What do you personally use your D-Beam for?

[Xtrife]

Hi guys. I'm just curious here. So its a simple question really.

What do you use the D-Beam for? (In case you do)
As in like, scenario, function, etc. Wondering if its something thats actually useful or just a feature that just a handful of people seldom use

[dmitche3]

Annoying people with the 'solo synth' functionality.
I find a foot pedal is more useful and that the D-Beam has been more showmanship than anything. I did once, for a joke use my head to control it. I'm sure I looked quite foolish doing it. :)

[howardS]

Xtrife, you posted this in the Juno-Gi section. Are you looking for responses only from people with that synth?

[Xtrife]

well, I have a Juno Gi, I dont know which other synths have the D-Beam and if they do, Im not sure if they have the same parameters as the Juno Gi. But really, I just find the D-Beam interesting but hardly useful so I was wondering what everyone else used it for.

[howardS]

Ok, thanks for clarifying. Many Roland synths have the D-Beam and many of them have similar parameters but I appreciate that you want responses from other Juno-Gi owners.

[Gambler]

I use it to control after-touch parameter, since Gi doesn't have proper aftertouch. Most patches react to it in some way. Moreover, the stuff that's bound to after-touch is usually not sensitive to aliasing, so it works nicely.

You could also bind it to breath in the same way.

[TeleDude]

The assignable function is actually really useful if you get a bit creative. I like to set mine to volume on a bass patch and control swells with my hand or you can also set it to portamento and get a dramatic dive or rise sound without making the rest of your effect sound like a wasted slide flautist player wandering between pitches. You can also set it to modulate and use it kinda in place of the stick, as well as probably lots of other things that I haven't tried. I never use the solo synth, though. I feel like it's just too high-pitched to be useful. Plus, you can't change the tone of it or anything.

[Xtrife]

yeah, the solo synth thing feels like a toy feature.

What i want to do with the D-Beam is to be able to pitchbend the patch a couple of octaves, either up or down, but last time i tried, if i remember correctly, it either only allowed a small range or could only go as far as the pitch bend joystick is assigned at that moment for that patch, which doesnt work for me cuz i need the joystick to be in the 1 tone range.

[TeleDude]

Try shift+assignable, pick portamento and then when you hold your hand on the sensor, the speed will be set to minimum and if you hit the key you want to shift to while still holding the one before it, it should slowly bend to that pitch.