XERXES INSTRUCTION MANUAL
REV 0.7
Page
10
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21
MASTER
Adjusts the global tuning for the entire instrument with a continuous range of 2
semitones up or down, with 0 setting representing a perfectly tuned instrument
where A4 = 440Hz thanks to its digitally controlled oscillators. Master tune is not
memorized in any saved patch memory; it always reflects the current panel knob
setting. If the instrument is out of tune with the 0 setting, ensure that the knobs are
calibrated to their center positions (see later in Calibration section).
DETUNE
Adjusts the pitch of oscillator 2 apart from oscillator 1 with a continuous range of 1
semitone up or down. When Detune is 0, both oscillators maintain the same
frequency multiple indefinitely. Since the oscillators are always free-running (unless
oscillator 2 is turned on), this can result in different voice cards having the oscillator
frequencies locked at different phases that do not change, which will make each voice
sound consistently different. To remedy that, turn the Detune button ever so slightly
to make the oscillators slightly beating, or use the Drift functionality described below.
DRIFT
This feature is unique to the Xerxes synthesizer. While the Xerxes synthesizer is using analog oscillators,
they are controlled digitally and never drift or go out of tune, and they will maintain the same tuning all
the time. While this is certainly an advantage when producing sharp or metallic sounds, it can also be a
disadvantage as the tone can sound too static with some patches, and using the LFO can sound too
regular. The controls in the Drift section can be used to simulate pure analog oscillators by introducing
tiny amounts of random but continuous pitch changes independently to each oscillator. This functions
like a separate, random LFO for each oscillator slightly
affecting the note’s pitch
randomly like a vintage
voltage controlled analog oscillator. Note that both Speed and Density must be higher than 0 to have
any effect.
SPEED
Adjusts how fast the frequency changes are being applied to each note as the note is
held down. There is no correction with 0 setting. At 10, the random changes become
more audible and are applied more often at 2 times per second.
