Reference Manual
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1 6 - V O I C E R E A L A N A L O G S Y N T H E S I Z E R REFERENCE MANUAL February 2001 Your shipping carton should contain the following items: 1. Andromeda A6 synthesizer 2. AC power cable 3. Warranty Registration card 4. Reference Manual 5. A list of the Preset and User Bank Mixes and Programs If anything is missing, please contact your dealer or Alesis immediately. NOTE: Completing and returning the Warranty Registration card is important. Alesis contact information: Alesis Studio Electronics, Inc. 1633 26th Street Santa Monica, CA 90404 USA Telephone: 800-5-ALESIS (800-525-3747) E-Mail: [email protected] Website: http://www.alesis.com Alesis Andromeda A6TM Reference Manual Revision 1.0 by Dave Bertovic © Copyright 2001, Alesis Studio Electronics, Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part is prohibited. “A6”, “QCard” and “FreeLoader” are trademarks of Alesis Studio Electronics, Inc. A6 REFERENCE MANUAL 1 2 A6 REFERENCE MANUAL Contents CONTENTS Important Safety Instructions ....................................................................................7 Instructions to the User (FCC Notice) ............................................................................................11 CE Declaration of Conformity .........................................................................................................13 Introduction ................................................................................................................ 15 How to Use this Manual....................................................................................................................16 Typographic Conventions..................................................................................................17 Key Terminology ................................................................................................................................18 Chapter 1: Getting Started ........................................................................................ 21 What You’ll Need, Unpacking, Set Up, Power .............................................................................21 Audio Connections and Pedals........................................................................................................22 MIDI Connections...............................................................................................................................23 Quick Start............................................................................................................................................26 Chapter 2: Playing the A6 .........................................................................................29 A Brief Tour of the Front Panel........................................................................................................30 How Functions are Grouped.............................................................................................30 Interacting with the Display .............................................................................................................32 Selecting Programs and Mixes .........................................................................................................38 PROGRAM Mode Parameters...........................................................................................39 MIX Mode Parameters........................................................................................................39 Storing Edited Programs and Mixes ...............................................................................................43 Setting Up Splits and Layers ............................................................................................................47 Using Global Mode.............................................................................................................................49 GLOBAL Mode Parameters...............................................................................................49 Master Controls...................................................................................................................................52 Volume...................................................................................................................................52 Tune........................................................................................................................................52 The Keyboard and Keyboard Modes..............................................................................................54 Performance Features (KBD MODE, UNISON X, DETUNE) .....................................55 Portamento............................................................................................................................59 The Performance Wheels and Ribbon Controller.........................................................................65 Programming the Wheels and Ribbon.............................................................................66 Pedals and Footswitches ....................................................................................................68 The CLOCK Section............................................................................................................................69 Clock Parameters .................................................................................................................70 Sequencer ..............................................................................................................................71 Arpeggiator...........................................................................................................................79 Chapter 3: Basics of Analog Synthesis ...................................................................81 An Overview of Synthesis.................................................................................................................81 Analog and Digital Technologies .....................................................................................81 A Little History ....................................................................................................................81 A Little Theory ...................................................................................................................................82 Waveforms............................................................................................................................82 Fundamentals and Harmonics..........................................................................................83 Sound Dynamics.................................................................................................................................84 LFOs .......................................................................................................................................87 Components of an Analog Synthesizer ..........................................................................................88 ANDROMEDA A6 REFERENCE MANUAL 3 Contents Chapter 4: Overview of the Andromeda A6 ..........................................................93 A Few Basic Concepts........................................................................................................................93 A6 Function List..................................................................................................................................95 A6 Functions At-a-Glance.................................................................................................................97 MIDI Overview .................................................................................................................................102 Chapter 5: Oscillators and Filters...........................................................................103 Oscillators...........................................................................................................................................103 Oscillator Parameter Descriptions..................................................................................104 VCO Modulation ...............................................................................................................107 Filters...................................................................................................................................................116 What Filters Do ..................................................................................................................116 How Filters Are Designed................................................................................................117 How Filters Work ..............................................................................................................122 Filter Parameter Descriptions..........................................................................................127 Chapter 6: Modulation and Envelopes ................................................................. 131 Modulation.........................................................................................................................................131 Background.........................................................................................................................131 Modulation Principles ......................................................................................................131 Hardware and Software Modulation, Default Mod Paths ........................................133 Envelopes ...........................................................................................................................................134