Foreword Foreword Hint Thank you for purchasing the Waldorf Blofeld. You now own a synthesizer featuring a wide range of unique sounds with the approved Waldorf quality. Waldorf Music is not liable for any erroneous information contained in this manual. The contents of this manual may be updated at any time without prior notice. We made every effort to ensure the information herein is accurate and that the manual contains no contradictory information.
Foreword We would like to thank Blofeld Development Team Software: Stefan Stenzel, Wolfram Franke Hardware/ Housing: Frank Schneider Design: Axel Hartmann Manual/ Layout: Holger Steinbrink Betatest/ Sounddesign: Wolfram Franke, Boele Gerkes, Achim Gratz, Till Kopper, Jahnspierr Leyton, Dr. Georg Müller, Don Petersen, Howard Scarr, Holger Steinbrink, Sascha Timm, Dr. Stefan Trippler Revision: 1.
Content Content Maintenance.................................................................. 13 Proper Use..................................................................... 13 Foreword ............................................................................................ 2 Setup and Connection ....................................................................14 What to read?.................................................................. 2 Inventory ......................................
Content Multi Part Parameter...................................................... 24 Modulation Matrix Parameter Controls ..........................60 Modulation Matrix Edit Menu ........................................61 Modifier.........................................................................61 Menu Pages Overview .....................................................................29 Sound Parameters ...........................................................................
Content Receiving System Exclusive Data .................................. 87 Updating the System Software ..................................... 109 Sound Synthesis Basics................................................................. 89 Oscillators Introduction................................................. 89 Tips & Tricks................................................................ 111 Filter Introduction ......................................................... 96 Controller Numbers ........
Control Features and Connections Control Features and Connections Front Panel Blofeld Desktop ! " # % $ a Display d System Volume Dial b Parameter Matrix e Display Parameter Dials c Selection Dial with Play button 7 Blofeld User´s Manual
Control Features and Connections Connections Blofeld Desktop & $ # " A Power supply socket B MIDI In jack C USB port for connection to a suited computer D Stereo audio output left/right (only left: mono, only rights: stereo) E Stereo Headphone jack 6 Power switch Blofeld User´s Manual 8 ! %
Control Features and Connections Front Panel Blofeld Keyboard a Display e Display Parameter Dials b Parameter Matrix f Pitch Bend Wheel and Modulation Wheel c Selection Dial with Play button g Octave Up and Down Button d System Volume Dial h Free Button 9 Blofeld User´s Manual
Control Features and Connections Connections Blofeld Keyboard A Power supply socket 6 Power switch B MIDI In jack 7 MIDI Out jack C USB port for connection to a suited computer 8 Pedal input D Stereo audio output left/right (only left: mono, only rights: stereo) E Stereo Headphone jack Blofeld User´s Manual 10
Introduction ☞ Introduction ✻ Example – Real-world examples to try out. About this Manual This manual was written to help you to become familiar with the Blofeld synthesizer. It will also aid experienced users with routine tasks. Highlighted Control Features and Parameters All of the Blofeld´s buttons, controls and parameters are highlighted in bold letters throughout the manual. Example: To avoid confusion, the terminology in this manual is based on the Blofeld parameter names.
Introduction Power Supply General Safety Guidelines m Please read the following safety tips carefully! They include several precautions you should always observe when dealing with electronic equipment. Read all of the instructions before operating your device. Suitable Operating Conditions • Use the device in enclosed rooms only. • Never use the device under damp conditions such as in bathrooms, washrooms or around indoor swimming pools.
Introduction this reason you should keep the volume at tolerable levels. Maintenance • Do not open the device or remove the cover. Refer all service and repair tasks to qualified personnel. The interior of the chassis contains no components that require user maintenance. • Use only a dry, soft cloth or brush to clean the device. Never use alcohol, cleaning solutions or similar chemicals. They will damage the surface of the chassis.
Setup and Connection Setup and Connection Connections Inventory In order to get started with your Blofeld you will need an AC power outlet, a mixing console, an amp or/ and an audio monitor such as a speaker cabinet and last but not least a MIDI master keyboard for the Blofeld Desktop.
Setup and Connection m (Windows PC or Apple Mac). After that the Blofeld is automatically available as a MIDI unit. 6. Connect the power supply cable or the power cable that came with the Blofeld with the Power supply 1 jack. 7. Plug the other side of the power supply cable into a suitable AC power outlet. 8. Press the power switch 6 of your Blofeld. The USB connection 9. Then switch on the computer (if connected), the mixing console and finally the amplifier or active monitor speakers.
Setup and Connection w w Keep in mind that you use a USB 2 port of your computer and a USB 2 suited cable to avoid problems with data transmission. Pitch Bend Wheel Keep in mind that we offer new operation system updates from time to time. Please read also the chapter „Updating the System Software“. You can install a new operating system as well as MIDI or an USB connection. Modulation Wheel Use this wheel to alter the pitch of the played notes. It will jump to the center position when you release it.
Setup and Connection behaviour to this in the Global Menu. Please refer to the corresponding chapter. Octave Down/Up Buttons Although the MIDI standard requires 128 keys, Blofeld offers only 49 of those. To compensate this limitation, we added these buttons g to enable you to reach more keys that physically accessible. Press Octave down to go one octave lower, and Octave up to go one octave higher.
Basic Operation ☞ Basic Operation To select a Program with the Selection dial c: • Make sure that the Play Sound mode is shown in the display a. If not, press the Play button c shortly. • Use the Selection dial c to select an appropriate Program. Turning the dial clockwise increases the Program number, turning the dial counterclockwise decreases it. When you are at the end of one Bank and turn the Selection dial further, you will jump to the beginning of the next Bank and vice versa.
Basic Operation w Category Search The Blofeld offers a special function to enable easy searches for sounds of similar categories. If you’re searching for pad sounds, only these sounds will be displayed as you scan the storage banks with the Selection dial. To accomplish this each sound contains 4 extra digits in the sound name to define its sound category. Further details about how to change a sound’s category are described in the chapter „Storing Programs“ on page 19.
Basic Operation as the value 0 is reached, the sweep is stopped for a short period to make it easier to edit the Blofeld. section button until the LED for Filter 2 lights up in the Filter section. 2. With the first endless rotary you can now change the Cutoff parameter of Filter 2. Editing Parameter Controls w 3. Whenever you change a parameter by moving a knob, the display shows the edited parameter and its current value in the upper right corner for a few seconds.
Basic Operation 3. Use the left display parameter dial to edit the Octave parameter of Oscillator 1. 2. You can edit the parameters while holding the buttons. Now you should be able to choose the 5 edit levels with the navigation buttons 3. Release the button to end the parameter viewing. Oscillators, Arpeggiator w w Filters, Modulation, Effects and Comparing Edited Programs with Stored Programs While editing display menu parameters, you can also adjust panel parameters and vice versa.
Basic Operation w You can only view the original settings. If you select a new program while the Compare function is active, the Compare status is automatically terminated. No parameters can be edited with the Compare function active. 2. Use the Selection dial c to select the mneu page Store Sound 1/3. 3. Edit the program name (if wished). First select the character to be modified with the left Display parameter dial. Then change its setting with the right Display parameter dial.
Basic Operation In this case the name of the chosen Sound Program is temporarily shown and you can choose to overwrite the old sound or not. m w ☞ 8. Finally press Shift + Store to store the Program to the selected location. 9. By pressing any button before performing the step 8, you can discard the Store process at any time. 2. Press Shift + Utility to activate the Multi Store page. 3. The following procedure is identical to the Sound storing procedure.
Multi Mode program, so if you would set Multi Volume to 0, you won´t hear anything. Multi Mode The Waldorf Blofeld offers a 16 part Multi mode. As soon as you want to do multi track recordings in a studio, you should start to use Multi parts. Each sound in a Multi setup based on a socalled Part. ☞ w Selection of the Multi Mode: • Press Shift + Sound/Multi to toggle between the Play Sound Mode and the Multi Mode. In Multi Mode the upper display row shows you the number of the current selected part.
Multi Mode w dial c. The display shows you the actual part in the left top corner. To edit a Multi program, press Play and use the Selection dial c to go through the many parameters of Multimode Most of the parameters are displayed with graphics. A...H Bank Selects Bank A…H from which the Sound program is taken. Determines the panning position of the selected instrument. The setting left 64 stands for full left, right 63 for full right.
Multi Mode • • • global means that the selected Instrument receives and sends on the MIDI channel set up in the Global menu. This setting is recommended for a Multi that is intended for use in a live performance. Transpose Transposes the Instrument in semitone steps. I.e., a value of –12 means that the Instrument sounds one octave lower than it was originally programmed. omni means that the selected Instrument receives all MIDI channels and sends on the MIDI channel set up in the Global menu.
Multi Mode High Vel 1…127 Determines if incoming USB messages are received or ignored. High Vel is the counterpart to the LowKey parameter. Only notes with a key number lower or equal to the selected value are passed through. Set this parameter to G8 if you want to use the full keyboard range. Low Key Local w Note that the keyboard will play all enabled parts, regardless of selected channel. Pitch Bend receive / ignore Determines if incoming pitch bend is received or ignored.
Multi Mode Sustain receive / ignore Determines if incoming sustain pedal data is received or ignored. Edits receive / ignore Determines if incoming parameter edits are received or ignored. Prg Change receive / ignore Determines if incoming program changes are received or ignored. If receive is enabled, program change messages alters the selected sound w To store Multi programs please refer to the chapter Storing Programs.
Menu Pages Overview Oscillator 3 (1/6) Octave / Balance (2/6) Pulsewidth / PWM Amount (3/6) PWM Source / PWM Amount (4/6) Brilliance (5/6) FM Source / FM Amount (6/6) Keytrack / Bend Range Menu Pages Overview Here you find an overview of all Blofeld parameter and menu pages.
Menu Pages Overview Filter 1 (1/6) Keytrack / Env Velocity (2/6) Mod Source / Mod Amount (3/6) FM Source / FM Amount (4/6) Drive / Drive Curve (5/6) Pan (6/6): Pan Source / Pan Amount (3/3) Decay 2 / Sustain 2 Amp Envelope (1/3) Trigger / Mode (2/3) Allocation / Attack Level (3/3) Decay 2 / Sustain 2 Envelope 3 (1/5) Trigger / Mode (2/5) Attack / Attack Level (3/5) Decay / Sustain (4/5) Decay 2 / Sustain 2 (5/5) Release Filter Routing (1/1) Routing Filter 2 (1/6) (2/6) (3/6) (4/6) (5/6) (6/6) Keytrack /
Menu Pages Overview (3/4) Start Phase / Keytrack (4/4) Delay / Fade (2/2) Mod Source / Mod Amount Effects LFO 2 (1/4) (2/4) (3/4) (4/4) Shape / Speed Sync / Clocked Start Phase / Keytrack Delay / Fade Parameter matrix: Mix 1, Mix 2 LFO 3 (1/4) (2/4) (3/4) (4/4) Shape / Speed Sync / Clocked Start Phase / Keytrack Delay / Fade Effect 1 (1/4) (2/4) (3/4) (4/4) Type / Mix Effect Parameter 1 / Effect Parameter 2 Effect Parameter 3 / Effect Parameter 4 Effect Parameter 5 / Effect Parameter 6 Effect 2 (1
Menu Pages Overview Arpeggiator (1/6) Mode / Clock (2/6) Tempo / Pattern (3/6) Direction / Octave (4/6) Length / Overlap (5/6) Timing Factor / Velocity (6/6) Pat. Length / Pat. Reset Sound (1/2): Bank / Sound (2/2): Cat.
Menu Pages Overview Compare Sound Utility Menu (Shift + Utility) Recall Sound Menu pages: Init Sound Store Multi (1/2): Position / Char (2/2): Dest. Multi Randomize Sound Dump Sound Dump Sound Bank Store Arrangement Position / Char Dump All Sounds Init Multi Dump All Dump Multi Dump Arrangement Dump All Multis Store Sound (1/3) Position / Char (2/3) Category (3/3) Dest. Bank / Dest.
Menu Pages Overview Global Menu (Shift + Global) Menu pages: Global Display (1/2) Contrast / Popup Time (2/2) Auto Edit Global Tune Master Tune / Transpose Global MIDI (1/3) MIDI Channel / Device ID (2/3) Vel Curve / Clock (2/3) Ctrl Send / Ctrl Receive Global Controls (1/2) Control W / Control X (2/2) Control Y / Control Z Global MIDI Keyboard Free Button / Pedal Blofeld User´s Manual 34
Sound Parameter Sound Parameter • Overview of Functions The Waldorf Blofeld consists of numerous sound-shaping components. The following pages describe all parameters in detail. Additional information can be found in the chapter „Sound Synthesis Basics“ on page 78. You should know that the Blofeld consists of two different types of components for sound generation and sound shaping: • Sound synthesis: Oscillators, Ring Modulator, Noise Generator, Filters, Amplifier, Effects.
Sound Parameter ☞ Selecting an Oscillator • Pulse selects the pulse waveform. A pulse waveform with a pulse width of 50% has only the odd harmonics of the fundamental frequency present. This waveform produces a hollow / metallic sound. If the Pulse waveform is selected, the parameters Pulsewidth and PWM are used to change the pulsewidth of the waveform. Furthermore, the modulation destinations O1PW, O2PW or O3PW gain functionality, depending on which oscillator is set to Pulse.
Sound Parameter • • The Wavetable generators can create 68 different wavetables from earlier Waldorf synthesizers. A complete list can be found in the chapter „Sound Synthesis Basics“ of this manual. Please read also the introduction to the Wavetables. When a wavetable is selected, the parameters Pulsewidth and PWM serve to select the start point of the waves. Furthermore, the modulation sources 01PW and 02PW are active subject to which Oscillator is set to the wavetable.
Sound Parameter Detune -64...+63 Oscillator 1, 2 and 3 Fine-tunes the oscillator in steps of 1/128th of a semitone. The audible result of detuned oscillators is a Chorus or Flanger effect. Use a positive setting for one oscillator and an equivalent negative setting for another.. The following parameters refer to the selected oscillator. Octave Sets the basic pitch of the oscillator in steps of an octave.
Sound Parameter waveform other than Pulse or the wavetables, this parameter does not have any effect. The following picture illustrates the effect of the pulsewidth parameter: modulations while high settings might add a bell character to the timbre. ✻ Ultra-low settings like 128’ can create very nice rhythmic changes when used with the ring modulator. If this is still not low enough, you can use the Standard Modulation Matrix to apply MAXIMUM to the respective oscillator pitch with a negative amount.
Sound Parameter like the modulation wheel or aftertouch can create nice effects as well. slow running LFO to PWM Source to sweep through the whole wavetable. ✻ To create a thick oscillator sound, use a triangular PWM Amount LFO as PWM Source with full PWM Amount and a Pulsewidth of around 80. This basic setting is useful for very big string and lead sounds. When you play different notes on the keyboard, you might notice that bass notes sound more detuned than higher notes.
Sound Parameter Brilliance 0...127 FM Source see table „FM Sources“ Determines the brilliance of the ocillator models Saw, Pulse and all Wavetables. Selects the source for the frequency modulation of the selected oscillator. The models Saw and Pulse don´t play simple waveforms as a sampler. It is based on exact emulations of analog components with digital algorithms. The Brilliance parameter changes defined parameters of these models to point out the higher frequencies.
Sound Parameter Sync To O3 (only for Osc 2) ✻ If you want to bias FM over the keyboard so that higher notes aren’t modulated as strongly as lower notes, use the Modulation Matrix and apply Keytrack to the respective oscillator FM with a negative amount. Keytrack Enables or disables oscillator synchronization. When enabled, Oscillator 2 acts as a slave that is controlled by Oscillator 3, the master.
Sound Parameter w ✻ Sync can also be very interesting on arpeggio sounds. Apply a slow clocked LFO to Oscillator 2 pitch and the arpeggio starts to move. When Mono is selected and you have set up a decaying volume envelope for the selected Sound, you might not hear anything after playing several notes because of the envelopes decaying to 0. off / Dual / 3...6 Oscillator Common Unisono The following parameters refer to the complete oscillator section.
Sound Parameter m character to the sound. High values will result in a long glide time of up to several seconds which can be useful for solo and effect sounds. Please note that the chosen number of unisono voices will respectively lower the number of available voices. Uni Detune Mode 0...127 Controls the detuning of the Unison voices. Each voice is detuned differently; with Uni Detune, you control the overall amount. w Determines the way the Glide effect works.
Sound Parameter Level ✻ To create a common pitch vibrato that is controlled by the modwheel, set Pitch Source to LFO1*MW with Pitch Amount set to around +20. Volume of the ring modulation between Oscillator 1 and 2. From a technical point of view ring modulation is the multiplication of two oscillators’ signals. The result of this operation is a waveform that contains the sums and the differences of the source frequency components.
Sound Parameter w decrease the amount of signal that feeds Filter 1. If set to mid, both filters will receive the same signal level. If set to F2 63, the signal is sent to Filter 2 only. Ring Modulation can result in unwanted low frequencies when the pitches of oscillator 1 and 2 don’t differ very much. This is logical because when you use i.e. one oscillator set to 100Hz and the second set to 101Hz, the resulting ring modulation is 201Hz and 1Hz, and 1Hz is very low.
Sound Parameter Colour and notch filter types, and the delay length of the comb filter types. -64...+63 Colourizes the noise signal. A value of 0 produces White Noise while positive values lower the bass area. Negative values dampens the higher noise frequencies. • When a low pass type is selected via the Type parameter, all frequencies above the cutoff frequency are damped. The Filter Section • The Blofeld offers two filter that use the same parameters for editing.
Sound Parameter Resonance the sound character gets thinner. Use these filter types when programming effect and percussion-like sounds. 0...127 Controls the emphasis of the frequencies around the cutoff point. Use lower values in the range of 0…80 to give more brilliance to the sound. At higher values of 80…113 the sound gets the typical filter character with a strong boost around the cutoff frequency.
Sound Parameter • Comb+ / Comb- Filter differ from the other filter types greatly, because they don’t actually damp any part of the signal, but instead add a delayed version of the input signal to the output. w • PPG LP Lowpass is a resonance lowpass filter with a slope rate of 24dB per octave. Its characteristics were modeled after the legendary PPG Wave synthesizer and its integrated SSM 2044 chip.
Sound Parameter +100%. On most bass sounds lower settings in the range +50…+75% are optimal to keep the sound smooth at higher notes. Filter Edit Menu To access the Filter Edit Menu press the filter button shortly (if Auto Edit is set to on) or for some time (if Auto Edit is set to off). Use the Selection dial to scroll through the corresponding menu pages. The name of the page is shown in the top of the display.
Sound Parameter Mod Source words, the signal will remain clean. Lower values will add some harmonics to the signal, resulting in a warm character. Increasing the value will bring in more and more distortion, suitable for harder lead sounds and effects. see table „ModulationSources“ Selects the source of the cutoff modulation for the selected filter. Mod Amount -64...+63 Drive Curve Controls the amount of cutoff modulation for the selected filter.
Sound Parameter source, i.e. the oscillators, the ring modulator, and the noise generator has an individual Balance control. By means of these controls you can determine what portion of each source’s signal is routed to the inputs of Filter 1 and Filter 2. E.g. this makes it possible to send the signal of Oscillator 1 and 2 to Filter 1 and the ring modulation signal to Filter 2. -64...+63 Pan Amount Determines the amount of panorama modulation for the selected filter.
Sound Parameter Modulation Section • The most important controls for the envelopes, the modulation matrix and the three LFOs can be found in the Modulation parameter matrix. w This section is divided into four sub sections. ☞ w Selection of the Sub sections Two additional Envelopes, Env 3 and Env 4. These envelopes can be used freely to perform additional modulations on any module. The Parameter Controls of Filter Env and Amp Env are nearly similar.
Sound Parameter Envelopes Edit Menu Mode To access the Envelope Edit Menu press the Modulation button shortly (if Auto Edit is set to on) or for some time (if Auto Edit is set to off). Use the Selection dial to scroll through the corresponding menu pages. The name of the page is shown in the top of the display. Switches between the various envelope types. Please refer to the Appendix for detailled explaination of all the types.
Sound Parameter w parameter affects the envelope types ADS1DS2R, One Shot, Loop S1S2 and Loop All only. Amp Envelope Allocation The following parameters are valid for the amplifier envelope. Trigger w Determines the triggering of the Amplifier Envelope. normal means that every Note starts the amplifier envelope of its own voice. • single means that the envelopes of all voices of a selected program behave like a single envelope. This common envelope starts as soon as the first note is played.
Sound Parameter Sustain 2 0...127 Mode Sets the second Sustain level. As soon as this level is reached, the envelope goes into the Release phase. This parameter affects the envelope types ADS1DS2R, One Shot, Loop S1S2 and Loop All only. Switches between the various envelope types. Please refer to the Appendix for detailled explaination of all the types. Attack The following parameter are valid for the Envelopes 3 and 4 which offers the same parameters.
Sound Parameter Decay 2 w 0...127 Determines the decay rate or amount of time it takes for a signal to reach the Sustain 2 level. This parameter affects the envelope types ADS1DS2R, One Shot, Loop S1S2 and Loop All only. Sustain 2 Shape 1 Sine/ Triangle/ Square/ Saw/ Random/ S&H Sets the type of waveform generated by LFO 1. The following picture shows the available shapes: 0...127 Sets the second Sustain level.
Sound Parameter • The Sawtooth shape can generate interesting filter or volume changes. If you need a modulation with inverted slope, just apply the Sawtooth shape with negative amount. • The Random shape generates random values and glides to them linearly. • S&H (Sample & Hold) samples a random value and holds it until the next value is generated. If Speed is set to 0, a random value is generated on each new note. Speed 1 Shape 2 See Shape 1. 0...127 or 1280 bars...
Sound Parameter Sync off, on Keytrack -200%...+196% When Sync is set to off, the LFOs run independently; this is better suited for pitch modulation to obtain thicker sounds. Determines how much the speed of the LFO depends on MIDI note number. The reference note for Keytrack is E3, note number 64. For positive settings, the LFO speeds up on notes above the reference note, for negative settings the LFO slows down when higher notes are played and vice versa.
Sound Parameter -64…+63 Fade Controls the speed with which the LFO is faded in or out. With this parameter you can create slowly rising or falling modulations that might create interest when routed to pitch or volume. Determines the amount of modulation applied to the destination.
Sound Parameter Modulation Matrix Edit Menu Modifier To access the modulation Matrix Edit Menu press the Modulation button shortly (if Auto Edit is set to on) or for some time (if Auto Edit is set to off). Use the Selection dial to scroll through the corresponding menu pages. The name of the page is shown in the top of the display. Modifiers allow you to apply mathematical functions on modulation signals.
Sound Parameter see table Operation Determines which kind of operation will be performed on the selected input sources. The following types are available: Setting Description + Addition Subtraction * Multiplication XOR Exclusive OR function OR OR function AND AND function min Minimum value MAX Maximum value • - Returns the difference of Source A and Source B. • * Returns the product of Source A and Source B. • AND Returns the binary „and“ operation of Source A and Source B.
Sound Parameter higher velocities. This gives an atypical character suitable for effect sounds. As the Amplifier always works in conjunction with the Amplifier Envelope, this parameter actually determines the envelope velocity amount. The following picture illustrates this functionality: Amplifier Edit Menu To understand the operation of this unit, it is important to know that the Amplifier Envelope is always acting as a modulation source for the volume.
Sound Parameter Parameter Controls of the Effects Effects Edit Menu The Blofeld has two effect units. The first effect unit is always part of the Sound Program. The second effect can be assigned either globally. To access the Effects Edit Menu press the Shift button shortly (if Auto Edit is set to on) or for some time (if Auto Edit is set to off). Use the Selection dial to scroll through the corresponding menu pages. The name of the page is shown in the top of the display.
Sound Parameter back into the comb filter. This generates a deeper detuning and colorizes the signal. With extreme settings you can hear a whistling sound which is very characteristic of a Flanger effect. Chorus A Chorus effect is generated by using Comb filters that generate slightly detuned copies of the input signal and mix it into the output signal. The result sounds like an ensemble of several simultaneous sounds, like a choir as opposed to a single voice; hence the name Chorus.
Sound Parameter 0…127 Phaser Spacing A Phaser is a combination of several "allpass" filters working in parallel. This generates an effect with equally spaced frequency peaks or troughs. The result is a strongly colorized signal with a “spacy” character. Controls the relative frequencies of the allpass filters. A setting of 0 produces a classic phaser, while higher settings spread out the frequencies of the allpass filters.
Sound Parameter w program. The Overdrive effect, for example, works great on Organ or E-Piano sounds. Drive 0…127 Controls the amount of distortion the effect produces. Low values create no or only slight distortion while high values create heavier distortion. Triple FX This effect type is a combination of three different effects. You can easily use this as a replacement for one of the above mentioned effect types.
Sound Parameter Overdrive 0…127 Depth Controls the amount of distortion of the signal. Please note that the signal might become a little louder when you increase this parameter. Controls the modulation depth of the Chorus effect. Delay w Drive Curve Determines the character of the drive. The following drive curves are available: Clipping, Tube, Hard, Medium, Soft, Pickup 1, Pickup 2, Rectifier, Square, Binary, Overflow, Sine Shaper, Osc 1 Mod. Sample & Hold 0...127 Length Spread -64...
Sound Parameter Feedback scaled in note values. The Clock Delay effect depends on the internal tempo of the Bloefeld which can be found in the Arpeggiator menu. 0…127 Controls the amount of signal that is routed back into the Delay line. Lower values therefore produce fewer echoes than higher values. Polarity An important feature of the Blofeld’s Delay effect is that the Delay length can be changed without clicks or pitch changes.
Sound Parameter Polarity room, rather they are an addition to the Blofeld´s sound synthesis to make it more 3 dimensional and expressive. positive / negative Determines whether the feedback signal is fed back into the delay line as is, or is inverted beforehand. Cutoff HighPass Determines the frequency where the lower frequency parts are divided from the effect signal. This parameter works in the same way as the highpass filter in the Blofeld´s sound synthesis.
Sound Parameter metal or tile wall. Higher settings make a warm and thick reverb as if the signal were reflected by a uneven surface. Settings above 100 change the room characteristic even further. Size Damping Determines how fast the room simulation dampens the higher reverb frequencies. Higher frequencies are not dampened not as much as lower frequencies. This phenomenon makes a natural echo sound somewhat hollow. Higher values of the Damping parameter mean more high frequencies will be dampened. 0...
Sound Parameter split up and repeated rhythmically. As soon as you release a note, it is removed from the arpeggio rhythm. Conversely, as soon as you add another note to the existing chord, it is inserted into the arpeggio. When you release all notes, the arpeggiator stops. Arpeggiator An Arpeggiator is a device that splits an incoming MIDI chord into its single notes and repeats them rhythmically. Different sequence modes can be defined for the Arpeggiator to cover a wide range of applications.
Sound Parameter • w Press and hold the first key of the chord. While holding this key, enter the other keys sequentially. After playing all keys, you can release the first key. This method is practical for playing difficult chords. It allows you to create arpeggios in the sequence of played notes. You can even hit the same note several times and it will appear in the note list accordingly. Pattern Sets the rhythm pattern that is used for generating the arpeggio.
Sound Parameter +,--.
Sound Parameter Octave 1...10 Determines the range of the single notes in octaves. When it is set to 1 Oct, the note list will be played back in the same octave as originally entered Greater values mean that the note list is repeated in higher or lower octaves. The octave in which the arpeggio starts is determined by the Direction parameter. If you play notes that span more than one octave, they are still kept in the note list and played back before the note list is transposed.
Sound Parameter play only one single note on a 16 beat rhythm with lengths set to 1/8. Velocity Note that this parameter only affects notes of the same pitches. If you want to control the lengths of notes of different pitches, use the Length or Arrpegiator Length parameters. Determines how velocity is interpreted in the arpeggio. Note that each arpeggio step might have an additional positive or negative offset set by the Arp Accent parameter.
Sound Parameter arpeggio might now look like this (note the two C1s in sequence): off / on Pat. Reset When all steps of an arpeggio pattern are played back, the pattern is repeated from the beginning so that the arpeggio is looped. With Pattern Reset, you can decide if the note list is also restarted from the beginning when the rhythm pattern is reset.
Sound Parameter if you want to only play the "root note" of a chord in a bass sound. The note list is not advanced. miscellaneous step data Step This parameter can have a pronounced effect on the resulting arpeggio, so you should read the following paragraphs carefully. Arp Step basically determines which note of the note list is played at a particular step. You can also force the Arpeggiator to play a whole chord or part of a chord or set it up to play a random note from the list.
Sound Parameter from the original velocity stored in the note list. However, the generated velocities can never exceed the maximum MIDI velocity 127 or minimum MIDI velocity 1. This means when you have already played notes with a high velocity, Accent might not be able to further offset them positively, so you will only hear differences with negative accent offsets. Conversely, low velocities might not be able to be lowered by Accent. The only exception is silent.
Sound Parameter the step by a maximum of half the clock division. This means that it can move the step by 1/32 forward or backward when clock is set to 1/16. • random moves the step forward or backward at random. It might also be played without being moved. • Negative values (-3, -2 oder -1) move the step backward so that it is played earlier. • If 0 is selected, the step isn’t moved at all. • Positive values (+1, +2, +3) move the step forward so that it is played later. Length legato / -3...
Global Parameter Global Parameter • Press and hold the Shift button and after that the Global button to enter the Global menu. Global parameters are settings that affect the Blofeld’s general response. They are valid for all programs but might be overridden by other more specific settings. Global parameters are stored automatically when you modify them, so you are not required to save them manually. • Use the left display parameter dial to change the Contrast to a desired value.
Global Parameter shortly the corresponding button is activated but the corresponding Edit menu won´t accessed. If you press the button awhile, the corresponding Edit menu is accessed. off is for advanced users. • MIDI Channel Sets the basic send and receive channel for the Blofeld. This setting is valid for all Sound programs. If omni is selected, the Blofeld sends on channel 1 and receives on all channels.
Global Parameter devices, but cannot send it itself. This function is limited to special computer software. w m Determines how the Blofeld reacts on incoming MIDI Clock messages: Operating System upgrades are stored with a Device ID of 127, so you don’t need to change the Device ID on your Blofeld when you want to upgrade it to a newer OS. If you have only one Blofeld, leave Device ID on 0. There is no need at all to change this setting to any other value.
Global Parameter • If Ctl is selected, only controller messages are sent. Parameters without a dedicated controller are not sent at all. • • If SysEx is selected, all Sound parameters are sent as system exclusive messages. This has the advantage that the parameter change is not channel based but instrument based, which can avoid unwanted parameter changes of layered sounds. The disadvantage is a larger amount of data that is transferred.
Global Parameter w The most important Sound parameters of the Blofeld can be controlled by MIDI Continuous Controller messages. If you set one of the Ctrl W…Ctrl Z to a Controller that is also used for a Sound parameter, the Blofeld disables this Controller as Sound parameter Controller and uses it exclusively for one of the Ctrl W…Ctrl Z. This is an important issue when you send Sound parameter changes by tweaking parameters on the front panel.
Global Parameter w Utility Menu Aside from the different Midi Dump Options, the Utility Menu contains further helpful functions. Randomize Sound initializes all parameters of a Sound Program with random values. You can access the Utility Menu by pressing Shift + Utility. In the display a page for selecting the desired function will appear. w Use the Selection dial to select the desired function. Press Shift+ Utility again to activate the selected utility function.
Global Parameter ☞ To activate the dump function in Play mode: 1. 2. ☞ Use the Selection dial to select the desired dump function: • If Dump Sound is selected, the current Sound program will be sent. • If Dump Sound Bank is selected, the current Sound Bank will be sent. • If Dump All Sounds is selected, all Sound programs of the Blofeld are sent. • If Dump All all Sound programs and the Global parameters are sent. 2.
Global Parameter As soon as the dump from the sending device is activated, the Blofeld will receive data and store these in its memory. If a single Sound dump is received, it is temporarily stored in its respective edit buffer. If you want to keep such edits, you have to store them. Otherwise they are when you switch the Blofeld off.
Sound Synthesis Basics Sound Synthesis Basics The Sine Wave The Sine Wave is the purest tone that can be generated. It consists only of one harmonic, the fundamental, and has no overtones. The following picture shows the sine wave and its frequency representation: Oscillators Introduction The oscillator is the first building block of a synthesizer. It delivers the signal that is transformed by all other components of the synthesizer. In the early days of electronic synthesis, Robert A.
Sound Synthesis Basics partials. In most waveforms, the partial with the lowest frequency is dominant, meaning that this partial is used by the ear to determine the pitch of the tone. This partial is called fundamental. All other partials are called overtones. So, the second partial is the first overtone. !;2<=/'5>+1, ./0+12*3(+1, .
Sound Synthesis Basics bow pulling the string slightly into one direction. At one point, the string abruptly comes off the bow and swings back to its original position. The bow is still moved and so it catches the string again and the procedure is repeated. The result is a waveform that looks like a sawtooth. The same is true for a brass instrument. The string in this case are the lips while the bow is the air.
Sound Synthesis Basics tube that can contain a certain amount of air. The player blows air through the tube in a way such that the air starts to vibrate. This vibration is almost completely symmetrical, resulting in a hollow timbre. #&'()*+,./0*12-(314-5 ! " # $ % !! !" !# The Pulse Wave ""'()*+,- The Pulse Wave is the most versatile wave in a classic synthesizer because its shape and therefore its harmonic content can be changed in real time.
Sound Synthesis Basics very symmetrical harmonic content, while all other pulse widths create peaks or troughs at certain frequencies. Another special case is a pulse wave with a very narrow pulse width, in the above picture labelled as <1%. An infinitely thin pulse creates a spectrum that has all harmonics with equal magnitudes. In a digital synthesizer, “infinitely” necessarily means one sample. The Triangle Wave The Triangle Wave is very similar to the square wave.
Sound Synthesis Basics The triangle wave sounds like a woodwind instrument, i.e. a clarinet. It can also be used for mallet instruments like vibraphone, xylophone etc. !;2<=/'5>+1, ./0+12*3(+1, ./0+12*3(
Sound Synthesis Basics This principle offers powerful capabilities. To give some examples: • Each note on a keyboard can access a different wave of a wavetable. • Different waves can be played depending on key velocity. • A LFO can modulate the position within the wavetable. You can create subtle to drastic sound changes. • User-selected controllers e.g. the mod wheel, can change the position within the wavetable.
Sound Synthesis Basics 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 Polated Transient ElectricP Robotic StrongHrm PercOrgan ClipSweep ResoHarms 2 Echoes Formant2 FmntVocal MicroSync MicroPWM Glassy SquareHP Blofeld User´s Manual 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 Filter Introduction 19/twenty Wavetrip1 Wavetrip2 Wavetrip3 Wavetrip4 MaleVoice Low Piano ResoSweep Xmas Bell FM Piano Fat Organ Vibes Chorus 2 True PWM UpperWaves Once the audio signal leaves the mixer, it is sent to the filters.
Sound Synthesis Basics point is emphasized. The following picture shows the effect of the resonance parameter on the filter’s frequency curve: )#*#+ )#*#+ 0#1.&2&'# !"#$%#&'( ,%-.// To give you an idea of the extent of damping, consider this example of a low pass filter: A reduction of 24dB reduces the original level one octave above the cutoff point by approx. 94%.
Sound Synthesis Basics The Comb Filter Types )#*#+ The Comb filter types differ from the other filter types greatly, because they don’t actually damp any part of the signal, but instead add a delayed version of the input signal to the output. What exactly is a Comb filter? 7#4.&8&'# A Comb filter is basically a very short delay that can be controlled in length and feedback.
Sound Synthesis Basics The Comb filter as a Chorus )#*#+ This is the most basic way to use the Comb filter. A Chorus in fact is made of one or several Comb filters, so this is an easy task to set up manually. 7#4.&8&'# ☞ To set up the Comb filter to produce a Chorus: 1. Select the Comb+ filter type for the desired filter. 2. Set Cutoff to a medium value. 3. Set Resonance, Drive, Filter Keytrack and any other modulation to 0. 4. Select an LFO as Mod Source. Comb – Filter Type 5.
Sound Synthesis Basics The Comb filter as a Flanger ✻ You can also pan the original, i.e. low pass filtered signal, to one stereo side and route 50% into Filter 2, producing a Chorus effect that is panned to the other stereo side. A Flanger is almost the same as a Chorus. The only difference is that it has feedback circuitry to change the depth of the Flanger effect. You might ask why you should use a Comb filter type to produce Chorus instead of using the FX section of the Blofeld.
Sound Synthesis Basics Now you need to know how to set up Cutoff. Filter Cutoff is scaled in semitone steps, and you only have to find the Cutoff value where the filter oscillates with standard pitch. The following table gives you these settings: The Comb filter used to simulate a string or a tube The Comb filter is one of the most basic building blocks of “Physical Modeling”, which is the term for an algorithmic description of an acoustic instrument.
Sound Synthesis Basics 3. Turn up Filter Keytrack to +100% to have Filter Cutoff change with equal-tempered scaling. 4. Set Cutoff to 23, 35, 47 or 59 to have it oscillating in the same pitch as the oscillator´s usually tuning. Please note that Comb+ oscillates one octave higher than Comb-. 5. Feed the Comb filter with a signal of any kind.
Sound Synthesis Basics 7'8'/ Envelope Types in the Blofeld 0'(123'++'4 0'(13'/'#+'4 9::; ADSR Envelope Most traditional synthesizers feature ADSR envelopes. These envelopes are made up of four parameters that determine their response: Attack, Decay, Sustain and Release. The other parameters of the Envelope section have no function, so they can not be edited. The following picture illustrates the structure of an ADSR envelope: )*+"#,- !""#$% &'$#( .
Sound Synthesis Basics Decay and Sustain pair. With these additional parameters, you can create much more complex envelopes. 7'8'/ 0'(123'++'4 9':'/ 0'(123'++'415316,"1+653"/( ;<<= 0'(13'/'#+'4 9::; )*+"#,-1< !""#$%17'8'/ )*+"#,- )*+"#,- !""#$% &'$#( &'$#(1< .'/'#+' 5,6' !""#$% .
Sound Synthesis Basics 7'8'/ 0'(123'++'4 7'8'/ 0'(13'/'#+'4 9::; 0'(123'++'4 0'(13'/'#+'4 9::; )*+"#,-1< !""#$%17'8'/ !""#$% )*+"#,-1< !""#$%17'8'/ )*+"#,- )*+"#,- 7==2 7==2 &'$#( &'$#(1< .'/'#+' 5,6' !""#$% Loop S1S2 Envelope &'$#( &'$#(1< .'/'#+' 5,6' Loop All Envelope Loop All Envelope The Loop All envelope type is similar to the Loop S1S2 envelope type but it loops through all envelope stages as long as a note is held.
Appendix LFO1*MW LFO2 LFO2*Prs. LFO3 FilterEnv AmpEnv Env3 Env4 Keytrack Velocity Rel. Velo Pressure Poly Prs. Pitchbend Modwheel Sust. Ctr Foot Ctr BreathCtr Control W, X, Y, Z Unisono V Modifier #1...
Appendix MAXIMUM (equals 0) constant for maximum modulation (equals +1) F1 Cutoff, F2 Cutoff F1 Reson., F2 Reson. F1 FM, F2 FM Modulation Destinations Modulation Destination: Pitch O1 Pitch, O2 Pitch, O3 Pitch O1 PW, O2 PW, O3 PW O1 FM, O2 FM, O3 FM O1 Level, O2 Level, O3 Level O1 Bal., O2 Bal., O3Bal. Ring Level Ring Bal. Noise Level Noise Bal.
Appendix E3 Sust. E3 Rel. E4 Attack E4 Decay E4 Sust. E4 Rel.
Appendix ☞ Updating the System Software To update the Blofeld’s system software: • Load the respective Standard MIDI File into your sequencer. Follow the instructions from your sequencer’s manual. • The MIDI file consists of one single track with several sysex messages in it. Make sure that this track is assigned to the Blofeld so that it can receive the data. • Make sure that any Cycle or Loop mode is switched off. Also make sure that any Metronome clicks and MIDI Clock are switched off.
Appendix w m You can dump an operating system update via MIDI input as also via USB 2 port. We recommend the use of the USB port for updating your Blofeld. Do not under any circumstances turn off the Blofeld while this step is in progress.
Appendix each other to create extremely complex timbres. Just keep in mind that the LFOs have a maximum speed of around 2500 Hz and that they can produce aliasing side effects. Tips & Tricks • Noise as FM Source for an oscillator gives a colored noise output whose character can be changed with FM Amount, the oscillator waveform and the pitch of the oscillator. • Use Envelope 3 or 4 to blend in one of the oscillators. E.
Appendix Technical Data Power Supply Nominal voltage: Supply Voltage DC 12V 100 – 240 V Maximum current consumption: 0.
Appendix Controller Numbers Controllers marked with * don’t change the Sound program but can perform temporary modulations or other tasks.
Appendix 16 0…127 LFO 1 Speed 17 18 19 0…1 0…127 0…5 LFO 1 Sync LFO 1 Delay LFO 2 Shape 20 0…127 LFO 2 Speed 21 22 23 0…1 0…127 0…5 LFO 2 Sync LFO 2 Delay LFO 3 Shape 24 0…127 25 26 27 28 0…1 0…127 16, 28, 40…112 52…76 Blofeld User´s Manual LFO 3 Speed LFO 3 Sync LFO 3 Delay Osc 1 Octave Osc 1 Semitone sawtooth, random, S&H 0…127 or 256 bars…1/96 off, on 0…127 sine, triangle, square, sawtooth, random, S&H 0…127 or 256 bars…1/96 off, on 0…127 sine, triangle, square, sawtooth, random, S&H 0
Appendix 47 48 49 50 51 0…127 0…127 0…1 0…127 0…9 Osc 3 PW Osc 3 PWM Sync Pitchmod Glide Mode 52 53 0…127 0…127 Osc 1 Level Osc 1 Balance 54 55 0…127 0…127 Ringmod Level Ringmod Balance 56 57 0…127 0…127 Osc 2 Level Osc 2 Balance 58 59 0…127 0…127 Osc 3 Level Osc 3 Balance alt 1, alt 2 0…127 -64…+63 off, on -64…+63 siehe “Glide Mode” 0…127 F1 64…mid…F2 63 0…127 F1 64…mid…F2 63 0…127 F1 64…mid…F2 63 0…127 F1 64…mid…F2 63 115 60 61 0…127 0…127 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 0...
Appendix 76 77 0…127 0…127 Filter 1 FM Filter 1 Pan 78 79 80 81 0…127 0…10 0…127 0…127 82 83 0…127 0…127 Filter 1 Panmod Filter 2 Type Filter 2 Cutoff Filter 2 Resonance Filter 2 Drive Filter 2 Keytrack 84 0…127 85 0…127 86 0…127 87 88 0…127 0…127 Filter 2 Env. Amount Filter 2 Env.
Appendix 114 115 116 117 118 119 120 0…127 0…127 0…127 0…127 0…127 - not used 0 E4 Decay E4 Sustain E4 Decay 2 E4 Sustain 2 E4 Release undefined All Sound Off* 121 0 122 0…127 Reset All Controllers* Local Control 123 0 All Notes Off* 124 125 126 - not used - not used - not used - 127 - not used - Omni Mode Off Omni Mode On Poly Mode On/Off Poly Mode On 0…127 0…127 0…127 0…127 0…127 - not used immediate silence resets all controllers Local Control Off/On releases all voices - not used - not u
Appendix Arpeggiator Glossary An arpeggiator is a device that splits an incoming chord into its single notes and repeats them rhythmically. Most arpeggiators feature different sequence modes to cover a wide range of applications. Typical controls for an arpeggiator are the octave range, the direction, the speed and the clock, which means the repetition interval. Some arpeggiators also feature preset or programmable rhythm patterns.
Appendix Clipping Envelope Clipping is a sort of distortion that occurs when a signal exceeds its maximum value. The curve of a clipped signal is dependent of the system where the clipping takes place. In the analog domain, clipping effectively limits the signal to its maximum level. In the digital domain, clipping is similar to a numerical overflow and so the polarity of the signal’s part above the maximum level is negated.
Appendix frequency. A high pass filter in turn dampens the frequencies below the cutoff. The band pass filter allows only those frequencies around the cutoff frequency to pass, all others are dampened. A band stop filter does just the opposite, i.e. it dampens only the frequencies around the cutoff frequency. The most common type is the low pass filter. Low Pass Filter Synthesizers are often equipped with a low pass filter. A low pass filter dampens all frequencies above its cutoff frequency.
Appendix MIDI Thru has a special function. It allows the sender to transmit to several receivers. It routes the incoming signal to the next device without modifying it. Another device is simply connected to this jack, thus creating a chain through which the sender can address a number of receivers. Of course it is desirable for the sender to be able to address each device individually. Consequently, there is a rule which is applied to ensure each device responds accordingly.
Appendix through the Attack and Decay phases. Sustain lasts until the trigger is terminated. Program Change These are MIDI messages that switch sound programs. Program numbers 1 through 128 can be changed via program change messages. System Exclusive Data An envelope parameter. The term "Release" describes the descent rate of an envelope to its minimum value after a trigger is terminated. The Release phase begins immediately after the trigger is terminated, regardless of the envelope's current status.
Appendix Wave Here: A Wave is a digitally memorized reproduction of one single wave pass. Insofar it is identical with a Sample that is looped after one single wave pass. In contrast to the samples in a sampler, all Waves in the Waldorf Wavetable Synthesizers have the same lengths and are played back in the same pitch. Wavetable One oscillator shape in the Blofeld bases on waveform sets, called Wavetables. You should think of these as a sequence of up to up to 128 single Waves.
Appendix The following standards have been used to declare conformity: EG Konformitätserklärung Declaration of Conformity EN 55013 des Herstellers / of the manufacturer: Waldorf, 28.08.
Appendix Am 15.12.2004 wurde die überarbeitete Richtlinie 2004/108/EG zur Elektromagnetischen Verträglichkeit von der Europäischen Kommission veröffentlicht (AB. L 390/2004). Sie ersetzt die bisher geltende EMV-Richtlinie 89/336/EWG.
Appendix relocate/reorient the antenna. If the antenna lead-in is 300 ohm ribbon lead, change the lead-in to co-axial type cable. If these corrective measures do not produce satisfactory results, please contact the local retailer authorised to distributed this type of product. FCC Information (U.S.A.) 1. IMPORTANT NOTICE: DO NOT MODIFY THIS UNIT! This product, when installed as indicated in the instructions contained in this Manual, meets FCC requirements.
Appendix Dette apparat overholder vedrørendareadiostøj. det gaeldenda EF-direktiv Diese Geräte entsprechen der EG-Richtlinie 89/336/EC. Product Support Product Warranty If you have any questions about your Waldorf product, feel free to contact us via one of the four options listed below: a Send us an email message. This is the most efficient and fastest way to Thank you for choosing this Waldorf product. It is a dependable device and is designed to last.
