MFM2 User Guide
MFM2 User Guide
MFM2 User Guide
USER GUIDE
for version 2.2
Introduction 4
About MFM2 ...........................................................................................4
Installation ..................................................................................................4
Online Resources .......................................................................................4
MIDI Control ............................................................................................5
Presets ...................................................................................................5
Browser Functions .....................................................................................5
Save ...........................................................................................................6
MIDI Programs folder .................................................................................6
Patch Format ..............................................................................................6
User Interface 7
About the controls ...................................................................................7
Standard knobs ..........................................................................................7
Definable knobs (...) ...................................................................................7
XY controls .................................................................................................7
Lock ............................................................................................................7
MIDI learn ...................................................................................................7
Upper Bar ...............................................................................................8
Look............................................................................................................8
Data display ...............................................................................................9
MIDI Controllers .........................................................................................9
Global Feedback Knob ...............................................................................9
Feedback mode .........................................................................................9
Info .............................................................................................................9
Panic ..........................................................................................................9
More Feedback Machine 2 (label) ..............................................................9
Delay Lines 10
Overview ...............................................................................................10
Input..........................................................................................................10
Flow .........................................................................................................10
Feedback indicator ...................................................................................11
Timebase & Sync .....................................................................................11
Ratio / MilliSec / Tune...............................................................................11
Pan & Output ............................................................................................11
Filter .........................................................................................................11
Delay Matrix ..........................................................................................12
Preset Modes ...........................................................................................12
User Matrix ...............................................................................................12
2
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Modulators 13
LFO .......................................................................................................13
Sync .........................................................................................................13
Wave ........................................................................................................13
Editing user waves ...................................................................................13
Restart ......................................................................................................14
Rate ..........................................................................................................14
Phase .......................................................................................................14
Amp ..........................................................................................................14
Delay ........................................................................................................14
MSEG....................................................................................................15
TimeUnit ...................................................................................................15
Velocity .....................................................................................................15
Attack, Loop, Release ..............................................................................15
Editor functions.........................................................................................15
Modulation Matrix ..................................................................................17
Source ......................................................................................................17
Via ............................................................................................................17
Target .......................................................................................................17
Extra Effects 18
Channel Effects .....................................................................................18
Compressors .........................................................................................18
Mode and Target.......................................................................................18
Attack and Release ..................................................................................18
Threshold, Compression and Gain...........................................................18
3
INTRODUCTION
Introduction
About MFM2
More Feedback Machine 2 is a very powerful effects processor featuring four delay lines with
flexible routing, countless modulation options and automation for all parameters. With the realtime
usability and audio quality you can always expect from u-he.
Installation
Go to MFM2 page, grab the installation file for your system (Mac OSX or PC/Win), double-click
on the downloaded file and follow further instructions. While you’re on the MFM2 page, you
might like to scroll down and watch Dan Worrel’s excellent introductory video!
To uninstall, delete the plugin itself, then the associated files from the following directories (the
precise locations depend on your specific installation):
Online Resources
To check out all other u-he products, go to the main u-he website
For a lively discussion about u-he products, go to the u-he forum
For friendship and informal news, visit to our facebook page
For video tutorials and more, go to our youtube channel
For thousands of u-he presets, go to PatchLib
IMPORTANT: Before you start using MFM2, read about the Panic button HERE!
MIDI Control
MFM2 is one of those rare effect plug-ins that simply begs to be fed with MIDI control data.
Especially notes from a MIDI keyboard or a MIDI track in your sequencer can significantly
expand MFM2’s already massive capabilities. For instance, you can use the ‘KeyFollow’
modulation source to play its filters and delay lines “in tune”.
MIDI notes can also be used to trigger the multi-stage envelopes and LFOs, giving you total
control of synchronized modulation effects. MFM2 includes an on-screen keyboard: notes
played via mouse-click can be recorded as automation data.
Some sequencer applications can’t route MIDI to effect plug-ins, but at least e.g. Apple Logic
offers a usable workaround: Effects can be loaded as quasi-instruments into which the audio is
fed via side-chain. To make the most of MFM2’s ability to interpret MIDI data, please refer to the
documentation that came with your sequencer.
Presets
The content of the lower third of MFM2’s window is
switchable between MSEGs (multi-stage envelope
generators), Keys, Presets and Compressors.
To open MFM2’s browser, click on the tab labelled
Presets. The factory presets have been sorted into
several folders according to the type of effect or typical
use. Click on one of the folders to display its contents.
Above the Presets tab is a pair of diagonal arrow
symbols – these buttons step through presets.
To rename or delete files and folders, you will need to
use your operating system’s file browser (Reveal in
Finder is the fastest way to get there).
To move patches between folders, drag & drop from the
patches pane into a folder in the folders pane.
Browser Functions
Right-clicking in either browser panel opens a context
menu offering a few useful functions. In the folders panel,
the view can be updated (Refresh), new folders can be
created (create new folder), and the folder can be
highlighted in your operating system’s file browser
(reveal in Finder / Explorer).
The entry on open expand to contains options which
govern how deeply the browser will open subdirectories
whenever the GUI is opened or Refresh is applied. Note:
The branch containing the current patch will always be
opened i.e. fully visible.
Right-click in the presets panel to open the context menu for individual
presets. Make favourite marks the preset with a small yellow star, Mark
as junk makes the preset disappear (junked patches can be made visible
by selecting Show junk).
You can select multiple presets by holding down the Alt, Command and
Shift keys on your computer keyboard. You should only need the functions
Select All and Deselect if you really need to speed things up!
Save
To the left of the arrows (see previous page) is MFM2’s Save button. Patches are
always saved into the currently selected folder. If no folder is selected (as is the
case immediately after launching MFM2), patches will be stored in the root of the
Local folder.
If you try to save a patch under a name that has already been used, you will be asked whether
you would like to back-up the existing patch before overwriting it. To restore backed-up patches,
change the name and extension using your operating system’s file browser (Finder, Explorer).
After you have finished, refresh the contents of MFM’s browser: right-click in the folders area
and select refresh.
Tip: If there’s a preset called default in the local root, it will be loaded automatically whenever a
fresh instance of MFM2 is started. Try this: Load your favourite preset, open the root folder
(Local) and save it under the name ‘default’. Start a new instance of MFM2 and check…
Patch Format
While the browser is open you will see a global switch called PatchFormat between the row of
tabs and the folders list. Before saving, make sure that the currently selected format is the one
you really want. We recommend regular h2p:
h2p – this u-he proprietary format is suitable for all platforms and plug-in types.
h2p extended – like h2p but includes extra readable information. Files saved in the extended
format are larger than the normal (compact) h2p files.
native – the standard format used by your operating system. Presets saved in native formats
are platform-specific e.g. you can’t load an .aupreset into MFM2 running under MS Windows,
and you can’t load an .fxp into MFM2 running under Mac OSX.
User Interface
About the controls
Standard knobs
Values are adjusted via the usual click-and-drag, often allowing finer resolution via
the SHIFT key on your computer keyboard. Note that several of the knobs are
centre-zero i.e. you can set negative values. Double-click on a knob to instantly
revert to its default value.
Tip for wheel-mouse owners: You don’t even have to click on knobs and switches – you can just
hover over the control and roll the wheel (for fine tuning, hold down a SHIFT key beforehand).
XY controls
Along the dividing line between each pair of channel strips (1+2 and 3+4) is a row
of grey pips that give you joystick-style control over four parameters at the same
time: the four knobs to the left and right of each pip!
Dragging vertically adjusts the lefthand parameters of both channels, and dragging
horizontally adjusts the righthand parameters. Any unused definable knobs are not
visibly affected, but their (hidden) values do change.
Note: The XY controls cannot be MIDI-learned or automated, as they are simply
realtime controls for the other parameters that can be MIDI-learned / automated.
Lock
Right-clicking on any knob or selector lets you ‘lock’ that parameter. You can still
adjust the value, but it won’t change when you switch presets. To unlock again,
right-click and untick ‘Locked’.
MIDI learn
Any knob in MFM2 (except XY) can be remote-controlled via MIDI
messages: right-click on the knob, select MidiLearn from the
context menu and move the knob or slider you would like to use for
that parameter. To remove the connection again, right-click on the
same knob and select MidiUnLearn.
Whether MidiLearn will work in your setup depends on how your
host application routes MIDI to plug-ins. Cockos Reaper, for instance, always routes MIDI to
any effects that follow in the plug-in rack. Apple Logic lets you load effects as quasi-
instruments. If MidiLearn doesn’t work as you expected, please refer to the documentation that
came with your sequencer / DAW. There is usually a workaround, at least...
Upper Bar
Look
This button is for selecting the GUI skin (cinnamon or hard-boiled i.e. the original) and the size.
Alternatively, you can right-click anywhere in the background.
Selecting make default will cause fresh instances of MFM2 to adopt the current GUI state. Note
that this feature may not work in certain host applications. Next is a list of size options, as %
and pixels (width x height)...
cinnamon
hard boiled
make default
Text Antialiasing
Gamma ►
The Text Antialiasing option switches the smoothing of text elements (labels and values) on or off.
The Gamma sub-menu lets you adjust the brightness:
brighter
bright
neutral
dark
darker
Data display
Shows the name of the currently selected patch. Clicking on the name will open a drop-down list
of all patches in the current directory so you can select a preset without opening the browser.
The data display also shows the currently edited parameter and its value. Whenever you need
to set specific values, check the data display while adjusting the knob.
MIDI Controllers
You may have noticed this submenu while right-clicking on the data display. It lets you define
what kind of hardware MFM2 should expect the next time a control is MidiLearned. The current
implementation should be considered ‘legacy’ at best… but if you must, you can read the gory
details on page 34 of the Diva user guide!
Feedback mode
In Proportional mode, the decay of each delay line depends on its delay time. This ensures
that e.g. if you are using two delays set to 1/4 and 1/8 and the same amount of feedback, the
echoes will disappear at the same time. In Linear mode, decay doesn’t change with delay time.
Info
The info button opens a floating window displaying text written by the author of the preset. See
Save on page 4.
Panic
This aptly-named button immediately stops all feedback. With
so many feedback and inserted effect options between four
delay lines, things can get out of hand from time to time...
Be ready at all times to hit that button
Whenever you hear feedback building up instead of decaying, click on the Panic button. Before
resuming your work, either find and reduce the offending feedback level (the parameter causing
the problem), or turn global feedback down a little.
visit u-he.com
user guide
support forum
u-he on Twitter
u-he on Facebook
u-he on YouTube
Delay Lines
Overview
At first glance, the main area of the interface may appear confusing – but you’ll soon get used to it:
Compare these two images (of delay lines 1 and 2). If the GUI had not been in the form of a disk,
two delays would have looked like the image on the right – clearer perhaps, but not half as inviting!
Input
none, left, right or monosum (stereo audio input is summed to mono). Determines which part of
the input signal is fed to each delay line. Note: even if a delay has its input switch set to none, it
can still receive signals from the others via feedback.
Flow
Specifies where the filter is inserted within the signal path (see Filter on the next page):
Input...........................filter before the delay
Feedback................. filter within the feedback loop (iterative filtering)
Output....................... filter after the delay
In L, In R.................. filter before the delay, one channel only
Dry L, Dry R............ ditto, but only the dry signal of one channel is filtered
Feedback indicator
The small ‘LED’ close to the Pan knob in each channel indicates the feedback signal level, with
a blue band that widens with increasing level. When the signal is too ‘hot’ it flashes red – this
should only happen occasionally.
Filter
MFM2 offers several filter types that can be applied to the signal in various positions...
bypass: the filter is not active.
lowpass, bandpass, highpass are classic 12dB synthesizer-style resonant types.
bandreject is a bit more subtle, and works like an inverted bandpass filter – a fairly narrow
region of the spectrum is attenuated, so it can be used to remove feedback ‘ringing’.
allpass only affects phase relationships – no frequencies are attenuated. Resonance affects the
depth of these phase shifts. Allpass filters are useful for e.g. creating phasing effects, especially
when applied in parallel to the dry signal.
LP 6dB and HP 6dB are a less aggressive versions of lowpass and highpass.
cutoff controls the filter frequency and res (resonance) controls the filter-internal feedback. Use
the adjacent definable knob (right-click on it) to specify a modulation source.
Note that an additional lowpass / highpass filter (or one of several other effects) is available in
the ‘extra effects’ section – see page 16.
Delay Matrix
Preset Modes
The signal flow of each of these modes is represented by different lines connecting the 4 delays
and give a visual representation of the circuitry.
Four mono: Four separate delays. The output of each delay is fed back into its own input.
Dual Pingpong: Two pairs. The output of each delay is routed to the other member of the pair.
Quad Pingpong: The signal is fed from one delay to the next. To make the most of this preset, set
the input of three of the delay lines to none.
Quad Permute: Like Quad Pingpong except that the signal is sent in both directions around the
circle, while the feedback is inverted in one of the directions. This is a very complex network which
has been used in classical reverb algorithms.
Quad Network: Every output is send to every other input– feedback heaven! Use carefully e.g. for
atmospheric delays or dense reverbs.
12 into 34: The output of delay 1 is sent to delay 3, which is fed back into itself. Similar applies for
delays 2 and 4. This mode is great for dub rhythms e.g. using an initial 5/8 delay together with 1/2
notes in the other taps.
User Matrix
In user mode you can specify how much of
each delay is fed back to any delay. The rows
are the signal sources, the columns are their
targets. Let’s analyze the routing in this image:
Modulators
LFO
MFM2 features four identical LFOs which can be assigned to any modulation target. The row of
tabs at the top of the LFO section (see image below) switches between them.
Sync
LFOs are synchronized to song tempo. Use the sync pull-down menu to set a value. The range
is from 1/64 notes to 8 bars, including dotted and triplet time.
Wave
sine......................... pure sine wave
triangle................... pure triangle wave
saw up................... rising saw (‘ramp’)
saw down.............. falling saw
sqr lo-hi.................. square wave, restarted at the lower level
sqr hi-lo.................. square wave, restarted at the higher level
rand hold............... random steps (hard)
rand glide.............. random curves (soft)
user......................... definable steps or lines
Right-clicking in the LFO edit window opens the list of editing tools. Shift is used for selection
and alt (Win) or cmd (Mac) is for applying the chosen draw option.
copy / paste ........copies the curve to the clipboard, or replaces a curve with a previously copied
one. You can use copy/paste to transfer curves between different patches.
shapes................draws a preset curve: ramp, triangle, sine, cosine, root or quadric.
alt- / cmd-draw....sets the draw mode to erase (zero), scale (multiply), shift (2D move) or warp
(2D bend). To apply these functions, hold down the alt (Win) or cmd (Mac)
key before clicking in the window.
selection .............applies functions to the current selection: invert, shift left, shift right, every
2nd / 3rd / 4th.
reverse ...............flips the current selection horizontally
invert ..................flips the current selection vertically
Restart
Restart gives you more control over synchronization. You can restart the LFO after any number
of measures (1 to 32), or trigger via MIDI Note On messages...
free......... the LFO starts at a random position within its waveform
gate........ the LFO restarts with every MIDI Note-On, always at the same position in its wave (see
Phase below). Use a MIDI keyboard or MFM2‘s own keyboard to restart gated LFOs.
Rate
LFO rate. This bipolar control scales the value set by the Sync parameter. Use it to fine-tune the
speed of the LFO. The definable knob to the right is for rate modulation – in the image on the
previous page, LFO1 rate is being controlled by the modulation wheel.
Phase
Sets the phase (i.e. the position within its cycle) at which the LFO will be restarted every time a
note is played. This parameter is meaningless if Restart is set to free.
Phase shifts the phase of the LFO to the left or right so that the starting value of the LFO can be
different from what it would be by default.
Amp
Amplitude i.e. the overall output level of the LFO. For typical vibrato via mod wheel, click on
the definable knob and select ModWhl as modulation source. Note that the definable control (...)
scales the existing Amp value, it does not add to it.
Delay
Actually the LFO fade-in time. Typically used for ‘delayed vibrato’. Of course this parameter only
works if MFM2 is receiving MIDI Note On messages.
MSEG
MSEGs (Multi Stage Envelope Generators) are complex modulation sources offering total control
over the shape as well as continuous control over the timing. Click on the MSEGs tab at the lower
left of the MFM2 window:
Each MSEG can accommodate up to 32 segments. Instead of the normal sustain stage found in a
typical ADSR, you can loop through several segments. The slope of each individual segment can
be adjusted. MSEGs are triggered whenever...
- when you hit a note on the keyboard (if MFM2 is in instrument mode)
- if you manually click on a key in the Keys tab while the interface is open
- the keys of the keys tab can be automated in your host so you can write in the appropriate
triggers into your track. This also works in instrument mode or if your host sends Midi information
to an insert plug-in.
TimeUnit
Selects the unit that will correspond to integer steps in the editor’s time-line. Note that the timing
can always be shifted by setting non-zero Attack, Loop or Release values.
sixteenth / quarters / note: Note lengths, synchronized to song tempo
seconds: Absolute time, non-synchronized
Velocity
For dynamic envelopes – velocity scales the level of MSEG output.
Editor functions
Switches
Above the MSEG1 selector button are three small icons. From left to right, these are:
Single......... moves individual handles, the other handles remain fixed
Shift............. moves individual handles, all following handles also move
Draw........... moves multiple handles vertically – click on a handle and ‘draw’
Note that handles jump to the nearest unit snap and value snap positions
(see Context Menu below).
Curvature
To adjust line curvature, click on a line and drag it away. S-curves are also possible: Again,
hands-on experience is better than a long-winded explanation here.
Context Menu
Right-clicking in the background opens a menu containing the following options:
copy / paste.............clipboard functions
half size.................... shortens the envelope
double size.............. lengthens the envelope
upside down............ inverts the envelope
unit snap.................. horizontally restricts new input to 3, 4, 6 or 8 steps per unit
value snap............... vertically restricts new input to 12, 24, 36, 48 or 15 levels
quantize to snap.... quantizes all handles to the nearest step (see unit snap)
unit spacing............. distributes all handles to successive units
even spacing.......... evenly distributes all handles between the leftmost and rightmost
pointer....................... resolution of the position indicator – reverts to Course by default
Loop Region
Right-clicking on a handle lets you set loop start and end points. Alternatively, click and drag the
edges of the colored bar above the editor window. Note: MSEGs will continue looping if the loop
end is set to the last point.
Modulation Matrix
At the lower right is a panel used for specifying custom modulation routings and amounts. MFM2
has four identical slots labelled Matrix 1 to Matrix 4, each with the following elements:
Source
Selects the primary modulator, then controls the
amount of modulation. Right-click on the knob and
choose a source from the list (note: left-click also
works if the knob is currently undefined). The
Source knob is bipolar i.e. you can set negative
amounts.
Via
An optional secondary modulator and
its amount. Via determines how much
of the primary modulator reaches
the Target.
Target
The parameter that will be modulated. Here is an overview of all available sources and targets,
for future reference. The more familiar you are with MFM2, the less cryptic these will appear!
PhaseDpt12, 34 OutDpt
PhaseFB12, 34 Cutoff
HiPass12, 34 Resonance
LoPass12, 34 FiltDpt
CompThreshold1, 2 KeyFollow
Compression1, 2
CompAttack1, 2
CompRelease1, 2
CompOutput1, 2
Extra Effects
Channel Effects
At the bottom of the disk is an area
in which you can specify two extra
effects which can be applied to the
the delay channels in pairs (1 and 2,
3 and 4)...
Compressors
The End
contents introduction interface delay-lines modulators extra-effects! 18