User manual

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occur with high impedance inputs, but this may not be entirely accurate over all
temperatures, or at the highest and lowest pitches
Slide In Thresholds and Gate
In versions 2.1C and earlier, the Slide In had a single function: to turn on the slide slew
circuit. Slide In did not turn on the Gate of the synthesiser. This meant that if the
internal sequencer or external source of Gate (such as a MIDI to CV converter) was
producing two separate periods of Gate On (that is two discrete notes in time) at different
pitches (different CV voltages) then this input could not “tie” the two notes together, as is
commonly desired for the musical concept of “Slide”.
In versions 2.1D and later, the above functionality can still be achieved, by driving Slide
In to about +3 volts. The first threshold voltage is about +2.3 volts – to turn on the slide
slew circuit. There is a second voltage threshold, present only in versions 2.1D and later,
at about +4.0 volts. This turns on the synthesiser’s Gate and the Gate Out signal as well.
Thus, when Slide In is driven above +4 volts, not only is the slide slew circuit enabled,
but Gate is turned on, which has the musical effect of making the Gate In signal
irrelevant: it “ties” any and all “notes” into one long note event, as long as the Slide In is
above 4.0 volts.
For most musical purposes, simply drive Slide In with 5 volts or more – anything up to
15 or 30 volts will do. Use about 3.0 volts if you want to turn on the slide-slew circuit
whilst leaving the synthesiser notes to be driven independently by Gate In or the internal
sequencer.
Devil Fishes prior to version 2.1D can’t internally use the Slide In voltage to turn on the
internal Gate. However, a simple arrangement of wiring outside the machine will
perform the same function. A technician can create a set of cables, or a small adaptor
box, with diodes so that either the Slide or the Gate voltage from the MIDI to CV
converter drives the Devil Fish’s Gate In:
See also the discussion below in the Version History.