Monomachine SFX-6/60 USER’S MANUAL Rev:3 for OS 1.04. This manual is copyright (C) 2004 Elektron ESI AB. All reproduction without written authorization is strictly prohibited. The information in this manual may change without notice. Elektrons product names, logotypes, titles, words or phrases may be registered and protected by Swedish and international law. All other brand or product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders.
Monomachine SFX-6/60 USER’S MANUAL Table Of Contents INTRODUCTION1-1 CONVENTIONS IN THIS MANUAL..................................................................................................... 1-1 THE PHILOSOPHY OF THE MONOMACHINE............................................................1-2 KEEP IN MIND..................................................................................................................................... 1-2 HIGHLIGHTS ....................................................
FILTER PAGE .................................................................................................................................... 1-28 BASIC FILTER CONTROLS ......................................................................................................... 1-28 FILTER TRACKING ...................................................................................................................... 1-29 EFFECTS PAGE ............................................................................
ADDITIONAL SEQUENCER FEATURES ...................................................................1-59 THE ARPEGGIATOR......................................................................................................................... 1-59 ARPEGGIATOR BASIC SETTINGS ............................................................................................. 1-59 ARPEGGIATOR MODES IN DEPTH............................................................................................
SYSEX FILE OPERATIONS1-94 SYSEX SEND ............................................................................................................................... 1-94 SYSEX RECEIVE ......................................................................................................................... 1-95 MIDI SEQUENCER SETTINGS......................................................................................................... 1-97 CREDITS...........................................................
Monomachine SFX-6/60 USER’S MANUAL Copyright 2004 ELEKTRON ESI AB INTRODUCTION Thank you for choosing the Monomachine SFX-6/60 as your companion in music creation. The SFX-6/60 is a powerful and intuitive tool for creating sounds, melodies and musical compositions of all kinds. We hope you will have a lot of fun while exploring the vast possibilities of the Monomachine. To make the most of the SFX-6/60, we would like you to carefully read the relevant parts of this manual before operating the instrument.
THE PHILOSOPHY OF THE MONOMACHINE THE PHILOSOPHY OF THE MONOMACHINE Synthesizers are available in many different types and forms. Nevertheless, for most part they follow the norm how a synthesizer of its era is expected to be. Development for musicians tools generally comes in form of new synthesis techniques or increase in polyphony, memory or other quantitative elements. The advances in the music machine world have brought numerous good inventions for musicians.
THE PHILOSOPHY OF THE MONOMACHINE Monomachine SFX-6/60 USER’S MANUAL 3
USER INTERFACE AND CONNECTORS USER INTERFACE AND CONNECTORS FRONT / MAIN CONTROL PANEL The Monomachine SFX-6 main control panel / SFX-60 front panel: 1. Master volume control. Sets the volume for the main output and headphone jack. 2. The LCD graphical interface display. 3. LEVEL encoder. Sets the overall volume level of the track in focus. 4. DATA ENTRY encoders. Used for tweaking parameters for the machines and effects.
USER INTERFACE AND CONNECTORS 8. [FUNCTION] key. Press and hold it for accessing the secondary function of another key. 9. [KIT/SONG] key. Calls the kit or the song menu, depending which mode is chosen. The secondary function is calling the [GLOBAL] menu. 10. [TRIG] keys 1 to 16. Main functions of these keys are as keyboard for trigging notes, and for editing notes in grid edit mode. Also used for choosing pattern, if pressed while holding [BANK] keys.
USER INTERFACE AND CONNECTORS KEYBOARD INTERFACE, SFX-6 1. Joystick, for real-time expression control. The joystick can individually control parameters for all tracks. 2. Keyboard, for real-time playing, real-time recording and grid recording. 3. [MULTI TRIG] key, used for toggling the Multi Trig mode. The current state of the Multi Trig is indicated by the LED above. The secondary function is to toggle the [MULTI MAP] mode. Multi Map is indicated by the LED flashing. 4.
USER INTERFACE AND CONNECTORS ADDITIONAL REAR CONNECTORS, SFX-6 1. AC 115/230V 50/60Hz Input with integrated fuse holder and spare fuse storage. • Caution! Although the Monomachine SFX-6 can accept both 115 and 230 Volts main current, both the voltage selector and the fuse need to be matched to the voltage. The fuse holder has two sections. The inner is the one currently in use. For 115V operation the fuse should be specified as 250mA, 125V.
USER INTERFACE AND CONNECTORS from the MIDI IN port, so it can be used for daisy chaining other MIDI units. 4. Switch all units on. 5. If you do not have any previous experience of the Monomachine we sug- gest that you follow the “QUICK START” on page 11. CARE INSTRUCTIONS To ensure many years of trouble free operation, please follow the advice below: • Never use any aggressive cleaners on the casing or the LCD overlay. Remove dust, dirt and fingerprints with a soft dry cloth.
THE LCD USER INTERFACE THE LCD USER INTERFACE The center of the Monomachine SFX-6/60 editing is the LCD graphical interface display. The main interface screen for base pattern edit mode is printed below: 1. The current tempo. This will show EXT when synced to external tempo. 2. Level bar showing the overall volume level of the machine on the track in focus. 3. Up to eight Data Entry parameters. At the top are up to four characters which is an abbreviation that indicate their current function.
THE LCD USER INTERFACE 10 Monomachine SFX-6/60 USER’S MANUAL
QUICK START QUICK START This quick start will guide you through some of the basic operations get you started using the Monomachine. First connect your unit as described in section “CONNECTING THE UNIT” on page 7. • The DATA ENTRY encoders have accelerated editing when pressed. By default, the knobs increase/decrease the parameter value in steps of +1/-1. When pressed, the step length is higher, allowing quicker adjustments.
QUICK START 6. To stop the playback of the pattern, press the [STOP] key. PLAYING IN MULTI TRIG MODE 1. Select a pattern, ranging from A01-D16. All the Monomachine presets are located in this range. Make sure the sequencer is stopped. 2. Enter Multi Trig Mode. On SFX-6 press the [MULTI TRIG] key and check that the LED is lit with a steady light. For SFX-60 select the Multi Trig channel on your midi keyboard. 3. Play some notes! 4.
QUICK START RECORDING A PATTERN USING GRID COMPOSING 1. You can input notes into a pattern of the sequencer, both while it is play and stop mode. First select the pattern you wish to edit. You might want to select an empty pattern, as all changes are made “live” to the pattern. As factory default, patterns E01-H16 are clear. 2.
QUICK START PARAMETER LOCKS 1. To lock parameters to a specific trig in the pattern in grid composing mode, then hold a [TRIG] key and turn or click an encoder. The parameter connected to the encoder will be inverted to indicate that it now is has a parameter lock. The corresponding LED will flash rapidly to indicate that a parameter is locked for that step. 2. In live recording mode, you can lock parameters by turning a knob while recording. 3.
MONOMACHINE OVERVIEW MONOMACHINE OVERVIEW The sound generating structure of the Monomachine differs in many ways from what is common for contemporary sound synthesizers and sequencers. The SFX-6/60 offers six tracks of audio synthesis/FX, effects and sequencing. All six tracks are fully equipped with a sound generating or sound effecting machine of choice, Track Effect engine including amplifier envelope, LP/BP/HP filter, synchronised tape-style delay, three LFO’s and the most refined step sequencer.
FIGURE 1.
MONOMACHINE SYNTHESIS ARRANGEMENT MONOMACHINE SYNTHESIS ARRANGEMENT The basic sound generating unit in the Monomachine is a machine. Each machine is designed for generating sounds from a specific technique or method, such as analogue style pulse, SID MOS6581 or dynamic FM. The sound generating machines allows you to get many different starting points with varied sound characteristics. The machines are grouped in so called Mono-synths.
MONOMACHINE SYNTHESIS ARRANGEMENT MONOMACHINE KITS The Monomachine do not arrange sounds in what is commonly referred to as “patches”. The Monomachine equivalence of a “patch” depends on which way you are using it. • If you use the six tracks as individual synthesizers, or in poly mode, then you could see the kit as carrying six “patches”. The kit would then be the equivalence to what in common synthesizer terms is referred to as a “performance”.
MONOMACHINE SYNTHESIS ARRANGEMENT LOADING A KIT 1. Open the KIT window. 2. Use the arrow keys to move to the “LOAD” icon. Press [ENTER/YES] to call the LOAD KIT menu. 3. The screen presents a list of the kits stored in memory. Use the [UP] and [DOWN] keys to choose among the 128 kit slots. Press [ENTER/YES] to load the kit of your choice. If you want to exit without loading a kit, press [EXIT/NO]. • The kit currently loaded is indicated by an inverted selection box.
MONOMACHINE SYNTHESIS ARRANGEMENT 3. The screen presents a list of the kits stored in memory. Use the [UP] and [DOWN] keys to choose from the 128 kit slots. Press [ENTER/YES] to select the slot where you want to save your kit. 4. The next window appearing will allow you to name the kit. Use the LEVEL encoder or the [UP] and [DOWN] keys to cycle through the letters. The [LEFT] and [RIGHT] keys move the cursor backwards and forwards on the line.
MONOMACHINE SYNTHESIS ARRANGEMENT ASSIGN A MACHINE TO A TRACK Open the KIT window and select menu position EDIT using the [CURSOR KEYS]. Press [ENTER/YES] to enter the EDIT KIT Menu. The EDIT KIT menu is used for selecting machines from the selection available from the Mono-synths, and for specifying to which audio mix bus the output should be directed. For FX machines you also select the audio input for the machine. Read more about FX machines and routing in section “MONOMACHINE ROUTING” on page 81.
MONOMACHINE SYNTHESIS ARRANGEMENT • The Mono-synth and the machine currently assigned to the track are indicated by inverted selection boxes. The focus, when moved away from the machine currently loaded, is a hollow square box. When [ENTER/YES] is pressed, the current focus will be assigned, thus changing the square hollow focus to the inverted box.
MONOMACHINE SYNTHESIS ARRANGEMENT Turn the DATA ENTRY encoders. The corresponding visual parameter on the LCD screen should be updated accordingly. Press and turn the DATA ENTRY encoders for accelerated editing. Just press it to see the numerical value of the parameter. • If you want to keep the changes you have done to the kit, don’t forget to save it! The TUNE parameter is available for all synthesis machine. It allows fine pitch tuning of 100 cents up or down.
MONOMACHINE SYNTHESIS ARRANGEMENT 24 Monomachine SFX-6/60 USER’S MANUAL
TRACK EFFECTS TRACK EFFECTS The Track Effects are independent effects systems, available to the six tracks as extensions to the machine synthesis. This chapter is a reference to all the functions you will find on the Data Entry pages. The Track Effects are applied to the sound signal in stereo in the order as described in the figure below: First select a track using the [TRACK] keys that you want to alter the Track Effects for.
TRACK EFFECTS AMP-trig can be controlled individually from the sequencer, see section “TRIG TRACKS” on page 48 for more information. The amplifier envelope is controlled by the parameters: • • • • ATK = ATTACK HOLD = HOLD DEC = DECAY REL = RELEASE The Attack parameter controls how long time the envelope takes to reach full level, after the AMP-trig has been received. The full level is then held for the amount of time specified by the Hold parameter.
TRACK EFFECTS FIGURE 2. Simplified visualisation of headroom and distortion TRACK VOLUME The Volume (“VOL”) parameter is a track volume separated from the Level overall gain control. Volume is a track parameter that can be locked to separate notes, and it can be controlled by the LFO system. PAN The Pan parameter controls the stereo panning for the stereo output. It operates in stereo when needed, for example when effecting FX Machines. The default value is center.
TRACK EFFECTS FILTER PAGE In the Filter page you find the controls for the combined resonant 24dB low/ band/high-pass filter of the Monomachine, including the filter envelope.
TRACK EFFECTS The HPQ and LPQ parameter controls the filter quality “Q” parameters. The HPQ and LPQ values control how much the volume is boosted around the high-pass and low-pass filter cut off frequencies. The ATK and DEC parameters control the Filter Envelope Attack and Delay speeds. The BOFS and WOFS parameters control how much of the envelop amount will be added to the filter Base and Width parameters. The filter envelope is trigged every time a FILTER-trig is received.
TRACK EFFECTS EFFECTS PAGE In the Effects page you find the controls for the 1-band EQ, Sample Rate Reduction, and the tempo-synchronised tape-style Delay. The parameters of the effects page are listed below: • • • • • • • • EQF = EQ FREQUENCY EQG = EQ GAIN SRR = SAMPLE RATE REDUCTION DTIM = DELAY TIME DSND = DELAY SEND AMOUNT DFB = DELAY FEEDBACK DBAS = DELAY FILTER BASE DWID = DELAY FILTER WIDTH EQ Using the 1-band parametric EQ, you can boost or reduce a certain frequency band.
TRACK EFFECTS DELAY The Track Effect delay of the Monomachine is a single tap delay with realtime adjustable delay time. Some of its functionality can resemble tape loops and solid state CCD delays. The delay time is always put in relation to the global tempo setting. The figure below outlines the function of the delay: The Delay Send (“DSND”) parameter controls how high level of sound will be let in to the delay loop from the audio signal of the track.
TRACK EFFECTS The Delay Filter Base (“DBAS”) and Delay Filter Width (“DWID”) parameters control the filter in the delay feedback loop. Using this you can make the delay “echoes” sound sequentially different as the sound goes round the delay loop. • For using the delay for delay-line style sound sculpturing, try setting a very short Delay Time together with a Feedback above 32. Then play around with the Delay filter settings.
LOW FREQUENCY OSCILLATORS (LFO’s) LOW FREQUENCY OSCILLATORS (LFO’s) Each of the 6 tracks in the Monomachine offers 3 interlaced low frequency oscillators (LFO), which can be used to modulate any track parameter. A typical application of an LFO is to let it sweep a filter cut-off frequency. The 18 interlaced LFO’s offer 11 waveforms and 5 trig modes. The LFO’s are tied to their specific tracks, and are shared between the internal sequencer and the midi sequencer.
LOW FREQUENCY OSCILLATORS (LFO’s) TRIG MODE The Trig mode switch (“TRIG”) is an important parameter for getting the most out of the LFO's. The trig modes are described in the list below, and their function is visualised in combination with the waveforms in Figure 3 on page 32. • FREE = The LFO is running continuously, never restarting or stopping. • TRIG = The waveform is restarted for each LFO-trig, and then runs continuously.
LOW FREQUENCY OSCILLATORS (LFO’s) WAVEFORM The Waveform selection switch (“WAVE”) select waveform for the LFO from the eleven shapes available. There are 5 basic shapes plus mirrored copies of all but the Random (“RND”) shape. Select the appropriate waveform with the Waveform switch. The waveform shapes and their start and end LFO levels are carefully selected to give a wide range of shapes in combination with the trig modes. See the figure above for all possible combinations.
LOW FREQUENCY OSCILLATORS (LFO’s) • If you select the same destination for two different LFO tracks their outputs will be added, making advanced layered LFO’s possible.
ADDITIONAL KIT SETTINGS ADDITIONAL KIT SETTINGS This chapter deals with all kit settings not covered in the previous chapters. ASSIGN The Kit Assign allows the Joystick, Key velocity and Key position tracking to be assigned to up to two Data Entry parameter of choice. This can allow for a lot of dynamic depth of the sound with little effort. You find the Assign window in the Kit menu.
ADDITIONAL KIT SETTINGS • All Assign settings can be copied cleared and pasted using [FUNCTION] + [COPY] [CLEAR] and [PASTE]. All tabs are copied as a whole, for easy transformation to other tracks or kits. JOYSTICK The first two to four tabs contain the parameters for the joystick. The first tab can control the right or the left, or both right and left directions of the joystick, depending of the value of the MIRR = Mirror parameter.
ADDITIONAL KIT SETTINGS There are two additional parameters on the Key Tracking controlling if the high pass and/or low pass filter should automatically track the pitch. • The HPF = High Pass Filter Tracking parameter set to OFF disconnects the standard filter tracking of the high pass filter. • The LPF = Low Pass Filter Tracking parameter set to OFF disconnects the standard filter tracking of the high pass filter. See page 28 for more information on the filter.
ADDITIONAL KIT SETTINGS • For a staccato bass sound it is useful for all trigs to be activated, so the sound will sound the same, even if two notes are played overlapped by mistake. But for a lead sound it might be better to not initiate any trigs for notes played legato. MULTI TRIG The Multi Trig is a link between the synthesis and the sequencer of the Monomachine.
ADDITIONAL KIT SETTINGS • All arpeggiators of the tracks retain their function in the All Track Multi Trig mode. Interesting results can be yield with different arpeggiator settings and speeds for the tracks that then are activated in parallel from the Multi Trig channel. MULTI TRIG SPLIT MODE The Split mode allows you to split the keyboard in two zones, each one controlling a part of the tracks by the upper and lower part. There is an additional tab for the split mode, named “ZONES”.
ADDITIONAL KIT SETTINGS MULTI ENV The Multi Env is an additional envelope applied to all the tracks in the Multi Trig modes excluding the Split Mode. You reach it by pressing both the [DATA PAGE] keys simultaneously. The Multi Env is an envelope that is applied on top of the track envelopes, allowing all the tracks to be treated as one massive monophonic track. It is a standard Attack (“ATK”), Decay (“DEC”), Sustain (“SUS”), Release (“REL”) envelope.
THE PATTERN SEQUENCER THE PATTERN SEQUENCER The pattern step sequencer is a central part of the Monomachine sound. It is designed to be an inspirational tool for pattern based music, or a component in the creation of dynamic multi-track monophonic sounds. The sequencer is designed both for live and studio use. The patterns can either be trigged individually from the user interface or by MIDI commands or they can be linked together with pattern chaining or in song mode.
THE PATTERN SEQUENCER COMPOSING A PATTERN This chapter will take you through the details how to create a pattern in grid composing and live recording mode. RECORDING PREPARATIONS Follow the steps below before continuing with any pattern composing. It will put the Monomachine in base pattern edit mode. 1. Close all windows that might be open using the [EXIT/NO] key. 2. For SFX-6: Check that the LED is unlit. Press the [MULTI TRIG] key to switch it off if needed. 3.
THE PATTERN SEQUENCER 5. While holding a [TRIG] key you can see a mini-keyboard appearing after a short delay. It is located in the lower left corner of the LCD interface. This mini-keyboard indicates the pitch of the note, both by a marking on the mini-keyboard and printed below. The LED’s of the Monomachine also indicate the pitch programmed. 6. There are two methods for adjusting the pitch of a trig.
THE PATTERN SEQUENCER it. See section “FULL PATTERN COPY” on page 54 for more information on copying patterns. • In grid composing mode, pressing keys [LEFT] and [RIGHT] while holding [FUNCTION] rotates the pattern. • You can avoid general need of NOTE_OFF trigs by making good use of the Hold parameter (see section “AMPLIFIER ENVELOPE” on page 25). • Depending on the scale setup, you might have a longer pattern than what is possible to edit with the 16 LED’s and [TRIG] keys.
THE PATTERN SEQUENCER posing mode and Live Recording mode. All parameters of the Data Entry pages can be locked. Parameter locks are an important tool for creating unique dynamic loops with the Monomachine. PARAMETER LOCKS IN GRID COMPOSING MODE To program parameter locks in grid composing mode, follow the steps below. 1. Begin with following the instruction in section “RECORDING PREPARA- TIONS” on page 44. 2. Enter grid composing mode by pressing the [RECORD] key.
THE PATTERN SEQUENCER • More than one parameter can be locked on a track specific step. Other tracks can have locks on the same step as well. A pattern can have a total of 62 parameter-tracks that carries independent locks. • A lock is a snapshot of a parameter setting. It changes the parameter value from its original value stored in the kit, but only for that note trigging.
THE PATTERN SEQUENCER tracks named Trig Tracks, offering individual control over Amplitude Envelope, Filter Envelope and LFO trigs. Traditionally synthesizers retrig all envelopes when a NOTE_ON event (a key pressed on the keyboard) is played. In the Monomachine the NOTE_ON events can be split up, allowing you to trig the Amplitude envelope (AMP Trig), Filter Envelope (FILTER Trig) and LFO (LFO Trig) at any step of the sequencer you prefer.
THE PATTERN SEQUENCER now hold the [TRIG] key and program a pitch or parameter lock as normal, but no envelopes will be trigged. You can add these later using the Trig Track functions as described in the previous section. Normal trigs can also be converted into Trigless Trigs by removing the AMP FILTER and LFO trigs manually using the Trig Track functions. PITCHLESS TRIGS You can easily remove the pitch from a trig by pressing [EXIT/NO] while holding the [TRIG] key.
THE PATTERN SEQUENCER SUMMARY All the features and methods in this section can be summed up in the conclusions that any pitch programming, Amplitude, Filter and LFO trigging and parameter locks can be performed free at will at any step of the pattern. Please refer to the third illustration of figure ”Trig Track illustrations” for an example of a Monomachine pattern using all the features mentioned in this section. Only the trig on the first step is equivalent to a normal NOTE_ON.
THE PATTERN SEQUENCER There are three parameters available in the SCALE SETUP window. The underlined focus is moved with the [LEFT] and [RIGHT] keys. 1. The first parameter sets the total number of steps of the pattern. When in focus, use [UP] and [DOWN] to increase/decrease the number of steps. The LEVEL encoder is also controlling this parameter, and the [TRIG] keys can be used as well to set the end step. 2. The second parameter sets the scale length in divisions of 16 (one full page).
THE PATTERN SEQUENCER TAP TEMPO To tap a tempo, hold the [FUNCTION] key and tap the [TEMPO] key at a steady rhythm. After four consecutive taps the average tempo of the taps will be set as the current tempo and it will be showed in the tap tempo window. You can continue taping the [TEMPO] key, and the taps will be used for refine the average tempo. A maximum of 16 tempo taps are considered. EXTERNAL SYNCHRONISATION The Monomachine can be set to either internal or external synchronisation.
THE PATTERN SEQUENCER Chaining is indicated by a double arrow between the current and the next pattern. [STOP] will reset the pattern chain to the beginning. Pressing [STOP] twice will exit the pattern chaining and return to normal operation. Selecting a new pattern exits pattern chaining as well. PATTERN COPY CLEAR PASTE Copy, clear and paste is a vital part of song composing, and it is important to have the right function close at hand.
THE PATTERN SEQUENCER 3. Change pattern to the destination where you wish to paste your pattern data. 4. Paste the data by holding [FUNCTION] and then pressing the [PASTE] key. A message “PASTE PATTERN” will be shown in the display. 5. The pattern can also be cleared by holding [FUNCTION] and then press- ing [CLEAR]. A message “CLEAR PATTERN” will be shown in the display. • Pasting data into a pattern overwrites any previous data in the pattern.
THE PATTERN SEQUENCER • Pasting data into a track overwrites any previous data. • The track data copied consists of notes, parameter locks, the machine selection, Data Entry pages and Arpeggiato, Transpose, Swing and Slide settings. Note that track copy alters the kit. SUPER COPY For Track, Pattern and Machine copy/clear/paste, the default action can be exchanged. Hold the [FUNCTION] and [COPY] for around a second and the default message-box will expand to a larger one including a selection box.
THE PATTERN SEQUENCER NOTE COPY Individual note steps, including chords and parameter locks, can be copied and pasted. Hold the [TRIG] key for the step you want to copy and press [COPY]. Release the keys and then hold the [TRIG] key for the step you want to paste the note to and press [PASTE]. If you hold a [TRIG] and press [CLEAR] all parameter locks will be cleared. PAGE COPY In Grid Composing mode you can copy, clear and paste individual track pages of 16 steps each.
THE PATTERN SEQUENCER 58 Monomachine SFX-6/60 USER’S MANUAL
ADDITIONAL SEQUENCER FEATURES ADDITIONAL SEQUENCER FEATURES THE ARPEGGIATOR Each track of the Monomachine (including the MIDI sequencer tracks) offers an advanced arpeggiator. The arpeggiator is a note processor that generates rhythmic note patterns that is generated from the arpeggiator settings and the notes pressed. Most commonly arpeggiators are used for making automated real-time monophonic cycled notes based on the chord played. Each pattern offers 12 arpeggiators, one per track.
ADDITIONAL SEQUENCER FEATURES See section “ARPEGGIATOR MODES IN DEPTH“ for more information on the arpeggiator play modes. The Play Direction parameter selects between five modes: • TRUE - The arpeggiator plays the notes in the same order they were played. • UP - The arpeggiator sorts the notes and plays them upwards, in rising order. • DOWN - The arpeggiator sorts the notes and plays them downwards, in descending order.
ADDITIONAL SEQUENCER FEATURES • To activate the arpeggiator on the SFX-60 module without an external MIDI keyboard added, you can hold [FUNCTION] while pressing the [TRIG] keys. • The arpeggiato settings can be copy cleared and pasted using [FUNCTION]+[COPY]/[CLEAR]/[PASTE] • To create computer-game-like arpeggiato chords, set Speed to a low value, select mode SID and turn off AMP FLT and LFO trigging as described in the section below.
ADDITIONAL SEQUENCER FEATURES By holding a [TRIG] key and using the [UP] and [DOWN] keys, you can adjust the note offsets for the active steps. The current offset is displayed while the [TRIG] key is held in a small popup-window in the lower left corner of the LCD screen. TRANSPOSE Each track of the Monomachine (including the MIDI sequencer tracks) offer transpose settings. Transposing notes means to move them to higher or lower notes.
ADDITIONAL SEQUENCER FEATURES The Scale modes are set per track, and are listed below: • --- - The notes are transposed the exact amount of notes specified by the sum of the Track, Pattern, Song and Multi Trig transpose. This is the normal mode. No Key value can be set. • FIX - Only the Track transpose is used for transposing. No Key value can be set. • MAJ - The transposed notes are kept within the Major scale specified by the Key value.
ADDITIONAL SEQUENCER FEATURES for a 4/4 single speed pattern. If you are not quite sure what you are doing, you are probably best off leaving the swing step settings at the default and just change the swing amount. When changing to double speed mode in scale setup (see page 51) you need to modify the swing pattern to get the same result as was given by the default swing pattern in single speed mode. In double speed mode, activate swing for every fourth note, starting with the third note.
ADDITIONAL SEQUENCER FEATURES SLIDE The default behaviour for parameter locks is that the value changes exactly when the step is played. By using the Slide Tracks, the parameter value changes made by parameter locks can be slidden smoothly between the start and end lock value. The Slide Tracks are saved as part of the pattern. The Slide window is called by pressing [SLIDE] while holding [FUNCTION]. Select which track you want to edit the Slide Track for using the [TRACK] keys.
ADDITIONAL SEQUENCER FEATURES FIGURE 6. Slide illustration • The Slide Track can be copy cleared and pasted using [FUNCTION]+[COPY]/[CLEAR]/[PASTE] THE MUTE MODE Track muting is normally performed by pressing the [TRACK] keys while holding [FUNCTION]. The Monomachine offers an additional interface for controlling the track muting. When one hand operation is preferred, or when you want simultaneous access to both the internal and the MIDI sequencer tracks at once, the Mute Mode is the solution.
ADDITIONAL SEQUENCER FEATURES through the [TRIG] keys 9-14. The corresponding LED indicate the Mute-state of the track. In addition to the LED’s, the Mute-state is are indicated in the Mute window. Boxes means that the track is un-muted, and a dash means it is muted. The
ADDITIONAL SEQUENCER FEATURES POLY MODE In normal operation the Monomachine offers six tracks of multi timbral monophonic sound synthesis. The SuperWAVE Ensemble machine (see Appendix: A for more information) can be used to make up to four notes chords using only one track, but for using the other machines polyphonically you need to enter the Poly Mode. Press [POLY] while holding [FUNCTION] to enter Poly Mode. The Poly mode is indicated by both the and LED’s being lit.
THE MIDI SEQUENCER THE MIDI SEQUENCER Each of the six internal sequencer tracks of the Monomachine sequencer is doubled with a MIDI sequencer for controlling external MIDI gear. The six MIDI sequencer tracks are part of each pattern, and operate individually, with a few connections with the internal tracks. The LFO’s are shared between the internal tracks and the MIDI sequencer tracks. The MIDI tracks are always played simultaneously and synchronised with their internal counterparts.
THE MIDI SEQUENCER THE MAIN MIDI SEQUENCER INTERFACE The main MIDI sequencer interface screen is printed below: The parameters of the main MIDI interface is listed below: • • • • • LEN = NOTE LENGTH VEL = VELOCITY PB = PITCH BEND PCHG = PROGRAM CHANGE CC 1-4 = CONTROL CHANGE 1-4 The Note Length parameter set the maximum time the note will be played until a NOTE_OFF is sent. Notes can also be interrupted with NOTE_OFF trigs (set by pressing a [TRIG] key while holding [FUNCTION]).
THE MIDI SEQUENCER COMPARISON WITH THE INTERNAL SEQUENCER The MIDI sequencer tracks function to some degree like their internal counterparts. Below is a list of similarities and differences: • The MIDI sequencer tracks do not offer any Trig Tracks, since MIDI do not allow for such type of extended control. • The MIDI sequencer offers six additional arpeggiators with individual settings, but they do not offer any envelope trigging switches for the same reason as mentioned above.
THE MIDI SEQUENCER 72 Monomachine SFX-6/60 USER’S MANUAL
THE SONG SEQUENCER THE SONG SEQUENCER The Monomachine Song Sequencer is a tool for setting up sequences of patterns, with possibilities for setting selected parameters such as pattern offset, length, repeats and transposes per song row. The Song can be used for making a fully arranged song or setting up looped sets of patterns for live use. Enter song mode by pressing the [PATTERN/SONG] key, so that the LED is lit.
THE SONG SEQUENCER • Loading a song will destroy any possible unsaved changes to the current song. Make sure to store unsaved work you wish to keep before loading a new song. SAVE SONG The Save song window is printed below: Use the [UP] and [DOWN] keys to select one of the 24 positions you want to save your song to and then press [ENTER/YES] to enter the naming window. Select the characters using the LEVEL encoder or the [UP] and [DOWN] keys. Use the [RIGHT] and [LEFT] keys to move the cursor.
THE SONG SEQUENCER SONG PLAY To start replaying a song, make sure that you are in song mode, and that a song is presently loaded or created. Start the playback of the song by pressing [PLAY]. Pressing [PLAY] again pauses the playback. To stop the playback, press [STOP]. At any time you may switch back and forth between the song and the pattern mode by pressing the [PATTERN/SONG] key. The song pointer will be held until [STOP] is pressed.
THE SONG SEQUENCER SONG EDITING The Monomachine song editor is a tool for arranging patterns into a song. A song is basically a list of patterns which will be played in sequence. Each step in a song can have its own settings for pattern start position, length, pattern and individual track transpose, tempo and number of repeats. The repeat function is used to make a pattern repeat a specified number of times without the need of using several song rows. Loops are offered for improved song organisation.
THE SONG SEQUENCER The Transpose column sets a pattern transpose for the song row. Use the LEVEL encoder to control the value. By pressing [ENTER/YES] you enter the Song Track Transpose window, where individual transpose can be set for the tracks. If any individual Song Track Transposes is set for the row, it is indicated by a bold “T“ in the Transpose column. You then need to enter the Song Track Transpose window to see both the pattern and the individual track transpose.
THE SONG SEQUENCER In the right part of the title bar the current song pointer position is displayed in bars and beats. This is also updated when a new song pointer is set with [ENTER/YES]. This information can be used for synchronising the Monomachine song construction with the song of another sequencer. • Use Song transport or Song Edit transport together with song loops for creating a live setup! See section “SONG LOOPS AND JUMPS“ for more information.
THE SONG SEQUENCER From here you can set the Song Row Mute mask for the song row. Use the [TRIG] keys 1 to 6 to update the current Song Row Mute mask for the internal tracks, and [TRIG] keys 9 to 14 for the MIDI sequencer tracks. Tempo adjustments can be programmed by setting a BPM value. Use the LEVEL encoder to update the BPM setting. You need to start by increasing the BPM-value to set it.
THE SONG SEQUENCER If you set the loop to loop to the current row it will change to a halt statement. When the song player reaches a halt statement it will pause the playback. You then need to use song edit transport as described on page 77 to select a new position to start from, and press [PLAY]. Loops can be used for speeding up song construction, for example looping a pattern set for the refrain. It can also be used to set up pattern loops to extend the Monomachine limit of maximum 64 steps per pattern.
MONOMACHINE ROUTING MONOMACHINE ROUTING The Monomachine offers a flexible routing system for addressing the audio outputs, using the audio inputs and routing between the synthesis and FX Machines. Most of the routing is controlled from the EDIT KIT window. Please check section “ASSIGN A MACHINE TO A TRACK” on page 21 for information on how to find, open and manoeuvre it. ADDRESSING THE AUDIO OUTPUTS The OUT BUS parameter in the MIX tab is available for all machines.
MONOMACHINE ROUTING source sound externally. The source can either be the Audio Inputs, the sound of the previous track or the audio of one of the Mix Buses. The various uses of the FX Machines in combination with Synthesis Machines are discussed in the following sections. USING THE AUDIO INPUTS The Audio inputs are reached through the FX Machines found in the Monosynth named “FX”. You will find it in the end of the Monosynth list in the SYNTH tab of the EDIT KIT window.
MONOMACHINE ROUTING • All Track Effects, the LFO’s and the sequencer are still at your hands when using the audio inputs! Set up six tracks with various Track Effect settings, LFO settings and use the sequencer, and you have a unique and powerful effects processor. NEIGHBOUR ROUTING The FX machines can also take their inputs from internal Monomachine sound. One of the modes for this is the Neighbour mode. To use this mode, set track number two or higher to use an FX machine, and set INPUT to “NEIBOR”.
MONOMACHINE ROUTING MIX BUS ROUTING For applying an effect to two or more mixed tracks you need to use the mix buses as input for the FX machine. To use this mode, set track number two or higher to use an FX machine, and set INPUT to “BUS XX”, where XX is the mix bus AB, CD or EF. When the output of a track in the Monomachine is set to AB, CD or EF, it is feed to one of the three mix buses, which by default end in the audio outputs with the same names.
MONOMACHINE ROUTING In the example above the two first tracks are sent on the AB bus, and effected by the FX machine on track 3. Track 4 and 5 are sent to the CD mix bus. Track 6 is an FX machine with input taken from the CD Mix bus, which now contain the mixed signal of track 4 and 5. The output of the FX machine on track 6 is set to bus AB with differs from the input CD.
MONOMACHINE ROUTING The example above visualises how Global Routing mode 6xMONO configures the outputs. • Like all machines, the FX machines need to be trigged before they make any sound. The Track Effects are active as always, so if you want the sound to go through without decaying you need to set the Decay and Release parameters to their maximum values (127).
GLOBAL SETTINGS GLOBAL SETTINGS The Monomachine offers 8 individual Global slots. The multiple Global slots are useful for using the unit in more than one typical setup. You can have one setup for studio use and another for the live set, or maybe several different setups for different parts of the live set. The items listed below are available in the Global menus.
GLOBAL SETTINGS MASTER TUNE The Global Master Tune can be set in this menu. Use [UP]/[DOWN] keys to set the integer part, and [RIGHT]/[LEFT] keys to set the fraction. GLOBAL ROUTING In this menu one of three Audio Routing selections can be set. Use [UP] and [DOWN] keys to move the focus, and confirm with [ENTER/YES]. The 3xSTEREO is the default configuration, where the three internal stereo mix buses AB, CD and EF are sent to the audio outputs A/B, C/D and E/F.
GLOBAL SETTINGS MONOMACHINE AND MIDI The Monomachine is designed to fit well into a MIDI environment. It is well equipped for controlling other units through the MIDI Sequencer, the MIDI real-time messages (Timing clock, Start, Stop) and Song Pointer Position. It is also ready for a large number of control methods to fit in a wide range of environments. The MIDI settings are found in the Global menu ”CONTROL”. Open the Global menu by pressing [GLOBAL] while holding [FUNCTION].
GLOBAL SETTINGS number of the channels above decline down to the Base Channel as you reduce the Channel Span. INDIVIDUAL TRACK CHANNELS If the Individual Track Channels are activated they will transmit and accept note data control for the six Monomachine tracks. The internal sequencer, the Data Entry pages, the Keyboard and Joystick (SFX-6 only) send note and control data on the Individual track channels. This control data is also accepted on the same channels.
GLOBAL SETTINGS • NRPN data is accepted to control the individual internal tracks • PROGRAM_CHANGE can be used for changing pattern The NRPN interface doubles with the normal CTRL_CHANGE interface of the Individual Track Channels, and provide the same functionality. It is only accepted, never transmitted. See Appendix: B for full MIDI specifications of the NRPN interface. The PROGRAM_CHANGE can be disabled for MIDI input and output. See section “CONTROL OUT2” on page 91 for more information.
GLOBAL SETTINGS Transport controls if MIDI Start, Stop and Song Pointer Position will be sent. MIDI clock controls if the Monomachine should transmit MIDI clock. PRG CHANGE controls if MIDI PRG_CHANGE will be transmitted for each pattern change. CONTROL IN The CONTROL IN window is printed below: The tempo can be generated either internally or taken from an external MIDI clock. The Monomachine gives best timing performance when set to internal synchronisation.
GLOBAL SETTINGS tings. This means that once the MIDI clock message stream is correct, it will again be synchronised to external clock. • The Monomachine always transmits a very high precision MIDI clock. It is often a good idea to use the Monomachine as master instead of slave, as the timing of other MIDI equipment including many setups with well-known Windows and Mac sequencers is not always reliable. MULTI MAP The Multi Map Mode provides a fully configurable keymap for trigging patterns.
GLOBAL SETTINGS [FUNCTION]+[UP]. When inserting new Keymap Ranges there need to be room in the current Keymap Range. If the range is to and from the same note no new range can inserted for that position. The Pattern column selects which pattern will be trigged for the Keymap Range. The first pattern named “CUR” is the Current pattern. If Current is selected the Keymap Range settings will be applied to the pattern currently selected when the range is played.
GLOBAL SETTINGS • ALL - All Monomachine data (Patterns, Kits and Global data). This can be used for making a full backup of all the Monomachine memory data. • KIT - The selected Kits. • PAT+KIT - The selected Patterns and their associated Kits • SONG+PAT+KITS - The selected songs, the Patterns used in them, and their associated Kits. For all but the “ALL” selections a range can be set using the [UP] and [DOWN] keys or the LEVEL encoder.
GLOBAL SETTINGS Selection. Use the [UP] and [DOWN] keys to update the parameters. The LEVEL encoder can also be used for setting the ranges. First select one of the receive methods from the MODE tab: • ORIG - The Kits, Patterns, Songs and Global slot data received will be placed on the original positions they were located as they were transmitted. • SPEC - You may specify the start positions where you want the Kits, Patterns, Songs and Global slots to be stored.
GLOBAL SETTINGS MIDI SEQUENCER SETTINGS The MIDI channels and CTRL-change parameters used per channel is set globally. You find the editor for the Multi Map keymap in the CONTROL>MIDI SEQ SETTINGS Global menu: Use the [CURSOR] keys for navigating in the window. Use LEVEL to update the parameters. The rows control which MIDI channels and CTRL_CHANGE parameters are used by the six MIDI sequencer tracks.
GLOBAL SETTINGS 98 Monomachine SFX-6/60 USER’S MANUAL
CREDITS CREDITS PRODUCT DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT Anders Andersson Anders Gärder Daniel Hansson David Möllerstedt Henrik Sallander Fredrik Åhfeldt INDUSTRIAL DESIGN Jesper Kouthoofd ADDITIONAL DESIGN Göran Finnberg Charlie Storm FACTORY DEFAULT SOUND DESIGN A01, A03-A16 A02, B01-B05 B06 B07-B08 B09-B12 B13-B16 C01 C02 C03 C05-C16 Erase Jesper Kouthoofd Gerald Stevens Andrew Denyes Roonan Daren Ager John Kimble II Ravi Ivan Sharma Daniel Hansson Charles Storm Monomachine SFX-6/60 USER’S MANUAL 99
CONTACT INFORMATION CONTACT INFORMATION ELEKTRON SUPPORT support@elektron.se MONOMACHINE WEBSITE http://www.monomachine.com ELEKTRON WEBSITE http://www.elektron.
PRODUCT UPDATES PRODUCT UPDATES Keep an eye on the support page of the Monomachine website for possible Monomachine OS updates! Monomachine SFX-6/60 USER’S MANUAL 101
PRODUCT UPDATES 102 Monomachine SFX-6/60 USER’S MANUAL
Appendix A: MACHINE REFERENCE In this section all the Mono-synths of the Monomachine are introduced, including specifications for individual machines. SUPERWAVE SAW “SWAVE-SAW” The SuperWave Saw machine offers eight analogue style oscillators, organised to bring thick sounds with relevant controls. SUPERWAVE SuperWave takes its inspiration from the analogue world.
Two additional Unison Extended Oscillators (saw tooth) are located over and under the base pitch, at double the Unison Width. Their level is controlled with the Unison Extended Level (UNIX) parameter. Unison Extended Level is limited by the Unison Level, so to get any effect from the Unison Extended Level, Unison Level has to be increased first. SUPERWAVE PULSE “SWAVE-PULSE” The SuperWave Pulse machine offers five analogue style oscillators, three of which offer Pulse Width Modulation.
SUPERWAVE ENSEMBLE The SuperWave Ensemble machine offers eight analogue style oscillators, set up with special controls to create up to four note chords with only one machine. To change chord inside a pattern, use parameter locks! PCH2 - Pitch 2 PCH3 - Pitch 3 PCH4 - Pitch 4 WAVE - Waveform PW - Pulse Width CHRL - Chorus Level CHRW - Chorus Width The Ensemble machine generates one single oscillator, single pitch sound with the default settings.
control the pulse sweep as described for SuperWave Pulse. The Modulation (MOD) parameter controls the type of modulation to be used. The available selections are: SID The Mono-synth SID is based on the synthesis of the legendary SID chip, from the Commodore 64. The SID-chip was used in the first Elektron synth, the SidStation. SID 6581 The SID 6581 machine offers one oscillator of high quality MOS 6581 synthesis, complete with ringmod and sync.
The Hard Sync (SYNC) offers the following selections: OFF - Hard Sync is turned Off SFRQ - Hard Sync is active, frequency from SFRQ PRCH - H.Sync is active, frq from Previous Channel DIGIPRO DigiPRO offers raw digital waveforms, which can be put into animated life. The BeatBox, which is a part of DigiPRO, offers a percussive toolbox shaped in the traditions of the Machinedrum E12 synth. DIGIPRO WAVE “DPRO-WAVE” The sounds of DigiPRO WAVE are harsh and electrical and stand out in the mix.
C-4 - Bass Drum 2 C#4 - Snare Drum 2 D-4 - Timbale D#4 - Aggobell E-4 - Timpani F-4 - Snap F#4 - Wood G-4 - Triangle G#4 - Shaker A-4 - Maracas A#4 - Whistle H-4 - Blipp The sounds are repeated for the octaves above and under with adjusted pitch. All parameters control all the percussive sounds simultaneously. If you want different settings for different steps of a pattern, use parameter locks. The Pitch (PTCH) parameter controls the general coarse pitch.
FM+STATIC “FM+STAT” FM+STATIC is the most versatile of the FM+ machines, and the best bet for successful FM synthesis. FM+ FM+ is 21st century FM synthesis. It implements world class frequency modulation algorithms that address the complexity problem normally associated with FM. All three FM+ machines are based around a number of custom made FM blocks. The machines have then been handcrafted, each with its own personality.
Modulator 2 frequency is controlled by the 2FRQ parameter by Listed Frequencies. The 2VOL parameter controls the final output volume of the second FM block. For high 2VOL settings amplitude feedback is introduced to emphase the effect on the carrier. The TONE controller is a general controller for the FM frequencies generated in the system. High TONE settings introduce more high frequency harmonic contents. FM+PARALLELL “FM+PAR” FM+PARALLELL is the bombastic FM+ machine.
An exponential envelope, trigged for all noteon’s played is added to the output volume block of Modulator 1. The speed and depth of the envelope is controlled with the 1VEN parameter. Modulator 2 offers exponential continuous frequency control through the 2FRQ. The 2ENV parameter controls the final output volume of the second FM block, as described by the FM+ Envelope Figure. The 2FB parameter controls the Modulator 2 feedback.
The voice can be adjusted continuously from normal to whisper with the Voice (VOIC) parameter. VO VO is inspired by classic voice modelling methods using formant synthesis. The goal has not been to recreate any existing voice or speech synthesizer, but to create a new way of building and controlling a synthetic voice in a way that suits musicians. VO-6 VO-6 is the VO incarnation in the Monomachine.
VO-6 TUTORIAL Getting words out of the VO-6 is pretty straight forward once you get to know it. In this section we offer a short tutorial to get you started. It will make a Monomachine track fitted with the VO-6 spell out the word "Monomachine". Start with loading the VO-6 machine on one of the Monomachine tracks, and verify that it makes sound as you play it on the Keyboard. Be sure to start with a clear pattern, set the tempo to 120 and make sure that the V-SW encoder in the VO page is set to 1 (on).
REVERB FX The FX machine group differs from the other machines of the Monomachine in that they do not generate any sound by themselves. They need to be supplied an audio signal from another source, either internal Monomachine audio, or external audio fed into the Audio inputs. Please refer to section , “USING THE AUDIO INPUTS,” on page 82 for instruction on how to configure the audio input of the FX machines.
DYNAMIX CHORUS The Chorus machine implements a 2 x 3 tap stereo chorus. DEL The Dynamix dynamics processor can be used for increasing the overall sound level of a track or pattern. It can also be used to enhance or reduce transients.
DYNAMIX TUTORIAL This is just a general overview of one way you can approach the Dynamix processor. No exact parameter values can be given as they depend on the signal processed. 1. Turn up Ratio. Setting Ratio to zero (1:1) means that the signal will pass straight through. Setting Ratio to its full value 127 (1:255) makes it a so called limiter. 2. Turn Threshold down. The peaks of the input signal should now be reduced. 3.
Appendix B: MIDI CONTROL REFERENCE All Data Entry parameters of the Monomachine are accessible by both MIDI control change messages and NRPN MIDI messages. This appendix lists the full MIDI implementation of the Monomachine, except SYSEX messages. MONOMACHINE MIDI SPECIFICATION The Monomachine uses up to 6 midi channels starting from the Base channel for the internal sequencer and to control the six tracks of sound generation. This is set in the Global slot->Control->Midichanls.
------+----------------+--------------+---------------------------+-----+-----+ NOTE | MIDI Channel | Mode | Action | | | ------+----------------+--------------+---------------------------+-----+-----+ ON | Multi Trig | All Track | Distributed to track 1-6 | X | X | ------+----------------+--------------+---------------------------+-----+-----+ OFF | Multi Trig | All Track | Distributed to track 1-6 | X | X | ------+----------------+--------------+---------------------------+-----+-----+ ON | Multi Trig | S
---------+--------------------------------------------------------+-----+-----+ 3d 61 | Track 1 - Amp Vol | X | X | ---------+--------------------------------------------------------+-----+-----+ 3e 62 | Track 1 - Amp Pan | X | X | ---------+--------------------------------------------------------+-----+-----+ 3f 63 | Track 1 - Amp Portamento | X | X | ---------+--------------------------------------------------------+-----+-----+ 48 72 | Track 1 - Filter Base | X | X | ---------+---------------------------
---------+--------------------------------------------------------+ | MIDI base channel + 1: | ---------+--------------------------------------------------------+ | Same as MIDI Base Channel + 0, | | but exchange Track 1 to Track 2 | ---------+--------------------------------------------------------+ ---------+--------------------------------------------------------+ | MIDI base channel + 2: | ---------+--------------------------------------------------------+ | Same as MIDI Base Channel + 0, | | but exchan
NRPN MAPPING NRPN Received on MIDI base channel + 0: ---------+----+-----------+---------------------------------------+-----+-----+ Hi | Lo | Val | Parameter | Trn | Rec | ---------+----+-----------+---------------------------------------+-----+-----+ 00 00 | YY | ZZ | Track 1 CTRL-parameter YY to val ZZ | | X | ---------+----+-----------+---------------------------------------+-----+-----+ 01 01 | YY | ZZ | Track 2 CTRL-parameter YY to val ZZ | | X | ---------+----+-----------+----------------------------
OTHER MIDI MESSAGES PITCH BEND MESSAGES ------------------MIDI base channel + 0: ---------+--------------------------------------------------------+-----+-----+ | Track 1 - Pitchbend | K | X | ---------+--------------------------------------------------------+-----+-----+ MIDI base channel + 1: ---------+--------------------------------------------------------+-----+-----+ | Track 2 - Pitchbend | K | X | ---------+--------------------------------------------------------+-----+-----+ MIDI base channel + 2: -
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