System information

Tempest Operation Manual

Oscillators

Tempest has four oscillators

for each of its six voices.

Oscillators 1 and 2 are

digitally controlled analog

oscillators or DCOs.

“Digitally controlled” does not mean the audio is digitally generated, just that

the oscillators’ frequencies are under digital—rather than voltage—control. The

audio signal path is still completely analog. The advantage of digital control is

that the tuning is exceptionally stable over a ten-octave range without having to

compensate for variables like temperature.

Oscillators 3 and 4 are digital and generate various sample-based sounds, includ-

ing different types of noise, samples of acoustic and electronic percussion, and

single-cycle waves from the Prophet VS. The digital oscillators are converted to

analog and pass through the same analog sound-shaping circuitry—lters, VCAs,

etc.—as the analog oscillators.

The Oscillators section contains the most commonly used controls for Tempest’s

oscillators. However, there are additional parameters accessed via the display

and its related controls. When the Oscillators screen is displayed, use the 3and

4 keys to view all the available parameters and the 5 and 6 keys to switch

between the different oscillators (and other edit screens).

The Analog Oscillators

Shape:

Osc Off, Sawtooth, Triangle, Saw-Tri, Pulse 0% ... Pulse 99%

—

Selects the oscillator waveshape.

Sawtooth

Triangle

Saw-Triangle

Pulse 50%