FXPANSION DCAM SYNTH SQUAD Manuale utente

Contents

5Credits

5About this manual

61: Introduction

61:1 Welcome to DCAM: Synth Squad

6DCAM: Synth Squad at a glance

6A note on effects

71:2 Shared aspects of all instruments

81:3 Interface basics

8Loading presets: preset pickers

8Other Preset picker controls

9Preset browser

10 Controlling parameters: initial values (Main view)

10 Fine control over parameters

10 Controlling parameters: TransMod modulation depths

11 TransMod slots

11 Rotary selectors and drop-down menus

11 Numerical text-boxes

11 Buttons

11 Indicator LEDs

12 Parameter context menu

12 Snapping/unit options for tuning and ﬁlter cutoff controls

12 On-screen keyboard and performance controllers

13 2: Strobe

13 2:1 Overview

13 Strobe highlights

14 2:2 Oscillator section

14 Oscillator controls

14 Waveform mixing controls

14 Pulse Width controls

14 Direct modulation

15 2:3 Filter section

15 Filter controls

15 Direct modulation

16 2:4 Amp section

16 2:5 Other functions

17 2:6 Modulation

17 Gateable modulators

17 Glide

17 Keytracking (modulation from keyboard pitch)

18 2:7 Strobe signal ﬂow

19 3: Cypher

19 3:1 Overview

19 Background

19 Programming with Cypher

20 3:2 Oscillator section

21 3:3 Shaper section

22 3:4 Filter section: shared controls

22 3:5 Filter section: individual controls for ﬁlters 1 & 2

23 3:6 Amp section

23 3:7 Other functions

24 3:8 Modulation in Cypher

24 Gateable modulators

24 Glide

24 Keytracking (modulation from keyboard pitch)

24 Oscillators as LFOs

24 Beating rates as LFOs

25 3:9 Cypher signal ﬂow

25 Osc section

26 Shaper-Filter & Amp sections

27 4: Cypher’s oscillators in detail

27 4:1 Introduction to audio-rate modulation

27 Basics of audio-rate modulation

27 Audio-rate modulation implementations

27 4:2 Frequency modulation

28 Oscillator FM in Cypher

29 Filter FM

29 Envelopes and LFOs

29 Programming hints

30 4:3 Wave modulation

30 Continuous waveshape of Cypher’s oscs

30 Audio-rate waveform modulation

31 4:4 Audio-rate sample and hold

31 Using audio-rate sample & hold

32 4:5 Variable-depth oscillator sync

32 Main uses of osc sync

32 Variable-depth osc sync in Cypher

34 4:6 Beat detune

34 Using the Beat control

34 Beat rates as TransMod modulators

34 Usage with other oscillator functions

35 5: Amber

35 5:1 Overview

35 Divide-down synthesis explained

35 Implementations of divide-down synths

35 String synths in popular use

36 Amber: the next step in divide-down synthesis

37 5:2 Master tuning controls

37 5:3 Synth section

37 Paraphonic oscillator control

37 Filter stage (polyphonic multimode resonant ﬁlter)

38 5:4 Ensemble section

38 Paraphonic oscillator control

38 Formant ﬁlter stage

38 5:5 Ensemble section chorus stage

39 5:6 Mixer / Ampliﬁer stage

39 5:7 Perform controls

40 5:8 Other functions

40 5:9 Modulation

40 Paraphonic architecture and polyphonic modulation

40 Gateable modulators

41 Synth and Ensemble Envelopes

41 Glide

41 Keytracking (modulation from keyboard pitch)

42 5:10 Amber signal ﬂow

43 6: Common synth functions

43 6:1 Arpeggiator (Strobe and Cypher only)

43 Arpeggiator and LFO

43 Arpeggiator and Keying controls

43 Arpeggiator controls

44 6:2 Keying controls

45 6:3 Glide controls

45 6:4 Settings

46 6:5 Preferences panel

46 Oversampling

46 Perf. Controls (Performance controllers)

46 Managing settings

47 6:6 Visualizer scope

47 Locking and unlocking the Scope

47 Parameter value display

47 6:7 FX versions of synth plugins

48 6:8 MIDI Learn and host automation

48 MIDI Learn

49 Host automation

50 6:9 Program change panel

50 Using the PC panel

51 7: Modulation

51 7:1 Introduction to modulation in DCAM: Synth Squad

51 The TransMod system explained

52 7:2 TransMod system overview

52 Main view

52 TransMod Slot views

53 Basic TransMod system operations

53 Scaling

54 7:3 Using the TransMod system

54 Setting initial value of controls (Main view)

54 Fine control over parameters

54 Setting TransMod modulation depths

55 Managing modulation with the parameter context-menu

55 Managing TransMod slots with the slot context menu

55 Mouseover indicators and slot highlighting

56 Load to Mod Slot

57 7:4 Velocity and Performance controllers

57 Velocity

57 Performance controllers

58 7:5 Gateable modulators

58 Types of gating behaviour (Gate parameter settings)

59 Envelope

60 LFO

61 Ramp

62 7:6 Glide, voices and unison

62 Glide

62 Voices and Unison

63 7:7 Tracking the keyboard

63 Pitch keytracking

63 Keyboard zones

64 7:8 Summary of TransMod sources

64 Monophonic sources

64 Mono source sub-menu

65 Perf source sub-menu

65 Polyphonic sources

65 Poly source sub-menu

66 Random source sub-menu

67 Synth source sub-menu

68 8: Fusor

68 8:1 What is Fusor?

68 FuseMod

68 8:2 Interface Overview

68 Fusor LCD

69 Macro controls

69 Edit page buttons

69 Edit workspace

69 Keyboard and performance controls

69 Status display

70 8:3 Global page

70 Device and preset pickers

70 Edit and Power buttons

70 MIDI channels

71 Synth channels

71 Aux FX, Mixer & Master insert FX

72 8:4 Input device pages

72 Key Map page

73 MonoMod page

73 Animator page

74 8:5 Synth channel pages

74 Synth1, Synth2 and Synth3 pages

75 FX1, FX2 and FX3 pages

75 8:6 Aux FX and Master FX pages

75 Aux FX page

75 Master FX page

76 8:7 Fusor FX suite

76 Overview

76 Effect types

78 X4 Quad FX

80 8:8 Modulation in Fusor

80 FuseMod

80 Devices that can be modulated

80 Using the FuseMod system

80 FuseMod modulation sources

81 Using FuseMod modulation within synths’ TransMod slots

82 8:9 Animator: global controls

82 Architecture overview

82 Preset pickers

82 Engine selector

83 Engine type

83 Clocking

83 Important note about clocking and triggering

83 Driving devices with Animator

84 Animator Graph editor

84 Graph lanes

85 Advanced engine type Graph modulation

86 8:10 Animator: Arpeggiator engine type

86 Destination

86 Arp/Seq section

86 Graphs section

86 Triggering section

87 Using the Advanced engine type as an arpeggiator

87 8:11 Animator: Note Sequencer engine type

87 Destination

87 Arp/Seq section

87 Graphs section

88 8:12 Animator: Modulation Sequencer engine type

88 Destination

88 Graphs section

89 8:13 Animator: Advanced engine type

89 Introduction

89 Using the Advanced engine type alongside other types

89 Destination

90 Pattern memories

90 Graph offset controls and modulation

90 Triggering section

92 Arp/Seq section

92 Key Input section

92 Oct Advance section

94 8:14 Fusor signal ﬂow

95 Appendix 1: Standalone application & plugin usage

95 Using the synth standalone applications

95 I/O Settings

96 Using Synth Squad as RTAS plugins in Pro Tools 7.x

96 Using Synth Squad as AU plugins in Logic 7.2 or later

96 Using Synth Squad as AU plugins in Logic 8

97 Using Synth Squad as VST / AU plugins in Ableton Live

97 Using Synth Squad as AU plugins in Digital Performer

97 Using Synth Squad as VST plugins in Cubase 4

98 Using Synth Squad as VST plugins in Sonar

98 Using Synth Squad as VST plugins in FL Studio

98 Using Synth Squad as VST plugins in Reaper

99 Potential problems

100 Appendix 2: Strobe ﬁlter modes

101 Appendix 3: Cypher waveshaper modes

102 Appendix 4: Fusor – Overloud Breverb algorithms

102 Breverb Hall

102 Breverb Inverse

103 Breverb Room

103 Breverb Plate

104 Appendix 5: Host automation parameters

104 Strobe

105 Cypher

107 Amber

108 Fusor

Credits

DSP Programming Andrew Simper

Additional Programming Angus Hewlett

Steve Baker

Paul Chana

SKoT McDonald

Caleb Reach

Project Co-ordination Steve Baker

Rhiannon Bankston-Thomas

Interface Design Alex Akers

Steve Baker

Angus Hewlett

Artwork/Packaging Design Rus Brockman

Web Programming Andreas Schnetzler

Manual/Copywriting Mayur Maha

Video Production Rory Dow

QA Rob Bantin

Andrew Vernon

Preset design and QA Peter ‘Mod’ Slotwinski

Support Ryan Sellers

Rory Dow

Alex Volmer

Andrew Vernon

Artist Relations Clare O’Brien

FXpansion USA Terry Hardin

Daniel Wilkinson

Preset design

Patchen Preston

Kickﬂip

DJ Subject

Dave Blakely

Bobule

Michal Garstecki

Janis Chafﬁn

Francesco Silvestri

Daniel Stawczyk

Rory Dow

Angus Hewlett

Peter ‘Mod’ Slotwinski

Tasmodia tasmodia.com

Raphael S. electric-himalaya.com

Brian Lee xenossoundworks.com

Derik White dustedwilliamsounds.com

SoundsDivine soundsdivine.com

Beta testing

Mark Williams, Sean Ahern, Andrew Capon,

Robert Sfeir, Ashley Smith, Mikael Adle,

Murray McDowall, Jordan Chillcot, Christopher

Reis, Andy Reaburn, Anthony Webster, Paul

Sureno, Andrew Shantz, Joost Gransjean, Scott

McGrath, Kris Giampa, Roy Queenan, Andreas

Beisler, Alice Bernier

Special thanks to Zimon Drake at

French Kiss Films: frenchkissﬁlms.com

www.fxpansion.com

About this manual

It is beyond the scope of this manual to fully explain every concept of synthesis in detail.

A lot of background information is given in order for you to fully understand DCAM: Synth Squad’s features, but some prior

knowledge of synthesis and audio processing/mixing functions is assumed.

Suggested further reading

The Sound On Sound magazine articles database includes an excellent resource of synthesis information, particularly

the comprehensive ‘Synth Secrets’ series. There are also articles on mixing, effects processing and other relevant topics

when using DCAM: Synth Squad:

http://www.soundonsound.com/articles/Technique.php

There is also an excellent book about synthesis available for free viewing on the web (or as a downloadable PDF ﬁle),

called ‘Advanced Programming Techniques for Modular Synthesizers’ by James J. Clark. It is written for the Nord Modular

DSP synthesis environment, but its information is relevant for all kinds of synthesis, no matter what equipment you’re

using:

http://www.cim.mcgill.ca/~clark/nordmodularbook/nm_book_toc.html

Printing this manual

Full permission is granted to print this manual for personal, non-commercial use.

Manual revision 1.01

1: Introduction

1:1 Welcome to DCAM: Synth Squad

DCAM: Synth Squad at a glance

DCAM: Synth Squad contains 4 individual devices:

Strobe

• souped-up performance synth

• designed for easy programming of classic subtractive analogue synth sounds

• centred around a simple 1-oscillator architecture

• includes a built-in arpeggiator

Strobe is installed as an instrument and as an effect for processing audio through its circuit.

Cypher

• 3-oscillator, complex synth

• FM and other audio-rate modulation

• several other specialized oscillator functions

• a dual-ﬁlter/waveshaper architecture

• a built-in arpeggiator

Cypher is a more challenging environment for programming – if you require a traditional analogue-style sound, you’ll

achieve quicker results using Strobe.

Cypher is installed as an instrument and as an effect for processing audio through its circuit.

Amber

• classic string synthesizer model with divide-down oscillator structure

• constantly generates the notes for a 96-note keyboard range within a single voice

• 3 vintage chorus models and a formant ﬁlter

Amber is installed as an instrument and as an effect for processing audio through its circuit.

Fusor

Fusor is an environment for:

• layering synths

• applying FX processing

• step-sequencing

• performing modulation between the various loaded elements

Fusor is installed only as an instrument plugin – it cannot be used as an effect for processing external audio.

A note on effects

None of the individual synths feature built-in audio effects, with the exception of Amber’s chorus, which is essential for a

string synthesizer. You may wonder why we took this decision. There are a couple of main reasons:

1. Classic analogue synthesizers have no problem sounding great without any effects

2. We wanted the synths in DCAM: Synth Squad to sound equally great without relying on any effects

However, we realise that effected super-patches are valid in their own right. This is where Fusor comes in – it includes an

extremely versatile suite of built-in effects, as well as a comprehensive way of modulating them. If effects are vital to you,

we encourage you to use the synths within Fusor to see (and hear) what’s possible.

1:2 Shared aspects of all instruments

DCAM: Discrete Component Analogue Modelling

DCAM: Synth Squad has been built by accurately analysing and modelling real-world components and circuits found in

vintage analogue synths.

As a result, don’t expect a standard ‘clean VA’ sound from these synths – you would never get perfect waveshapes on a

real VCO-based analogue synthesizer.

What you can expect is a set of meticulously crafted synthesizer instruments that sound truly alive in a way that is very

rare in the digital world.

Voices, Unison voices and polyphony

Each of the synths within DCAM: Synth Squad features an identical approach to synth voices and unison.

These settings result in 4-note polyphony,

with each note being 2 stacked voices.

Strobe and Cypher feature a classic polyphonic architecture – to achieve 2 note

polyphony, for example, 2 whole monosynths are effectively played together at the

relevant pitches.

You can consider each of these ‘monosynths’ as a ‘voice’.

Additionally, you can set up ‘unison voices’ in order to stack more than 1 voice for

each note of polyphony. This is a classic technique used in analogue synthesis to

achieve huge, fat sounds.

Unison voices are taken from the total available voices. The total polyphony is:

voices ÷ unison voices

Amber’s architecture, like any classic string machine, is different to a classic polysynth. It provides 96 simultaneous notes

within a single voice. However, multiple voices can be used for programming more unconventional sounds.

TransMod modulation

Common between all the DCAM: Synth Squad instruments is the modulation architecture, called the TransMod system.

While there are some hard-wired modulation routings in the synths, you will need to use the TransMod modulation system

to perform more sophisticated synth programming functions.

By default, no TransMod slot is selected, and ‘Main’ is highlighted. In this state, only the initial values of parameters can be

adjusted.

First TransMod slot selected – controls can now set and display

modulation depths away from initial values.

Main view selected – only the initial value of all parameters is shown.

Clicking on one of the 8 TransMod slots changes the controls so that you can set a modulation depth on each of them.

Fusor includes a slight variant on the system called FuseMod, which allows various devices within Fusor, including synths,

to modulate each other. It operates in a very similar way to the TransMod system, and is described in section 8:8.

Performance controllers and MIDI Learn

DCAM: Synth Squad features a standardized system for manipulating parameters with MIDI controllers.

Performance controllers are designed to allow you to have access to your most immediate MIDI controllers across all

presets. Typical performance controls include Modulation Wheel, Aftertouch, Breath, Expression controllers and so on.

DCAM: Synth Squad also provides a MIDI Learn system, which allows you to map any MIDI CC# to any parameter.

1:3 Interface basics

Loading presets: preset pickers

Preset name

Load to

Mod Slot

PreferencesTools

Save

preset

Preset

browser

Prev/Next

preset

Audio stream

indicator

MIDI

indicator

The instruments in DCAM: Synth Squad have a standardized preset selection system. There are 3 ways of browsing

through presets:

Clicking on the preset name displays a drop-down menu of all available

presets. Click on any preset in the menu to load it.

• Drop-down preset menu

Click on the preset name to display a simple drop-down

list of available presets, arranged by styles.

In order to access all available presets, hover the mouse

over the red up/down arrows at the top and bottom of

each sub-menu. The contents of the sub-menu scroll

up/down to reveal more presets if they are present.

• Prev/Next preset buttons

These buttons provide a quick way of ﬂicking through

presets sequentially.

• Preset browser

Click on the Browse... button in the preset picker to

launch the preset browser, which lets you browse

through presets ‘in-context’ – see below for more details.

Other Preset picker controls

Save preset

This button launches a system Save As... dialog, directed

at the user preset location, It is recommended to save

your presets into this folder so that they are easily

accessible within the preset-loading functions!

Saving a preset with the relevant 2-letter preﬁx (for

example, BA for basses) results in it appearing in the

respective category sub-menu.

The user preset location is:

<user location>/FXpansion/<synth name>/Presets

Tools menu

The Tools menu contains items for launching the preset browser and Save As... dialog. It also features Cut, Copy and

Paste functions, which can be useful for transferring the current preset to other instances of the synth that are currently

open in your host.

Preferences

Click this button to open the Preferences panel, which is discussed in section 6:5.

Load to Mod Slot

The synth preset pickers contain the Load to Mod Slot button, which offers an advanced function for use with the

TransMod system. See section 7:3 for more details.

Audio stream indicator

This indicator lights up if the synth receives an audio stream. The indicator should be lit if the synth is operating properly in

your host’s audio engine, or within the standalone application if a valid audio interface is selected.

MIDI indicator

This indicator lights up when any MIDI event input is received.

Preset browser

The preset browser allows you to browse through presets ‘in-context’.

Load

preset

Refresh

Prev/Next

preset

ﬁeld

Show PC panel Category

ﬁlters

1. Click on the Browse... button in the preset picker in order to display the preset browser.

2. Click on a preset in the list.

3. Play some MIDI notes into the synth – you’ll hear the selected preset.

4. If you click the Load button, the preset will be loaded into the synth.

5. If you click the Cancel button, the synth reverts back to its state before you opened the preset browser.

Presets can be selected either by clicking them in the listing, or by using the Prev/Next buttons.

The Load Preset button allows you to load a preset from any location on your system (rather than merely within the synth

plugins’ own preset folders), while the Refresh button re-reads the contents of the preset folder.

Searching and ﬁltering

The preset browser contains additional functions to ﬁlter and search the available presets.

Click in the Search ﬁeld at the top-right of the preset browser, type a search term

and press ENTER in order to search the name, author and style ﬁelds and display

matching results.

The 3 category ﬁlters allow you to narrow down the displayed presets by the following criteria:

Collections Filters by preset collection. By default, Factory and User collections exist.

You can also compile new collections using the PC panel (see below).

Preset author Filters by the name of the preset designer.

Preset style Filters by preset style (Bass, Chord, Drum, Keys, Lead, Organ, Pad, Texture, Unison,

Arpeggiated, Special FX or Sequenced).

All 3 ﬁlters and the search facility can be used at the same time.

The preset browser contains the program change (PC) panel, which is shown by clicking the Show PC Panel button. This

function is described in section 6:9.

Controlling parameters: initial values (Main view)

When the ‘Main’ view is selected, only the initial value of a control can be adjusted.

The initial value of a

control is adjusted by

clicking it and dragging

up/down.

Main view:

Sliders

Main view:

Rotary pots

The initial value of a

control is adjusted by

clicking it and dragging

up/down.

You can also double-click the control, type a value and

press ENTER or RETURN.

Main view

Fine control over parameters

Hold down the SHIFT key while adjusting a control for ﬁner resolution.

Controlling parameters: TransMod modulation depths

Each synth features 8 TransMod slots, which allow modulation depths to be set on almost all synth parameters.

When a TransMod slot is selected (see below), the synth’s controls can be adjusted in the following ways:

You can also double-click

outside the slider cap,

type a value and press

ENTER or RETURN.

Click outside the slider cap and

drag up/down.

The slider cap divides and the

modulation depth from the initial

value is set.

You can also move the part of the

slider cap with the arrow to adjust

modulation depth.

TransMod slot selected:

Setting modulation depth

Click the slider cap and drag

up/down, or double-click to type

a value and press ENTER or

RETURN.

TransMod slot selected:

Setting initial value

Drag the initial part of the slider cap

(without the arrow):

The initial value and the modulation depth

are adjusted together.

You can also double-click to type a value.

TransMod slot selected:

Setting initial value + depth

Hold down ALT and click/drag the initial

slider cap (without the arrow):

Only the initial value is set – the

modulation depth is unaffected.

TransMod slot selected:

Setting initial value only

Sliders

• When modulation already exists, 2 additional ways of manipulation are possible:

TransMod slot selected:

Setting initial value only

Hold down ALT and click/drag the centre

of the pot:

Only the initial value is set – the modula-

tion depth is unaffected.

TransMod slot selected:

Setting initial value + depth

Click and drag the centre of the rotary pot

to adjust the initial value and modulation

depth together.

You can also double-click to type a value.

You can also double-click

in the outer ring, type a

value and press ENTER

or RETURN.

TransMod slot selected:

Setting modulation depth

Click and drag the outer ring

around the rotary pot to set the

modulation depth from the initial

value.

TransMod slot selected:

Setting initial value

Click the centre of the

rotary pot and drag up/down.

Rotary pots

• When modulation already exists, 2 additional ways of manipulation are possible:

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