INTRODUCTION
Periodic waveforms - such as those produced by VCOs and LFOs - have easily recognised pitches, amplitudes and waveforms that you can spot on an oscilloscope or screen. (For a brief discussion of these please turn to the chapters dedicated to the RS80 LFO and RS90 VCO.) Non-periodic waveforms, or 'noise', have random form, and while they are continuous, they contain no easily discernable pitches or amplitudes. (See the chapter on the RS40.) But not all waveforms conform to these models. In particular, there is one type of waveform that is often not recognised as a wave at all. This is because it is used almost exclusively to 'shape' or 'contour' other signals. On some synthesisers (such as the Minimoog) the circuit that produces this class of waves is even called a 'contour', but its most common name is an 'Envelope Generator'. For an introductory discussion on envelope generators and their uses, please refer to appendix 3 at the back of this manual. IN USE At their minimum values the A, D and R stages offer very rapid responses of better than 0.5mS, thus making the Integrator much 'snappier' than other analogue synths that often offer minimum attack times as slow as 5mS - 10mS. The S stage allows you to apply gains ranging from -×dB to 0dB (unity gain) to the steady-state level. The RS60 offers a CV input that extends or shortens the Decay and Release times for sustained effects. There are also two switches that allow you to trigger the envelope manually, prevent it from re-triggering, auto-repeat once it has completed its profile, and so on. Modulating the envelope and using combinations of the retrigger switches allows you to generate complex envelope and low-frequency oscillations. Trigger & Gate Inputs In normal use the envelope is generated when the module receives a gate pulse or is triggered by a specific input. The RS60 offers two such inputs: &127; TRIG-RETRIG IN In standard use, the positive-going edge of any waveform presented to this input is treated as a trigger pulse of negligible duration. This is equivalent to pressing down a key and releasing it immediately. More complex uses for this input are described in the section on Mode Switches (below). &127; GATE-TRIG IN If the voltage of any waveform presented to this input reaches +1V it is treated as a gate that is held open until the voltage drops below +1V. ATTACK DECAY SUSTAIN RELEASE LEVEL OUT A; OUT B Mode Switches &127; STD / STD &127; HOLD / STD GATE-TRIG IN or the TRIG-RETRIG IN is
used. &127; TRIG-RETRIG IN &127; ONE SHOT / STD Triggers received at TRIG-RETRIG IN will cause the envelope to repeat for as long as the ONE SHOT switch is depressed. &127; HOLD / GATED REPEAT These combinations have the same effect. The REPEAT functions cause the envelope to generate an output determined by the A and D settings, then repeat. Consequently, the RS60 is capable of generating a considerable range of repeated AD curves that may be used as LFOs or even audio frequency oscillations, the frequency of which are defined by the time taken to complete one AD cycle. (Modulating the Decay - see below - then makes many other waveforms possible.) The maximum repeat rate is approximately
300Hz. The REPEAT function is further modified by whether the GATE-TRIG IN or the TRIG-RETRIG IN is used. &127; GATE-TRIG IN &127; TRIG-RETRIG IN &127; STD / GATED REPEAT This combination allows the envelope to repeat only when a Gate is presented to the GATE-TRIG IN. Signals presented to the TRIG-RETRIG IN have no effect. &127; STD / AUTO REPEAT &127; GATE-TRIG IN This combination allows the envelope to repeat whether or not a Gate signal is presented to the GATE-TRIG IN, and any such Gates are ignored. &127; TRIG-RETRIG IN &127; ONE SHOT / GATED REPEAT These combinations have the same effect. The ONE SHOT position acts as a Gate pulse for the duration that you hold it in that position. With either GATED REPEAT or AUTO REPEAT also selected, the envelope will act in two ways, as follows: &127; TRIG-RETRIG IN &127; GATE-TRIG IN You can use the repeating options to turn the RS60 into a sophisticated LFO, and the gated repeats can be used to generate sophistic poly-rhythmic effects. If the A and D times are short enough you can generate audible frequencies, and very complex waveforms can be obtained if you use fast LFOs or other audio frequency signals to retrigger the envelope. The maximum repeat rate is approximately
300Hz. CV-IN D&R Status LED |
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