discoDSP Discovery Pro User Manual

Virtual analog + wave + pad synthesizer

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discoDSP Discovery Pro

Users Manual

Virtual Analog + Wave + PAD Synthesizer

http://www.disc odsp .com/

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Summary of Contents for discoDSP Discovery Pro

Page 1 Discovery Pro Users Manual Virtual Analog + Wave + PAD Synthesizer http://www.disc odsp .com/...
Page 2: Installation
Description Discovery Pro is a virtual analog synthesizer emulation for Audio Units and VST hosts featuring multi-layering, parameter morphing, high-quality sound, WAV and SF2 support, PAD re-synthesis and straightforward interface. Installation Apple OS X ● Run the installer and follow the instructions.
Page 3 Features Discovery boasts the following powerful feature set: 128 Patch Memories per bank. ● Parameter Morphing using Modulation Wheel or MIDI velocity. ● 2x oversampling / 2x oversampled distortions. ● Bank browser (by clicking arrows in display led and bank name). ●...
Page 4: Basic Concepts
You are able to browse all the FXB banks by clicking the arrows in the status LCD or clicking the bank name to display a drop-down menu. All banks are located at Documents > discoDSP > Discovery Pro 6 > Bank folder. You can add your own banks using EDIT > File > Import Bank function.
Page 5: Morphing State Knob Editing
Morphing state knob editing In normal mode, holding Ctrl / while moving the knob will modify morph sensibility. Behavior will be backwards when Morph mode is on. MIDI Aftertouch knob editing MIDI Aftertouch can be assigned to any knob. Useful to control LFO speed, flter cutof, resulting in more expressive sounds.
Page 6: Lfo Sync To Host Tempo
Unison: Applies values from text fle unison.cfg located at ● Documents > discoDSP > Discovery Pro > Config from frst layer to the other ones. For details refer to Unison edit at the end of this manual. Rename: Renames current program name.
Page 7 Key Split: ● Of: Set layers to be played all at once. ● AB/CD: Plays layers A/B from C0 to B3 and C/D from C4 to B9. ● Custom: Plays a custom note range from from C0 to B9 for each layer. ●...
Page 8: Zone Presets
They are stored at Documents > discoDSP > Discovery Pro > Presets folder using a standard XML format. Such fles can be shared without the need of importing or...
Page 9 Layers Discovery Pro can hold 128 patches at any one time. Each patch may contain up to 4 layers. Combining layers can be used to create complex sounds that simple subtractive synthesis cannot achieve. Discovery Pro supports up to 128 polyphonic voices. If all 4 layers are enabled, a single note will count as 4 individual voices, reducing the actual polyphony to 8 in these instances.
Page 10: Parameter Morphing
You can easily toggle between both morph states by left-clicking the ASSIGN button, located in the top left of Discovery Pro under the "Morph" label. When the ASSIGN led is active, all parameter modifcations are being made to the MORPH state.
Page 11: Global Layer Options
Global Layer Options Oct Shift: Shifts pitch in octaves of the layer. ● Pitch Bend: Pitch bender allows you to drastically change the pitch of the current ● patch in real-time. You can modify the pitch bend range from 1 to 48 semitones by clicking the LCD arrows or clicking numbers for a drop-down menu.
Page 12: Oscillator Section
Oscillator Section Oscillators are the basis of sound generation in subtractive synthesis. Discovery includes two primary oscillators, each with various modes and waveform types. Waveforms available in Discovery Pro are: Wave Useful for creating... Type Sine FM, Leads, Percussion, Organs.
Page 13 Oscillator 1 (OSC1) OSC1 is the primary sound source in Discovery. This oscillator uses the pitch of the incoming note and plays it in the specifed waveform type. OSC1 can be one any of the following waveform types (shown from the top down): Sine.
Page 14 Oscillator 2 (OSC2) Discovery ofers a second oscillator, which adds additional sound design capabilities to your patches. The second oscillator may be used in various ways such as mixing with, or modulating the frequency of OSC1. OSC2 can be set to any of the following waveforms: Triangle.
Page 15: Oscillator Modes
Oscillator Modes Pulse Width: Determines the de-phasing amount between the two saw tooth ● waves that build up the Pulse wave. This results in the pulse width of BOTH oscillator pulse wave shapes (only works for PWM). Lesser values (turned left) result in a square formed PWM. Higher values result in a train of small pulses.
Page 16 To add your own sound banks just zip a set of WAV fles and use .dwb extension, or select a SoundFont 2 (SF2) fle. Then place it on Documents > discoDSP > Discovery Pro > Waves folder and they will appear next time Bank LCD is clicked.
Page 17 TIPS OSC1 and OSC2 can be disabled by clicking the blue led located at the left of ● OSCILLATORS label. Full octave switching can be easily performed by clicking + and – labels. ●...
Page 18: Filter Section
Filter Section Once oscillators are mixed, sound is next routed through the Discovery flter section. This section will transform the frequency response of the signal. A flter is a unit that changes the magnitude of a range of frequencies of the sound, boosting or cutting these frequency values.
Page 19: Filter Types
Filter Types Discovery Pro has 12 flter types. You may toggle through these types using the buttons below the LCD Filter Type section or by clicking flter name LED to make a drop down menu appear. The active flter is also showed in the display.
Page 20: Filter Envelope
Filter Envelope The Filter Envelope allows easy ADSR (Attack, Decay, Sustain, Release) envelope based modulation of the flter Cutof control. Attack: Controls for the time in which the flter envelope moves from 0 (note play) ● to full flter (based on the Envelope Amount, below). Decay: Controls the time length between the end of attack and the sustain level.
Page 21: Modulation Section
Modulation Section Low Frequency Oscillator 1 (LFO1) Discovery Pro includes two LFO's (Low Frequency Oscillators), a Modulation Envelope (with 2 stages and state variable amount control) and a Graphic Envelope Generator. LFO oscillators operate much like the basic Discovery oscillators, only at much slower speeds Rate: This control sets the speed (frequency) of LFO1.
Page 22 Destination: To the left to the waveform selector is the LFO1 Destination selector. This feature allows you to choose which control(s) this LFO will modulate. The following LFO1 modulation destinations are available: FM: OSC2 to OSC1 FM (Frequency Modulation) amount. ●...
Page 23: Lfo2 Arpeggiator
LFO2 Arpeggiator ARP: You can enable Discovery's Arpeggiator by left-clicking the ARP button in the LFO2 section. When active, LFO2 operates in ARP (Arpeggiator) mode. An Arpeggiator is basically a simple sequencer which continually plays notes automatically as a note or notes are held. The notes played depend of the keys currently pressed and the arpeggiator range.
Page 24 Destination: The following destinations are available to the Mod Envelope: FM: Frequency Modulation Amount. ● PW: Pulse Waveform Width. ● OSC2: OSC2 Pitch. ● O2+W: OSC2 and WAVE pitch. ● Amount: Sets modulation. This modulation can be positive, negative, or anything in between.
Page 25 Limiter: Applies a compressor with –Inf:1 ratio for the current layer. ● Discovery Pro can also switch from default linear envelope behavior to exponential, which is usually better for pads, by clicking the LED next to each knob. Once LED is enabled, that particular envelope stage will...
Page 26: Panning, Delay/Echo And Gate
Panning, Delay/Echo and Gate Discovery has built in stereo delay, panning and gate efect units. Panning This efect can be used to widen a sound or give it interesting panning efects per layer. You can sync Mod Rate to host tempo by clicking the led located next to Mod Rate knob. Position: Position in the stereo feld.
Page 27 Delay/Echo This efect can be used to add spacey echo efect, or widen a sound. You can sync Left/ Right Delay to host tempo by clicking the led located between Left and Right knobs. Level: Controls the amount of the delay efect. No Level value (knob turned ●...
Page 28 Gate To enable Gate page efect, do so by clicking the small blue led next to GATE. NOTE: You can enable and disable multiple gate steps by left clicking and dragging the mouse while moving on the pattern. Level: Controls the amount of the gate foor efect. No Level value (knob turned ●...
Page 29: Importing And Exporting Sysex
(A) and applies it over all of them (A, B, C and/or D) depending of the preset. If we open unison.txt located at Documents > discoDSP > Discovery Pro > Config using Edit > File > Open Unison we can see a list of default presets and the way how new ones can be made.
Page 30: Version History
Version History Release 6.7.1 Fixed Phaser Filter issues. ● Release 6.7 Layer solo: Use Alt + click on slot / button to solo / unsolo layer. ● EDIT > File > Save Program to Active Bank. ● EDIT > Paste > Morph to all layers. ●...
Page 31 Added License.dat copy protection. This fle is provided at discoDSP Members ● Area or new purchases. It has to be placed at Documents > discoDSP > Discovery Pro folder to make the plug-in run. Added EDIT > Confg > MIDI Out option.
Page 32 Release 6.4.2 Auto-loop for single cycle waveforms with less than 2048 samples. ● Auto-tune for unlooped waveforms. ● Enhanced voice stealing algorithm. ● Wave oscillator .wav fne-tune support. ● Release 6.4.1 Double clicking a knob resets to original position. ● Mod amount now refects mouse values and OCT range correctly.
Page 33 New Nord Lead 2 modeled flters using Zero Delay Feedback technology. ● Data folder now placed at Documents > discoDSP > Discovery Pro 6. ● EDIT > Reset > Bank / Program / Layer will get values from Documents >...
Page 34 Data folder moved to Documents > discoDSP > Discovery Pro with categorized ● folders. EDIT > Reset > Program and Layer read the settings from Documents > discoDSP ● > Discovery Pro > Presets > Default.fxp fle now. EDIT > File > Import WAVE automatically places WAV fles at discoDSP >...
Page 35 Release 5.3 Aftertouch support. EDIT > Switch > Aftertouch mode or Shift + Click ABCD ● button. Faster Sine Wave VA oscillator. ● MIDI CC Switch to edit Layers A-D using #63. ● EDIT > Help > Open HTML Manual. ●...
Page 36 Mac DMG image now includes alias to Audio Units, VST, RTAS and Plug-Ins ● folders for a easier installation. Apple GarageBand 09 and Logic 9 compatibility. ● RTAS version. ● Release 1 Initial Release. ● Copyright Discovery Pro is © discoDSP. All rights reserved.