FL Manual 6 Harmless Flashcards
FL STUDIO Harmless
What is Harmless?
- Harmless performs subtractive synthesis using an additive synthesis engine
- -The subtractive-additive process can create sounds that are simply not possible or if they are, tediously complicated to program using subtractive synthesis alone.
- –With Harmless, filters and phasers can be assigned unusual shapes and slopes, the slopes can even be defined in Hz resolution instead of octaves.
- —Finally, Harmless gains control of each partial’s frequency, opening a world of new possibilities for creating innovative sounds
FL STUDIO Harmless
What does lhp slider do?
-Protects the harmonics of the low frequencies from being removed by the filters
FL STUDIO Harmless
Custom Timbre Option allows what?
-The Custom timbre option will open a browser to load and resynthesize a single-cycle waveform audio file to import the timbre.
FL STUDIO Harmless - Timbre Section
Phase Knob functions how?
- Turning left randomizes the phase of each harmonic separately.
- -This is useful for creating ‘metallic’ timbres.
- –Turning to the right sets the global waveshape phase to a ‘free-running’ mode.
- —This is useful to add some variation to transients in the timbre.
FL STUDIO Harmless - Timbre Section
lhp Slider does what?
- Low Harmonic Protection.
- -Prevents filtering functions (harmonic mask) from removing the first few harmonics, that are essential for producing the fundamental pitch/tone of the patch.
FL STUDIO Harmless - Timbre Section
sub Sliders do what?
- Sub Harmonics add bass, weight or depth to the sound.
- -The first slider Sub 1 is an octave below the root note.
- –The remaining two sub sliders are harmonics of Sub 1.
- —Sub 3 is the 3rd harmonic and Sub 4 is the 4th harmonic.
- —-Relative to Sub 1, the 2nd harmonic is the root note, masked by harmonic mask slider #1.
FL STUDIO Harmless - Timbre Section
equalizer Sliders function how?
- 6 Band harmonic equalizer.
- -Unlike a traditional EQ this is a floating equalizer, relative to the root note (fundamental frequency).
- –For example the first slider will always affect the 1st harmonic and a little of the 2nd.
FL STUDIO Harmless - Timbre Section
harmonic mask Sliders function how?
- Sliders cut the harmonics from the Timbre waveform.
- -Sliders 1 to 12 relate to the first 12 harmonics of the root note and frequencies that are multiples of 12 for each slider up the harmonic frequency scale.
- –In other words, the harmonic mask is a repeated stamp over all harmonics, cutting where selected.
- —Generally the mix control must be active for the mask to have an effect, however, a positive and active LFO can override that.
- —-To hear the harmonic mask, select the default patch, turn the lhp and sub harmonic sliders to their minimum settings, minimize all the harmonic mask sliders and turn the mix knob fully clockwise to hear only the masked signal (i.e nothing should be audible yet). Then raise each harmonic mask slider in turn and listen to the result. These are the individual harmonics and their 12x multiples.
FL STUDIO Harmless - Timbre Section
mix Knob functions how?
-Change the harmonic masking level (to disable turn fully left).
FL STUDIO Harmless - Timbre Section
lfo Knob functions how?
- Subjects the mix level to LFO modulation.
- -Turn left to modulate cut harmonics and right to modulate active harmonics.
- –The lfo characteristics are under the control of the main LFO controls (lower right on the interface).
FL STUDIO Harmless - Timbre Section
trem Knob does what?
- Stereo tremolo effect.
- -This is a left/right panning of the sound that simulates the rotary speaker effect used in some classic organ patches.
FL STUDIO Harmless - Timbre Section
att Knob does what?
- Combination of note starting level and attack time.
- -The first few ms of the att knob range adjust only the attack ‘starting level’ then higher values adjust attack time.
FL STUDIO Harmless - Timbre Section
VEL Button below att knob does what?
-Links note-on velocity to the attack time value.
FL STUDIO Harmless - Timbre Section
dec Knob
-Note decay time.
FL STUDIO Harmless - Timbre Section
rel Knob
-Note release time.
FL STUDIO Harmless - Timbre Section
VEL button below rel Knob
-Links note-off (release) velocity to the release time value.
FL STUDIO Harmless - Timbre Section
pluck Knob
-The pluck feature is a specialized, quickly decaying, low-pass filter envelope applied to the timbre.
FL STUDIO Harmless - Timbre Section
masked Button
- Applies the masking function to the pluck.
- -I.e. mask sliders determine the decay time of the corresponding harmonics.
- –See the tutorial patch ‘Masked pluck’.
FL STUDIO Harmless - Timbre Section
alt Button does what?
-In Alternative mode, the timbre EQ affects the per-harmonic decay speed
FL STUDIO Harmless - Timbre Section
release Button functions how?
- Pluck only on release.
- -Make sure to use a long decay setting otherwise the effect won’t be audible, but not so long you drive up the polyphony and eat CPU.
FL STUDIO Harmless - Timbre Section
VEL Button under pluck Knob does what?
- Links note-on velocity to pluck decay time.
- -When activated the pluck knob sets the maximum release time.
FL STUDIO Harmless - Amp Section
vol Slider does what?
-Main output volume.
FL STUDIO Harmless - Amp Section
VEL Button below vol Slider does what?
-Links note-on velocity to note volume.
FL STUDIO Harmless - Amp Section
pitch Slider functions how?
-Pitch control (+/- 24 semitones).
FL STUDIO Harmless - Amp Section
detune Slider functions how?
- Harmonic tuning.
- -Changes the pitch of the harmonics (+/- 24 semitones)
FL STUDIO Harmless - Amp Section
grit Knob functions how?
-Adds a ‘metallic’ grittiness by selectively detuning harmonics.
FL STUDIO Harmless - Amp Section
vib Knob does what?
- Vibrato effect. Fast pitch modulation.
- -TIP: It can be useful to link the aftertouch to this knob. In FL Studio, press & hold a note, Right-click the knob to open the remote control settings and then press the note harder and you are done.
FL STUDIO Harmless - Amp Section
lfo Knob does what?
- Applies LFO to the main pitch.
- -The value can be positive or negative depending on the direction of the lfo knob.
FL STUDIO Harmless - Pitch Section
porta Button does what?
- Portamento slides between the levels/pitch of the last note & the new one.
- -time knob determines the slide time.
FL STUDIO Harmless - Pitch Section
legato Button functions how?
- Legato is a monophonic mode and slides between overlapping notes.
- -The time knob determines the slide time.
FL STUDIO Harmless - Pitch Section
time Knob does what?
-Controls the porta and legato slide times.
FL STUDIO Harmless - Pitch Section
VEL Button below time Knob does what?
-Links note-on velocity to portamento or legato attack time, and note-off velocity to legato release time.
FL STUDIO Harmless - Filter Section
alt Button functions as what?
- Alternative, ‘adaptive envelope’ mode ensures the filter cutoff frequency is only modulated over the range from the current cutoff value to the max/min frequency limit.
- -The cutoff modulation range is ‘adaptive’ in that 100% envelope modulation always = max/min frequency. Direction depends on the amt value being positive or negative.
- –The purpose is to avoid ‘pauses’ that can happen in ‘normal’ mode when the cutoff is modulated above or below the max/min frequency and the cutoff pauses at the limit until the modulation value returns to within the audible range.
FL STUDIO Harmless - Filter Section
att Knob
-Attack time
FL STUDIO Harmless - Filter Section
Attack slope Knob
-The knob below the att control determines the shape of the attack ramp.
FL STUDIO Harmless - Filter Section
dec Knob
-Decay time.
FL STUDIO Harmless - Filter Section
Decay slope
-The knob below the dec control determines the shape of the decay ramp.
FL STUDIO Harmless - Filter Section
amt Knob functions how?
- Filter cutoff frequency envelope amount.
- -Turning right applies positive modulation of the filter cutoff frequency.
- –Turning left applies a negative modulation of the filter cutoff frequency.
- —In ‘normal’ mode the envelope is multiplied by the amt value and added to the filter cutoff freq. See alt mode above.
FL STUDIO Harmless - Filter Section
VEL Button Below amt Knob does what?
-Links note-on velocity to filter envelope amount.
FL STUDIO Harmless - Filter Section
lfo Knob does what?
- Applies LFO to the filter cutoff value.
- -The value can be positive or negative depending on the direction of the lfo knob.
FL STUDIO Harmless - Filter Section
kb.t Knob does what?
- Keyboard tracking.
- -Applies an offset to the filter cutoff value depending on pitch.
- –The offset-value can be positive or negative depending on the direction of the kb.t knob.
- —For example, keyboard tracking is useful to make a sound brighter, by raising the cutoff frequency of a low-pass filter, as higher keys are played.
FL STUDIO Harmless - Filter Section
width does what?
- Filter bandwidth.
- -Narrower widths create a more clearly defined ‘center frequency’ sound.
FL STUDIO Harmless - Filter Section
freq Knob
- Filter cutoff frequency.
- -This is the target for all controls in green to the left of the knob.
FL STUDIO Harmless - Filter Section
Filter type menu - Choose from cutoff slope variations, crude being the steepest:
Low pass - Filters frequencies above the cutoff frequency.
Band pass - Filters frequencies either side of a central band.
Band stop - Filters frequencies inside a central band.
High pass - Filters frequencies below the cutoff frequency.
Phaser - ‘Comb filtering’, a series of stacked band-stop filers.
oct / Hz - Sets the filter shape to an Octave or Hertz scale. Set by ear.
FL STUDIO Harmless - Filter Section
res Knob
- Filter resonance.
- -This boosts frequencies around the cutoff value (depending on the offset value).
- –Resonance accentuates the cutoff frequency position making a familiar ‘resonant’ sound.
FL STUDIO Harmless - Filter Section
Resonance type menu allows you to do what?
Choose from resonance type variations:
FL STUDIO Harmless - Filter Section
Resonance type menu - Classic
-Single narrow resonance peak.
FL STUDIO Harmless - Filter Section
Resonance type menu - Spring, Pedestal, Sedge hat, Wide bump & Double cone
-Various resonance peak shapes, named according to their approximate shape.
FL STUDIO Harmless - Filter Section
Resonance type menu - Well & Wormhole
- Cut frequencies at the cutoff frequency with resonant peaks either side of the hole.
- -These settings are designed to be used with the self-oscillation, to avoid annoying interferences and overly loud ringing when the resonance peak passes harmonic frequencies.
FL STUDIO Harmless - Filter Section
Resonance type menu - Well & Wormhole
- Cut frequencies at the cutoff frequency with resonant peaks either side of the hole.
- -These settings are designed to be used with the self-oscillation, to avoid annoying interferences and overly loud ringing when the resonance peak passes harmonic frequencies.
FL STUDIO Harmless - Filter Section
Resonance type menu - Noise
- Special effect.
- -Randomly selects harmonics to play.
- –Use the res knob to control the number of harmonics selected and ofs (offset) to control randomization speed.
FL STUDIO Harmless - Filter Section
oct / Hz
-Sets the shape of the resonance frequency peak to an Octave or Hertz scale. Set by ear.
FL STUDIO Harmless - Filter Section
ofs Knob does what?
- Shift the resonant frequency +/- 2400 cents, relative to the cutoff frequency.
- -NOTE: Resonance may become inaudible if the offset moves the peak past the filter cutoff point, since there may be few or no frequencies to resonate there.
FL STUDIO Harmless - Filter Section
osc Knob does what?
- Self-oscillation level.
- -A sine wave is deliberately introduced at the resonant frequency developing more distinct ‘tonal’ sound.
- –Can be useful when the offset moves the resonant peak beyond the filter cutoff point.
FL STUDIO Harmless - Filter Section
motion.t Button does what?
-This works with the self-oscillation (osc) feature so that the self oscillation only happens when there is cutoff-frequency motion.
FL STUDIO Harmless - Filter Section
adaptive Button does what?
- Adaptive resonant-peak width.
- -The resonant peak changes width as a function of cutoff frequency. Set by ear.
FL STUDIO Harmless - Unison Section
Unison is what/does what?
- Unison is a thickening and stereoizing effect, similar to chorusing.
- -Unlike chorus, that is applied to the final output, unison is a per-note effect where each note is given a user-defined number of ‘subvoices’ (from the order setting).
- –Subvoices are then given user-defined variations of panning, volume, pitch and phasing relative to the root note.
FL STUDIO Harmless - Unison Section
Order
-Number of unison voices.
FL STUDIO Harmless - Unison Section
Unison type menu allows you to do what?
Select from three variations of pitch and panning spread (Classic, Uniform & Blurred). Set by ear.
FL STUDIO Harmless - Unison Section
pan
Panning variation across the unison voices.
FL STUDIO Harmless - Unison Section
pitch
Pitch variation (detune) across the unison voices
FL STUDIO Harmless - Unison Section
VEL does what?
Links note-on velocity to pitch variation.
FL STUDIO Harmless - Unison Section
phase
Timbre starting phase variation across the unison voices.
FL STUDIO Harmless - Unison Section
var
Adds a offset the LFO position (phase) and phaser speed for each unison voice.
FL STUDIO Harmless - Phaser Section
Phaser is what/does what?
- Phasing is the process of creating, constantly moving, frequency cancellation/s in a sound.
- -The Harmless phaser allows individual harmonics to be phased rather than it being applied to the entire output or ‘cancellation patterns’ (cut templates) to be applied to the timbre making a range of interesting phasing and harmonic effects possible.
FL STUDIO Harmless - Phaser Section
amt
Amount of phasing.
FL STUDIO Harmless - Phaser Section
Phaser type menu
Select phaser type. There are three broad categories.
FL STUDIO Harmless - Phaser Section
Phaser type menu - Classic, Triangle, Eggs
In this group you will find settings similar to traditional phaser sounds.
FL STUDIO Harmless - Phaser Section
Phaser type menu - Deep, Deeper, Condom, Twins, Cascade & Box
Are special phasing effects that fully exploit the Harmless additive architecture.
FL STUDIO Harmless - Phaser Section
Phaser type menu - freq
Extra special! Modulates the frequency of all the partials in the timbre.
FL STUDIO Harmless - Phaser Section
Phaser scale
Set the scale to octave, Hz or harmonics. Set by ear. See the tutorial preset ‘PWM’ to learn how to use the phaser in harmonic scale in order to achieve pulse-width modulation (PWM).
FL STUDIO Harmless - Phaser Section
width functions how?
Wider settings cause a more aggressive phase cancellation.
FL STUDIO Harmless - Phaser Section
lfo
- Subjects the width setting to LFO modulation.
- -The lfo characteristics are set at the main LFO (lower right on the interface).
FL STUDIO Harmless - Phaser Section
ofs
-Offsets the phase mask (cancellation) position.
FL STUDIO Harmless - Phaser Section
lfo
Subjects the offset setting to LFO modulation. The lfo characteristics are set at the main LFO (lower right on the interface).
FL STUDIO Harmless - Phaser Section
speed
-Speed with which the phase cancellations are swept across the spectrum.
FL STUDIO Harmless - Phaser Section
kb.t functions how?
Keyboard tracking adds an offset to the amount control depending on note pitch note.
FL STUDIO Harmless - Harmonizer Section
Harmonizer is what/does what?
-The harmonizer clones the existing harmonics upwards, using various methods (+ octaves, or by an offset).
FL STUDIO Harmless - Harmonizer Section
amt
Harmonizing mix.
FL STUDIO Harmless - Harmonizer Section
width functions how?
Determines how far upward the harmonics are cloned.
FL STUDIO Harmless - Harmonizer Section
lfo
- Subjects the width setting to LFO modulation.
- -The lfo characteristics are set at the main LFO (lower right on the interface).
FL STUDIO Harmless - Harmonizer Section
VEL does what?
Links note-on velocity to width.
FL STUDIO Harmless - Harmonizer Section
str functions how?
-Strength places emphases on the first/early harmonic clones.
FL STUDIO Harmless - Harmonizer Section
Harmonization type menu allows you to do what?
Choose from various transpositions. Set by ear.
FL STUDIO Harmless - Harmonizer Section
Harmonization position menu allows you to do what?
- Choose the location where the harmonizer is added to the timbre (Pre-filter, Pre-phaser, Pre-pluck, Final. For example, Final vs Pre-filter.
- -Adding harmonizer harmonics Pre-filter means the filter can still remove them.
- –Harmonizing added at Final means the filter will have no effect on the harmonizer harmonics
FL STUDIO Harmless - LFO Section The LFO (Low Frequency Oscillator) is a generic modulation source that can vary the value of a number of target parameters on the Harmless interface including;
Harmonic mask mix.
Pitch.
Filter cutoff frequency.
Phaser width.
Phaser offset.
Harmonizer amount.
Look for the lfo knob under the controls to be modulated.
FL STUDIO Harmless - LFO Section
att
- Attack controls the time taken for the LFO to reach maximum oscillation.
- -The effect is similar to an attack envelope over the LFO.
FL STUDIO Harmless - LFO Section
speed
- LFO oscillation frequency.
- -Direction left and right of the vertical position controls LFO phase.
FL STUDIO Harmless - LFO Section
LFO shape/source menu -
Filter envelope
-Uses the filter envelope shape (as set by att, dec and their associated curve controls).
FL STUDIO Harmless - LFO Section
LFO shape/source menu -
Filter frequency
Value of the Filter frequency knob = LFO value.
FL STUDIO Harmless - LFO Section
LFO shape/source menu -
Voice random
- The LFO value changes randomly each time a note is played.
- -The new random value only affects the new note, sustained notes hold their original LFO values.
FL STUDIO Harmless - LFO Section
LFO shape/source menu -
Velocity
-Note-on velocity acts as a modulation variable.
FL STUDIO Harmless - LFO Section
LFO shape/source menu -
Pitch
- Note pitch.
- -LFO Speed becomes an offset when this is chosen.
FL STUDIO Harmless - LFO Section
LFO shape/source menu -
global option does what?
- When deselected the LFO restarts for each note played and the LFO is unique to that note.
- -When selected the LFO continuously cycles in the background and all notes share the current LFO value.
FL STUDIO Harmless - Effects Section
keep an eye on the effects already in use on the patch so that you don’t double up on reverbs or delays, unless that was your plan.
FL STUDIO Harmless - Effects Section
Chorus is what?
- The Chorus effect results from the interaction of delayed copies of the input sound, that are detuned by a small and continuously varied amount.
- -It is called ‘Chorus’ because it can make a single voice sound like that of a chorus of singers (all slightly out of tune relative to each other) and creates a thick and lush texture.
- –The effect is similar to Unison but operates across all voices rather than per-voice and is much less CPU intensive.
- —Chorus type - Select from a range of different Chorus styles. Set by ear.
- —-Mix - Controls the balance between the dry (fully left) and chorused signal (fully right).
FL STUDIO Harmless - Effects Section
Delay
- Delay is an echo-based effect. Very short values of the delay time controls can produce a ‘reverb’ like sound while longer time settings are great for left-right ‘ping-pong’ effects.
- -vol - Controls the level of the delay echoes.
- –fb - Feedback controls the number of delay echoes.
- —time - Controls the spacing between the delay echoes. The control is tempo synced, watch the Hint Bar wile you adjust the time setting (delay values display in beats and beat fractions).
FL STUDIO Harmless - Effects Section
Reverb
- Reverberation, simulates acoustic spaces. If you clap your hands in a bathroom and in a concert hall, the two sounds will be quite different. In enclosed spaces reflections overlap one another to create a ‘reverberant’ sound. Consider using delay to create the sense of space rather than reverb in a dense musical mix.
- -Reverb type - Select from a range of room sizes.
- –Vol - Volume controls the strength of the reverberant sound.
FL STUDIO Harmless - Effects Section
Comp
- Select from compression, limiting and distortion effects. Harmless uses the Maximus compression engine.
- -Compression type - Compression increases the low-level parts of the sound reducing the dynamic range, and so, making it sound louder or whatever the ‘Compression type’ setting claims. The Limiting preset prevents the output from Harmless exceeding 0 dB (assuming its Mixer track and Channel setting volumes are at the defaults). When Limiting the Mix control is disabled. The remaining presets offer various compression ‘flavors’ as described by their names. Distortion does what it says. Set by ear.
- –Mix - Control the mix between the dry and effected signal. Right = 100% effected.
- —NOTE: If the effects chain Harmless feeds into already has compression/limiting then don’t use the internal effect.
FL STUDIO Harmless -CPU options
Processing quality
- Use high quality mode for better live quality on transients and very fast LFO’s.
- -NOTE: Harmless uses ultra high quality when rendering, and no you can’t have that for live use, unless you are using the VST version then it’s available on the Hint Bar Options menu.
FL STUDIO Harmless -CPU options
threaded option
- Allows multi-threading for improved multi-core CPU performance.
- -Switching threading off may, in some cases, improve performance if the host’s multithreading is more efficient than the plugins own.