Dave Smith Instruments Temptest, Operation Manual

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27 Tempest Operation Manual Oscillators
Oscillators
Tempest has four oscillators
for each of its six voices.
Oscillators 1 and 2 are
digitally controlled analog
oscillators or DCOs.
“Digitally controlled” does not mean the audio is digitally generated, just that
the oscillators’ frequencies are under digital—rather than voltage—control. The
audio signal path is still completely analog. The advantage of digital control is
that the tuning is exceptionally stable over a ten-octave range without having to
compensate for variables like temperature.
Oscillators 3 and 4 are digital and generate various sample-based sounds, includ-
ing different types of noise, samples of acoustic and electronic percussion, and
single-cycle waves from the Prophet VS. The digital oscillators are converted to
analog and pass through the same analog sound-shaping circuitry—filters, VCAs,
etc.—as the analog oscillators.
The Oscillators section contains the most commonly used controls for Tempest’s
oscillators. However, there are additional parameters accessed via the display
and its related controls. When the Oscillators screen is displayed, use the
3
and
4
keys to view all the available parameters and the
5
and
6
keys to switch
between the different oscillators (and other edit screens).
The Analog Oscillators
Shape: Osc Off, Sawtooth, Triangle, Saw-Tri, Pulse 0% ... Pulse 99%
—
Selects the oscillator waveshape.
Sawtooth
Triangle
Saw-Triangle
Pulse 50%