Creating Sounds; How Sounds Are Created - Roland SH-201 Owner's Manual

Creating sounds

How sounds are created

The following diagram shows the basic process by which the SH-201 creates sounds.
fig.SH-Structure.e
OSC 1
Generates the
waveform and
specifies the pitch
PITCH ENV
Varies the pitch
at which the
sound begins
The three elements of sound
There are three important elements that determine the character of a sound; the pitch, the brightness, and the volume.
On the SH-201, these three elements are specified by the following sections.
• Pitch: OSC (oscillator; p. 28)
• Brightness: FILTER (filter; p. 34)
• Volume: AMP (amplifier; p. 38)
First, use the OSC section to specify the pitch. Next, use the FILTER section to specify the brightness. Finally, use the
AMP section to specify the volume. This is the basic procedure for creating a sound.
In actuality, the brightness of the sound is dramatically affected by the waveform generated by the OSC section, but
the process is as described above.
Time-varying change in the sound (Envelope)
The OSC, FILTER, and AMP sections can vary the pitch, brightness, and volume of the sound over time.
For example, you can make the pitch fall momentarily at the beginning of each note, or make the volume of each note
gradually increase.
The way in which some aspect of a note changes over time is called the "envelope." The envelope is specified by the
following sections.
• Pitch: PITCH ENV (pitch envelope; p. 31)
• Brightness: FILTER ENV (filter envelope; p. 37)
• Volume: AMP ENV (amp envelope; p. 38)
Cyclic change in the sound (Modulation)
The OSC, FILTER, and AMP sections can also be controlled by an LFO (Low Frequency Oscillator; p. 40) to cyclically
vary aspects of the sound such as pitch (producing vibrato) or volume (producing tremolo).
Cyclic change applied to the pitch, tone, or volume in this way is called "modulation."
The SH-201 has two LFO units, allowing you to simultaneously apply modulation of differing speeds and
waveforms.
A patch suitable as a starting point for creating sound "from scratch" is provided at the end of preset group
bank D. Use this patch as desired.
OSC 2
Generates the
MIX/MOD
waveform and
specifies the pitch
Mixes
waveforms
LFO 1 LFO 2
Modulates the pitch, Modulates the pitch,
the brightness, or the brightness, or
the volume the volume
Audio signals
FILTER AMP
Specifies the Specifies the
brightness of loudness of
the sound the sound
FILTER ENV AMP ENV
Varies the brightness Specifies how the
as the sound begins sound begins and
or ends ends
Control signals
EFFECTS
Adds depth or
spaciousness
27