Invention (2017) - ‘Acc/Dec (Accelerando/Deccelerando) Pedal’
for arranger keyboards (& drum machines).
Way back in September 2017, Yamaha had announced the imminent release of their forthcoming flagship arranger workstation (the Genos) - I posted a blog about it, & shared ‘this idea’ (please see my original sketch below) which I've called the ‘Acc/Dec Pedal’
It's like a volume foot controller, but it rocks forward or backward from a spring-loaded (detented) centre position - & it's purpose is the control of ‘tempo’ in an arranger workstation-keyboard or a drum machine.
I'm re-posting my original sketch & idea here, after recently sharing full details of this on https://yamahasynth.ideascale.com/a/index
Easy user control of 'tempo' is a big deal, because (for years) many peoples' gripe about electronic (keyboard based) music has been that it's too perfect & that it sounds clinical.
A real band (obviously) doesn't play with perfect time, nor do they necessarily play at consistent tempos - in reality, the tempo is continuously variable (analogous) & this is what arranger keyboards/drum machines need to provide, if they are to match the spontaneity & humanity of a real, live rhythm section.
Enter the Acc/Dec Pedal - which would allow the user to control the tempo in real time, with a foot controller.
The keyboardist could set the amount of tempo variation by a user definable amount (in the instuments' settings - let's say 10%) & another setting would perhaps set the amount of tempo drift (how good your virtual drummers' timing is) - to completely humanise your performance.
Pushing forward (accelerating) would speed up the tempo, pulling backward (decelerating - with your heel) would slow down the tempo, & letting go altogether would allow the pedal to spring back to its' detented centre position, where it would return to the song's originally set tempo.
This would effectively (& perhaps forever) kiss goodbye to ‘clinical keyboard or drum machine performances’ & make for much more exciting & engaging keyboard based music - everywhere!
Such real-time control of tempo & timing accuracy could also be implemented in synthesizer workstations as well, but the original idea was to make the feel of a live arranger-keyboard or drum machine performance much more random, spontaneous & . . . alive.
Isn't that what music is all about - excitement, spontaneity, dynamics, dance-ability & above all . . . human expression?
Sorry about the rudimentary illustration - I ain't no Picasso (haw).
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