ENSONIQ ESQ-M Musician'S Manual Download Page 42

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Waveforms

ESQ-M – Musician's Manual

Some of the ESQ-M's Waveforms (such as the Piano Waveform) have been

Multisampled —

that is,

different waves play in different ranges of the instrument. This is because many sounds lose their realism
if they are transposed too far from their source. The lowest note on a piano, if transposed up three octaves,
doesn't sound like a piano any more. Neither does the highest note transposed

down

three octaves. Or to

use another example — take a recording of a human voice and play it back twice as fast. Does it sound like a
human voice? No. What does it sound like? Chipmunks.

Multisampling means that the low notes of the Piano Waveform were sampled from a low note on the piano,
the middle notes were sampled from a middle note, and so on. So really you get more than 32 Waveforms,
since some of them are actually made up of several Waveforms. You don't have to do anything special
to use these Multisampled Waveforms. The ESQ-M treats each one as a single Waveform, and they are
selected just like the others.

The Synthetic Waveforms can be combined with the Sampled ones, to add harmonic content which
enhances the sound in some way. Any combination of Waveforms is possible, and each will have its own
unique sound.

NAMES

The

ESQ-M's

32 Waveforms are identified by their

Names.

In the

case of the Sampled Wavefouns

especially, you should neither take them too literally, nor let yourself be limited by those Names. Don't,
for example, expect the

VOICE

Waveform to always sound like Vocals — everything depends on the

Program (the Envelopes, the Filter settings, etc.). On the other hand, don't let the Names alone limit what
you try in terms of being creative. For example, if you find that within a certain Program the

BASS

Waveform sounds like a harpsichord, or a kazoo, or whatever, go with it. Your ears are the only valid
judge of what works.

SELECTING A WAVEFORM

Each of the three Oscillators can play a different Waveform within a Program. The Waveforms are
selected from the

Oscillator Pitch

Pages

[OSC1, OSC2

and OSC3]. The Waveform parameter is

selected like any other parameter on the ESQ-M.

To select a Waveform for

Oscillator 1:

Press the

Param

button to put the ESQ-M into Parameter mode.

Press the OSC button on the Control Keypad, then within 2 seconds (while the question mark is
flashing) immediately press

to select

Oscillator

l's

Page.

Press

Scroll

until the Display reads

"WAVE=_________

Now you can use the Data Entry Slider and the Up and Down Arrow buttons to change the Waveform that

OSC1

will play. There are 32 available choices, each with its own Name. Follow the same proce dure

to select a Waveform fo r OSC2 and OSC3. Late r in this section each Waveform is detailed by Name.

CHECK THEM OUT

The best way to understand the Waveforms is not to read about them, but to hear them. Select the
Program called BASIC (it's Program # 112 in the ENSONIQ Voice-80 Cartridge, Volume 1). This
Program has only one Oscillator playing, and all the Envelopes wide open. Select the

OSC1

Page as sh own

above, and Scroll to the

WAVE

parameter. The Sawtooth Wave is se lecte d

(WAVE= SAW).

While repeatedly playing a note or chord on your master keyboard, press the

Up Arrow/Yes

button to step

to the next Waveform. Press it again to hear the next one, and so on. In this way you can liste n to
each Waveform in succ ession, co mpare the m to each other, and co mp are the timbral characteristics
you hear in various ones to their text descriptions below. When you are looking for the right Waveform for a
particular application, let your ears be the guide.