User Manual

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Envelopes
COBALT5S provides 3 separate 4-stage Envelope Generators (i.e. envelopes), one for the filter
(F), one for the amplifier (A) and one for modulations (M). With negative amounts (F and M)
only the attack, decay and sustain levels are inverted, the release phase will still tend to 0.
The envelope generator represented on the encoders can be selected using the 3 dedicated
encoder switches.
• Depth: This controls the envelope depth amount of the selected envelope generator.
This gives bi-polar (FILT-EG and MOD-EG) or uni-polar (AMP-EG) control of the amount of
modulation the envelope has over its destination/s.
• Attack: Holding the ‘Shift’ button (or when latched in shift mode) and turning this
encoder controls the time passing from the moment you press a key (i.e. ‘MIDI Note On’
message) until the sound reaches its maximum value.
• Decay: Holding the ‘Shift’ button (or when latched in shift mode) and turning this
encoder controls the time passing for the envelope to drop from its maximum value to a
sustain level (see below).
• Sustain: Holding the ‘Shift’ button (or when latched in shift mode) and turning this
encoder controls the level of the sustain phase (i.e. the volume of the sound while
keeping the key pressed for AMP-EG). If there are no modulations active, this volume
keeps constant until you release the key. (The envelope then enters the ‘release’ phase)
• Release: Holding the ‘Shift’ button (or when latched in shift mode) and turning this
encoder controls the time passing from the moment you leave a key (i.e. ‘MIDI Note Off’
message) until the sound reaches silence.
Envelopes
• Type: There are 8 envelope types. These types are stored per-patch and each envelope
type is independent so you can have a different type for MEG, FEG and AEG in the same
patch. You can find these settings at the bottom of the AEG, FEG and MEG pages on the
screen.
- Expo - classic exponential curve - suited for most sound types
- Snappy - fast attack and decay time curves - best suited for percussive material
- Soft - smoother attack and release time curves - best suited for pads
- Linear - simple linear ramp for each envelope stage - best suited for modulation
- Expo Long – Expo curve with double the maximum time for each stage of the envelope
- Snappy Long – Snappy curve with double the maximum time for each stage of the
envelope
- Soft Long – Soft curve with double the maximum time for each stage of the envelope
- Linear Long – Linear curve with double the maximum time for each stage of the
envelope
Long variants possess a maximum release time of 10 seconds.
• F, A and M: These switches select which envelope generator the above controls are
representing.
TIP: Holding either the F or A switch and changing the ADSR parameters will alter all
three envelopes simultaneously and is a useful shortcut to quickly change all envelopes at
once.