[Feature Request] Improved Function Polarity Options

[Talahamut]

Currently, Functions and LFOs offer two polarity options: “Bipolar” (baseline is centered) and “Unipolar Positive” (baseline at the bottom). “Unipolar Negative” would be an additional useful option (baseline at the top).

But even better, would be if you could set that baseline point over the full range, so you could do unbalanced modulations. 0.0 = Unipolar Positive, 0.5 = Bipolar, 1.0 = Unipolar Negative, and anything in between those would cause the modulation to cycle further in one direction than the other.

It could be useful to have this option for the Random functions as well.

[Funtmaster]

I can hear the new patches already…

[tmoore]

I’m new to Pigments, but I thought about how you would do this in a modular synth system, using an inverter (or attenuverter) to turn a unipolar positive signal into a unipolar negative one, and an offset module to change the baseline.

It looks like you can do something similar in Pigments, using an extra Function and a Combinate.

First make one Function just a straight line, all the way at the bottom, set to bipolar

Then, use the combinator with your original unipolar positive Function as the source and this bipolar straight line as the Mod. Set the Type to Multiply and Amount all the way up. You’ll get an inversion of your unipolar Function:

If you change the Type from Multiply to Sum, you’ll get an offset control. Drag the straight line Function up and down to change how much it’s offset (and in which direction from 0).

I agree it would be nice to have these options built in, so that you don’t need to take up the extra modulation sources and to make it a bit easier to access. In the meantime, maybe you can make use of this to design some of the sounds you’re thinking of.

[LBH]

Hi all,

In a Function you can add points and draw curves and you have the Scale parameter.

In the Combinator you in example have the Remap functionality. If i understand you correct, then try the Remap to in a way alter baselines.
In some cases maybe also the Offset and the Threshold functionality in the combinators and others can be useful.

Beside this you can add both positive and negative modulation amount to any parameter.

And keep in mind, that you for example even can select a Combinator as input for another Combinator or as source for a Random module.
And you have the sidechain options for modulators.

I’m not sure what you wish to be able to do, that you can’t allready. I will say you can do even more as it allready is.
Am i missing something in the request?

[Talahamut]

@tmoore and @LBH are correct; this can be achieved using a Combinator.

I do think my idea would still be a nice improvement on the existing Polarity option and would also make it a modulatable parameter without having to dedicate additional mod sources to doing the function math.