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Creating ADSR Envelopes
ADSR Envelope
An ADSR (attack-decay-sustain-release) envelope is like
an ASR envelope, except that it adds a fourth stage
known as “decay” after the attack stage. After hitting the
peak, an ADSR envelope “decays” to a sustain level less
than the peak level. See Figure 9.This sustain level and
the speed at which the envelope decays are controllable.
We can generate an ADSR envelope with the
Shaped
Dual EnvVCA
by feeding a gate into both
Trig
jacks. The
gate should be generated by an external module such as
a keyboard or sequencer that lets you control the pulse
width. The pulse width determines the length of the
sustain, that is, the ADSR envelope will do the attack and
decay segments and then hold at the sustain level until
the gate goes low. At that point it’ll do the release
segment.
Use a mult or stackable cable to patch the gate signal into both
Trig
jacks. Flip Channel A’s
Trig
switch
to
AR
, and Channel B to
ASR
. Both
Cycle
buttons should be off.
Set all
Rise/Fall
switches to
Med.
Channel A’s
Rise
will control the attack time, set it to
Fast
to start.
Set Channel B’s
Rise
to match Channel A’s: in order to produce a true ADSR envelope both
Rise
sliders must always be set the same. Channel A’s
Fall
will control the release time, start with it a few
marks above
Fast
. Channel B’s
Fall
will control the decay time, start with it around the center position.
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24
Figure 9: ADSR. Ch B Level knob turned down in
2nd envelope to lower sustain level. Ch A Fall
slider moved up in third envelope to make decay
slower.
Cycle
AR
ASR
Cycle
AR
ASR
Rise
Fall
Shaped Dual EnvVCA
Time
Time
Follow
VCA CV
VCA CV
In
Audio B
Audio A
Out
In
Out
Lin 5V
Lin 5V
OR
Shape
Rise
Fall
Slow
Fast
Med
Slow
Fast
Trig
Cycle
Offset
Level
EOF
Fall
Rise
Shape
Shape
Follow
ENV A
ENV B
Shape
Fall
Rise
Slow
Fast
Med
Slow
Fast
Trig
Cycle
Offset
Level
EOR
A
Cycle
off
Rise
adjusts
attack. Set Ch A
and B
Rise
the
same.
Ch A
Fall
adjusts
release time.
Ch B
Fall
adjusts
decay time.
To mixer/output
amp
From sound
source
Channel B
Level
controls sustain
level. Keep
between 12:00
and 2:30
Level
at 2:30
Offset
at 12:00
Gate (pulse width
controls sustain
period)
Cycle
off
Rise and Fall
switches to Med
Trig
set to ASR
Offset
at center.