Alpha Series User Manual - LinPlug Virtual Instruments
Contents
1. cccccccccceceecceeeeeeeeeeeeecenneceeeeeeeeeeeseecaaaeeeeeeeeeteesesnanees 30 Appendix H Flow Diagoram nono nn nn cnn n nn nena n nn nn nn nn nn nn nn nnn nn nnnrrnnnneninnnnnnrncnnni 31 Appendix Midi CC mapping on Behringer BCR 2000 32 LinPlug Alpha Series User Manual 3 0 Page 5 Overview There are multiple versions of the Alpha synthesizer available the full Alpha 3 a couple of custom Alpha synthesizers with a somewhat reduced featureset and the AlphaFREE which is publicly available but has the fewest features See Appendix E for the differences between the Alpha and the AlphaFREE This manual describes the Alpha so some parts may not be applicable to the custom versions of Alpha and the AlphaFREE The Alpha synthesizer is a monotimbral 32 note polyphonic AU and VST analogue style synthesizer with some extraordinary features The synthesizer is based upon a classic subtractive design and includes three oscillator modules a filter module envelope and LFO modules a chorus effect module and an easy to use and powerful Modulation Matrix The structure of the Alpha synthesizer can be divided into 6 sections Oscillator Filter Amplifier Modulation Matrix LFOs and Glide Chorus and Master Audio signals are generated by an oscillator that gets pitch information from the synthesizer s MIDI input The MIDI input is automatically connected to MIDI output of the host software The Alpha receives MIDI on all channels sim2. to 100 i e turning the dial completely clockwise means that the filter is modulated by the envelope s full range The negative envelope depth can be used in example for opening the Filter when a note is released this is impossible with a non inverted ADSR envelope LinPlug Alpha Series User Manual 3 0 Page 11 Amplifier The amplifier sections follows right of the filter section It features both a vol volume control to adjust the overall output volume The vel velocity control allows adjustment of the influence that the notes velocity has on volume When turned fully to the left the Velocity has no influence on the volume while turned fully right meants that the volume is completely controlled by velocity The att Attack Time dial is used to set the length of time it takes for the amplitude envelope to reach the full envelope depth For example if the att dial is set to 0 i e the dial is turned completely counter clockwise the signal s amplitude will move from zero to full volume immediately If the ATT dial is turned completely clockwise the signal s amplitude will move from zero to full volume in the maximum time of 10 seconds The dec Decay Time dial setting determines the length of time in seconds that the amplitude envelope takes to move from the Attack peak level to the Sustain level For example if the dec dial is set to 0 i e the dial is turned completely counter clockwise the signal s
3. Alpha Series User Manual Alpha 3 CM Alpha FREE Alpha KEYS Alpha Copyright LinPlug Virtual Instruments GmbH 2002 2006 All rights reserved Welcome The Alpha Series are software synthesizers designed for creating music on your personal computer The Alpha features a subtractive design with special attention being paid to recreating the warmth and feel typically found in early 1980s analog synthesizers lts key features include an easy to use interface a wide range of oscillator waveforms fat rich sounding filters as well as numerous processing and modulation options This manual describes all aspects of the Alpha Synthesizer and is designed so that your use of this software is as efficient and enjoyable as possible At LinPlug we re very proud of the Alpha Synthesizer it s the result of many years of research and synthesizer programming experience We hope you get a lot of pleasure using the Alpha Synthesizer and that it becomes an integral part of your music making Your LinPlug Team Berlin Germany January 2007 LinPlug Alpha Series User Manual 3 0 Page 2 Credits Instrument by Peter Linsener and Pavol Markovic Manual by Chris Share and Peter Linsener Alpha Presets by alphabetic order Dubhad dh presets Frank Von Haeven fvh presets Frank Neumann Xnx presets Guilherme Kalfelz aka WilliamK Ken Fennell Klaus Dieter Pollak aka Summa sum presets Laurent Gaudin ksn presets Nico Herz BT presets P
4. CC 83 Filter Type LinPlug Alpha Series User Manual CC 84 Glide Time CC 85 Glide Mode CC 86 Glide Bend CC 88 Amplitude Evelope Attack CC 89 Amplitude Evelope Decay CC 90 Amplitude Evelope Sustain CC 102 Amplitude Evelope Fade CC 103 Amplitude Evelope Release CC 104 Amplitude Velocity Responce CC 105 LFO 1 Attack CC 106 LFO 1 Waveform CC 107 LFO 1 Frequency CC 108 LFO 1 Sync CC 110 LFO 2 Attack CC 111 LFO 2 Waveform CC 112 LFO 2 Frequency CC 113 LFO 2 Sync CC 115 LFO 3 Waveform CC 116 LFO 3 Sync CC 117 Chorus Wet CC 118 Chorus Time CC 119 Chorus Rate CC 25 Matrix Modulation Amount 1 CC 87 Matrix Modulation Amount 2 CC 109 Matrix Modulation Amount 3 NRPN 1024 1025 Preset previous next NRPN 1026 1027 Bank previous next Page 31 Appendix H Flow Diagram TRIGGER Wd a H gt 3 2 z z gt a z e x W o y g ES IT Appendix I Midi CC mapping on Behringer BCR 2000 On the LinPlug website you find a MIDI CC mapping for owners of the Behringer BCR 2000 controller so the BCR2000 can be optimally used with the Alpha 3 synthesizer Only the first row of switches below the top row of dials is used for this Alpha3 BCR2000 syx template The Fade F and Fade A switches are a quick option to set the Fade parameter of the Filter and Amplitude envelope to neutral no fade thus a standard ADSR The MW assignment is the Modulation Wheel just in case you not have any on your MIDI keybo
5. source that generates a periodic waveform at a given frequency Ring Modulation The process of combining two audio signals by multiplication Ring Modulation produces sidebands but suppresses both the carrier and modulating frequencies Though Ring Modulation is only a special form of AM in practice AM is considered Ring Modulation plus the carrier one of the oscillators in Alpha its the oscillator 2 and Ring Modulation is considered pure Ring Modulation with no carrier LinPlug Alpha Series User Manual 3 0 Page 22 Appendix A MIDI Implementation Chart Product LinPlug Alpha Synthesizer Version 3 0x Date 15 September 2006 Function Transmitted Recognized Remarks Basic Channel Default no no Changed no no Mode Default no Omni Changed no no Note Number no yes True Voice no no Velocity Note On no yes Note Off no no Aftertouch Poly Key no yes Mono Channel no yes Pitch Bend no yes Control Change no yes Program Change no yes System Exclusive no no System Common Song Position no no Song Select no no Tune Request no no System Realtime Clock no no Commands no no Aux Messages Local On Off no no All Notes Off no yes Active Sensing no no System Reset no yes Appendix B Oscillator Waveform Types and Ranges Types Sine Triangle Sawtooth Square1 Square2 Square3 Organ Organ2 Organ3 Spectra1 Spectra2 Spectra3 Spectra4 RichSaw1 RichSaw2 RichSaw3 RichSaw4 SawSpec1 SawSpe
6. there is the filter fm dial and filter fm source selector With the fm dial the amount of filter cutoff modulation is adjusted from no modulation when turned fully left to maximum modulation As the modulation source is in audible range we have a true FM or cutoff Frequency Modulation With the fm source selector the source of the modulation is selected either oscillator 1 oscillator 2 or noise Note that the filter cutoff FM does not depend on the setting in the Mix section of the oscillators If oscillator 2 is selected then its purely oscillator 2 and does not depend on the ring modulation setting in oscillator 2 section the Ring Modulator is not available as source for filter FM The cutoff dial is used to set the frequency in Hz at which the filter begins to take effect In the case of the Low Pass Filter higher settings produce brighter sounds while lower settings result in darker sounds In the case of the High Pass filter higher settings produce thinner sounds while lower settings result in fuller sounds The Band Pass filter combines a Low Pass and a High Pass filter In this case the Cutoff dial sets the midpoint of the filter s pass band The reso Resonance dial is used to set the amount of emphasis around the cutoff frequency Higher settings create a more pronounced peak in the signal while lower settings produce a flatter response Below cutoff and resonance is the filter type selector It allow
7. value so you can quickly disable certain modulations to check their effect The modulation of pitch has a special display for modulation depth In example a modulation depth of 2 40 means that the pitch is modulated to a depth of 2 semitones and 40 cents LinPlug Alpha Series User Manual 3 0 Page 14 LFO An LFO Low Frequency Oscillator is an oscillator that generates a low frequency signal that can be used to modulate other aspects of the audio signal The Alpha contains up to three LFOs below the matrix on the right of the front panel First the LFO can be set to either M Mono or P Poly mode with the switch below the LFO number In Mono mode one LFO is shared by all voices In Poly Mode each voice has its own LFO which is triggered by a Note On MIDI message The waveform parameter is used to select one of the LFO waveforms To select a waveform click in the box to the right of the LFO number A popup menu containing six LFO waveforms will be displayed The six available LFO waveforms are Sine Triangle Sawtooth Square Noise and SamHo Sample and Hold The Sync popup menu below the waveform allows you to set the LFO so that it is synced to the tempo of the current song In this case the LFO will sync its tempo to the song tempo see Appendix C for the range of possible sync settings For example a setting of 1 4 will make the LFO cycle last exactly one quarter note The value Off indicates that the L
8. East to name but a few a special intonational flavor but is something that is of immeasurable value to the contemporary acoustic and electronic composer who may require a more broad palette of musical pitches for their music The quest for creating beautiful and musically useful tuning systems has been an unending process of discovery and debate amongst musical theorists mathematicians physicists and musicians going back to early history Quite often the reasons for microtuning instruments may involve improving the consonant intervals of a tuning system for sweeter sounding harmonies as well as offering wider variety of choices for melody Microtuning an instrument can sometimes mean there may be less or more than 12 tones in an octave or even that the octave itself may be stretched or compressed Microtuning is a vast topic rich with lore music and an infinity of musical possibilities for the sonic explorer Creating TUN microtuning files with SCALA Scala is a freeware utility developed by Manuel Op de Coul in the Netherlands which can be used for the creation and analysis of historical ethnic and contemporary microtunings A powerful capability of Scala is that it enables the user to create the proprietary tuning data required for microtuning a wide range of hardware and software synthesizers and samplers Scala may be used to create the TUN format microtuning files needed to explore microtunings with this instrument The Scala ho
9. FO is not synchronized to the song tempo Instead the LFO speed can be adjusted with the freq parameter The freq Frequency dial is used to set the the LFO s frequency If the FREQ dial is set to 0 i e the dial is turned completely counter clockwise the LFO oscillates at 0 01 Hz that is 1 complete cycle every 100 seconds If the FREQ dial is set to 100 i e the dial is turned completely clockwise the LFO oscillates at 32 0 Hz 32 cycles per second This parameter is not available for the third LFO This parameter is not active whenever a sync value is selected from the Sync popup menu The att Attack Time dial is used to set the length of time it takes for the LFO to reach the full modulation depth This can be used to slowly increase the amount of LinPlug Alpha Series User Manual 3 0 Page 15 modulation applied to the audio signal If the att dial is set to 0 i e the dial is turned completely counter clockwise modulation commences immediately If the ATT dial is set to 100 i e the dial is turned completely clockwise modulation depth moves from zero to the maximum modulation depth in 10 seconds This parameter is not available for the third LFO Glide The Glide or portamento section allows you to set the Alpha s portamento parameters Glide continuously changes the pitch from one note to the next connecting the notes and letting you smoothly glide from one to the other The Glide section is l
10. amplitude will move from the Attack peak level to the Sustain level immediately If the DEC dial is set to 100 i e the dial is turned completely clockwise the signal s amplitude will move from the Attack peak level to the Sustain level in 10 seconds The sust Sustain Level dial setting determines the amplitude level after the initial Attack Decay phase while a note is being held The rel Release Time dial is used to set the length of time in seconds that the amplitude envelope takes to move from current Sustain Fade level to silence after the note is released If the REL dial is set to 0 i e the dial is turned completely counter clockwise the signal s amplitude will move from the current Fade level to zero immediately If the REL dial is set to 100 i e the dial is turned completely LinPlug Alpha Series User Manual 3 0 Page 12 clockwise the signal s amplitude will move from the current Fade level to the zero in 10 seconds The fade Fade Time dial is used to set the rate at which the signal amplitude moves from the Sustain level to either silence when the dial is turned completely counter clockwise or full output when the dial is turned completely clockwise A middle fade setting dial is set to 12 o clock position means that the signal amplitude remains at the Sustain level until the note is released The spread dial allows you to play 3 voices simultaneously If the spread dial is
11. ard All other assignments should be pretty clear from the drawing below We suggest you print it and put it aside your BCR 2000 until you got familiar with it 9099 90 00 FadeF FadeA LP12 P24 BP HP TT RR A We Rng1 Wave 2 Rng2 Mix Detune rian Balance ng 1 Wave 2 GC Mix EE E SCH 00000000 ces Cutoff Reso Env Depth A ma FILTER a 3 NES d CS Drive SJ FM E Depth A nm TESES x a o CH O A MO ars VelVol Vol Ch Wet Ch Time Ch Rate M Dep 1 M Dep 2 M Dep a To load the mapping into your BCR2000 you need to transfer the MIDI system exclusive data file Alpha3 BCR2000 syx This might be able right from your host or with a MIDI tool like SysEx Librarian on Mac or MIDI OX on PC Note that the mapping only works as expected with the ECS Factory Settings as described in Appendix G
12. between freerun when switched on and retriggered start of the oscillator when switched off Below these controls is the A bal B Balance dial This dial allows you to interpolate between the two waveforms When the dial is at its leftmost setting the waveform consists purely of waveform A Similarly if the dial is moved all the way to the right the waveform consists purely of waveform B When in an intermediate position the waveform consists of a mixture of the two waveforms It s probably easier to understand this by trying it for yourself rather than having it explained to you As an example set one wave to Sine and the other to a different wave such as Sawtooth As you rotate the dial from one end of its range to the other you can hear the wave morph from one waveshape to the other The detune dial in OSC 1 section determines the amount of detuning between the two oscillator modules A small amount of detuning can be used to create the swirling sound typical of many analog synth patches LinPlug Alpha Series User Manual 3 0 Page 8 The ringmod parameter in Osc 2 section allows a gradually adjustment of how the output of oscillator 2 is made from oscillator 2 and the integrated Ring Modulator see glossary for explanation of AM and ring modulation Turned fully left the output of oscillator 2 is purely oscillator 2 Turned fully right the output of oscillator 2 is fully the ring modulation result of oscillator 1 and oscil
13. c2 VintSaw1 VintSaw2 VintSaw3 SawBass1 SawBass2 SawBass3 SawBass4 SawBass5 SawBass6 SawBass7 SawBass8 Waveform Ranges 32 16 8 4 2 Appendix C LFO Sync Settings Off 16 1 16 1 16 1T 8 1 8 1 8 1T 4 1 4 1 4 1T 2 1 2 1 2 1T 1 1 1 1 1 1T 1 2 1 2 1 2T 1 4 1 4 1 4T 1 8 1 8 1 8T 1 16 1 16 1 16T 1 32 1 32 1 32T 1 64 5 16 7 16 9 16 5 8 11 16 13 16 7 8 15 16 Note T stands for Triplet and stands for a dotted note In the case of a dotted note the note duration is equal to 1 5 times its original undotted value LinPlug Alpha Series User Manual 3 0 Page 24 Appendix D Modulation Sources and Destinations Modulation Sources Off Note played log logarithmic Note played lin linear Velocity Aftertouch poly and mono Pitch Wheel Modulation Wheel Breath Controller Foot Controller ExpressionContr CC16 Controller CC17 Controller CC18 Controller CC19 Controller Amp envelope Filter envelope LFO1 LFO2 LFO 3 and Constant Modulation Destinations Off Osc 1 Amplitude Osc 1 Pitch Osc 1 Symmetry Osc 2 Amplitude Osc 2 Pitch Osc 2 Symmetry Osc 2 Ringmod Noise Amplitude Filter Cutoff Filter Cutoff FM Filter Resonance Main Amplitude Main Pitch Matrix Depth 1 Matrix Depth 2 Matrix Depth 3 LFO 1 Speed LFO 2 Speed Modulation Sources Note played Log The note being played with exponential response The modulation value follows the _ fre
14. elocity to simulate an acoustic instrument s response to note attack The intensity of the FM modulation of the filters cutoff frequency Resonance of Filter 1 or 2 a rather subtle effect sometimes used with an LFO or for Keyscaling Note Lin or Note Exp source to adjust Resonance over the key range Overall amplitude of all Oscillators Often used for tremolo or with Key Lin to adjust the volume over the keyboard Main Pitch Overall pitch of all oscillators Often used for vibrato Matrix Depth 1 2 3 Intensity of the first three entries line 1 to 3 in the Modulation LFO Speed 1 2 Matrix often used with the ModWheel as source to control a specific modulation parameter e g Vibrato Speed of LFO 1 or 2 this allows tempo changes of the LFO to be programmed Typically this is used with Key Lin to make the LFO run faster with higher notes LinPlug Alpha Series User Manual 3 0 Page 27 Appendix E Using TUN Files By Jacky Ligon About Microtuning Microtuning or microtonality are methods for tuning musical instruments whereby musicians may explore and compose with ethnic historical and contemporary tuning systems Microtuning musical instruments allows one to use scales which may have pitches lying between the notes of our familiar Western 12 tone scale These pitches which are found in the cracks of 12 Tone Equal Temperament are one of the things that give music s of Bali India Africa Thailand Turkey and the Middle
15. envelope can be used as a modulation source unipolar A constant value of 1 sometimes useful to apply static modulation e g of the oscillator symmetry unipolar Modulation Destinations Osc 1 2 Amplitude Osc 1 2 Pitch Osc 1 2 Symmetry The amplitude of Oscillator 1 to 2 used in example for tremolo or for adjusting the balance of the oscillators in the sound N B In order to create the classic tremolo effect it is better to use Main Amplitude as the modulation destination as this is applied to the whole voice The pitch of the respective Oscillator used in example for vibrato or to control detuning of the oscillators N B In order to create the classic vibrato effect it is better to use Main Pitch as the modulation destination as this is applied to the whole voice Symmetry of the respective Oscillator waveform used to thicken a sound or make it swirl effect depends on intensity and modulation speed typically with LFO LinPlug Alpha Series User Manual 3 0 Page 26 Osc 2 Ringmod Noise Amplitude Filter Cutoff Filter Cutoff FM Filter Resonance Main Amplitude Controls the Ringmod parameter of Osc 2 thus allows to dynamically change the mix of oscillator 2 and the ring modulators output The amplitude of noise oscillator mainly used for dynamically adjusting the balance of the noise oscillators in the sound Cutoff frequency of the Filter often used with an LFO to create filter sweeps or with V
16. eter Schelfhout PS presets Sean Steele LS presets Stephan M sch SM presets T O T C T presets Alpha GUI by Branislav Paki branispak beocity net All technical specifications of the products specified in this manual may be subject to change without notice The documents may not be changed especially copyright notices may not be removed or changed LinPlug and all LinPlug product names are trademarks of LinPlug Virtual Instruments GmbH Cubase and VST are registered trademarks of Steinberg Media Technologies GmbH All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners Table of Contents Ee UE 2 EE A BE I E EEN AA ee eee eel eh 5 COMMONS EE 6 EE 7 Mia id 8 li AA a dd eta teenies 9 une TE 11 Modulati n Matrix aiii iio antics 13 A areas ec assem a a EG SRA aa ace 14 EE 15 6 lee Preset Maldonado 17 Rear Pane kosca ai aa lidia ate cd ia A 19 Get The Full Version iii ii E 20 A tiges pital na DD agp ad a iti Alena iene 21 Appendix A MIDI Implementation Chart 22 Appendix B Oscillator Waveform Types and Hanges e eraeaeeeenaaenanaaa 23 Appendix C LFO Sync SetlindS iii ico 23 Appendix D Modulation Sources and Destnatons e earereeeaereranananaa 24 Appendix E Using TUN Eies ea eaaarereaaaaaaaaaaaaaaanenaaanaaaaananaaaneaaa 27 Appendix F Technical Specifications cccccccccccceeeeeeeeecceeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeceaeeeeeeeeeeseeseceneeeeeeeeeeeeeeeenseeees 29 Appendix G Predefined ECS assignment
17. ing will be used to make fine pitch adjustments around the standard concert pitch of A440 Hz but when one has specified another pitch base for a microtuning when the TUN file is created in Scala such as C261 6256 Hz the data in the TUN microtuning file will provide a new pitch reference LinPlug Alpha Series User Manual 3 0 Page 29 Appendix F Technical Specifications Polyphony Preset Memory Oscillators Waveforms Filter Envelopes LFO Portamento Glide Voice Limit Polyphonic Unison Precision MIDI Learn Chorus Master Tune Modulation Matrix Pitch Bend Range Patch Creator Microtuning True Mono Mode ALPHA 3 32 voices Unlimited direct disk based 2 Noise Osc Pitch Amplitude and Symmetry modulateable freerun switchable Ring Modulator 30 x 30 Waveforms LP12 LP24 BP12 HP12 with Saturation and Filter FM ALPHA FREE 8 voices Unlimited direct disk based 2 Pitch Amplitude and Symmetry modulateable 30 x 30 Waveforms LP12 LP24 BP12 HP12 ADSFR for Amplitude and Cutoff may ADSFR for Amplitude and Cutoff may be inverted 3 LFO s 6 Waveforms Syncable to Tempo Attack adjustable Mono Poly Mode Mono amp polyphonic Normal Held and Auto Bend 48 semitones Mode with adjustable Time or Rate 1 to 12 voices or All 32 voices Yes spread adjustable Yes 90 analog warmth to 100 digital cold Yes ECS Yes adjustable Depth and Speed Yes 430 0
18. kwise the same change in cutoff frequency will take 10 seconds The sust Sustain dial setting determines the cutoff frequency after the initial Attack Decay phase while a note is being held The rel Release Time dial is used to set the length of time in seconds that the cutoff frequency takes to move from current Sustain Fade value to silence after the note is released If the REL dial is set to 0 i e the dial is turned completely counter clockwise the filters cutoff will move from the current level to the cutoff parameters value immediately If the REL dial is set to 100 i e the dial is turned completely clockwise it takes full 10 seconds The fade Fade Time dial is used to set the rate at which the filters cutoff frequency moves from the Sustain value to either the cutoff parameters value when the dial is turned completely counter clockwise or maximum envelope depth when the dial is turned completely clockwise A middle fade setting dial is set to 12 o clock position means that the filters cutoff frequency remains at the Sustain level until the note is released The depth dial is used to set the degree to which the filter s envelope effects the signal Setting depth to 100 i e turning the dial completely counter clockwise means that the envelope has full negative effect on the filter Adjusting the dial to the middle position means that it has no effect on the filter Setting depth
19. lator 2 In middle position the output is mix of oscillator 2 and the ring modulation result of oscillator 1 and oscillator 2 in synthesizers often called AM The voices control below the oscillator controls is used to set the number of available voices polyphony The maximum polyphony is 32 voices but sometimes it might be useful to restrict the polyphony to save CPU Mixer The upper dial in the Mix section is used to set the relative output volume of each oscillator module When the dial is set to 1 i e it is turned all the way counter clockwise the output signal consists entirely of oscillator 1 When the dial is set to 2 i e it is turned all the way clockwise the output signal consists entirely of oscillator 2 The mid position provides an equal mixture of oscillator 1 and oscillator 2 The lower dial is the noise parameter that allows to mix gradually some white noise to the two oscillators mix Turned fully left no noise is added turned fully right the oscillators are suppressed and only noise is audible The generated noise is white noise LinPlug Alpha Series User Manual 3 0 Page 9 Filter The Alpha s filter module is located right of the oscillators The drive or saturation dial on the left can be used to overdrive the Alpha s filter This can be used to produce warmer fatter sounds or a thinner sound depending on the amount of drive applied and depending on the basic waveform Below the drive
20. me page is http www xs4all nl huygensf scala Specifying the Reference Frequency of a Microtuning One of the powerful capabilities of the TUN file format and Scala is the ability to specify the pitch and midi note which will be the reference pitch for the microtuning in use This becomes a very important consideration when one is using a number of different synthesizers and wishes to keep them in tune with a given base frequency It is very common for one to specify a chosen concert pitch such as A440 Hz or LinPlug Alpha Series User Manual 3 0 Page 28 C261 6256 Hz as a reference for a microtuning however the flexibility of the TUN format and Scala enables one to specify this frequency arbitrarily In Scala this reference is called Map Frequency As well as being able to specify the Map Frequency one can also specify a central midi note which will become the starting point for the microtuning in use Being able to specify a particular midi note on the controller provides a way to map a microtuning beginning on any desired midi key making it easier to navigate the keyboard when there may be more or less than 12 tones per octave or where one may desire to have the notes of a tuning fall on certain physical keys Important Note When one uses a TUN microtuning file in the the above specified mapping properties will override the Master Tuning reference Normally when one is using the default 12 Tone Equal Tempered Scale the Master Tun
21. n is located on the bottom middle of the front panel It contains various controls for dealing with presets Acoustics Analog Brass 02 The Preset control is used for all File related operations The Load button the middle button on the left opens a dialog that lets you select a file for loading The Up Previous and Down Next buttons allow you to traverse a list of files The save button allows you to save the current preset settings The Alpha loads and saves all of its presets directly to hard disk so your computer s RAM does not limit the number of available presets Clicking on the bank or preset name allows you to directly access another bank or preset within the current bank The ECS Easy Controller Setup section makes it simple to control the Alpha 3 from an external MIDI controller All you have to do is switch on the ECS a menu pops up when you click at the ECS letters choose Learn select a Alpha 3 parameter with the mouse and then send some MIDI messages to the Alpha 3 from you MIDI source That s all there is to it From now on you can change the parameter with that controller In addition to this more than one controller can be defined to change a particular parameter In fact you can define up to 128 parameter controller combinations This does not depend on the type of controller you have nor the particular MIDI Control Change messages it sends Don t forget to switch off the ECS pick Off from the menu after y
22. o Rate the pitch of one note moves to that of a following note at a constant rate This means that the amount of time it takes to move from one note to the next depends upon how far apart the pitches of the two notes are The further apart the notes the longer it will take for the pitch of the first note to reach that of the following note LinPlug Alpha Series User Manual 3 0 Page 16 Chorus The Chorus effect can be used to thicken a single sound creating the impression that it contains multiple voices The Chorus works by mixing delayed signals with the original signal The Alpha s Chorus features controls for WET TIME and RATE and is located in the lower right section of the front panel CHORUS ote RUS et ote D D D D D D D a La at Le D D d D D wet time rate The wet dial allows you to set the balance between the processed wet signal and the original unprocessed dry signal A small indicator light shows when Chorus is enabled The time dial is used for setting the chorus delay time in milliseconds Longer times produce a chorusing effect while shorter times create a flanging effect The rate dial sets the rate at which the signal is modulated To set the chorus sound we suggest you start with all controls at a medium position and successively change them until you find a sound that you like LinPlug Alpha Series User Manual 3 0 Page 17 Preset Main The Alpha s Preset sectio
23. ocated on the right of the front panel beneath the LFO section The Glide Mode button has 4 values Off On Held and Bend The On and Off functions turn Glide on and off When Glide is on the Time Rate dial is used to set the length of time it takes for the pitch of one note to reach that of a following note The Held setting works as follows If notes overlap then Glide is applied however if they don t then the notes are played without Glide This makes it possible to apply Glide only to selected notes Bend allows you to apply a predetermined pitch bend to each note The bend range is set using the Bend control A bend range of 48 to 48 semitones is available This parameter only has a meaning when the Glide Mode button is set to Bend The Time Rate dial is used to adjust the time it takes for the glide to happen Turned fully counter clockwise the glide is so fast that its hardly noticeable If the dial is turned fully clockwise it takes very long for the notes to glide from the previous notes pitch to their own pitch The has two settings Time and Rate These settings determine the manner in which the pitch of one note moves to that of the a following note When set to Time it takes a constant amount of time to move from one note to the next In this case it will take the same amount of time to reach the destination pitch regardless of whether the preceding note was a semitone away or an octave away When set t
24. ou have finished using it the ECS button remains red during ECS activity as a reminder ECS settings can be saved and restored using the Load and Save functions from the menu In addition a single controller assignment can be cleared using the LinPlug Alpha Series User Manual 3 0 Page 18 Clear menu entry All you have to do is select Clear and select a controls that you wish to be cleared deassigned from MIDI CC s Don t forget to switch off the ECS control after you have finished clearing assignments The Clear All function clears all controller assignments at once and the Rest Fact Function means Restore Factory thus restoring the factory settings as described in Appendix G The GEN button is used to generate random patch settings To generate a new patch click on the button and some or all of the current parameter settings will be changed to new settings The Gen range is set on the Alpha s rear panel see below Rear Panel The Rear Panel of the Alpha is accessed by clicking on the LinPlug logo at the bottom of the Alpha s front panel Several master controls have been located on the rear panel to make the front panel less crowded and also so that they are not changed accidentally while the Alpha is in use The controls located here are Dial Mode MasterTune Gen Range Bend Range Precision and Microtuning Dial Mode is used to select the Alpha s dial operation mode Two modes are available Cir Circula
25. quency of the played note bipolar ANN Note played Lin The note being played with a linear response The modulation value follows the note number bipolar TYAN H UH D UL II Velocity The MIDI note on velocity information The harder the key is hit the higher the modulation value unipolar Aftertouch MIDI pressure aftertouch information Either polyphone or monophone unipolar Pitch Wheel The value of the pitch Wheel is takes as modulation source maybe it makes sense to reduce the Pitch Wheel range to O when using the Pitch Wheel as modulation source The Pitch Wheel is bipolar Modulation Wheel The MIDI modulation wheel MIDI CC 1 unipolar Breath Controller MIDI CC 2 unipolar Foot Controller MIDI CC 4 unipolar Expression Contr MIDI CC 11 unipolar LinPlug Alpha Series User Manual 3 0 Page 25 CC16 Controller CC17 Controller CC18 Controller CC19 Controller LFO 1 LFO 2 LFO 3 Amp Envelope Filter Envelope Constant MIDI CC 16 bipolar MIDI CC 17 bipolar MIDI CC 18 bipolar MIDI CC 19 bipolar LFO 1 bipolar LFO 2 bipolar LFO 3 bipolar The envelope of the Main Amplitude This envelopes control the overall Volume however if it makes sense within the preset to do so the envelope can be used as a modulation source unipolar The envelope of the Filters Cutoff This envelopes control the Filter cutoff frequency however if it makes sense within the preset to do so the
26. r and Lin Linear In Cir mode the Alpha s dials track cursor movement in a circular fashion around the dial In Lin mode the Alpha s dials track vertical cursor movement Master Tune is used to set the overall tuning of the Alpha Tuning can be set from 415 Hz to 466 Hz The Gen Range control is used to set the range for random parameter generation It has a range of 0 to 100 Using lower values will effect the patch less than using higher values Not all parameters are changed with each new random patch With lower settings e g 5 less parameters are affected Normally a setting in the range of 2 to 10 will produce the most interesting and useable results The P Pitch Bend Up control is used to set the Alphas response to pitch bend messages Bend Range can be set from 0 to 24 semitones The Bend Down control is used to set the Alphas response to pitch bend messages Bend Down Range can be set from 0 to 24 semitones The Bend Down Range control can also be set to Link in which case the Bend Down Range is the same as the Bend Up Range The PRECISION control is used to set the accuracy of the Alpha s signal generation When the Precision control is set to less than 100 small inaccuracies are introduced into the waveform at various point in the Alpha s signal chain This is useful if you re trying to replicate the warmth of an old analog synthesizer Precision can be set in a range from 90 to 100 With the Scale con
27. riodic and below the audio range less than 20 Hz tremolo is produced When the modulation frequency is within the audio range Ring Modulation is produced See also Ring Modulation below Amplifier A signal processing device that changes the amplitude and hence the volume of a signal Envelope A time varying signal used to control the development of another signal after it has been triggered Envelopes are most often used for controlling a signal s amplitude The shape of the envelope is determined by the number of control parameters Usually four parameters are available Attack Time Decay Time Sustain Level and Release Time Filter A signal processing device that suppresses or filters out specific parts of a signal s frequency spectrum Numerous types of filter are used in audio synthesis These include Low Pass High Pass Band Pass and Notch The tone controls on a stereo amplifier are one example of an audio filter LFO An LFO or Low Frequency Oscillator is a periodic signal source usually below audio frequency range used to modulate another signal parameter An LFO can be used for a variety of effects including vibrato by modulating the pitch and tremolo by modulating the volume Modulation Matrix A signal junction where a source signal can be patched so that it controls a destination signal The Alpha s Modulation Matrix is used for tasks such as modulating an oscillator s amplitude by an LFO Oscillator A signal
28. s selection of 4 types of filter These are 12 Low Pass 12 dB Oct 24 Low Pass 24 dB Oct HP High LinPlug Alpha Series User Manual 3 0 Page 10 Pass 12 dB Oct and BP Band Pass 12 dB Oct The envelope parameters follow below the type selector these are the classic attack decay sustain and release as well as an additional fade parameter Note that the envelope has only an effect if the filter envelope depth described below is not 0 The following description of the envelope parameter assumes that the depth is positive The att Attack Time dial is used to set the length of time it takes for the cutoff envelope to reach the full envelope depth For example if the att dial is set to 0 i e the dial is turned completely counter clockwise the filters cutoff will move from cutoff parameters value to maximum envelope depth immediately If the ATT dial is turned completely clockwise the filters cutoff will move from cutoff parameters value to maximum envelope depth in 10 seconds The dec Decay Time dial setting determines the length of time in seconds that the filter cutoff envelope takes to move from the maximum envelope depth to the Sustain value For example if the dec dial is set to 0 i e the dial is turned completely counter clockwise the filters cutoff will move from the Attack peak value to the Sustain value immediately If the DEC dial is set to 100 i e the dial is turned completely cloc
29. set to 0 i e the dial is turned completely counter clockwise Spread is disabled If the spread dial is set to anything other than 0 the Alpha s six oscillators are continuously detuned with one another Higher settings create more detuning so producing a fatter thicker sound A small indicator light shows when Spread is enabled LinPlug Alpha Series User Manual 3 0 Page 13 Modulation Matrix The Alpha s Modulation Matrix allows you to create seven user defined modulation routings See Appendix D for a listing of all modulation sources and destinations The Alpha s Modulation Matrix is located in the top right of the front panel MATRIX Modulation sources are shown in a column on the left of the display while the destinations are shown on the right The modulation amount is displayed in the middle To change a routing click on the source or destination that you want to change A menu will appear which lets you select the new source or destination To remove a modulation source or destination select the entry in the menu To change the modulation depth click on the amount display and move the mouse while keeping the mouse button pressed upwards or downwards increasing or decreasing the value until the desired amount has been reached A negative modulation depth inverts the waveform of the modulation source A double click on the modulation depth sets it to 0 another double click will revert it to its original
30. to 450 0 Hz 7 slot 19 sources 18 destinations Separately adjustable up down 1 to 24 semitones Yes adjustable TUN File support Yes LinPlug Alpha Series User Manual 3 0 be inverted 1 LFO 6 Waveforms Syncable to Tempo Attack adjustable Mono amp polyphonic Normal Held and Auto Bend 48 semitones Mode with adjustable Time 1 to 8 voices No Yes 90 analog warmth to 100 digital cold Yes ECS Yes adjustable Depth and Speed No 7 slot 17 sources 14 destinations Fixed 2 semitones No No No Page 30 Appendix G Predefined ECS assignments The following MIDI CC parameter assignments are automatically set up on start up of Organ 3 Of course the assignments can be replaced with your own preferences using the ECS function CC 12 Main Level CC 14 Spread CC 15 Exactness CC 20 Osc 1 Waveform 1 CC 21 Osc 1 Range 1 CC 22 Osc 1 Waveform 2 CC 23 Osc 1 Range 2 CC 24 Osc 1 Waveform Mix CC 26 Osc 2 Waveform 1 CC 27 Osc 2 Range 1 CC 28 Osc 2 Waveform 2 CC 29 Osc 2 Range 2 CC 30 Osc 2 Waveform Mix CC 31 Filter FM Source CC 69 Osc Detune CC 70 Osc Ringmodulation CC 71 Osc Balance CC 72 Noise Level CC 73 Filter FM Depth CC 74 Filter Envelope Depth CC 75 Filter Envelope Attack CC 76 Filter Envelope Decay CC 77 Filter Envelope Sustain CC 78 Filter Envelope Fade CC 79 Filter Envelope Release CC 80 Filter Cutoff Frequency CC 81 Filter Resonance CC 82 Filter Drive
31. trol you can load TUN scaling files See appendix E for more details Finally the rear panel also contains your Alpha Synthesizers truncated serial number and the version number To switch back to the front panel click the LinPlug logo on the rear panel Get The Full Version Obtaining the Full Version of the Alpha is very easy All you have to do is visit our online shop at www linplug com and purchase a license As soon as your transaction has been authorized you will be sent a personal serial number In most cases this will only take a few minutes After you ve installed and opened the full version of the Alpha go to the instrument s rear panel The S N edit box should read Enter here Enter the serial number you have received into the S N edit box If the serial number has not been entered or it has been entered incorrectly the full version of the Alpha will not play any notes After entering the serial number return to the Alpha s front panel Now send the Alpha a few note on messages After the Alpha receives the first few note on messages it automatically becomes registered If you have any questions regarding the Alpha s registration process please visit our support area at www linplug com LinPlug Alpha Series User Manual 3 0 Page 21 Glossary AM AM or Amplitude Modulation is a process where the amplitude of one generator the carrier is controlled by another the modulator When the frequency of the modulator is pe
32. ultaneously The Alpha contains three oscillators Each oscillator s pitch amplitude and symmetry can be modulated using the Modulation Matrix Noise can be only modulated in amplitude The output of all oscillators is mixed and routed to the Filter section The filter modifies the harmonic spectrum of the oscillator s output mix and has its own dedicated envelope for controlling the filter cutoff parameter The output of the Filter section is then sent to the Chorus section The audio outputs of the Alpha are automatically connected to the input of your host software s mixer Here you can set the pan position of the Alpha s output At various points throughout the signal path you can modulate the signal using either envelopes LFOs or MIDI controllers The Alpha contains 2 independent envelopes and three LFOs that can be routed to any available modulation destination LinPlug Alpha Series User Manual 3 0 Page 6 Controls Users have the option of controlling all Alpha synthesizer dials in either a circular or a linear manner depending on the Dial Mode setting on the Alpha s rear panel see the Main section of this manual for more information about the Alpha s rear panel Holding down the ALT key while clicking on a control changes the selected control s value a minimum step upwards when clicking in the upper half of the control or a minimum step downwards when clicking in the lower half of the control Holding down the CTRL ke
33. y on PC and Command Apple key on Mac while clicking on a control sets the control to its default value Holding down the SHIFT key while changing a control s value enables finer control values to be set Double clicking once in a Modulation Matrix slot sets the value of the slot to 0 00 Double clicking in the same slot a second time resets the slot to its previous value All Controls can be automated using external MIDI messages To do this you need to use the Alpha s ECS Easy Controller Setup which is described in the Main section of this manual LinPlug Alpha Series User Manual 3 0 Page 7 Oscillators The Alpha s oscillator module is very versatile because it contains many waveforms and uses a high quality signal generation algorithm so it sounds smoother and more powerful as ever before The Alpha s two main oscillators are located on the left of the front panel Each of the Alpha s two oscillator modules outputs a waveform that is a combination of two basic waveforms So the amount of available waveforms it literally endless 2 noise 2 A bal B ring voices all Each waveform type is set by clicking on the waveform name in the Alpha s OSC 1 OSC 2 sections This opens a menu that allows you to select from the available waveforms See Appendix B for a complete list of all waveforms The oscillators pitch range is set in a similar manner right of the waveform The F switch on the left allows you to switch
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