Intellijel Cylonix Shapeshifter User Manual

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The SHAPESHIFTER is a dual digital voltage controlled wavetable-based oscillator in a 26-HP Eurorack format.

The wavetables consists of 128 banks, each with 8 individual 512-sample waveforms, for a total of 1024 waves. The

choice of waveform within the currently selected bank is under voltage control. There is smooth interpolation between

the waveforms within a bank, allowing a very wide range of different possible waveshapes. Oscillator 1 can be oper-

ated in a CHORD mode, which runs 8 copies of the oscillator in parallel with adjustable detuning, leading to very fat, rich

waveforms. The oscillators have extensive modulation capabilities including audio rate (98KHz) Frequency and Phase

Modulation (FM and PM) via external sources. Nonlinear combination processes allow the outputs of the two oscillators

to interact to generate complex timbres and sonic textures. The SHAPESHIFTER module also includes the analog wave

folder circuitry from the intellijel mFold II module to add analog warmth and metallic rasps to the digital output.

The module includes a sophisticated preset mode where panel settings can be stored. There are 12 user-prgrammable

preset slots and another 52 volatile slots that can be used as a scratchpad. These scratchpad slots are initialized to inter-

esting presets on module powerup. The capabilities of the preset mode is not limited to mere passive storage of settings,

however. In this mode the user can also step through, or sequence, the settings, either in order or randomly in response

to pulses input to the external sync input. This gives the user the ability to generate complex sequences of sounds. The

preset mode also allows the user to morph between the current panel settings and a preset providing a very powerful

real-time performance tool.

But, there is one more thing ... the SHAPESHIFTER also includes a 64-band vocoder!

Active Scale

SHAPESHIFTER Manual

v 1.04

Active Scale

Table of Contents

Summary of Contents for Intellijel Cylonix Shapeshifter

Page 1 The SHAPESHIFTER module also includes the analog wave folder circuitry from the intellijel mFold II module to add analog warmth and metallic rasps to the digital output. The module includes a sophisticated preset mode where panel settings can be stored. There are 12 user-prgrammable preset slots and another 52 volatile slots that can be used as a scratchpad.
Page 2 Front Panel Elements (numbers refer to the diagram on the first page) MANUAL DATA INPUT - this is a rotary encoder which is used to enter data in various operation modes. Pushing on the encoder activates a switch which enters and exits the PRESET mode. The red LED above the encoder indicates whether or not the PRESET mode is active.
Page 3 Front Panel Elements (continued...) RATIO/TIME POTENTIOMETER - this potentiometer provides an offset to the oscillator 2 RATIO setting. This is summed with the external RATIO input signal. The pitch of oscillator 2 is shifted by an amount proportional to this sum. Oscillator 2’s frequency setting is also used to set the delay time for the echo effect, thus the RATIO/TIME potentiometer can be used to alter the delay time.
Page 4 Front Panel Elements (continued...) TWO-LINE LCD DISPLAY - the top row of this display is used, in various modes, to show the waveform banks for the two oscillators, the sync mode, the pulse output source, the MODA destination, the MULTI settings, and the chord type.
Page 5 Front Panel Elements (continued...) CHORD MODE BUTTON - this button, when pressed, toggles the CHORD mode on and off. When CHORD mode is active, 8 detuned copies of oscillator 1 are running. These copies are shifted in relative pitch in musical intervals to produce chords.
Page 6 SIMPLIFIED SIGNAL FLOW DIAGRAM PITCH2 PITCH1 oscillator 1 oscillator 2 phase accumulators phase accumulator PITCH1, RATIO (x 8) TILT MOD A oscillator 1 wave tables SHAPE1 (x 8) SHAPE2 oscillator 2 wave table nonlinear waveform combiner PULSE 25MHz to 98KHz envelope generator sample rate reduction and amplifier...
Page 7 Nonlinear Waveform Combination Modes The outputs of the two oscillators are sent through a nonlinear combination process before going to the echo/ delay effect and then onto output 1. The combination process allows the generation of complex timbres and interactions between the two oscillators, as shown in the figures on the next two pages. Press the COMBO MODE button to activate the rotary encoder for selection of the combination mode.
Page 8 RING PONG INLV...
Page 9 gLcH Examples of the output of the nonlinear waveform combination process in the different waveform combination modes (the osc1 mode is not shown). The oscillator 1 and oscillator 2 waveforms are both sine waves, with the frequency of oscillator 2 set to about 16 times that of oscillator 1.
Page 10 Oscillator SYNC Modes The oscillators can be reset, or synchronized, whenever a synchronization event occurs. A synchronization event happens whenever the voltage at the SYNC input jack rises above about 0.2 volts, and also whenever the phase of the internal synchronization oscillator passes zero when the INT. SYNC mode is enabled. The synchro- nization oscillator runs at the same nominal frequency as oscillator 1 (except that it is not affected by frequen- cy modulation or detuning).
Page 11 Sync Off Hard Sync Soft Sync Reverse Sync...
Page 12 Hold/1sh Bump Sync 2=1 Sync Examples of the oscillator 2 output in the different sync modes, with int. sync turned on. Oscillator 2 is set to sine wave. In the 1=2 Sync mode (not shown) the output of oscillator 2 would look the same as in the Hard Sync mode, but the output of oscillator 1 in this case would look similar to the output shown for oscillator 2 in the 2=1 Sync mode.
Page 13 PULSE Source Modes The lower row of jacks on the front panel includes a PULSE output. This output is a two-level signal, either at 0 volts or 5 volts. This signal is derived from the outputs of oscillators 1 and 2 in various ways. Press the SYNC/PULSE/STEP button two times to activate the rotary encoder for selection of the PULSE source.
Page 14 MOD A Destinations The MOD A input located in the top row of jacks is converted to digital form at a high sampling rate (98 KHz). This digitized signal can be inserted into the system at a number of points, providing different capabilities for the module.
Page 15: Chord Mode
CHORD MODE When CHORD MODE is activated, by pressing the CHORD MODE button, the LED above the button will light up. More importantly, when CHORD MODE is active, oscillator 1 will be split into 8 separate oscillators, each out- puting the same waveform, but with different frequencies. This allows chords to be played when the frequen- cies are chosen to be at musical intervals, and provides a deep, rich, sound when the frequencies are chosen to be the same (i.e.
Page 16 CHORD MODE (continued...) CH: maj6 0 4 7 9 0 4 7 9 (major 6th) CH: maj7 0 4 7 11 0 4 7 11 (major 7th) CH:7M1st 12 4 7 11 12 4 7 11 (major 7th 1st inversion) CH:7M2nd 12 16 7 11 12 16 7 11 (major 7th 2nd inversion) CH:7M3rd...
Page 17: Multi Settings
MULTI SETTINGS The MULTI setting modifies the way in which the wavetables are read. Normally the wavetables are read in 512 sample chunks, called ‘waves’. These waves are shown in Appendix A. In the MULTI modes successive waves are strung together to provide more complex waveforms. There are four different MULTI modes, corresponding to 1 wave (normal operation with 512-sample waveforms), 2 waves strung together (1024-sample waveforms), 4 waves strung together (2048-sample waveforms), and 8 waves strung together (4096-sample waveforms).
Page 18: Tilt Function
TILT FUNCTION The TILT function phase modulates oscillator 1 with its own output. This results in a self-feedback loop which has the effect of ‘tilting’ the waveform, as shown in the diagram below. The amount of feedback, and hence the amount of tilting, is set by the TILT parameter. At large values of the TILT parameter the waveform may start to become distorted, and even chaotic.
Page 19: Drive Function
DRIVE FUNCTION The DRIVE function is operational only when CHORD MODE is active. It applies a variable amount of gain (between 1 and 3) to output1, followed by a cubic saturation process. The purpose of this function is to com- pensate somewhat for the loss of amplitude experienced due to phase cancellation of the multiple waveforms when in CHORD MODE.
Page 20 PERCUSSION MODE Percussion Mode is turned on and off by pressing the PERC. MODE button. When Percussion Mode is active, as indicated by the illumination of the LED directly above the PERC. MODE button, the output of the nonlin- ear wave combiner is passed through an amplifier whose gain is modulated by an exponential envelope. This envelope is triggered by a positive-going pulse on the SYNC input jack.
Page 21 The SHAPESHIFTER module includes a fully analog wave folding circuit. This circuit is based on the one used in intellijel mFold II module . Its input comes from the FOLD jack on the bottom row of the front panel. This jack is normalled to the OUT 1 jack meaning that when there is no cable plugged into the FOLD jack, the signal at OUT 1 is fed into the wave folder’s input.
Page 22 The wave folder output for a triangle wave input. From top to bottom the FOLD level is increasing.
Page 23: Preset Mode
PRESET MODE The SHAPESHIFTER module contains a 64-slot memory for storing parameter settings (called presets). All 64 of these preset slots can be written to by the user to save interesting settings. However, only 12 of these preset slots are in non-volatile memory (i.e. they persist after turning the power off) and the other 52 slots are in volatile memory (i.e.
Page 24 PRESET MODE (continued...) MORPH: The SHAPESHIFTER module allows you to morph between the current panel parameter settings and the settings stored in the currently selected preset. To activate this ability, press the MOD A/MORPH button (second from bottom button to the left of the rotary encoder). The LCD display will now show “Morph NN” (where NN is the currently selected preset number) and “PnL->Pst”...
Page 25 Technical Details The digital portion of the SHAPESHIFTER module is implemented in an Altera Cyclone IV Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA). The use of Gate Array technology rather than a general purpose programmable microcon- troller or DSP chip allows highly efficient implementation of fast parallel operations. The primary logic blocks are clocked at a rate of 25MHz.
Page 26 Rear View of the Module If your module is acting erratically, or not working at all, make sure that all cables on the back are securely connected. The top 40-pin cable connects the front panel board to the FPGA board. The left-hand 10-pin cable connects the module to the Doepfer format power supply.
Page 27 Version This manual is for version 1.04 of the module’s firmware. To determine the firmware version, press the QUANT., INT.SYNC., LFO (twice), CHORD MODE, and PERC. MODE buttons, so that their (six) corresponding LEDs light up (note that you want to have both of the LFO 1 and 2 LEDs light up).
Page 28 Intellijel Designs Inc. warrants this hardware product against defects in materials and workmanship when used normally in accordance with Intellijel’s published guidelines for a period of TWO (2) YEARS from the date of original retail purchase by the end-user purchaser (“Warranty Period”).
Page 29: Appendix A - Bank By Bank Graphical Wavetable Display
APPENDIX A - BANK BY BANK GRAPHICAL WAVETABLE DISPLAY Basic1 Basic2 BasRec BiPuls BitCr1 BitCr2 BitCr3 BitCr4 Buzzer Cello1 Cello2 Chip1 Chip2 Chip3 Chip4 Chip5...
Page 30 Chip6 Chirp1 Chirp2 Chirp3 Chirp4 Chirp5 Chirp6 Chirp7 Chirp8 Chirp9 Chrp10 Chrp11 Chrp12 Chrp13 Chrp14 Chrp15...
Page 31 Chrp16 Chrp17 Chrp18 Chrp19 Chrp20 Clrnet Clav1 Clav2 Dstrt1 Dstrt2 Dstrt3 eBass1 eBass2 eBass3 eBass4 ePian1...
Page 32 ePian2 ePian3 ePian4 ePian5 Flute1 GapSaw Grain1 Grain2 Grain3 Gitar1 Gitar2 Gitar3 Gitar4 Harmo1 Harmo2 Harmo3...
Page 33 LFO1 LFO2 LFO3 LFO4 LFO5 LFO6 LFO7 LFO8 LFO9 LFO10 LFO11 LFO12 LFO13 LFO14 LFO15 LFO16...
Page 34 LFO17 LFO18 LFO19 LFO20 LFO21 Misc1 Misc2 Misc3 Misc4 Noise1 Noise2 Noise3 Noise4 Noise5 Noise6 Oboes...
Page 35 Ovrto1 Ovrto2 Raw1 Raw2 Raw3 ResPls ResSaw ResSqu Saxoph Symmtr Thrmin 2Tone1 2Tone2 2Tone3 2Tone4 2Tone5...
Page 36 2Tone6 2Tone7 2Tone8 2Tone9 VidGm1 VidGm2 VidGm3 VidGm4 Violin Vocal1 Vocal2 Vocal3 Vocal4 Vocal5 Vocal6 Vocal7...
Page 37: Appendix B - Factory Presets
APPENDIX B - FACTORY PRESETS The SHAPESHIFTER powers up with presets 13 through 64 presets initialized to values read from a ROM. The user can overwrite these during operation, but any changes will be lost once the power is turned off. On the next power up these presets will be re-initialized. These presets are intended to serve as examples and starting points that the user can modify.
Page 38: Appendix C - Upgrading The Module's Firmware
APPENDIX C - UPGRADING THE MODULE’S FIRMWARE To update the Shapeshifter module’s firmware, it is simplest (although not simple) to use the Altera Quartus II Standalone programmer software. This software is available for Windows or Linux. The Windows program can be run on a Mac using Parallels. The following is the instructions for Windows 7. 1.
Page 39 7. Find the program that was downloaded (it will be named something like QuartusProgrammerSetup-13.1.0.162.exe) and run it. 8. The Quartus II Programmer and SignalTap II installation window will appear. 9. Go through all of the installation steps, specifying the install directory and so forth.
Page 40 10. Next, you may need to manually install the driver for the USB-Blaster device. This is the driver for the USB connection to the Shapeshifter module. 11. Connect a USB cable between your computer and the small board (Terasic DE0-Nano board) on the rear of the Shapeshifter module.
Page 41 15. Back in the Programmer window, click on “Add File”. In the directory dialog window that appears, select the Shapeshifter configuration update file (the .jic file, not the .bin file) that you wish to install. This file can be obtained from the Intellijel website. The programmer window will change and look something like the following:...
Page 42 16. Click on the check-box in the second row under the Program/Configure column. The “Start” button should no longer be grayed-out. 17. Click on the “Start” button to begin the download of the configuration file to the Shapeshifter board. The download process will take about 20 seconds. The Progress bar will show the progress of the downloading and when complete will read “100% (Successful)”.
Page 43: Appendix D - Changing The Wavetable Samples
3. Editing the firmware file can be done with any capable binary editing software. A suitable program is the WinHEX program from X-Ways (http://www.x-ways.net/winhex/index-m.html). 4. Download the current version of the Shapeshifter firmware from the Intellijel web site and load this into the binary editor program (the screenshot below is from the WinHEX program):...
Page 44 5. The wavebank names are also stored in the firmware file. These are stored beginning at address 0F000 (hex). See the screenshot above for the names in the factory firmware. Each name is stored in 8 consecutive bytes, and encoded in ASCII. The name for bank 1 starts at 0F0000, that for bank 2 at 0F0008, and so on through all 128 banks.
Page 45 11. Go to the Terasic Company’s download site (http://www.terasic.com/downloads/cd-rom/de0- nano/) and download the zip file or rar file for the ControlPanel software. 12. Unzip the file into some directory. 13. Connect a USB cable between your computer and the small board (Terasic DE0-Nano board) on the rear of the Shapeshifter module.
Page 46 15. Click on the “Memory” tab on the left hand side. In the “Memory Type” menu on the right hand side, choose “EPCS (100000h WORDS, 2MB)”. This will select the configuration EPROM on the Shapeshifter board. 16. Because of the way in which the EPROM is written, you first have to erase the entire EPROM. Once you do this, your Shapeshifter board will no longer be functional, so take a deep breath, and then press the “Chip Erase (30 sec.)”...