Contents 5 Credits 5 About this manual 6 1: Introduction 7 4: Cypher’s oscillators in detail 6 1:1 Welcome to DCAM: Synth Squad 7 4:1 Introduction to audio-rate modulation 6 DCAM: Synth Squad at a glance 7 Basics of audio-rate modulation 6 A note on effects 7 Audio-rate modulation implementations 7 1: Shared aspects of all instruments 7 4: Frequency modulation 8 1: Interface basics 8 Oscillator FM in Cypher 8 Loading presets: preset pickers 9 Filter FM 8 Other Preset picker controls 9 Envelopes and LFOs 9 Preset browser 9 Programming hints 10 Controlling parameters: initial values (Main view) 0 4: Wave modulation 10 Fine control over parameters 0 Continuous waveshape of Cypher’s oscs 10 Controlling parameters: TransMod modulation depths 0 Audio-rate waveform modulation 11 TransMod slots 1 4:4 Audio-rate sample and hold 11 Rotary selectors and drop-down menus 1 Using audio-rate sample & hold 11 Numerical text-boxes 4:5 Variable-depth oscillator sync 11 Buttons Main uses of osc sync 11 Indicator LEDs Variable-depth osc sync in Cypher 1 Parameter context menu 4 4:6 Beat detune 1 Snapping/unit options for tuning and filter cutoff controls 4 Using the Beat control 1 On-screen keyboard and performance controllers 4 Beat rates as TransMod modulators 4 Usage with other oscillator functions 1 2: Strobe 1 :1 Overview 5 5: Amber 1 Strobe highlights 5 5:1 Overview 14 : Oscillator section 5 Divide-down synthesis explained 14 Oscillator controls 5 Implementations of divide-down synths 14 Waveform mixing controls 5 String synths in popular use 14 Pulse Width controls 6 Amber: the next step in divide-down synthesis 14 Direct modulation 7 5: Master tuning controls 15 : Filter section 7 5: Synth section 15 Filter controls 7 Paraphonic oscillator control 15 Direct modulation 7 Filter stage (polyphonic multimode resonant filter) 16 :4 Amp section 8 5:4 Ensemble section 16 :5 Other functions 8 Paraphonic oscillator control 17 :6 Modulation 8 Formant filter stage 17 Gateable modulators 8 5:5 Ensemble section chorus stage 17 Glide 9 5:6 Mixer / Amplifier stage 17 Keytracking (modulation from keyboard pitch) 9 5:7 Perform controls 18 :7 Strobe signal flow 40 5:8 Other functions 40 5:9 Modulation 19 3: Cypher 40 Paraphonic architecture and polyphonic modulation 19 :1 Overview 40 Gateable modulators 19 Background 41 Synth and Ensemble Envelopes 19 Programming with Cypher 41 Glide 0 : Oscillator section 41 Keytracking (modulation from keyboard pitch) 1 : Shaper section 4 5:10 Amber signal flow :4 Filter section: shared controls :5 Filter section: individual controls for filters 1 & 4 6: Common synth functions :6 Amp section 4 6:1 Arpeggiator (Strobe and Cypher only) :7 Other functions 4 Arpeggiator and LFO 4 :8 Modulation in Cypher 4 Arpeggiator and Keying controls 4 Gateable modulators 4 Arpeggiator controls 4 Glide 44 6: Keying controls 4 Keytracking (modulation from keyboard pitch) 45 6: Glide controls 4 Oscillators as LFOs 45 6:4 Settings 4 Beating rates as LFOs 46 6:5 Preferences panel 5 :9 Cypher signal flow 46 Oversampling 5 Osc section 46 Perf. Controls (Performance controllers) 6 Shaper-Filter & Amp sections 46 Managing settings 47 6:6 Visualizer scope 47 Locking and unlocking the Scope 47 Parameter value display 47 6:7 FX versions of synth plugins 48 6:8 MIDI Learn and host automation 48 MIDI Learn 49 Host automation 50 6:9 Program change panel 50 Using the PC panel 51 7: Modulation 80 8:8 Modulation in Fusor 51 7:1 Introduction to modulation in DCAM: Synth Squad 80 FuseMod 51 The TransMod system explained 80 Devices that can be modulated 5 7: TransMod system overview 80 Using the FuseMod system 5 Main view 80 FuseMod modulation sources 5 TransMod Slot views 81 Using FuseMod modulation within synths’ TransMod slots 5 Basic TransMod system operations 8 8:9 Animator: global controls 5 Scaling 8 Architecture overview 54 7: Using the TransMod system 8 Preset pickers 54 Setting initial value of controls (Main view) 8 Engine selector 54 Fine control over parameters 8 Engine type 54 Setting TransMod modulation depths 8 Clocking 55 Managing modulation with the parameter context-menu 8 Important note about clocking and triggering 55 Managing TransMod slots with the slot context menu 8 Driving devices with Animator 55 Mouseover indicators and slot highlighting 84 Animator Graph editor 56 Load to Mod Slot 84 Graph lanes 57 7:4 Velocity and Performance controllers 85 Advanced engine type Graph modulation 57 Velocity 86 8:10 Animator: Arpeggiator engine type 57 Performance controllers 86 Destination 58 7:5 Gateable modulators 86 Arp/Seq section 58 Types of gating behaviour (Gate parameter settings) 86 Graphs section 59 Envelope 86 Triggering section 60 LFO 87 Using the Advanced engine type as an arpeggiator 61 Ramp 87 8:11 Animator: Note Sequencer engine type 6 7:6 Glide, voices and unison 87 Destination 6 Glide 87 Arp/Seq section 6 Voices and Unison 87 Graphs section 6 7:7 Tracking the keyboard 88 8:1 Animator: Modulation Sequencer engine type 6 Pitch keytracking 88 Destination 6 Keyboard zones 88 Graphs section 64 7:8 Summary of TransMod sources 89 8:1 Animator: Advanced engine type 64 Monophonic sources 89 Introduction 64 Mono source sub-menu 89 Using the Advanced engine type alongside other types 65 Perf source sub-menu 89 Destination 65 Polyphonic sources 90 Pattern memories 65 Poly source sub-menu 90 Graph offset controls and modulation 66 Random source sub-menu 90 Triggering section 67 Synth source sub-menu 9 Arp/Seq section 9 Key Input section 68 8: Fusor 9 Oct Advance section 68 8:1 What is Fusor? 94 8:14 Fusor signal flow 68 FuseMod 68 8: Interface Overview 95 Appendix 1: Standalone application & plugin usage 68 Fusor LCD 95 Using the synth standalone applications 69 Macro controls 95 I/O Settings 69 Edit page buttons 96 Using Synth Squad as RTAS plugins in Pro Tools 7.x 69 Edit workspace 96 Using Synth Squad as AU plugins in Logic 7.2 or later 69 Keyboard and performance controls 96 Using Synth Squad as AU plugins in Logic 8 69 Status display 97 Using Synth Squad as VST / AU plugins in Ableton Live 70 8: Global page 97 Using Synth Squad as AU plugins in Digital Performer 70 Device and preset pickers 97 Using Synth Squad as VST plugins in Cubase 4 70 Edit and Power buttons 98 Using Synth Squad as VST plugins in Sonar 70 MIDI channels 98 Using Synth Squad as VST plugins in FL Studio 71 Synth channels 98 Using Synth Squad as VST plugins in Reaper 71 Aux FX, Mixer & Master insert FX 99 Potential problems 7 8:4 Input device pages 7 Key Map page 100 Appendix 2: Strobe filter modes 7 MonoMod page 7 Animator page 101 Appendix 3: Cypher waveshaper modes 74 8:5 Synth channel pages 74 Synth1, Synth2 and Synth3 pages 10 Appendix 4: Fusor – Overloud Breverb algorithms 75 FX1, FX2 and FX3 pages 10 Breverb Hall 75 8:6 Aux FX and Master FX pages 10 Breverb Inverse 75 Aux FX page 10 Breverb Room 75 Master FX page 10 Breverb Plate 76 8:7 Fusor FX suite 76 Overview 104 Appendix 5: Host automation parameters 76 Effect types 104 Strobe 78 X4 Quad FX 105 Cypher 107 Amber 108 Fusor 4 Credits DSP Programming Andrew Simper Preset design Additional Programming Angus Hewlett Patchen Preston Steve Baker Kickflip Paul Chana DJ Subject SKoT McDonald Dave Blakely Caleb Reach Bobule Project Co-ordination Steve Baker Michal Garstecki Rhiannon Bankston-Thomas Janis Chaffin Francesco Silvestri Interface Design Alex Akers Daniel Stawczyk Steve Baker Rory Dow Angus Hewlett Angus Hewlett Artwork/Packaging Design Rus Brockman Peter ‘Mod’ Slotwinski Tasmodia tasmodia.com Web Programming Andreas Schnetzler Raphael S. electric-himalaya.com Manual/Copywriting Mayur Maha Brian Lee xenossoundworks.com Video Production Rory Dow Derik White dustedwilliamsounds.com SoundsDivine soundsdivine.com QA Rob Bantin Andrew Vernon Beta testing Preset design and QA Peter ‘Mod’ Slotwinski Mark Williams, Sean Ahern, Andrew Capon, Robert Sfeir, Ashley Smith, Mikael Adle, Support Ryan Sellers Murray McDowall, Jordan Chillcot, Christopher Rory Dow Reis, Andy Reaburn, Anthony Webster, Paul Alex Volmer Sureno, Andrew Shantz, Joost Gransjean, Scott Andrew Vernon McGrath, Kris Giampa, Roy Queenan, Andreas Artist Relations Clare O’Brien Beisler, Alice Bernier FXpansion USA Terry Hardin Daniel Wilkinson Special thanks to Zimon Drake at French Kiss Films: frenchkissfilms.com www.fxpansion.com About this manual It is beyond the scope of this manual to fully explain every concept of synthesis in detail. A lot of background information is given in order for you to fully understand DCAM: Synth Squad’s features, but some prior knowledge of synthesis and audio processing/mixing functions is assumed. Suggested further reading The Sound On Sound magazine articles database includes an excellent resource of synthesis information, particularly the comprehensive ‘Synth Secrets’ series. There are also articles on mixing, effects processing and other relevant topics when using DCAM: Synth Squad: http://www.soundonsound.com/articles/Technique.php There is also an excellent book about synthesis available for free viewing on the web (or as a downloadable PDF file), called ‘Advanced Programming Techniques for Modular Synthesizers’ by James J. Clark. It is written for the Nord Modular DSP synthesis environment, but its information is relevant for all kinds of synthesis, no matter what equipment you’re using: http://www.cim.mcgill.ca/~clark/nordmodularbook/nm_book_toc.html Printing this manual Full permission is granted to print this manual for personal, non-commercial use.