Contents 4 Installing DCAM: Synth Squad: Mac OSX 10.5 or above 6 Installing DCAM: Synth Squad: Windows XP or later 8 Authorizing DCAM: Synth Squad 8 Starting the authorization 8 Introduction to License Manager 10 Authorizing a product 11 Option 1. Online authorization 12 Option 2. Authorization via your Web browser 14 Option 3.
Installing DCAM: Synth Squad Mac OSX 10.5 or above 1. Insert the DCAM: Synth Squad installer disc and open the new DVD image that mounts to your desktop. 2. D ouble-click on the Install DCAM Synth Squad package. 3. You may need to enter an administrator password to proceed. 4. You must read and agree to the license conditions in order to continue. hen you have ticked the W ‘I agree...’ checkbox, click the Next button.
. Installation will now commence. 6. The installer asks if you want to check for updates at our website. e highly recommend W using the very latest version of DCAM: Synth Squad, as it is constantly being updated for optimum performance. 7. Click the Done button to complete the installation. You are now ready to authorize DCAM: Synth Squad. Turn to page 8 for authorization instructions.
Installing DCAM: Synth Squad Windows XP or later 1. Insert the DCAM: Synth Squad installer disc and open the DVD if it does not open automatically. 2. D ouble-click on Install DCAM Synth Squad.exe. I f Windows asks you for confirmation at any stage, please choose to proceed! 3. You must read and agree to the license conditions in order to continue. When you have ticked the ‘I agree...’ checkbox, click the Next button. 4. You now need to specify the location of your VSTplugins folder.
5. You can now decide whether you do not want the installer to create application shortcuts on the Desktop or the Start menu. Un-tick any checkboxes as necessary, and then click Next. 6. I nstallation will now commence. 7. The installer asks if you want to check for updates at our website. We highly recommend using the very latest version of DCAM: Synth Squad, as it is constantly being updated for optimum performance. 8. C lick the Done button to complete the installation.
Authorizing DCAM: Synth Squad Starting the authorization The best way to authorize DCAM: Synth Squad is using the supplied standalone applications. These are found in your Applications folder (Mac) or in C:\Program Files\ FXpansion\ (Windows) – for example, C:\Program Files\FXpansion\Strobe. See Appendix 1 of the operation manual PDF for more details of the standalone apps. You only need to authorize one instrument to authorize the whole of DCAM: Synth Squad.
Each time License Manager runs, it performs a quick scan of installed FXpansion products to check their license status. This can take a few moments so please be patient. Running License Manager manually When DCAM: Synth Squad launches and detects it has not yet been authorized, it automatically runs or prompts you to run License Manager.
Authorizing a product To begin authorizing a product, click the Authorize and Activate button. At this point, you may be prompted for the product serial number. If so, type in the serial number, hit ENTER and then press the OK button. You will be asked to choose an authorization method from the following: 1. Online, automatically The quickest and easiest way of getting your software authorized. It requires that your computer be connected to the Internet directly or via a transparent (non-Proxy) firewall.
Option 1. Online authorization 1. To begin authorizing online, choose Online, automatically as the authorization method. 2. On the next page, you are prompted for your FXpansion web site user name & password. Enter the details and go to step 4. 3. If you don’t have an account, click Create a new account on the right; if you’ve forgotten your details or you aren’t sure if you have an account, click the link at the bottom.
Option 2. Authorization via your Web browser 1. To authorize via your Web browser, choose Via your Web browser as the authorization method. 2. License Manager creates an Authorization Request file on your desktop – for example, “DCAM Synth Squad.AuthRequest” – and prompts you to launch your Web browser. Note: If your browser fails to launch, you should launch it manually and point it to: www.fxpansion.com/authorize 3.
4. Once you’ve logged in, or created an account and then logged in, you are prompted to select the Authorization Request file. Click the Browse... button, and, when the file dialog pops up, navigate to and choose the Authorization Request file that was created on the desktop by License Manager earlier. Then click the Submit button – the server now processes your authorization request.
Option 3. Authorizing via another computer This method should only be used if the machine on which you need to authorize your software does not have an internet connection. 1. To authorize via another computer, choose Via another computer as the authorization method. 2. License Manager creates an Authorization Request file on your desktop – for example, “DCAM: Synth Squad.AuthRequest”. 3.
• Using a web browser Using a web browser (Firefox, Safari, Internet Explorer etc.), open the following page: www.fxpansion.com/authorize Follow steps 3 and 4 on pages 12 and 13. When the authorization process completes, download the Authorization file from our web server directly to your thumb drive (or floppy, etc.) and take it back to your noninternet-connected machine. 5.
After installation and authorization Once you have authorized DCAM: Synth Squad, you are ready to launch its included instruments either standalone, or as plugins within a compatible host. If you are unsure of how to use the standalone applications, or how to launch the DCAM instruments as plugins in your host, see Appendix 1 of the operation manual, provided as a PDF file with the installation.
Introduction to using DCAM: Synth Squad 18 DCAM: Synth Squad interface basics 18 Using presets 20 Using DCAM: Synth Squad controls 20 Modulation in DCAM: Synth Squad: the TransMod system 21 Using controls with a TransMod slot selected 22 Other types of controls in DCAM: Synth Squad 22 Voices and Unison voices 23 Parameter context menu 23 On-screen keyboard and performance controllers 24 Assigning performance controllers (Perf1 and Perf2) 25 Using
DCAM: Synth Squad interface basics Using presets Playing with the supplied factory presets is a great way to learn about the capabilities of DCAM: Synth Squad. You can load presets using the preset picker. • Preset picker Preset name Load to Mod Slot Audio stream indicator MIDI indicator Prev/Next preset Preset browser Save Tools Preferences preset menu • Loading presets • Click thePrevious/Next buttons to cycle through the available presets. • Click theBrowse...
• Preset browser Refresh Load preset Prev/Next preset Search field Show PC panel Category filters Using the preset browser 1. Click on the Browse... button in the preset picker to display the preset browser. 2. Click on a preset in the list. 3. Play some MIDI notes into the synth – you’ll hear the selected preset. 4. If you click the Load button, the preset is loaded into the synth. 5. If you click the Cancel button, the synth reverts back to its state before you opened the preset browser.
Using DCAM: Synth Squad controls • Sliders • Rotary pots Sliders are adjusted by clicking and dragging up/down. Rotary pots are adjusted by clicking and dragging up/down. You can also double-click the control, type a value and press ENTER or RETURN. • Fine control over parameters Hold down the SHIFT key while adjusting a control for finer resolution.
• TransMod slots Upper: Click to select slot and show source menu Middle: Click to select slot for editing Lower: Click to select slot and show scaler menu • Choosing TransMod slot sources and scalers 1. Click on the top part of aTransMod slot to display the source menu. 2. Navigate through the sub-menus to the desired modulation source. Scalers multiply the source, useful for scaling an LFO via the mod wheel, for example.
Other types of controls in DCAM: Synth Squad • Rotary selectors and drop-down menus • Rotary selector click & drag (left) Click the rotary selector and drag up/down. • Rotary selector menu (right) Click on the display that shows the setting and select the relevant setting from the drop-down menu that appears.
Parameter context menu Right-click (or CTRL-click) on any control to show its parameter context menu, which offers a number of functions and options relating to the control. Reset Param Resets the control’s initial value to its default setting. Clear Param Mod Clears any modulation depths that exist for the control in the current TransMod slot. Clear Param All Mod Clears any modulation depths that exist for the control in all TransMod slots.
Assigning performance controllers (Perf1 and Perf2) All presets supplied with DCAM: Synth Squad feature the first 3 TransMod modulation slots assigned to the following modulation sources: • OnVel (note-on velocity)+ • Perf1+ • Perf2+ The performance controllers are shown to the left of the on-screen keyboard, and are intended to be mapped to your hardware controllers that are most immediate to use. The default assignments for the 2 performance controllers are: • P1 (Perf.
Using MIDI Learn DCAM: Synth Squad contains a built-in MIDI Learn system for mapping MIDI continuous controllers directly to parameters. Here is a guide to assigning Strobe’s filter Cutoff to a MIDI CC: 1. Click the MIDI Learn button to enter MIDI Learn mode: • the interface is ‘locked’ – controls cannot be manipulated • all controls that can be MIDI-controlled are highlighted 2. Click the control. 3. Move the controller – for example, the mod wheel. 4. The MIDI CC is now assigned to the control.
Strobe • souped-up performance synth • designed for easy programming of classic subtractive analogue synth sounds • centred around a simple 1-oscillator architecture • includes a built-in arpeggiator Strobe is installed as an instrument and as an effect for processing audio through its circuit. See chapter 2 of the operation manual for a detailed guide to the synth’s architecture and controls.
Strobe signal flow 27
Cypher • 3-oscillator, complex synth • FM and other audio-rate modulation • several other specialized oscillator functions • a dual-filter/waveshaper architecture • a built-in arpeggiator Cypher is installed as an instrument and as an effect for processing audio through its circuit.
Programming with Cypher Cypher requires a slightly different approach to a more conventional analogue-style synth. Each osc is tuned using a Scale control in relation to a variable master pitch. Since any pitchrelated control in DCAM: Synth Squad features several snapping modes including Harmonic, you can tune each osc with harmonic ratio multipliers instead of absolute frequencies.
Cypher signal flow: oscillator section 30
Cypher signal flow: dual waveshaper-filter and amp sections 31
Amber • classic string synthesizer model with divide-down oscillator structure • constantly generates the notes for a 96-note keyboard range within a single voice • 3 vintage chorus models and a formant filter Amber is installed as an instrument and as an effect for processing audio through its circuit. Amber is one of the first attempts to realistically model a divide-down string synthesizer.
Amber signal flow 33
Fusor Fusor is an environment for: • layering up to 3 DCAM synths • applying FX processing • advanced step-sequencing and arpeggiation with the Animator device • performing modulation between the various loaded devices with the FuseMod system Fusor is installed only as an instrument plugin – it cannot be used as an audio effect plugin. Chapter 8 of the operation manual discusses Fusor in detail.
Fusor signal flow 35
Getting started with Fusor Loading synths Initialize Fusor and load a synth into a synth channel. You can do this in any of 3 ways: • Use the device picker for the synth channel in the Global page. • Right-click on the synth channel’s page button and choose the desired synth from the list that appears. • Click on the Synth 1, 2 or 3 page buttons.If the channel is empty, a graphical selector is shown – click the desired synth to load it. Adding FX to a synth channel 1.
Layering synths 1. Load synths into channels 1, 2 and 3 and load presets into each of them. 2. Switch to the Key Map page and turn off all the Animator buttons in theDestinations area for the first key map. Then, turn on the 3 Synth buttons in the Destinations area. Setting up a reverb as an Aux 1. After working through the‘Layering synths’ tutorial above, click on the Aux FX page button. 2. Move the mouse over FX slot 1 and load Breverb Hall from the device selector that appears. 4.
Splitting 3 synths across the keyboard 1. Initialize Fusor and load 3 synths with different presets in the 3 synth channels. 2. Enable thePower button for key maps 2 and 3, so that the first 3 key maps are active. 3. Turn off the Animator buttons in the Destinations area for key map 1. 3. Enable synth 1 in key map 1’s Destinations area, synth 2 for key map 2 and synth 3 for key map 3.
4. Set up key maps 1-3 as follows: Key map 1: Key Low = 0, Key High = 48 Key map 2: Key Low = 49, Key High = 96 Key map 3: Key Low = 97, Key High = 127 Set Break Low to the same value as Key Low on each key map, and also set Break High to the same as Key High.
Using Animator as an arpeggiator 1. Initialize Fusor and load Strobe into synth channel 1, and Cypher into synth channel 2. Load a lead-style preset into both synths. 2. Route MIDI channel 1 (or whatever channel you’re using for MIDI input) to Animator engine 1 in the Global page (‘Seq1’ in the drop-down menu). 3. In the Key Map page, disable the 3 Animator engines and enable synth channels 1 and 2 in the Destinations area. 4.
7. Enter some events in the Gate Graph by clicking the cells.The Gate Graph switches steps on and off in the pattern. Now try playing chords on your MIDI keyboard. Note how the chord does not reset the pattern when you play it – generated note events occur when the sequencer falls on steps with the Gate cell turned on. 8. Switch to the Advanced engine type. You’ll notice that the sequencer generates notes without any keyboard input. 9.
Using Animator as a note step-sequencer 1. Initialize Fusor and perform steps 1 and 2 of the ‘Using Animator as an Arpeggiator’ tutorial. 2. Switch to the Animator page and click on the Note Sequencer engine type. 3. Choose‘KeyMapper’ as the engine Destination. The routing for MIDI input has now been set up as follows: MIDI input Animator engine 1 Key map 4. Start the Fusor transport by clicking the Start/Stop button in the Fusor LCD.
7. Switch to the next page of Graphs and draw in events for the Shift, Duration and Repeat Graphs.Note how the placements of steps change with Shift Graph events. Setting a positive value (above the centre-line) on off-beat steps creates a ‘swing’ effect. 8. Switch to the Synth 1 page and set Animator engine 1 as the source for TransMod slot 4 – ‘Step 1 [+]’ in the Macro sub-menu. 9. Set a modulation depth for the FilterCutoff control. 10.
Credits DSP Programming Andrew Simper Additional Programming ngus Hewlett A Steve Baker Paul Chana SKoT McDonald Caleb Reach Project Co-ordination Steve Baker Rhiannon Bankston-Thomas Interface Design Alex Akers Steve Baker Angus Hewlett Packaging Design Rus Brockman Web Programming Andreas Schnetzler Manual Mayur Maha Video Production Rory Dow QA Rob Bantin Andrew Vernon Preset design and QA Peter ‘Mod’ Slotwinski Support Ryan Sellers Rory Dow Alex Volmer Andrew Vernon Artist Re