User Manual

BV512 VOCODER
(RECORD+REASON)
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“Playing” the vocoder from a MIDI keyboard
If you have routed MIDI to the BV512, playing notes from C1 and up will control individual filter bands. For example,
in 16 band mode, C1 controls band 1, C#1 band 2 and so on up to D#2 (which controls band 16).
• The level of the bands is proportional to key velocity (how hard you play).
• A band will be “open” until you release the corresponding key.
• Bands to which you have connected a CV signal (using the individual band level inputs on the back panel) will
not respond to MIDI keys.
Note that with this function, you “play the modulator”. You still need a carrier signal to get any sound. Typically, you
would first record the notes or chords for the carrier device in the sequencer, then route MIDI to the vocoder and
“play” it from your MIDI keyboard while playing back the recorded carrier notes.
q An interesting application of this is to patch the vocoder as an insert effect for the whole mix (the output of the
main mixer connected to the carrier input, with no modulator device connected), and “play the vocoder”. Only
the frequency bands for which you press keys will be let through. Use the FFT (512) mode for best results.
Using the BV512 as a reverb
This is a very special trick which can be quite cool. Proceed as follows:
1. Create a Redrum device.
The “vocoder-reverb” is best suited for drums, even though nothing stops you from using it on other sounds.
2. Create a Subtractor and a vocoder.
The Subtractor will automatically be routed to the carrier input. We don’t need a dedicated modulator device in this
setup.
3. Flip the rack around and connect Aux send 1 on the Mixer to the modulator input on the vocoder.
4. While you’re there, re-route the vocoder output to Aux return 1.
This way, our vocoder-reverb will be connected as a regular send effect.
5. Set the vocoder to FFT (512) mode, turn the Decay knob to between 6 and 7 and turn the Dry/Wet control to
“wet” (fully right).