Continuum and ContinuuMini User’ s Guide November 10, 2019 Firmware Version 9.0 Edmund Eagan, Lippold Haken, and Richard Kram Haken Audio - Continuum Fingerboard User’s Guide About this document This User Guide includes information for the Full-size Continuum Fingerboard, the Half-size Continuum Fingerboard (also referred to as “Continuum”), and the ContinuuMini (also referred to as “Mini”). The current version of this document can be found online in the Resources section of www.HakenAudio.com. We suggest new Continuum Fingerboard owners read this guide at least up to Section 10. New ContinuuMini owners should consult section 16. The knowledge you gain will save you time in the future and significantly enhance your experience with your Continuum Fingerboard or ContinuuMini. After you finish reading this guide, please keep it available as a reference. Continuum Fingerboard, Continuum, ContinuuMini, Haken Continuum, Haken ContinuuMini, Haken, and EaganMatrix are trademarks (TM) of Haken Audio. Eagan Instruments, Eagan Sounds, and Eagan are trademarks (TM) of Edmund Eagan. All other trademarks are property of their respective owners. IMPORTANT! The analog audio output of the Continuum and ContinuuMini is a TRS stereo (unbalanced) connection. DO NOT use a mono TS audio cable to connect to this output. Damage to the analog circuitry can be caused by doing this for an extended time period. Refer to the hook up diagrams in Section 12 for proper Continuum Fingerboard connections. Page 2 Haken Audio - Continuum Fingerboard User’s Guide Table of Contents 1. Overview of the Continuum Fingerboard 7 1.1. The Playing Surface 7 1.2. The EaganMatrix 8 1.3. What Sets the Continuum Fingerboard Apart 8 2. Haken Audio Hardware 11 2.1. The Continuum Fingerboard 11 2.2. The Continuum EaganMatrix Expander (CEE) 12 2.3. The ContinuuMini 13 2.4. The Continuum Voltage Converter (CVC) 15 3. Historical Context 15 3.1. Touche 16 3.2. Fast Continuous-Pitch Playing 17 4. Midi Encoding 19 4.1. Encoding Principles of the Continuum Fingerboard 19 4.2. Connecting an External Midi Synthesizer 20 4.3. Specialized Kyma Encoding 23 5. Specifications 24 5.1. Left and Right Panels of the Full-size and Half-size Continuum Fingerboard 24 5.2. Hardware Specifications for the Full-size, Half-size, and ContinuuMini 26 6. Operating the Continuum Fingerboard 27 6.1. Turning On the Continuum Fingerboard 27 6.2. Playing the Continuum Fingerboard 28 6.3. Mono (Multiple Fingers Combined Create a Single Note) 30 6.4. Rounding, Pitch Tables, and the Pitch Table Editor 33 6.5. Pedal Jacks 36 6.6. Kenton Mini Controller and Kenton USB Midi Host 37 6.7. Arturia BeatStep 40 6.8 Ankorage Continuum Remote Continuum Kiosk 42 7. Calibration of the Continuum Fingerboard 43 8. Introduction to the Haken Editor 45 Page 3 Haken Audio - Continuum Fingerboard User’s Guide 8.1. Setting up the Haken Editor 46 8.2. Using the Haken Editor 48 8.3. Haken Editor Shortcuts 50 8.4. Current Preset and Selecting System Presets 51 8.5. Open and Save User Presets in the Editor 52 8.6. User Preset Slots and Preset Groups 52 8.7. Open a Preset Group File 54 8.8. Save a Preset Group File 54 8.9. CEE Combination Presets 56 8.10. Designing Sounds for the Continuum Fingerboard and ContinuuMini 57 9. Introduction to the Overlay Strip 60 10. Configuration Options (via Haken Editor and Overlay Strip) 61 10.1. Gain 62 10.2. Internal Sound (Load System Preset) 62 10.3. Midi Program, Midi Routing 63 10.4. CVC 65 10.5. Polyphony 65 10.6. Channel (Note) Priority 66 10.7. X Bend 67 10.8. Y Control 68 10.9. Z Control 68 10.10. Midi Note Processing 69 10.11. Middle C 70 10.12. Split Point and Split Mode 71 10.13. Mono Function and Mono Interval 73 10.14. Round Initial, Normal Rounding, Release Rounding, Rounding via Y 74 10.15. Round Rate 75 10.16. Tuning (Select Pitch Table) 76 10.17. Pedal 1 and Pedal 2 77 10.18. Pedals Min and Max 77 10.19. Options 79 10.20. Send 80 10.21. Load and Store (User Preset Slots) 80 10.22. Cogwheel Menu: Global Settings, Kenton Settings, Pitch Table Editor, User Guides, Editor Shortcuts, Barrel Styles, List of System Presets, About 81 10.23. Surface Display 82 10.24. Pitch Trim 83 11. Loading New Firmware into the Continuum Fingerboard or ContinuuMini 85 12. Connecting to External Hardware and the Editor 86 Page 4 Haken Audio - Continuum Fingerboard User’s Guide 12.1. Analog Audio Only 86 12.2. Digital Audio 87 12.3. Analog Audio and CVC 88 12.4. Digital Audio and CVC 89 12.5. Analog Audio and CEE 90 12.6. Digital Audio and CEE 91 12.7. Analog Audio, CVC and CEE 92 12.8. Digital Audio, CVC and CEE 93 12.9. Connecting a Softsynth 94 12.10. Connecting to Kyma (Mac) 95 12.11. Connecting to Kyma (PC) 96 12.12. Connecting Midi Keyboard, Continuum and Kyma (Mac) 97 12.13. Connecting Midi Keyboard, Continuum and Kyma (PC) 98 12.14. Connecting to External Midi Synthesizer 99 12.15. Connecting a Kenton Controller with Computer 101 12.16. Connecting a Kenton Controller Standalone (No Computer) 102 12.17. Connecting a BeatStep with Computer 103 12.18. Connecting a BeatStep Standalone (No Computer) 103 13. Hardware Maintenance for the Continuum Fingerboard 105 13.1. Cleaning 105 13.2. Surface Alignment 105 13.3. Continuum Fingerboard Hardware Problems 106 13.4. Sensor Stuck On, or Sensor Intermittently Turn On 107 13.5. Sensor Stuck Off – Marking a Flawed Sensor 107 13.6. Clearing the Flawed Sensor List 108 13.7. Factory Calibration of the Continuum Fingerboard 108 13.8. Do - It - Yourself Repairs and Adjustments 108 14. Performance Controller Assignments 109 14.1. Sending Midi Performance Values to the Continuum Fingerboard 109 14.2. Receiving Midi Performance values from the Continuum Fingerboard 109 14.3. Assignments 109 15. Configuration Controller Assignments 111 15.1. Load, Store, and List Presets 111 15.2. Midi Device Compatibility 113 15.3. X, Y, and Z Coding 113 15.4. Rounding and Pitch Tables 114 15.5. Polyphony, Routing, and Split 115 15.6. Pedals (see also Section 14) 116 15.7. Mono Function 116 15.8. Firmware Version and CVC Serial Number 117 15.9. Other Configuration Controller Assignments 117 16. Using the ContinuuMini 119 Page 5 Haken Audio - Continuum Fingerboard User’s Guide 16.1. Connecting Up 120 16. 2. The ContinuuMini Seven Segment Display 122 16.3 Preset Display 123 16.4. Connecting to the EaganMatrix (Haken Editor) 124 16.5. Playing the ContinuuMini 125 16.6 Octave Buttons and ContinuuMini Range 127 16.6. Menu Mode Options and Preset Selection 128 16.7. CVC Connection and Setup (Used with “I2C” setting = 1) 133 16.8. Pitch Reference 136 16.9. Continuum vs. ContinuuMini Presets and Usage 137 16.10. Use of Pedals and System Presets on the ContinuuMini 138 16.11. Error Codes 139 16.12. Using the ContinuuMini in Parallel with a Half or Full Size Continuum 140 16.13 Playing the ContinuuMini from an External MIDI Controller Through EaganMatrix 140 16.14. Monophonic vs. Duophonic vs. Polyphonic MPE ContinuuMini Operation 142 16.15. Playing the ContinuuMini from the Continuum 146 16.16. Playing the Continuum from the ContinuuMini 147 16.17. Playing the ContinuuMini from Other MPE and non-MPE MIDI Instruments/Controllers through the EaganMatrix - Use Cases 147 16.17. Playing the ContinuuMini Directly from Another Source 149 16.18 Connecting the Anckorage Spring Sound App to the ContinuuMini 150 16.19. Recording the ContinuuMini with a DAW for processing and playback 152 16.19. ContinuuMini Troubleshooting Use Cases 154 Page 6 Haken Audio - Continuum Fingerboard User’s Guide 1.0 Overview of the Continuum Fingerboard 1.1. The Playing Surface The Haken Audio Continuum Fingerboard tracks the position and pressure of fingers on its playing surface. Unlike a Midi keyboard, which only starts and stops notes, the Continuum Fingerboard lets the performer intimately interact with the sound throughout every note, breathing life and expression into the musical performance. The Continuum Fingerboard is neither an easy- to-use gadget nor a device for replacing electronic or acoustic instruments; instead, it is a new instrument in its own right, with immediate appeal as well as lifelong challenges for the serious musician. The Continuum Fingerboard has a built-in synthesizer specifically designed for Continuum playing. The internal synthesizer has predefined sounds as well as the ability to create user- defined sounds. Stereo output from the internal synthesizer can be heard through the high quality analog output (stereo line level and headphone level) as well as the AES digital audio outputs. The Full-size and Half-size Continuum Fingerboards share the same sensing technology and differ only in playing surface size. The ContinuuMini is a much smaller device, sharing the same synthesis technology but simplified finger sensing. The ContinuuMini can track the pitch of only one or two fingers. The Haken Editor application (for Mac and Windows), connects to the Continuum Fingerboard via Midi. The Continuum Fingerboard performance data can control external synthesizers via Midi, or analog modular synths via the Continuum Voltage Converter. Page 7 Haken Audio - Continuum Fingerboard User’s Guide 1.2. The EaganMatrix The EaganMatrix is the modular digital synthesizer built into the Continuum Fingerboard and ContinuuMini. For the Performer Many new sound algorithms have been finely crafted with the EaganMatrix. These EaganMatrix Presets exploit the unprecedented control possible with the Continuum Fingerboard.