USB SOLO USB Single channel MIDI-CV converter Operating manual
_________________________________________________________________________ FCC STATEMENT FOR USB SOLO NOTE: This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residential installation.
INTRODUCTION The USB SOLO is much more than just a USB MIDI to CV converter as it incorporates a built in LFO as well as portamento and many other functions. Please take some time to read through this manual prior to first use to avoid any operational difficulties.
EDITING THE USB SOLO Switching On When the USB SOLO is switched on, the words KENTON USB SOLO scroll across the display, and the unit reverts to the settings from when it was last used. The Display The display has 3 digits each with a dot above. The 1st dot when lit indicates that PARAMETER mode is currently selected. The middle dot when lit indicates that VALUE mode is currently selected. The 3rd dot will light whenever the USB SOLO’s GATE is on (key pressed or sustained).
PARAMETERS Below is a list of parameters available to edit. The letters in square brackets show [where applicable] what will be shown in thevalue display. Menu number P 01 Parameter (default) MIDI receive channel (default :1) Range 1 to 16 - Sets the MIDI receive channel. P 02 Retrig Time (default: 5) Range off [off] and 0.2mS to 5 (mS) approximately – so 5 in display = 1 millisecond - If set to off (normal trigger mode), the gate just stays on when a new note is played.
P 07 Portamento type (default : fixed rate) The following can be selected: Fixed rate [Fr] Fixed time [Ft] - Fixed rate causes the portamento to slide at the rate set in 06, so that the slide time is proportional to the interval between the start and finish notes. - Fixed time will attempt to keep the time taken for the slide to be constant, regardless of the interval between the start and finish notes.
P 14 Scale (default: 0) Range -127 to +127 - This is used to tune in the octave scaling of your analogue synth. It will only need adjusting if your synth sounds out of tune as you play further up the keyboard (see ‘Tuning in Your Analogue Synth’). Check whether CV type select has been set correctly (see ‘P 15’ below). Note C (MIDI note#36) will not move (assuming transpose is not in operation) so get that in tune first then tune the C two octaves above that by using this parameter. P 15 CV – Hz/V – 1.
P 22 AUX 1 maximum value (default: 100) Range -27 to +100 - Sets the level for the Auxiliary output when the MIDI controller source is at its maximum. A value of 10 is approximately 1.05 volt – so 100 is approx. 10.5 volts and –27 is approx. 2.86 volts. Note that minimum can be set above maximum so that the controller works backwards.
P 31 LFO waveshape (default :TR) - Sets the LFO waveshape. All waveshapes modulate CV and/or Aux any value between 0 to a positive value, except triangle, which modulates positive and negative. The following may be selected: (the downward arrow (↓) indicates the default trigger point when in MIDI sync mode). Note that the sync point can be changed using parameter #33 – LFO Sync Start Point.
P 40 Continue = start - (default: on) [note - default was off before firmware 1007] The following can be selected: Off [oFF] On [ on] - when set to on, all continue messages are treated as if they were MIDI start messages. - when set to off, continue messages will only be treated as start if immediately preceded by a song position pointer = zero message. Some sequencers use this instead of a start message. Affects both the sync 24 output and aux output when in clock mode.
P 44 AUX 3 controller number (default: 19) - Sets which MIDI controller will control pin 3 of the thru socket if Aux 2+3 mode is selected The following can be selected: Timing Clock (inverted) Timing Clock (normal) Off Pitch bend Velocity Aftertouch MIDI controllers [CL i] [CLK] [oFF] [Pbd] [VEL] [AF t] 0-119 If timing clock is selected, the clock divide ratio (para #41) controls the relationship with MIDI clock. CLK is a normal positive clock – most synths use this.
2, Connect the converter to your analogue synth and MIDI system. Check the USB SOLO is switched to the correct scaling system, Hz/V for Korg and Yamaha, or V/oct for anything else (see Editing Parameters section). Set transpose to zero. Now press bottom C (MIDI note #36) on your digital synth. Both synths should sound, don’t worry at this stage if they are not in tune.
MIDI ANALYSER MODE The USB SOLO has a built-in MIDI analyser function. This feature allows you to see what types of MIDI messages are being transmitted by your master keyboard/sequencer making the USB SOLO a useful diagnostic tool. To enter analyser mode, you must power on the USB SOLO whilst holding the SELECT button. The display will then show ‘AnL’ for analyser. Releasing the select button shows ‘rC’ for receive channel & status mode.
PROBLEMS YOU MAY ENCOUNTER WHEN USING MIDI CLOCK When using MIDI clock in conjunction with the USB SOLO, please note the following. First, ensure that the USB SOLO is actually receiving MIDI clock. This is not as silly as it sounds there are a number of reasons why it may not be receiving MIDI clock messages in the first place. If you are having problems, go into the MIDI analyser mode described on page 13 and see if the USB SOLO is actually receiving the MIDI clock messages.
A BRIEF GUIDE TO MIDI TO CV CONVERSION FOR THE BEGINNER MIDI-CV converters can have up to four different types of outputs used to control analogue synths, usually labelled CV, GATE, S-TRIG and AUX. Below is a description of what they do: Pitch - CV outputs (V/oct, Hz/V) The CV (control voltage) is a voltage that tells the synth what note to play. Most synths use the 1 Volt per Octave (V/oct) pitch scaling system to control the pitch. This means, that each octave is 1V (V=volts) apart (or 0.
Whether the tip or the ring is in or out is hard to say as Moogs seem to vary from synth to synth! – The Rogue however uses RING for inputs and TIP for outputs. Octave who made the Cat and Kitten synths also use stereo jacks. CV and GATE outputs are on one stereo jack, and the inputs are on another stereo jack. Auxiliary output - More control The AUX output can be used to control functions such as filter cut-off or volume control. This depends on what control inputs your synth has.
STANDARD MIDI CONTROLLER NUMBERS Controller Number Control Function Decimal 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12-15 16-19 20-31 32-63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70-79 80-83 84-90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102-119 120-127 Bank select MSB Modulation wheel/lever Breath controller Undefined Foot controller Portamento time Data entry MSB Main volume Balance Undefined Pan Expression controller Undefined General purpose controllers (1-4) Undefined LSB for controllers 0-31 Damper pedal (sustain) (Hold 1) Portamento Sost
SYSEX CONTROL The USB SOLO can be controlled by SysEx (System Exclusive) messages in the following formats: The first five bytes of SysEx for the USB SOLO are always the same for all data types [ [ [ [ [ [ 1] 2] 3] 4] 5] 6] 0F0h 00h 20h 13h 0Fh zzh - Sysex command - Company ident first byte - Company ident second byte - Company ident third byte - Product code – USB SOLO - where zz is 0 - 0Fh = device number 1-16 or 7Fh = firmware upgrade For program dump request: [ 7] 10h - program dump request [ 8] xx
Address Function Range Notes (see end) 00 01 01 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 Receive chan trig / retrig note priority pitchbend range portamento cont # portamento time / rate portamento type LFO to CV depth controller # LFO to CV min val LFO to CV max val LFO to CV reset val coarse tune / transpose fine tune val scale val v/o or hzv or 1.
SPECIFICATIONS Power Input Power is supplied by the USB host device via the USB cable Power consumption 105mA max MIDI In & Out (via USB) Analogue outputs CV on 3.5mm mono jack (V/oct or Hz/V or 1.2V/oct) Gate on 3.5mm mono jack (Gate or S-trig – with or without pullups) Aux1 on 3.5mm mono jack Digital outputs Aux2 & Aux3 on 3.
