.1.X SOFTWARE USER’S GUIDE The Sound Guy, Inc. 12510 Paseo Cerro, Saratoga, CA 95070 http://www.sfxmachine.com sfx@sfxmachine.
SFX Machine Pro™ software and documentation © 2006-2011 The Sound Guy, Inc. All Rights Reserved. VST Plug-in Technology by Steinberg. Credits SFX Machine Pro Software: Earl Vickers (Premiere version), Marc Poirier (RT version), and Hampus Soderstrom (Pro version). SFX Machine Pro Manual: Earl Vickers SFX Machine Pro graphics: Shaun Ellwood Thanks to Steve and Christine Berkley for their encouragement and suggestions regarding the original SFX Machine.
CONTENTS 1 Introduction .............................................................. 1 Welcome to SFX Machine Pro! ................................ 1 Minimum System Requirements ............................ 2 Precautions ........................................................... 3 2 Quick Start ................................................................ 4 Installing SFX Machine Pro (Mac Version) ............... 4 Installing SFX Machine Pro (Windows Version) ....... 5 Authorizing SFX Machine Pro ....
6 Preset Editor Reference, Pt. I — Buttons ................... 24 Edit Parameter Button ......................................... 24 Tempo Sync Button ............................................. 24 Preset Editor Button ............................................ 24 Module On/Off Buttons ....................................... 24 Left/Right Output Buttons ................................... 25 Clipping / Limiting Indicator ............................... 25 7 Preset Editor Reference, Pt.
Mix Modulation ........................................ 41 Pan Modulation ........................................ 41 Frequency Modulation .............................. 41 Delay Modulation ..................................... 43 Sample/Hold Modulation .......................... 43 PhaseShape Modulation ............................ 44 Power Modulation ..................................... 44 Filter Frequency Modulation ..................... 44 Filter Q Modulation ...................................
1 INTRODUCTION Welcome to SFX Machine Pro! SFX Machine Pro™ is the advanced version of the SFX Machine RT™ audio multi-effects plug-in. Like its forerunners, SFX Machine and SFX Machine RT, SFX Machine Pro combines the power and flexibility of modular synthesis with the convenience of a multi-effects unit.
A simple user-configurable interface lets you use sliders to adjust any of the parameters. And for those who wish to invent totally new effects, the Preset Editor offers easy access to all of the DSP controls. Each of eight stereo modules lets you choose one of 10 different signal sources, perform any of 11 different DSP processes, and control other signals using any of a dozen different types of modulation.
The Windows version of SFX Machine Pro requires: Win95 or higher About 10 MB available RAM (in addition to that required by your system, host software, etc.) About 10 MB available hard disk space 800 x 600 screen resolution or higher A VST 2.0 host program For a list of suitable VST and Audio Unit host programs, see http://www.sfxmachine.com/pro/requirements.html. Precautions Use this sound design appliance only for its intended use as described in the manual. No user-serviceable parts inside.
2 QUICK START Installing SFX Machine Pro (Mac version) To Install SFX Machine Pro for Macintosh: 1. Double-click on the SFX_Machine_Pro_1.1.x.dmg file. This will mount the disk image, and a volume called "SFX Machine Pro" will appear on your desktop. 2. Open that volume and you will see an installer file, a read me file, and this document, sfx_machine_pro_user_guide.pdf. The installer file for Mac OS X is called "SFX_Machine_Pro_1.1.x.mpkg". 3. Double-click on the " SFX_Machine_Pro_1.1.x.
. Click "Close." You're done! The installer will create two items: • the SFX Machine Pro Audio Unit plug-in (placed into /Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/Components/) • the SFX Machine Pro VST plug-in (placed into /Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/VST/) The plug-ins should not be moved from their default locations. Installing SFX Machine Pro (Windows version) To Install SFX Machine Pro for Windows: 1. Double-click on the SFX_Machine_Pro_1.0.exe file. This will launch the installer. 2.
The installer will create two items: the SFX Machine Pro VST plug-in (placed in your VST host application's VstPlugIns folder) a Read Me document (placed in the same location) Authorizing SFX Machine Pro This plug-in will operate in demo mode until it is authorized. In demo mode, the sound output will momentarily drop out every few seconds. To authorize SFX Machine Pro: 1. Launch your VST or Audio Unit host application. 2. Load a sound file. 3.
3 OVERVIEW SFX Machine Pro has two main windows, or screens: the Slider Screen and the Preset Editor. The Slider Screen lets you preview and modify existing effects; the Preset Editor gives you access to all the modular synthesis parameters that make up a preset, and it lets you create new effects from scratch. The Slider Screen The first thing you will see after invoking SFX Machine Pro is the Slider Screen.
A typical session with the Slider Screen might go as follows: 1. Choose a type of effect by clicking on a Category in the Category list box. All Presets belonging to that Category will appear in the Preset list box. 2. Load a Preset by clicking on an item in the Preset list box. 3. Play some audio in your host program to see how it is affected by the current preset. 4. Adjust one or more sliders to achieve the desired effect. 5.
The Preset Editor is where you will go to create new effects. It gives you total access to all of the settings that make up an SFX Machine Pro Preset. The Preset Editor displays eight identical modules, or signal processing units, which can be interconnected in various ways to create new effects. Chapter 5, the Preset Editor Tutorial, will give you a step-by-step introduction to the Preset Editor.
4 THE SLIDER SCREEN The SFX Machine Pro Slider Screen allows you to load and modify existing Presets. A Preset contains all the settings used by an effect in SFX Machine Pro. The Presets are organized into Categories, such as Delay, Feedback and Vibrato. Loading a Preset To load a Preset: 1. Choose a type of effect by clicking on a Category in the Category list box. All the Presets belonging to that Category will appear in the Preset list box. 2.
To listen to the Preset you just loaded: Simply play audio using your host editor or sequencer, or (for the VST version) click the Preview button. Slider Screen Buttons Purchase Press the Purchase button to buy SFX Machine Pro online. Authorize Press the Authorize button to authorize the software, using the serial number (authorization code) you receive from the payment processor. Paste the serial number into the Preset Desc. field.
For example, let’s say you have a low-frequency oscillator which is set to 5 Hz. When you click the Tempo Sync button, this should get quantized to the nearest power-of-two multiple of the host tempo. If your host tempo is 120 beats per minute, which equals 2 Hz, the nearest power-of-two multiple of the host tempo will be 4 Hz, which is 2 times the host tempo. So the slider’s value should change from “5 Hz” to “2 x host tempo.” Likewise, imagine you have a delay which is set to 200 ms.
To undo the tempo synchronization, simply click “Tempo Sync” again, so that the light turns off. Note that if you made changes to the value of the parameter while Tempo Sync was enabled, unclicking the “Tempo Sync” button will not restore the original value; instead, it will simply translate your new value from multiples of the host tempo to the original units, Hz. or BPM (for frequencies) or ms. (for delays).
Sliders and Slider Fields Sliders You can modify the effects created with SFX Machine Pro by changing the effect’s parameters, or control values. The userconfigurable sliders adjust parameters for the current Preset. Value Each slider’s Value field displays the current value of the parameter. To change a parameter’s value: 1. Click on the slider’s indicator bar or drag it up or down; this changes the number in the Value field. 2.
Min. and Max. The Minimum and Maximum text fields specify the range of each slider. To change the range, simply type a new number into the Minimum or Maximum field. Parameter Field Each slider has a Parameter field (“Param.”), which lets you enter a brief description of that slider’s function. It is helpful to include units, such as %, ms, or Hz, when entering slider descriptions. Preset Description Field The Slider Screen also has a Preset Description field (“Preset Desc.
The Limiter Setup preset has one control, the Limiter Threshold. This control affects the level (at the output of the effect) at which the limiter will reduce the gain in an effort to avoid clipping. The Limiter Threshold defaults to 70%, which is roughly -3 dB. This means that signals louder than that level will trigger the Limiter and begin gently lowering the output gain. The ideal setting of the Limiter Threshold is a tradeoff.
5 PRESET EDITOR TUTORIAL The Preset Editor displays the inner workings of SFX Machine Pro. If you want to go beyond modifying the supplied Presets, the Preset Editor will allow you to create new and unique effects. While the Preset Editor seems rather complex at first, you’ll find it is quite powerful and straightforward. If you take the time to work through this basic tutorial, you’ll have a good understanding of how to use the Preset Editor to make your own Presets.
Each module consists of four sections, or blocks: a signal SOURCE, a DSP PROCESS, a pair of MODULATORs, and an OUTPUT block. The basic signal flow within a module goes from top to bottom, as illustrated below: 1. Each module starts with a SOURCE signal, which can come from your audio selection or from a generated waveform such as a sine wave or white noise. 2. Next, a DSP PROCESS analyzes or modifies the source signal. 3. The MODULATION block uses the resulting signal to control other modules. 4.
To run the tutorial demo: 1. From your host program, open a sound file, preferably a monophonic voice (one singer) or instrument. 2. Invoke SFX Machine Pro from your host program. Select “Pitch Track” from the Category list box, then choose the “PitchTrk Whistle+Vib” Preset. 3. Click the “Preset Editor” button. This will take you to the Preset Editor. 4. Click the On/Off buttons for modules 1, 5 and 6, turning them off.
5. Use Module 2’s Source pop-up menu to select “Noise,” and click the module’s Left and Right Output checkboxes. Turn down your speakers, then play some audio. You should hear white noise. 6. We want to turn the white noise into a pitched sound by bandpass filtering it. Select “Bandpass” for the process, set the cutoff to 500 Hz, and set the Q to 170. The module should appear as shown here, and you should hear a pitched sound like that produced by blowing into a soft drink bottle.
7. Click the On/Off checkbox for Module 1, turning it on. This module will perform the pitch analysis and the filter frequency modulation. Since we want to analyze the input signal, we select “Stereo In” as our source. 8. For the process in Module 1, we have selected PitchTrack. The Low and High Frequency fields have already been set to match the pitch range of the source material.
10. Next we want to add some vibrato to our filter frequency modulation. Click the On/Off checkbox to enable Module 5. (All eight modules are interchangeable; we choose Module 5 for convenience, since it is located below Module 1.) For the source, select “Sine.” Set the frequency to 6 Hz and the initial phase to 0°. Leave the process set to “No Process.” Set the first modulation pop-up menu to “Filter Freq Mod,” with Module 2 for the Destination and 10% for the Modulation Amplitude.
Pitch Tracker. Then turn on the Left and Right Output checkboxes and set the output level to 150%, as shown above. 12. Next we want to map (or “link”) the most important value entry fields to the sliders on the Slider Screen. To begin, clear out any existing links by command-option clicking (for Macintosh) or control-alt clicking (for Windows) on the letter “A” in the Low Frequency field in Module 1.
To create a Master Volume slider (“E”), which must link to multiple fields having different values, first [alt- or option-] click on the Left Output amplitude field in Module 2. Then hold down the shift key along with the alt or option key, and click on the Right Output amplitude for Module 2, the Left Output amplitude for Module 6, and the Right Output amplitude for Module 6. Now you can control all four output amplitudes from one slider, while preserving their correct relative levels.
6 PRESET EDITOR REFERENCE, PT. I — BUTTONS This is the first of three chapters that go into detail about the Preset Editor and how to use it. This chapter discusses the Preset Editor’s buttons. Edit Parameter Button Use the Edit Parameter button to view or modify the mapping (“slider links”) from the Preset Editor’s value entry fields to sliders on the Slider Screen. Instead of clicking the Edit Parameter button, you can hold down the Option key (Macintosh) or Alt key (Windows).
Left/Right Output Buttons To enable a module’s left or right output: Click to light the appropriate left or right output button. These buttons let you send the module’s left or right outputs to the overall left/right output mix. The associated text entry field lets you specify the output amplitude in percent. All of the checked left outputs are averaged together and sent to the left output bus; similarly for the right channel.
7 PRESET EDITOR REFERENCE, PT. II — POP-UP MENUS AND TEXT ENTRY FIELDS This chapter explains in depth each of the pop-up menus and text entry fields on the Preset Editor. While you certainly don’t need to memorize or even understand all the details here, a basic understanding of the pop-up menus is important if you want to use the Preset Editor to create your own effects. You may wish to refer to the Glossary for definitions of any unfamiliar terms.
If your original file is in stereo, each module of SFX Machine Pro is actually two identical sub-modules: a left and a right. If you select “Left In” as your source, both the left and right submodules will use the left channel of your audio selection as their input. Similarly, “Right In” will feed the right channel of your audio selection into both sub-modules. If you select “L+R In,” the average of the two input channels will feed each of your sub-modules.
Sine, Triangle, Square, Saw The Sine, Triangle, Square, and Saw menu items select the corresponding type of source waveform. (Again, with a stereo file, this waveform will feed into both the left and right sub-modules.) Selecting any of these items will bring up some additional pop-up menus and text fields. Use these controls to select the frequency and initial phase of the waveform.
Sine LFO For Advanced Users: The Sine LFO is a special case, in that the actual source signal must come from another module, using the Mix modulation. A module using the Sine LFO must also use the Delay process.
The purpose of the Sine LFO is to buy us a few more modules with independently varying delay modulation. This is useful for fivedelay choruses, with the remaining three modules serving as signal sources. When using the Sine LFO, the source signal comes in from elsewhere and feeds into a delay, the center time of which is specified in the delay time field. The delay time is then modulated by the Sine LFO, using the specified frequency and LFO Mod depth.
Process Menu The process pop-up menu, located under a module’s “Process” label, lets you select which DSP process is performed by this module. The selected DSP process modifies or analyzes the input signal and sends the result to the modulation block and to any selected outputs. To select a DSP process: 1. Hold the mouse button down over the process pop-up. 2. Select the desired DSP process and release the mouse button. The name of the selected process will appear on the pop-up menu. 3.
The Envelope Follower has two parameters: a time constant (in milliseconds) and a threshold (in percent). The time constant specifies how rapidly the output tracks variations in the source signal’s amplitude. A fast time constant (such as 5 ms) will respond quickly to changes in amplitude, but the result may be somewhat rough. A slow time constant (such as 200 ms) will be smoother but may be somewhat sluggish to respond. The threshold percentage acts like a noise gate.
Pitch Tracker The Pitch Tracker extracts the pitch of a monophonic (not necessarily monaural) signal, such as a solo voice or melodic instrument. Unpredictable things (which may or may not be useful) will happen if you try to use the Pitch Tracker on polyphonic sounds. Even for monophonic sounds, pitch is not always well defined, so results can vary greatly depending on the input.
Quantize Frequency Use the Quantize Frequency process to constrain a sine/triangle/square/saw waveform to specified frequency intervals. Quantize Frequency has no effect on Left/Right/L+R/Stereo Selections, Noise signals, or any incoming signals except for Frequency Modulations from the output of a Pitch Tracker. (In other words, it can only quantize a frequency if it knows what the frequency is.) The Quantize Frequency process is generally used with a source signal (sine, etc.
PhaseShape The PhaseShape process changes the shape of sine/triangle/square/sawtooth waveforms. A PhaseShape value of 0 causes no change; 100% causes significant change; and higher values are even more extreme. You can modulate the amount of PhaseShaping for interesting FM-like effects. Raise to Power You can use the Raise to Power process to distort any signal by raising its amplitude to a specified power. This gives the signal some higher harmonic content.
Note that a power of 1.0 leaves the original sine wave unchanged. Powers near 1 produce a subtle distortion effect. As the power goes from 1 to 0, the sine wave changes to a square wave, with varying amounts of “soft clipping” in between. Powers greater than 1 result in pulse-like waveforms. Specifying a negative power tells SFX Machine Pro to create a unipolar signal (i.e., always positive, with a built-in DC offset). A power of –1 yields what is known as a full-wave rectifier.
The Raise to Power process automatically clips any signal that exceeds +/- 100%. This can be useful. For example, the Noise Gate Preset amplifies a sound’s amplitude envelope and uses it to overdrive the Raise to Power process, causing all but the quietest parts of the sound to max out at 100%. The resulting signal is used to attenuate the low-level sounds.
The delay time can be specified in milliseconds (ms.) or as a multiple of the host tempo (“Tempo”), depending on the setting of the ms/Tempo pop-up menu. The output of the Sample/Hold process can be used to modulate the frequency of another waveform; this was a common analog synthesizer effect. You can sample-and-hold white noise, a user selection, or any of the provided source waveforms. By setting the hold time to a very short value (such as 0.
Modulation Menu The modulation pop-up menu, located under the “Modulation” label, allows the output of a module’s DSP process to control another module (or the same module). Every module allows you to define up to two independent modulations. Each of these modulations is routed to a destination module specified by the Dest Menu, with a modulation amplitude (depth) specified by the Mod Amp field. To select a modulation: 1. Hold the mouse button down over the modulation pop-up. 2.
Note that some modulations require the destination module to use a corresponding process. In the pop-up menu, these modulations are marked with an asterisk as a reminder. For example, the destination of a Filter Frequency Modulation needs to be a filter process (lowpass, highpass, or bandpass). Nothing bad happens if the destination process doesn’t match, except that the modulation does not take place. (This is because the modulation needs the information provided by the destination process’s parameters.
depending on whether you use a sine, triangle, square or sawtooth wave for the modulator. Mix Modulation Mix modulation, or mixing, is simply a way of routing the output of one module to the input of another, where it gets averaged with the destination’s source signal and any other Mix inputs. (Signals are averaged together to avoid overflows, but you can generally think of them as being added together.) Use mixing when you want another module to process the output of the current module.
All you need to remember is that a 100% Frequency Modulation amplitude causes the destination frequency to vary between 0 Hz and twice the specified destination frequency. In the above illustration, a 100% modulation amplitude causes the 440 Hz destination frequency to vary between 0 Hz and 880 Hz. A modulation amplitude of 50% would cause the destination frequency to swing between 220 Hz and 660 Hz (that is, between 0.5 and 1.5 times the specified destination frequency).
Delay Modulation Delay Modulation allows a signal to control the instantaneous delay time of another signal. (The asterisk after “Delay Mod” in the popup menu is a reminder that the destination module must have a Delay process or the modulation will have no effect.) You can use Delay Modulation to perform many different pitchchange effects on an audio selection. For example, you can use modulation frequencies of 6 to 7 Hertz to create vibrato.
A Sample/Hold modulation of 100% will vary the destination’s Sample/Hold Time between 0 and twice the specified Sample/Hold Time. PhaseShape Modulation PhaseShape Modulation allows a signal to modulate another module’s PhaseShaping. The destination module must use the PhaseShaping process. A PhaseShape Modulation of 100% will vary the destination’s PhaseShaping amount between 0 and twice the specified PhaseShaping percentage.
Filter Q Modulation Filter Q Modulation allows you to modulate the Q (slope or sharpness) of another module’s filter process. The destination module must use a filter process (lowpass, highpass or bandpass). This is useful for effects where a noise needs to vary between wideband white noise and a narrow-band noise or tone. A Filter Q modulation of 100% will vary the destination’s Filter Q between 0 and twice the specified Q.
Text Entry Fields Most text entry fields use one of five units: Hz: Specify frequencies in Hertz, or cycles per second. 1000 Hertz equal one kilohertz (Hz). BPM: Specify frequecies in beats per minute. ms: Specify time in milliseconds (ms). 1000 milliseconds equal one second. Tempo: Specify frequencies or delay times as a multiple of the host tempo. %: Specify amplitude in percent (%). A full-scale waveform in SFX Machine Pro goes between + and –100% amplitude.
8 PRESET EDITOR REFERENCE, PT. III — SLIDER MAPPING You can map each slider on the Slider Screen to one or more value entry fields on the Preset Editor. This lets you customize which parameters are controlled by sliders. Revealing Existing Slider Links To see which fields have already been linked to sliders: 1. Go to the Preset Editor. 2. Hold down the Option key (Macintosh) or Alt key (Windows), or click the Edit Parameter button.
Multiple Links to a Single Slider To link a single slider to multiple fields: After option-clicking to select the first link, shift-option-click or shift-alt-click on the additional fields. The additional fields will show up as A’, B’, etc. You can link a maximum of 16 fields to any one slider. If a slider is linked to multiple fields having different values, moving the slider will cause proportional changes in each of the linked fields.
Using Multiple Linked Fields You can use multiple linked fields to create a Master Volume slider that controls the value of each of the Output Amplitude (Left/Right) fields. To create a Master Volume Slider: 1. First, option-click on one of the left or right Output Amplitude fields. 2. Then, while continuing to hold down the option key, add the shift key and shift-option-click on each of the remaining left or right Output Amplitude fields.
9 CREATING YOUR OWN PRESETS There are a number of ways to invent new effects using SFX Machine Pro. Most of them involve becoming fluent in use of the Preset Editor. If you implement new Presets, send us a copy to put on the SFX Machine Pro web page! 1. Start with an existing effect and modify it Make it subtler or more outrageous. 2.
5. Play “What If...” games What if you used the pitch of a sound to control its panning? What if the amplitude of a sound controlled the speed and depth of its vibrato? What if you became a total SFX Machine Pro virtuoso? 6. Let the material dictate the process Start with a sound sample and ask yourself what it wants. Listen with your mind’s ear. 7.
•Implement additive synthesis by mixing sine waves in a harmonic series (e.g., 100 Hz, 200 Hz, 300 Hz... 800 Hz). Link some of the output amplitudes to sliders and try varying the proportions of the different harmonics. Look at the resulting waveforms after you click “Process.” See if you can simulate a triangle wave or square wave using additive synthesis. •Make a Doppler Effect simulation (with changes in volume and pitch as an imaginary object passes by).
•Simulate guitar amplifier distortion. •Create short sounds suitable for use with a sampler. •Make techno/modular synthesis effects that slowly evolve over time, with changes within changes.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS What keyboard shortcuts and little-known features I can use? Command-c, command-x, and command-v (Macintosh) or controlc, control-x, and control-v (Windows) can be used to copy, cut, and paste to and from any of the numerical or comment text fields. You can fine tune the slider values by holding down the shift key while clicking on the body of the slider. Also, you can click on the body of the slider to make the indicator scroll instantly toward the mouse cursor.
To load the preset you just saved: Look for a control in the plugin window called "load" or "L" or something like that (depending on the host program). After invoking that control, you should be greeted with a window asking you to find the location of the preset file that you would like to load. Find it and press the "Open" button (or "OK" or whatever it says). To save a new bank of presets (VST only): Look for a "save bank" control. (The name may vary from one app to another.
custom presets into one of your existing categories (which can serve as your custom preset category), then save all your presets as a bank so you can reload them later. In Audio Unit format, you can only load one custom preset at a time. Even in VST format, note that not all host programs support loading and saving of preset banks.
How can I edit the Min and Max slider values? The slider ranges can be edited by double-clicking on the Min and Max Value text fields. Adjust listening levels conservatively when doing this, because presets can easily become unstable, causing loud sounds. Why do some parameters need values of up to 200% or higher? For example, why does the Sitar Drone patch use a feedback of 198%? Shouldn’t it be half of that? A: This typically happens because multiple signals are being mixed together.
GLOSSARY additive synthesis A method of sound synthesis based on adding sine waves in a harmonic series (e.g., 100 Hz, 200 Hz, 300 Hz, etc.) The Hammond B3 organ implemented additive synthesis by allowing the user to adjust “drawbars.” In SFX Machine Pro, you can use the sliders to mix sine waves in various proportions. aliasing A type of distortion caused by sampling at too low a sample rate. To avoid aliasing, the sample rate must be at least twice the highest frequency in the sound.
bipolar A bipolar signal is one that goes above and below zero. Most audio signals are bipolar. carrier An audio signal controlled by another signal (the “modulator”). The term is usually applied to AM and FM synthesis. Category In SFX Machine Pro, Categories are folders of Preset files. You can select a Category (for example, “Delay”) by using the Category List Box; then choose a Preset (“Sitar Drone”) from the Preset List Box. channel An audio signal pathway.
output (the sum of the source and the delayed and scaled source) and feed that back to the input, producing a stronger resonance effect. cutoff frequency For lowpass and highpass filters, the cutoff frequency specifies the dividing line between frequencies that get passed by the filter and frequencies that get attenuated (rolled off). For bandpass filters, the cutoff specifies the center frequency of the band that gets passed. cycle One complete repetition or oscillation of a waveform.
by using the Dest pop-up menu. Think of the Dest menu as a virtual patch cord from the modulator to the appropriate field in the destination module. distortion Any process that distorts the shape and frequency content of a waveform. Types of distortion include clipping, waveshaping, and SFX Machine Pro’s Raise-to-Power and PhaseShaping processes. Doppler effect A pitch shift that occurs when a sound source and a listener are moving closer together or further apart.
envelope A curve that follows some characteristic of a sound. For example, an amplitude envelope is a curve that follows the contour of a sound’s amplitude. envelope follower A process that “listens” to a sound and tracks its amplitude envelope. You can use the resulting signal to control various other effects, such as vibrato rate and depth, so that the effects intensify as the sound gets louder. feedback An effect that occurs when the output of a DSP process is fed back into the input.
filter frequency See “cutoff frequency.” flanging An effect that occurs when a signal is mixed with a delayed copy of the signal, while the delay time continually changes. You can hear this effect when a jet plane passes overhead, because the direct sound is being mixed with the delayed reflection from the ground, and the relative delay time changes with the angle of the plane. A flanger may be thought of as a swept comb filter.
frequency response The frequency response of a system is a curve showing how well the system passes various frequencies. A filter is characterized by the shape of its frequency response. Good audio systems have a flat frequency response in the audible range of 20 to 20,000 Hertz. glissando A smooth slide through a series of adjacent pitches. harmonic A single frequency component of a sound. Also called “overtone,” or “partial.
initial phase In SFX Machine Pro, initial phase is the phase angle (the point in the cycle) at which a waveform begins. Often it is best to specify an initial phase of 0°; this helps avoid initial clicks, since the sine of 0° is a zero-crossing. link A user-configurable connection that allows you to change the contents of a value entry field on the Preset Editor by using one of the sliders on the Slider Screen. Also referred to as “slider mapping.
modular synthesis A flexible sound synthesis method in which sounds are produced and modified by a number of independent signal processing modules, which can be patched together to modulate each other and interact in various ways. The original modular synthesizers were analog voltage-controlled devices connected by patch cords. modulation The control of some aspect of a signal, for example its amplitude or frequency, by another signal.
monophonic A single melodic line without accompaniment; for example, solo voice. noise 1. A complex sound made up of a broad spectrum of nonharmonically-related frequencies. 2. Any euphony-impaired sound, often arbitrarily discriminated against on aesthetic grounds. oscillator A signal source that produces a specified waveform at a specified frequency. Ouroborus Jungian archetype symbolizing feedback.
parameter A numerical value used to control some aspect of an SFX Machine Pro patch. patch A configuration of interconnected modules and associated menu items and parameters. You can design new Patches using the Preset Editor. Patches are also referred to as “Presets.” phase 1. The periodically changing appearance of the moon, due to angular rotation. 2. A fraction of a cycle of a waveform. Typically phase is measured as an angle.
power SFX Machine Pro’s Raise to Power process distorts the shape of a signal by raising it to a power (exponentiating it, or multiplying it by itself a fractional number of times). This results in a distorted sound with additional harmonic content. Preset An effect in SFX Machine Pro. Preset Editor The screen that gives you direct access to all of the pop-up menus and parameters that define a patch. process In SFX Machine Pro, a process is a DSP algorithm that either modifies a sound (e.g.
random A random sample is one whose value does not appear to depend on the previous sample’s value, or on anything else. A series of random samples sounds like white noise. resonance A spectral peak in the response of a filter, the body of a musical instrument, etc. If an external disturbance (for example, an earthquake) happens to match the resonant frequency of an object (for example, a house), the resulting vibration can be greatly amplified.
often used with digital audio tape (DAT) recording; 22.050 kHz is frequently used for games and multimedia. A higher sample rate allows a higher frequency response. In order to accurately reconstruct a sound, the sample rate must be at least twice the highest frequency in the sound. sampling Sampling, or analog-to-digital conversion, is the process of converting an analog signal to a series of digital samples (numbers). sawtooth wave A waveform consisting of a periodic ramp.
modulating. signal-to-noise ratio A measurement of the amplitude of the desired sound as compared to the background noise level. In SFX Machine Pro, you can improve the signal-to-noise ratio by increasing the output amplitude levels as far as possible without clipping; a master volume slider can be useful for this purpose. sine wave A smooth waveform whose spectrum consists of a single frequency. A sine wave has a pure flute-like tone.
square wave A rectangular waveform that alternates between a positive value and a negative value. Its frequency spectrum includes all of the odd harmonics and has higher harmonic content than a triangle wave. stereo Stereophonic; having two audio channels. threshold The Envelope Follower’s threshold is an amplitude level used to gate the Envelope Follower’s output.
unipolar A unipolar signal is one that is always positive (or always negative), never crossing through the zero level. In SFX Machine Pro, a sine wave processed with a DC Offset of 100% would be a unipolar signal. value entry field A box that allows you to enter a numerical value. In SFX Machine Pro, all values may be entered as floating point numbers, though the decimal point is not required. Also referred to as a “text edit field.” vibrato A low-frequency variation in a sound’s frequency envelope.
FOR MORE INFO For the latest information about SFX Machine Pro, check out the SFX Machine Pro web site at http://www.sfxmachine.com. For technical support, e-mail sfx@sfxmachine.com. We aim to provide insanely great tech support; please do your part by reading the friendly manual. We want to turn our customers into fans. Let us know what we need to do to make that happen. Your comments and suggestions are greatly appreciated.
SFX Machine Pro License Agreement This legal document is an agreement between you, the end user, and The Sound Guy, Inc. (hereinafter "THE SOUND GUY"). BY INSTALLING OR UTILIZING THIS SOFTWARE, YOU ARE AGREEING TO BECOME BOUND BY THE TERMS OF THIS AGREEMENT, WHICH INCLUDES THE SOFTWARE LICENSE AND THE SOFTWARE DISCLAIMER OF WARRANTY (collectively the "Agreement"). THIS AGREEMENT CONSTITUTES THE COMPLETE AGREEMENT BETWEEN YOU AND THE SOUND GUY.
6. EXPORT RESTRICTIONS. You acknowledge that the SOFTWARE is subject to U.S. export jurisdiction. You agree to comply with all applicable international and national laws that apply to the SOFTWARE, including the U.S. Export Administration Act and the Export Administration Regulations, as well as end-user, end-use and country destination restrictions issued by U.S. and other governments.
EXCLUSION OF INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL AND CERTAIN OTHER DAMAGES.
The Sound Guy, Inc. 12510 Paseo Cerro Saratoga, CA U.S.A. E-mail: sfx@sfxmachine.com Web Site: http://www.sfxmachine.com SFX Machine Pro™ software and documentation © 2006-2011 The Sound Guy, Inc. All Rights Reserved. SFX Machine™, SFX Machine RT™, and SFX Machine Pro™ are trademarks of The Sound Guy, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Apple, Mac, Macintosh, and Audio Unit are trademarks of Apple Computer, Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. VST is a trademark of Steinberg Soft- und Hardware GmbH.
INDEX A additive synthesis 61 aliasing 33, 61 AM 61 amplitude 61 Amplitude Modulation 43, 61 artifact 61 B bandpass filter 41, 61 beats per minute (bpm) 31 bipolar 62 blue 27 Bypass button 14 C Cancel button 15, 25 carrier 43, 44, 62 Category 9, 11, 62 Category list box 11 channel 62 chorus 62 Clearing Slider Links 52 click 56 clipping 62 Clipping Indicator 16 comb filter 62 Comment field 16 cutoff frequency 41, 62 81
cycle 63 D dB (decibel) 63 DC Offset 37, 63 delay 40, 63 Delay Modulation 46 delay time 40, 63 depth 42, 63 Desc (description) field 16 destination 48, 63 Destination Menu 48 distortion 63 Doppler effect 63 downsampling 64 DSP 64 E Echo 64 Preset Editor button 14 Preset Editor 9, 17, 64 envelope 64 Envelope Follower 34, 64 F feedback 64 field 65 filter 41, 65 filter frequency 65 Filter Frequency Modulation 47 Filter Q Modulation 48 82
flanging 65 FM 65 formant 66 frequency 66 Frequency field 30 Frequency Modulation 44, 66 frequency response 66 G glissando 66 H harmonic 66 Hertz (Hz) 66 High Frequency Limit 36 highpass filter 41, 66 hold time 41, 66 host program 67 Hz/Rpts/bpm 31 I inharmonic 67 initial phase 31, 33, 67 Input Overflow Detectors 26 Installing SFX Machine Pro 3 L L+R In 29 Left In 29 Left/Right Output Buttons 26 LFO 67 link 67 83
Load Preset button 12, 25 Loading a Preset 11 Low Frequency Limit 36 lowpass filter 41, 67 M master 51 master link 67 Master Volume 51, 56, 67 Max text field 16 Min text field 16 Mix Modulation (mixing) 44, 68 modular synthesis 68 modulation 68 modulation amplitude 42, 44, 68 Modulation Block 17 modulation depth 68 Modulation Menu 42 Modulation Modulation 48, 68 modulator 43, 68 module 68 Module On/Off Buttons 26 monaural (mono) 69 mono 29 Mono button 13, 60 monophonic 69 Multiple Linked Fields 50, 51 N n
No Mod 43 No Osc 28 No Process 34 noise 30, 69 Note 30 O Octave 30 On/Off Buttons 26 Option key 50 oscillator 69 Ouroborus 69 Output Block 17 Output Buttons 26 Output Overflow Detectors 27 overflow 69 P Pan 69 Pan Modulation 44 parallel processing 69 parameter 70 patch 70 patch cord 48 phase 49, 70 PhaseShape 38, 70 PhaseShape Modulation 47 pitch 70 Pitch Tracker 36, 70 polyphonic 70 85
pop 56 pop-up menus 28 power 38, 71 Power Modulation 47 Preset 8, 11, 71 Preset list box 11 Preview button 13, 25 prime 51 process 71 Process Block 17 Process button 15, 25 Process Menu 34 Q Q 41, 71 quantization 71 Quantize Frequency 37 R Raise to Power 38 random 71 Randomize button 25 registration card 57 Repeats 31 resonance 72 Right In 29 Ring Modulation 43, 72 S sample 72 sample rate 72 86
Sample/Hold 41, 72 Sample/Hold Modulation 46 sampling 73 Save Preset button 12, 25 Sawtooth Wave 30, 73 Scroll buttons 26 selection 73 semitone 37, 49, 73 SFX Machine Pro logo button 12 SFX Machine Pro Presets folder 4, 11 SFX Machine Pro t-shirts 77 sideband 43, 45, 73 signal 73 signal-to-noise ratio 73 Sine LFO 33 Sine Wave 30, 74 slave 51, 74 slider link 50, 74 slider mapping 50, 74 Slider Screen 8, 11 sliders 15 Sliders button 25 source 74 Source Block 17 Source Menu 28 spectrum 74 Square Wave 30, 74 st
Stereo In 29 sub-modules 29, 40 System Requirements 2 T target 48 technical support 77 threshold 35, 74 timbre 75 time constant 35, 75 Time Interval 36 tremolo 43, 67, 75 Triangle Wave 30, 75 triggered wah 75 U unipolar 75 V value entry field 75 Value field 16 vibrato 18, 20, 46, 67, 75 W wah-wah 76 Wet/Dry Mix 51 white noise 76 Z zero-crossing 31, 76 88
