Creativemind wrote: ↑17 Oct 2020
The pitch bend range automation is needed (not me but was I was told by someone else) for a Reese Bass or Reese Bass effect. You automate the pitch wheel and set the pitch bend range to 13 but halfway through a bar, you have to drop the pitch bend range to achieve the sound. It can be done on the NN-19 but the NN-XT pitch bend range isn't automatable. It doesn't matter if it's rare 'cause if you need it to achieve something, it's needed.
I looked in to the Reese bass phenomenon a little. I'm not sure I get why it's any special, or why a pitch bend range of 13 (odd choice!) would be needed, but that's neither here nor there. The original song is from 1988, so clearly there was no advanced automation used for that back then.
But if the goal is to have the pitch bend range change on the fly from 13 to something else, you can do that without any automation. In NNXT, just set up two (or more) identical layers, where the pitch bend range differs. Then just switch between the two layers as needed, using something like key splits, velocity splits, assigning volume (inversely on one layer) to the mod wheel, etc. If you want to go crazy, by enabling ALT you could have it switch between pitch bend ranges with each new note!
While waiting for two updated samplers to appear, if you have Suite, there's a fourth option to explore, other than NN19, NN-XT, and Grain:
Scenic Hybrid, in addition to it's multisampled rompler selection of waveforms, can play two layers of non-multisampled user samples. Over the other three, I can think of a few advantages:
Vs NN19: Can play two layers dynamically. More modern filter algorithms. A basic granular engine. An extensive mod matrix. Two LFOs and a pulse engine.
Vs NNXT: Much more automatable (still not pitch bend range, though). More modern filter algorithms. A basic granular engine. An extensive mod matrix.
Vs Grain: Two layers, supports sample loop point even in granular mode (for some weird reason Grain can only loop the entire sample from the start). Easier interface. Nicer reverb (three of them!).
Benefits over all three: Mostly the nice effects. Pretty nice, straightforward interface (ignoring the rather silly main screen). The ability to blend in sounds from the pretty nice rompler selection on the second layer.
There's still no real-time crossfade looping, and nothing in it for the sample chopping crowd.
But if you have Scenic, don't overlook using it for making the most from single-samples. It can get pretty huge.