Learning Falcon 204: Using Macros

Macros are intermediary modulation sources which modulate other controls, useful for placing a small number of important controls on the “front panel” of a patch. Any parameter that can be modulated can be assigned to a macro, and single macros can drive any number of parameters.

1. Let’s start with a program that already has some macros assigned, such as the Octavoto Pluck program from the Falcon Factory soundbank. Load the program, then switch to the Info tab in the Main view.
   There are two types of macros: continuously- adjustable knobs and on/off toggle buttons. You can adjust these controls just like any other knobs or buttons, and even modulate the macros with other mod sources. For example, you might want to make MIDI or Host Automation assignments so you can control the macros from your MIDI keyboard or host application.
2. To see which parameters the macros are assigned to, switch the left sidebar to the Tree view. Press the Arrow next to the macro name to expand it and display its assignments.
   Let’s create a new macro. To create an adjustable vibrato, we can modulate keygroup pitch with an LFO and assign a macro to control the depth of the LFO.
3. Switch to the Edit view, right-click the Keygroup Pitch knob, and choose Add Modulation > Keygroup > New LFO.
4. On the new LFO, set the Frequency to 5.8 Hz and turn the Depth knob down to zero, then right-click it and choose Assign to macro > Add new macro.
5. Switch back to the Info tab, and you’ll see the new macro knob. Adjust the knob, and you can hear the depth of the LFO modulation increasing.
6. To help remember what the macro is modulating, we can give the knob a more meaningful label and move the position to handy of use as well. Press the Edit button in the top left, then move the macro to align existing macros and double-click the label and enter a new name, such as “Vibrato.”

You can assign macros one-to-one, for remote control of a single parameter as above, or you can assign one macro to multiple parameters for simple control over complex transformations. For example, you could assign one macro to both filter cutoff and resonance, but with different ratios: 1.0 for cutoff, and -0.5 for resonance. As you turn up the macro knob, it would raise the cutoff frequency but lower the resonance, with the resonance value adjusted by half of the amount that the cutoff value was adjusted.