Curious if anyone has figured out a workaround for the lack of ratio keytracking in the OG Digitone (they added it to DN II which is great, but I will be sticking with the OG for a while). Besides keylocking each note of course… Like some kind of midi trick?
From what I understand it’s actually the same keytracking that was already on the og (in the setup menu, where also the filter keytracking lives) It’s just a bit more convenient to access on the II
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the OG only has filter keytracking but no modulator ratio keytracking (unless i’m missing something!)
zoops, you’re right! i had that the whole time and didn’t know it, was manipulating ratios with LFOs instead … in the DNII manual they call it “key tracking” but it’s the exact same thing as “key scaling” they just changed the name… it’s not any different on the OG vs the DNII.
i guess when i first read the OG manual it went over my head and i didn’t know what it meant, and i probably played with it a couple of times but didn’t realize what it was doing, and then forgot about it - and then a few years later when my synth knowledge is higher, i hear that in the new one there’s “key tracking” i know what that is, and wished i could do it with the OG and searched the manual and only found filter key tracking… doesn’t help that they call it key “tracking” with the filter, but “scaling” with the modulators.
anyhow, thank you!
Pretty sure those settings only affect the levels of modulation, not the tuning/ratio (they’ve moved to the SYN4 page on DN2)
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You’re right, but they don’t on the DNII either. What OP really wants (changing the actual tuning of ratio a/b1/b2 depending on keytracking) is still only possible with lfos if I’m correct, even on the DNII
hmm, honestly i’m going to have to mess with the synth to figure out what it is i want exactly … i read that DN II introduced ratio keytracking, (which i confused with modulator key tracking) but it seems not
the manuals have the same info for “key scaling” and “key tracking” which affects the modulation
“ DN I MANUAL
9.5.1 KEY SCALING A
Key scaling sets the level of how much the modulation output from operator A is affected by what noteyou play on the keyboard. If you set key scaling to 0, the modulation level is the same for all keys. A high-er setting decreases the modulation level more and more the higher you play the keyboard. A lower levelof modulation decreases the complexity of the tone in the higher frequencies, which is a typical behavior in many acoustic instruments.
DN II MANUAL
KEY TRACK A
Key track sets the level of how much the modulation output from operator A is affected by what note you play on the keyboard. If you set key track to 0, the modulation level is the same for all keys. A higher setting decreases the modulation level more and more the higher you play the key-board. So, a lower level of modulation decreases the complexity of the tone in the higher frequen-cies, which is a typical behavior in many acoustic instruments.”
but no keytracking for ratio - they just have ratio offsets (same for each synth, except on a different page)
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I’m surprised to hear this. Are you saying that the ratio doesn’t track as standard? If it doesn’t, then how are the modulators scaled? What note does the ratio refer to? Do you get significant timbral changes across the note range?
Curious, as I’m considering a second hand OG DN.
Strictly speaking the ratio doesn’t track. It’s always relative to the played note‘s pitch.
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Played note.
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All synths parameters can be DN2 Key Tracking destination.
On FM DRUM machine, based note can be fixed with Key Tracking (depth -8), but A/B operator become fixed too. Their Ratios can be key tracked, but I am not sure of values…
the manuals have the same info for “key scaling” and “key tracking” which affects the modulation
Seems same parameters as said @garf.
ah yes, that’s it - so what am i thinking of in terms of the ratio that can be keytracked now, but which wasn’t trackable before? i saw this in one of the DNII videos but can’t find it now … it’s not the drum note
Ah, my misunderstanding (I mistook ratio key tracking for modulator key tracking) So normally the modulator tracks the carrier and maintains the ratio.
so am i correct to think that the innovation of the DNII is just the method of how you choose keytracking — on a special keytracking page - but that basically the OG digitone already allows you to keytrack the important things when it comes to FM synthesis (the modulators)?
Hm. Now I’m not sure if I get what you’re intending to say…
Let’s say you have a carrier and a modulator. That’s the simplest operator you can have in FM. Now assume the carrier runs at a frequency of A4 - 440Hz. With a ratio of 1:1 the modulator would have the same frequency. An octave up the ratio stays 1:1 but the frequency is 880Hz for both now. And so on …
Yes indeed. If I’m not completely wrong the keytracking of the modulation levels has just been moved to a different page.
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No.
Anything can be interesting as key track destination.
Ratio, envelope, harmonics, bw filter, lfo detph/speed…
I’d need more than 4 destinations!
Yep, that’s what I was intending to say, thanks for putting it so clearly.
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Out of interest, what does ratio key tracking sound like? I imagine different timbres on different notes?
On the Preen FM you can apply variable (or disable) key tracking to any of the operators. It’s nice to see a really low frequency modulator, as it makes the pitch of the carrier drift. If you then modulate that carrier you get inharmonics that vary in intensity with the low frequency modulator. But the Preen FM is FM. Is the DN phase modulation?
Yes, and it sounds great!
Best to check the DN section for countless audio snippets and examples. 
Otherwise… maybe you’ll find some technical answers here:
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