110 How to Sound Like a Vintage PPG
Groove Synthesis
point of 64 and set key to wave reverse parameter to on, which is equiv-
alent to the PPG KW setting of 4. Many PPG Patches used this feature
instead of sweeping the waveforms in a wavetable to create movement.
Use “Key to Filter” and “Key to Loudness”
On the PPG, there was also a KF and a KL control with 8 settings each.
KF stood for “Key to Filter.” This controlled lter tracking across the
span of the keyboard from high to low. Generally speaking, the higher
the note pressed, the wider the lter opened, making higher notes sound
“brighter.” This is common to many synthesizers today.
On the 3rd Wave, this corresponds to the “Key Amount” control found
on both of the lters. On the PPG, a setting of 0 did nothing. A setting 3
on the PPG meant the lter cutoff changed by an octave as you played
octave higher on the keyboard. On the 3rd Wave, this corresponds to a
parameter value of 63 out of 127. A value of 7 on the PPG corresponded
to two octaves of change to the cutoff for each octave on the keyboard.
On the 3rd Wave a Key Amount setting of 127 have the same effect.
The KL control stood for “Key to Loudness.” Generally speaking, the
higher the note pressed, the louder the sound — but this effect was
subtle. On the PPG, KL = 0 meant that the lowest note on the keyboard
was the loudest and the volume was scaled down as you went up the
keyboard to a very low volume at the top. KL = 7 meant the highest note
was the loudest and the scaling traveled down the keyboard until the note
volume was very low towards the bottom of the keyboard.
Also on the PPG, KL = 4 meant no scaling and equal volume across the
keyboard. Many PPG patches had this setting at something less than 4 to
keep the waveform volume and the aliasing in check as you played in the
top couple of octaves.
On the 3rd Wave, this is controlled by choosing Note Number as a
modulation source, and choosing Oscillator Level All as the modula-
tion destination. Set the Modulation Amount to -64 to make higher notes
lower in volume, which is likely to be needed to match a classic PPG
sound. Conversely set the Modulation Amount to +64 to make higher
notes louder.
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