14
OSCILLATOR CONTROLS CONT.
FREQUENCY:
This knob is used to fine-tune oscillator 2’s pitch within its selected range. The knob’s
range is seven semitones higher or lower than its center position. At its center position, oscillator 2 is
tuned to oscillator 1. Turning it just slightly out of tune with oscillator 1 can yield interesting detuned
or phasing effects.
HARD SYNC OSC 2:
This button locks oscillator 2’s phase to oscillator 1, eliminating any phase
differences between them. The
HARD SYNC OSC 2
button illuminates when it’s engaged.
When both oscillators are in sync, every time that oscillator 1 begins a new cycle, it forces oscillator
2 to begin its cycle at the same instant, regardless of whether its previous cycle is complete. As a
result, hard sync forces oscillator 2’s waveform to take on a different shape—typically one with greater
harmonic complexity. Because oscillator 2 is in sync with oscillator 1, their combined harmonic content
depends on their pitch relationship, so that changing oscillator 2’s frequency will have an immediate
effect on timbre. For that reason, modulating oscillator 2’s frequency opens up some outstanding
waveshaping opportunities when
HARD SYNC OSC 2
is engaged.
NOTE:
If oscillator 1’s frequency is higher than oscillator 2’s, oscillator 2 will be unable to complete its
cycle, resulting in little or no output from oscillator 2.
TRY THIS
PATCH INITIALIZATION
1.
Press the
ACTIVATE PANEL
button.
2.
In the
FILTER
section, turn the
CUTOFF
knob all the way up, the
EG AMOUNT
knob to
center position, and the remaining knobs all the way down.
3.
In the
ENVELOPES
section, turn the
SUSTAIN
knobs all the way up and the remaining
knobs all the way down.
4.
Set the
OCTAVE
knobs for both oscillators to 16’ and center the
OSCILLATOR
section’s
remaining knobs. The
HARD SYNC OSC 2
and
PITCH AMT OSC 2 ONLY
buttons should be
turned off.
5.
In the
MODULATION
section, turn the
LFO RATE
to 8 and the remaining knobs all the way
down. Make sure the
MOD
wheel is turned all the way down, too.
6.
Next to the
PRESETS
section,
FINE TUNE
and
OCTAVE
should be centered and
GLIDE
RATE
should be all the way down.
7.
Finally, turn all the
MIXER
knobs fully counterclockwise.
When you play the keyboard with these settings, you shouldn’t hear anything.
This procedure
initializes the front panel and gives you a starting place for creating your own patches and
exploring the Sub Phatty’s capabilities.
EXPLORE THE OSCILLATORS
After patch initialization, turn up the
OSC 1
knob in the
MIXER
section. Listen carefully as you play
the keys while slowly turning oscillator 1’s
WAVE
knob to the triangle, sawtooth, square, and pulse
positions. Listen to what happens when you turn the
WAVE
knob quickly while playing.
Now turn up oscillator 2 in the mixer. While holding a key, turn oscillator 2’s
FREQUENCY
knob to adjust its tuning relative to oscillator 1. Notice the varied effects of adjusting them
slightly out of tune, ranging from obvious beating between the pitches to mild phasing
between the slightly detuned oscillators.
If you turn the
FREQUENCY
knob all the way up, you’ll hear oscillator 2 tuned seven
semitones (an interval of a perfect 5th) higher than oscillator 1. If you turn it all the way down,
it will be seven semitones lower than oscillator 1.
(For extra credit, try to tune them a major 3rd
and a perfect 4th apart, too.)
Now tune the oscillators as close to unison as you can by turning
the knob to its center position again.
