • The Pitch and Mod wheels on the Controller panel will mirror the corresponding actions on your master keyboard. • The Range parameter (like for all instrument devices) sets the range of the Pitch Bend action. • Pitch Bend is pre-wired to the pitch parameter of the three oscillators, but you can of course use it to control any parameter you like. If you don’t want Pitch Bend to affect oscillator pitch, simply set the Range parameter to “0”. Master volume This is the main volume control for outputs 1 & 2.
