Position/String LEDs.
These 10 LEDs surround the MCK's edge. After pulling the MCK
out
,
rotating the knob to a particular LED chooses a specific sound or function.
b# symbol.
Rotate the MCK fully counter-clockwise to access this position, then access the
preset tuning banks.
Rotating arrow symbol.
Activates String Up, String Down, and other modes desribed later.
Guitar symbol.
Shows the status of the Piezo pickup, e.g., whether it's available to be blended
in with the magnetic pickup and whether its companion onboard EQ is on or off.
Pickup symbol.
This indicates the status of Dark Fire's magnetic pickups—whether they're
operating as standard pickups, using coil switching to obtain different sounds, and whether the
onboard EQ section is on or off.
Variable color Display Matrix.
This provides feedback on several aspects of Dark Fire: For
example, it changes color to indicate which bank of alternate tunings is selected, spells out the
name of the selected Chameleon tone, shows the battery charge, and much more.
Peg symbol.
Activates tuning functions.
| symbol.
Changes Piezo and pickup status.
Chameleon Tone symbol.
Enters the mode for selecting Chameleon Tones.
Dark Fire Connections
Dark Fire has traditional
magnetic
pickups, a
Piezo
pickup in the bridge, and individual outputs for
each string (
hex pickup
), all of which feed a
tip-ring-sleeve (stereo) 1/4”
output jack. There are
several ways to use these outputs.
As you familiarize yourself with the Dark Fire guitar, we suggest using either the “Traditional
Electric Guitar” or “Blended Electric/Piezo Sound” connections described next.
The companion
RIP Computer Interface manual covers computer-based application in detail.
Traditional Electric Guitar
The
magnetic pickups' output
appears on the jack's tip. If you plug a standard mono guitar cable
into Dark Fire and plug the other end into an amp, Dark Fire (even when not powered-on) acts just
like a traditional electric guitar. When powered-on, you can use the Robot Tuning and Chameleon
Tone Technology, as well as mix in the Piezo pickup sound.
Blended Electric/Piezo Sound
1. Use a standard guitar cord to connect Dark Fire to your amplifier.
2. Pull the MCK out, then turn it to the
|
position.
3. Press momentarily on the center of the Display Matrix (don't press hard enough to push the
MCK knob back in). Each press changes the color of the Guitar symbol, which indicates the
status of the Piezo output. Choose the blue Guitar symbol for now.
4. Dark Fire's output carries a mix of the magnetic and Piezo pickup signals, with the balance
determined by the blend control (pickup switch toggle). Turn the toggle clockwise for more
Piezo sound, or counter-clockwise for more magnetic sound.
Gibson Dark Fire 4.0 manual, page 7
