Studio Electronics SE-3X, User Manual

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TIM CASWELL SPEAKS
!
Maiden Rock, WI 5-25-2021
The SE-1 was Studio Electronics’ fi rst original product. We had spent several years adding MIDI, doing mods, and rack-
mounting older synths. By 1991, we were ready to create our own product. Based largely on the MiniMoog, but
incorporating many features from other classic Analog synths, it stored 255 patches and had extensive MIDI control;
quickly it greased & boomed the bottom and wormed its way to the top on a multitude of hit records, soundtracks,
video games, and touring racks.
After making it for 10 years or so and getting a lot of customer requests, we decided a major update was in order. The
original ROM chip that held the operating system was full, so we designed a new CPU board, using a much larger Flash
chip which enabled updating the OS over MIDI. Other standouts included 4 banks of 128 ROM patches, 4 RAM banks
(an upsized battery-backed SRAM chip made that possible), and a CV generator boost to produce smoother envelopes
and LFOs. The pot reading was greatly improved as well, making that vital programming aspect much faster and
smoother.
We continued to sell them for another 10 years...
In 2020, we got a request from one of our top dealers and good friends, Lewis Chiodo at Awave, to make a second
special '1X model for him. In addition to the custom hardware he wanted—2 extra VCFs, ARP & “Juno”—he wondered if
we could include some potent software updates too. At
fi rst I declined, since I hadn't been working with the Motorola
(now Freescale) chip that ran it for several years, added to that, my development system for it didn't work anymore.
After some persuasion, however, I decided to try. Progress was painfully slow at
fi rst, but I was eventually able to put it
all together, with the usual optimistic and determined circuit-bending assist from Greg St. Regis.
The SE-3X… Hard to believe it was nearly 30 years ago the SE-1 helped the world to play… TC
MY SOFTWARE NOTES:
1.
The exponential glide routine from the Omega. Now you can choose that or the original linear glide.
2. The Omega/CODE Envelope routines. These show up as EXP2 in the Envelope window; this is in addition to the
original linear and magical quasi-exponential Envelopes.
3. Page 2 Mix knobs for the Oscillators. Due to space restrictions, the SE-1(X) didn't allow direct control, requiring
navigating to the Audio Mixer page for tweaks—tedious. Now holding Shift and using the Pulse Width pots to adjust
Oscillator mix levels brings balance and satisfaction.
4. OSC 2 & 3 Fine Tune: Hold Shift and rotate 2 & 3 Frequency knobs. Another useful and e ffi cient jump-cut.
5. LFO Gate from our Boomstar and Mini V-30. A venerable and most funky feature from the ARP Odyssey and 2600;
LFO 3 can now gate the Envelopes: hold Shift and press LFO 3, or send it CC #9. MIDI sync applies, of course when
received. Will maintain tempo and e
ff ect once engaged when scrolling (with Q dial) through patches.
6. Lastly for spice and “poly” nice-nice, Paraphonic Mode: This allows the 3 oscillators to be played by 3 di ff erent MIDI
notes, for easy and electric 3X chords. All 3 oscillators still go thru the same VCF and VCA, so it's not truly polyphonic,
but with some care and creativity in programming, it can sure seem/swing like it. Check out Marc St. Regis’ demos to
see just how warm and snappy it can sound:
https://soundcloud.com/studio-electronics/sets/se-3x
p.s. Last patch recall now happens upon power recycle.
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