User guide
MAKING SOUND with the MYSTERON!
At the bottom of the Mysteron there are two EXCITE Inputs, along with LEDs to indicate activity. The Mysteron will
make no sound unless you patch something to at least one of the EXCITE inputs. When the Mysteron is EXCITED, a
burst of energy (in the form of noise and other waveforms) is injected into the waveguide. The IMPULSE parameter
sets the strength of this Excitation, thus allowing for control over both amplitude and harmonics. IMPULSE must be
set greater then 0% to achieve audible sound. At lower settings the sound will have fewer harmonics and less
impact. This parameter could also be used as a digital VCA while the Mysteron is Self-Oscillating.
The EXCITE inputs are wired in a normalization scheme so that with either one patched, the other is triggered as
well. Using BOTH EXCITE inputs will result in the two waveguides to have dierent lengths, with the possibility of
creating two independent pitches and timbres.
CONTROLLING the PITCH of the MYSTERON!
The Pitch control sets the length of BOTH waveguides. The length of the waveguide will determine the perceived
pitch of the resulting sound. It will also alter the timbre of the sound. The PITCH control, Pitch 1 and Pitch 2 all have
an Exponential response with a range of roughly 5 octaves. At the lowest end of this range, the sounds are lower
pitched and take longer to decay. Therefore, it is harder to discern the pitch, as there is greater harmonics. At the
middle of this range the sounds are shorter and have fewer harmonics, making it easier to discern their pitch. At the
highest end of this range, the sounds have the potential to become so short it is hard to determine the pitch.
Changes to the PITCH controls are applied to the most recently Excited waveguide. If both waveguides are Excited
together, then both are same length. The EXCITE inputs are normalled so patching into just one Excites both
together. Using BOTH EXCITE Gate Inputs independently, it is possible to have the two waveguides at dierent
lengths, thus making two dierently-pitched sounds.
Removing all modulation from the Pitch 1 CV IN, and setting the PITCH panel control to Full CCW, will engage the
Quantize Mode. The Mysteron will remain in Quantize Mode as long as the PITCH parameter control remains at 0%
(PITCH panel control Full CCW and nothing patched to Pitch 1 CV IN). Quantize Mode is indicated by a the double
Flashing of the Mystery LED and forces the Mysteron to a 12 tone Chromatic scale with the pitch determined by
Pitch 2 CV IN. This is excellent for using the Mysteron in a melodic way alongside other sound sources such as an
STO or DPO VCO.
SCULPTING the SOUND of the MYSTERON
Once the Mysteron is Excited the Generation parameter sets the feedback of the output of the waveguide back to
the input. De-generative feedback saps energy from the algorithm, making the sounds shorter and more percussive.
Re-Generative Feedback grows energy in the algorithm making the sounds longer and less percussive. At 100%
Feedback the sound is almost a bowed type dynamic.
With DEPTH full CCW (no MUTATION), the !! input engages an alternate response to the EXCITE inputs for a bowing
eect. With DEPTH greater then 0%, the !! Gate Input cross couples the output of each waveguide into the input of
the other waveguide. This is inuenced by the analog acoustic modeling synthesis of Ron Berry. With Mutations
occurring the results are more complex and depend upon the Type and Depth settings. The Mystery LED Flashes to
indicate these behaviors.
The MUTATION section features contains the Depth and Type controls. With Depth set full CCW, Type will do nothing.
To hear the eects of Type control Depth must be turned to at least 10%. Depth sets the amount of mutated energy
injected into the waveguide and Type selects the form of mutation. What is actually happening is that the
waveguide is being excited more then just Noise. The Type control is scanning through other waveforms to be used
to excite the waveguide. Depth blends these other waveforms with the Noise (from 0% WT 100% Noise to 100% WT
0% Noise). This dramatically changes the timbre AND Pitch of the sound. The Mystery LED lights to indicate
Mutation. All other controls (PITCH, IMPULSE, GENERATION, !!) are still eective during MUTATION.