Strymon NIGHTSKY User Manual
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Strymon NIGHTSKY User Manual

Time-warped reverberator
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  • Page 1 USER MANUAL...

  • Page 2: Table Of Contents

    NightSky - Time-Warped Reverberator Table of Contents Introduction Front Panel TONE DECAY VOICE Controls and Connections Rear Panel I/O and Control Footswitches INFINITE FAVORITE Sequence Mode Live Edit Functions Morph Power Up Modes External Control Expression Pedal Setup MultiSwitch Plus...

  • Page 3: Introduction

    MIDI IN MIDI OUT LINE LINE NightSky is a reverberant synthesis workstation and hands-on experimental sound design platform. NightSky allows real-time continuous control of reverb pitch/processing rate/core size and harmonic structure, and its tone shaping options include a synth-like resonant filter with multiple modulation waveshapes. A built-in eight step sequencer with variable glide time is included for controlling the reverb size/pitch.

  • Page 4: Front Panel Tone

    NightSky - Time-Warped Reverberator Front Panel - TONE DECAY TARGET SHAPE TEXTU verb pitch rand Applies filtering to the high and low frequency portions of the reverb. filter SPEED DEPTH LENGTH TONE VOICE FILTER SHIMMER -2nd +2nd regen input -4th...

  • Page 5: Decay

    NightSky - Time-Warped Reverberator Front Panel - DECAY Selects the reverb type and sets the tail characteristics. DECAY SHAPE TEXTURE QUANTIZE sparse smooth rand dense half step di use scale DEPTH LENGTH SIZE / PITCH REVERB VOICE SHIMMER GLIMMER DRIVE...
  • Page 6 NightSky - Time-Warped Reverberator Front Panel - DECAY (cont.) SIZE/PITCH DECAY TARGET SHAPE TEXTURE QUANTIZE verb sparse smooth Increases the size of the reverb pitch rand dense half step core to create a larger “space” filter di use scale for reflections as the knob is...
  • Page 7 NightSky - Time-Warped Reverberator Front Panel - DECAY DECAY TARGET SHAPE (cont.) TEXTURE QUANTIZE verb sparse smooth pitch rand dense half step filter di use scale DECAY SHAPE TEXTURE QUANTIZE SPEED DEPTH LENGTH SIZE / PITCH REVERB sparse smooth TONE...

  • Page 8: Voice

    NightSky - Time-Warped Reverberator DECAY TARGET SHAPE TEXTURE QUANTIZE Front Panel - VOICE verb sparse smooth pitch rand dense half step filter di use scale Adds pitch, harmonics, and distortion to the reverberated signal. DEPTH LENGTH SIZE / PITCH REVERB...
  • Page 9 NightSky - Time-Warped Reverberator DECAY TARGET SHAPE TEXTURE QUANTIZE verb sparse smooth pitch rand dense half step Front Panel - VOICE (cont.) filter di use scale DEPTH LENGTH SIZE / PITCH REVERB VOICE FILTER SHIMMER GLIMMER DRIVE -2nd +2nd regen...

  • Page 10: Mod

    NightSky - Time-Warped Reverberator Front Panel - MOD Applies modulation of the selected waveshape to the selected target. DECAY TARGET SHAPE TEXTURE verb sparse pitch rand dense filter di use SPEED DEPTH LENGTH SIZE / TONE VOICE FILTER SHIMMER -2nd...
  • Page 11 NightSky - Time-Warped Reverberator Front Panel - MOD (cont.) DECAY TARGET SHAPE TEXTURE verb sparse pitch rand dense filter di use SPEED DEPTH LENGTH SIZE / TONE VOICE FILTER SHIMMER -2nd +2nd regen input -4th +4th SHAPE low pass regen...

  • Page 12: Mix

    NightSky - Time-Warped Reverberator Front Panel - MIX UANTIZE smooth REVERB half step scale Sets the output level of the reverberated signal. REVERB DRIVE post Sets the output level of the dry signal. No dry signal at minimum, unity gain at 12 o’clock, and +3dB boost of the dry signal at maximum.

  • Page 13: Rear Panel I/O And Control

    DECAY NightSky TARGET SHAPE TEXTURE QUANTIZE - Time-Warped Reverberator verb sparse smooth pitch rand dense half step filter di use scale Rear Panel - Rear Panel I/O and Control SPEED DEPTH LENGTH SIZE / PITCH REVERB TONE VOICE FILTER SHIMMER...
  • Page 14 MIDI OUT LINE MIDI IN MIDI OUT Full featured 5-pin DIN MIDI Sends MIDI data generated input. Provides support for by NightSky or echoes MIDI receiving: messages received at the MIDI IN port. MIDI Program Change (PC): (See page 31 for details.)
  • Page 15 To configure the EXP jack, press and hold the INFINITE footswitch while connecting power to NightSky. Once all three footswitch LEDs hold (morph) hold (sequence) light up, release the footswitch. Turn the REVERB knob to select the mode (see below).
  • Page 16 NightSky - Time-Warped Reverberator hold (morph) hold (sequence) Rear Panel - Rear Panel I/O and Control (cont.) 9VDC LEFT IN RIGHT IN LEFT OUT RIGHT OUT INST MIDI IN MIDI OUT LINE 9VDC Used for MIDI control as well as Use the included power supply for performing firmware updates.

  • Page 17: Footswitches On

    filter di use scale SPEED DEPTH LENGTH SIZE / PITCH REVERB NightSky - Time-Warped Reverberator TONE VOICE FILTER SHIMMER GLIMMER DRIVE -2nd +2nd regen input high -4th +4th low pass regen post -5th +5th Footswitches - ON...

  • Page 18: Infinite

    NightSky - Time-Warped Reverberator Footswitches - INFINITE DECAY TARGET SHAPE TEXTURE QUANTIZE verb sparse smooth pitch rand dense half step filter di use scale SPEED DEPTH LENGTH SIZE / PITCH REVERB TONE VOICE FILTER SHIMMER GLIMMER DRIVE -2nd +2nd regen...

  • Page 19: Favorite

    (morph) hold (sequence) There are 16 onboard presets that are accessible by using the 8 PRESET BUTTONS on NightSky. They are arranged in 2 banks of 8 presets with different PRESET BUTTON colors indicating the selected 9VDC bank.
  • Page 20 Press the same PRESET BUTTON twice before pressing the FAVORITE footswitch to save to a different preset bank. Send NightSky a MIDI Program Change message to save to the corresponding preset location. To exit without saving, press the INFINITE footswitch.

  • Page 21: Sequence Mode

    NightSky - Time-Warped Reverberator Sequence Mode NightSky has a built-in eight step sequencer where each step can have an independent SIZE/PITCH parameter setting for creating rhythmical pitch patterns with the currently loaded reverb settings. The sequence can be stepped through manually with the ON (sequence step)
  • Page 22 NightSky - Time-Warped Reverberator Sequence Mode (cont.) PROGRAMMING A SEQUENCE Press a PRESET BUTTON to enable (AMBER button LED) or disable (button LED OFF) the sequence step. A maximum of eight steps can be active for the sequence. DECAY TARGET...
  • Page 23 MIDI IN MIDI OUT sequencer to run from step 1 if the sequencer is already running. If NightSky is receiving MIDI clock, a single press will run the sequence. LINE SEQUENCE GLIDE Sequence Glide can be adjusted to add portamento to smooth the changes between the sequence steps.
  • Page 24 NightSky - Time-Warped Reverberator Sequence Mode (cont.) MANUAL STEP MODE Press the ON (sequence step) footswitch to advance the sequence to the next step with each press. A PRESET BUTTON LED will illuminate to indicate the current step. NOTE: If the sequencer is running, pressing the ON (sequence step) footswitch once will stop the sequence and return to the first step.

  • Page 25: Live Edit Functions

    NightSky - Time-Warped Reverberator Live Edit Functions NightSky provides a way to adjust several settings that do not have a dedicated knob or button. Live Edit Functions are saved per preset. DECAY TARGET SHAPE TEXTURE QUANTIZE verb sparse smooth pitch...
  • Page 26 MIDI IN MIDI OUT RESPOND TO MIDI CLOCK Determines whether NightSky’s sequencer will respond to MIDI Clock. Press and hold PRESET BUTTONS 1 & 4, turn the SPEED knob. ON LED color will indicate the status. MIDI Clock Off =...
  • Page 27 NightSky - Time-Warped Reverberator Live Edit Functions (cont.) INFINITE INPUT Determines whether new audio received at the inputs will continue to be processed by the reverb while INFINITE is active. Press and hold the TARGET button and turn the REVERB knob. The status will be shown on PRESET BUTTON 1.

  • Page 28: Morph

    NightSky - Time-Warped Reverberator Morph The Morph function allows NightSky to sweep between the current sound of the pedal and a set of alternate knob settings and back by holding down the ON footswitch. Morph parameter settings are saved per preset.

  • Page 29: Power Up Modes

    GREEN Reverb in the buffer will persist when the pedal is bypassed or a new preset is loaded. Enabling Spillover automatically puts NightSky into Buffered Bypass mode. Persist OFF = (default) Reverb in the buffer will stop when the pedal is bypassed or a new preset is loaded.
  • Page 30 TRS MIDI OUTPUT This determines what kind of MIDI data is sent out of NightSky’s TRS MIDI output. Note that if you are only sending MIDI data to NightSky – the most common configuration – the MIDI Output mode must be set to OFF.
  • Page 31 (default) NOTE: Only messages generated by NightSky’s UI are sent out of the MIDI OUT port. Through = LED NOTE: MIDI messages sent to NightSky are echoed to the MIDI OUT port without adding messages generated by the UI. pg 31...

  • Page 32: External Control Expression Pedal Setup

    -5th +5th -8va +8va LOW CUT HIGH CUT INTERVAL SHIMMER Use a TRS Expression pedal to control the knobs of NightSky. FAVORITE INFINITE Configure the EXP jack for Expression mode. sequence step sequence tap (See for details.) page hold (morph)
  • Page 33 NightSky - Time-Warped Reverberator External Control – Expression Pedal Setup (cont.) Set the knobs the way you would like them to be in the HEEL position. Once a knob is turned, PRESET BUTTONS 1-4 will flash RED. Rock the expression pedal forward to the TOE position and PRESET BUTTONS 5-8 will flash GREEN.

  • Page 34: Multiswitch Plus

    Turn the LENGTH knob all the way counter-clockwise to set the TRS MIDI OUT mode to ON. The FAVORITE LED should be GREEN. Connect a TRS cable to the EXP jack of NightSky. You’ll connect the other end of the TRS cable to MultiSwitch Plus in the next step.
  • Page 35 Multiswitch Plus will now function according to the EXP jack mode you have chosen in step three. NOTE: If NightSky is in Sequence mode, loading a new preset will stop the sequence and cause the pedal to switch to Reverb mode.

  • Page 36: Midi Specifications

    MIDI BANK 1 = PRESETS 128-255 MIDI BANK 2 = PRESETS 256-299 NightSky always powers up in MIDI Patch Bank 0, so if you plan to stay within the first 127 presets, simply send a standard MIDI Program Change message to load a preset.
  • Page 37 NightSky - Time-Warped Reverberator MIDI Specifications (cont.) MIDI CC NUMBERS PARAMETERS RANGE NOTES Bank Select Mix - Reverb Level 0-127 Mix - Dry Level 0-127 Mod - Speed 0-127 Mod - Target (0=verb, 1=pitch, 2=filter) Mod - Depth 0-127 Mod - Shape...
  • Page 38 NightSky - Time-Warped Reverberator MIDI Specifications (cont.) MIDI CC NUMBERS PARAMETERS RANGE NOTES Voice - Shimmer (0=input, 1=regen) Voice - Shimmer Level 0-127 Voice - Glimmer (0=off, 1=high, 2=low) Voice - Glimmer Gain 0-127 (0=off, 1=pre, 2=post) Voice - Drive...
  • Page 39 NightSky - Time-Warped Reverberator MIDI Specifications (cont.) MIDI CC NUMBERS PARAMETERS RANGE NOTES MIDI Expression Off/On 0, 1-127 (0=off, 1-127=on) MIDI Clock Off/On 0, 1-127 (0=off, 1-127=on) Footswitch Favorite 0, 1-127 (0=release, 1-127=press) Footswitch On 0, 1-127 (0=release, 1-127=press) (0=release, 1-127=press)

  • Page 40: Factory Reset

    FAVORITE LED will change colors at the extremes of the knob LINE range and blink to indicate when the reset is taking place. Turn 1: AMBER Turn 2: Turn 3: AMBER Turn 4: All three footswitch LEDs flash RED, NightSky resets and restarts. pg 40...

  • Page 41: Factory Settings

    NightSky - Time-Warped Reverberator Factory Settings POWER UP DEFAULTS Bypass Mode: True Bypass MIDI Channel: 1 Persist: Off EXP Jack Options: Expression Output Sum: Off Kill Dry: Off SEND MIDI CC: Off MIDI Program Change: Off TRS MIDI Output Mode: On...

  • Page 42: Sample Settings

    NightSky - Time-Warped Reverberator Sample Settings PRESET 1 - LOOK UP MIDI clock / MIDI exp: OFF Infinite Input: on Glimmer Gain: 12 o’clock Scale Select: minor pentatonic Drive Gain: max Low Pass Resonance: min Pre-Delay: 10’oclock Sequence Glide: min...
  • Page 43 NightSky - Time-Warped Reverberator Sample Settings PRESET 3 - PULSAR MIDI clock / MIDI exp: OFF Infinite Input: on Glimmer Gain: 12 o’clock Scale Select: harmonic minor Drive Gain: 1 o’clock Low Pass Resonance: 12 o’clock Pre-Delay: min Sequence Glide: min...
  • Page 44 NightSky - Time-Warped Reverberator Sample Settings PRESET 5 - RINGS OF SATURN MIDI clock / MIDI exp: OFF Infinite Input: on Glimmer Gain: 12 o’clock Scale Select: major Drive Gain: max Low Pass Resonance: 11 o’clock Pre-Delay: min Sequence Glide: 12 o’clock...
  • Page 45 NightSky - Time-Warped Reverberator Sample Settings PRESET 7 - OMEGA NEBULA MIDI clock / MIDI exp: OFF Infinite Input: on Glimmer Gain: 12 o’clock Scale Select: dorian Drive Gain: max Low Pass Resonance: 12 o’clock Pre-Delay: min Sequence Glide: min...
  • Page 46 NightSky - Time-Warped Reverberator Sample Settings PRESET 9 - APERTURE MIDI clock / MIDI exp: OFF Infinite Input: on Glimmer Gain: 12 o’clock Scale Select: minor pentatonic Drive Gain: max Low Pass Resonance: min Pre-Delay: min Sequence Glide: min PRESET 10 - SPIRAL GALAXY...
  • Page 47 NightSky - Time-Warped Reverberator Sample Settings PRESET 11 - NORTHERN LIGHTS MIDI clock / MIDI exp: OFF Infinite Input: on Glimmer Gain: 12 o’clock Scale Select: minor blues Drive Gain: max Low Pass Resonance: 11 o’clock Pre-Delay: min Sequence Glide: min...
  • Page 48 NightSky - Time-Warped Reverberator Sample Settings PRESET 13 - SPACE WALK MIDI clock / MIDI exp: OFF Infinite Input: on Glimmer Gain: 12 o’clock Scale Select: dorian Drive Gain: max Low Pass Resonance: 12 o’clock Pre-Delay: min Sequence Glide: min...
  • Page 49 NightSky - Time-Warped Reverberator Sample Settings PRESET 15 - CELESTIAL MEMORY MIDI clock / MIDI exp: OFF Infinite Input: on Glimmer Gain: 12 o’clock Scale Select: minor blues Drive Gain: max Low Pass Resonance: 12 o’clock Pre-Delay: min Sequence Glide: min...

  • Page 50: Signal Flow Diagram

    NightSky - Time-Warped Reverberator Signal Flow Diagram This diagram shows the complete routing of audio through NightSky. Keep in mind that DRIVE, SHIMMER, and FILTER blocks can be located in only one of the shown locations. INPUT OUTPUT DRY SIGNAL...

  • Page 51: Features

    NightSky - Time-Warped Reverberator Features • Three selectable reverb types • Input Level switch allows for offer a wide variety of ambient both instrument and line level textures signals • MOD section with various • On, Favorite, and Infinite waveforms to modulate the...

  • Page 52: Specifications

    NightSky - Time-Warped Reverberator Specifications Input Impedance 1M Ohm Output Impedance 100 Ohm A/D & D/A 24-bit 96kHz Max Input Level +8dBu Frequency Response 20Hz to 20kHz Signal to Noise 115dB typical DSP Performance 1585 MegaFLOPS Bypass Switching True Bypass (electromechanical relay...

  • Page 53: Warranty

    In no event will Strymon be liable for more than the amount of the purchase price, not to exceed the current retail price of the product. Strymon disclaims any other warranties, expressed or implied.

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