I am trying to set up my Yamaha CS1x to operate my Akai S2000 sampler, but I cannot operate the S2000's filter using the mod wheel on the CS1x. I can modulate the filter using the pitch‑bend wheel but this really isn't the best solution, and since I have no other keyboard with a mod wheel, I don't know whether the problem lies with the keyboard or the sampler. I have tried everything, but nothing seems to work, even though the sampler is receiving some information from the mod wheel.
Tom Owen
Paul Sellars replies: Akai's S2000, S3000XL and S3200XL samplers make use of what the company call 'Assignable Program Modulation' (APM), which allows a considerable amount of flexibility when choosing modulation sources for a program. Under Single / Edit (or, if you're dealing with a Multi Part rather than a single Program, Multi / Edit) two pages below the main Filter page, you will find the first of three 'FILTER MOD' pages. The default setting of 'FILTER MOD 1' will be 'Veloc. +00'. Press the F1 key to move the cursor from the '+00' field to the field where 'Veloc.' (velocity) is displayed, and turn the data wheel to the left until 'Modwhl' (modulation wheel) is displayed. Now press F2 to move the cursor back on '+00', and change the value to whatever suits you ( a range of ‑50 to +50 is available). Provided your CS1x's modulation wheel is sending nothing other than standard modulation data, you should now be able to adjust filter cutoff by moving the mod wheel, or by writing modulation messages into your sequence.
Another good tip for using APM is to set the modulation field to 'Externl' (external) and then, on the 'Ext APM control' page under the 'Global' menu, choose 'BREATH' as the external control source. This allows you to use breath‑controller messages (controller number 2) to modulate filter cutoff. The great advantage of doing it this way is that it enables you to tweak filter cutoff without having to sacrifice a controller, such as modulation, which is potentially very useful in other respects. Certain controller keyboards, such as Roland's inexpensive PC200 MkII, have an assignable data‑entry slider which can be set to send breath‑controller messages, thus acting as a dedicated filter‑cutoff control. Very handy — provided you're not one of the three people left in the world who actually need to use a real breath controller!
