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Related Manuals for Zeppelin Design Labs Altura Theremin
Summary of Contents for Zeppelin Design Labs Altura Theremin
- Page 2 PRESETS......................... 24 © 2017 ZEPPELIN DESIGN LABS. NO PART OF THIS DOCUMENT MAY BE REPRODUCED WITHOUT WRITTEN PERMISSION FROM THE AUTHOR. ZEPPELIN DESIGN LABS TAKES NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR ANY DAMAGE OR HARM THAT MAY COME TO ANYONE OR ANYTHING THROUGH THEIR PRODUCTS. THE ALTURA SOFTWARE IS DISTRIBUTED UNDER THE CREATIvE COMMONS SHARE-ALIKE / ATTRIBUTION / NON-COMMERCIAL LICENSE.
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Page 3: Quick Start Guide
QUICK START GUIDE Look for the companion demo video at http://zeppelindesignlabs.com/product/altura/ or on our YouTube channel. The ALTURA is a MIDI controller that emulates the classic theremin. The right sensor transmits note data to set the pitch. The left sensor transmits a variety of MIDI controller data to influence the sound in many ways. - Page 4 7. WAVE YOUR LEFT HAND The left sensor sends Control Change data to your synth to influence the sound in a variety of ways. It is presently in Function 1: Pitch Bend mode. Play a steady note with your right hand, and also wave your left hand. The display will show a cute spinny-graphic that represents Bend Up and Bend Down –...
- Page 5 • Function 2: Modulation Turn DATA FAR to 0 and DATA NEAR to 127. The DATA knobs set the maximum and minimum MIDI value to be transmitted when your left hand is near to or far from the left sensor. Wave your left hand, and as the number rises you should hear note modulation, usually a tremolo effect.
- Page 6 • Function 6: X-Y Mode In this mode, the right sensor behaves like the left. Each sensor sends MIDI values from 0 – 127 to a different Control Change number. Select left and right CC#’s with the KEY and SCALE knobs. Set the right sensor MIDI max and min with the OCTAvE knobs. DATA DATA OCTAVE...
- Page 7 9. CHANGE THE KEY AND SCALE Set FUNCTION to any value from 1 to 4. Now turn the KEY knob slowly to the right while playing notes with your right hand. The display will move through the twelve root notes of the Western scale, with a decimal indicating Sharp: C C.
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Page 8: Reference Manual
REFERENCE MANUAL INTRODUCTION The Altura Theremin MIDI Controller by Zeppelin Design Labs emulates the behavior of the early electronic instrument invented by Russian physicist Léon Theremin in 1920. Léon’s device features a pair of antennae that act as plates of two capacitors. -
Page 9: How It Works
As a result, the Altura always plays in tune! The Altura was designed as a companion to the Macchiato Mini Synth by Zeppelin Design Labs. There are a few special features that will only work well when paired with the Macchiato. Otherwise, the Altura conforms with General MIDI specifications and should easily control any device bearing this mark. -
Page 10: Feature List
FEATURE LIST REAR PANEL 1. 9v DC Power Input 2. Power On/Off 3. MIDI Out TOP PANEL 1. Power On Indicator 2. 3-Digit Display 3. Left Distance Sensor – MIDI Control Functions 4. Right Sensor – MIDI Pitch 5. DATA FAR Adjust 6. - Page 11 ON THE PCB 1. Battery Holder 2. ISP Header 3. Articulation Adjust...
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Page 12: Rear Panel Features
200mA MINIMUM Zeppelin Design Labs offers a suitable power supply as an accessory. Simply plug the cable into the back of your Altura under the “9v” label. This disconnects the battery. It does not matter if you leave the battery inside. The only concern is if years go by and you forget the battery is there, and it leaks all over your Altura. -
Page 13: Digit Display
2. 3-DIGIT DISPLAY Depending on conditions, this display shows a variety of information. It times out after 60 seconds and turns itself off, to spare your battery. To reactivate it, just turn any knob, or wave a hand in front of either sensor. -
Page 14: Left Distance Sensor – Midi Control Functions
When most people play with an Altura for the first time, their instinct is to wiggle their fingers and flap their hands. This will produce chaotic results, which may be what you are after. However, for precise melodic control, you must hold your hand flat and steady, and perpendicular to the axis of the sensor. For stage drama, you might want to perform with paddles or dinner plates strapped to your hands. -
Page 15: Data Far And Near Adjust
You can set the key and scale in which the Altura will play. This restricts the MIDI note numbers to those within the selected key signature. See the KEY and SCALE sections, below. Another trick the Altura uses to stabilize note selection is what we call Articulation. This limits how frequently the device will update the note being played. -
Page 16: Midi Function Select
. If you are using a Macchiato Mini Synth by 0 - 12 Zeppelin Design Labs, this will set the number of semitones the pitch will change at maximum bend up and down. On other devices, this knob will have no effect or an unpredictable effect. - Page 17 something unexpected will happen. You will have to route the Altura through software to redirect this control number, or avoid touching this knob when in Pitch Bend function. Turn the DATA NEAR knob to display numbers . This changes the size of the Neutral 0 - 127 Zone that separates the Bend Up zone from the Bend Down zone.
- Page 18 velocity usually impacts the volume of the note, but your synth might use this data to influence other effects, such as brightness or voice switching. This controller acts like a slider: Set velocity to a particular number; remove your hand and that number will “stick”. All notes will now play with that velocity value.
- Page 19 FUNCTION 6: X-Y MODE This function causes the right sensor to emulate the left sensor: it no longer sends Note On messages. It sends control change messages of your choosing, just like the left sensor. You would use this mode not to create melodies, but to shape the sound already being produced by a synthesizer.
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Page 20: Key (Root Note) Select
8. KEY (ROOT NOTE) SELECT The KEY knob sets the root note of the scale you are playing. Turn the KEY knob and the display will show a letter and a number, i.e. D 4. The letter will change as you turn. It will display the twelve notes of the Western scale, with a decimal to indicate sharps: C C. -
Page 21: Octave Near And Octave Far Select
10, 11. OCTAvE NEAR AND OCTAvE FAR SELECT The Altura has a range of eight octaves (1 – 8), covering MIDI note numbers 12 (C0) through 119 (B8). (The original theremin had a range of about 5-1/2 octaves.) You do not have access to the lowest subsonic tones, or the few highest squealing notes. -
Page 22: Battery Holder
1. Be sure to attach your programmer to the header correctly! We used a USB-Tiny clone programmer to develop the Altura. Zeppelin Design Labs offers this programmer as an accessory. If you obtain a programmer from another source such as Sparkfun or Adafruit, be sure it is a USB-Tiny. -
Page 23: Programming The Altura Theremin Midi Controller
ISP header on your Altura’s PCB makes it super-simple to obtain software updates from Zeppelin Design Labs and flash them to your Altura. The Altura Theremin MIDI Controller is covered by the Creative Commons Share Alike / Attribution / Non-Commercial license. You are free to modify and redistribute the Altura software as long as you a) redistribute it under the same license as the original, b) give proper attribution to all previous contributors, and c) don’t try to sell your work without talking to us about it first. -
Page 24: Presets
PRESETS Here are a few suggestions for setting up your Altura to achieve specific effects. Theremin Synth Lead Piano Whistle or Square Piano or Synth voice Saw Lead Lead other Macchiato Waveform Sine, Saw Square Triangle Modulation Near Modulation Far Modulation Set value velocity Near velocity Far...