Related Manuals for Black Corporation XERXES
Summary of Contents for Black Corporation XERXES
- Page 1 INSTRUCTION MANUAL XERXES 8 VOICE POLYPHONIC ANALOG SYNTHESIZER BY BLACK CORPORATION...
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Page 2: Table Of Contents
XERXES INSTRUCTION MANUAL REV 0.7 TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION ............................. 2 FEATURES AND SPECIFICATIONS ........................2 FRONT PANEL ..............................3 OSCILLATOR 1 AND 2 ..........................4 MULTIMODE FILTER ..........................6 LFO ................................7 TUNING ..............................9 DRIFT ............................... 10 OSC 2 SYNC .............................. 11 NOISE .............................. -
Page 3: Introduction
1980s, made famous by Jean Michel Jarre, Stevie Wonder, Tangerine Dream, Nick Rhodes, and many other artists. While Xerxes can potentially produce similar sounds, its sonic palette and capabilities have been significantly improved. It has additional modulation options such as oscillator sync with... -
Page 4: Front Panel
REV 0.7 FRONT PANEL Xerxes synthesizer is designed for maximum ease-of-use. Most of the functionality can be easily controlled in real time using the buttons and knobs on the front panel. On some buttons, the current selection is indicated with a row of lights next to the button. Others serve multiple functions as indicated by a combination of lights on that button. -
Page 5: Oscillator 1 And 2
REV 0.7 OSCILLATOR 1 AND 2 Oscillators are electronic circuits that generate the audio waveforms for the synthesizer. Xerxes contains a total of 16 digitally controlled analog oscillators, two of which are used for each note. These two oscillators can have different waveform shapes, and they can also be combined in various ways thru cross modulation, providing a large number of possible waveforms. - Page 6 1 OCTAVE HIGHER OSC x PAM Pulse Amplitude Modulation (PAM) is a unique feature to the Xerxes synthesizer. The pulse amplitude (height) of the current oscillator is modulated by the waveform amplitude of the other oscillator. If this button is pressed, Pulse waveform is automatically selected.
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Page 7: Multimode Filter
XERXES INSTRUCTION MANUAL REV 0.7 OSCILLATOR 1 WAVEFORM RING MODULATED BY OSCILLATOR 2 AMPLITUDE OSC 1 SAWTOOTH RING MOD OSC 2 SQUARE NOTE: Turning on Ring Mod for both oscillators at the same time, or when combined with PWM or PAM settings, can produce harsh distortion-like noise that may not track the keyboard very well from note to note. -
Page 8: Lfo
XERXES INSTRUCTION MANUAL REV 0.7 are being controlled. Additionally, the note envelope and keyboard tracking can be changed dynamically based on velocity and keyboard position. FREQUENCY Adjusts the filter cutoff point across the frequency spectrum. The lower the knob setting, the lower the cutoff point. - Page 9 XERXES INSTRUCTION MANUAL REV 0.7 synchronized with the Sync button. Aftertouch can also have 3 levels of how strongly it affects the LFO Depth. FREQUENCY Adjusts the speed for the selected LFO A or B from about 0.02Hz to 40Hz. When SYNC is selected, frequency adjusts both A and B LFO at the same time.
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Page 10: Tuning
XERXES INSTRUCTION MANUAL REV 0.7 maximum depth value, which sounds like an attack envelope being applied, or glide if the LFO destination is an oscillator. WAVEFORM Selects a waveform for the selected LFO A or B: • SINE: Sinusoidal waveform •... -
Page 11: Drift
Drift functionality described below. DRIFT This feature is unique to the Xerxes synthesizer. While the Xerxes synthesizer is using analog oscillators, they are controlled digitally and never drift or go out of tune, and they will maintain the same tuning all the time. -
Page 12: Osc 2 Sync
2 waveform will restart at a precise time when oscillator 1 waveform is restarting. Variable phase control is a unique feature to the Xerxes synthesizer. It allows adjusting the phase of the oscillator 2 waveform against oscillator 1 by introducing a delay to the oscillator 2 phase starting point with respect to oscillator 1. -
Page 13: Noise
XERXES INSTRUCTION MANUAL REV 0.7 periodically with the LFO frequency, making it sound like a delay or trill effect. NOISE Noise can be added and mixed with the oscillator outputs before they are mixed and routed into the filter section. Two types of noise are available with a level control. -
Page 14: Portamento / Glide
Portamento or Glissando, which start the pitch from the last played note. CHORUS EFFECTS The Xerxes synthesizer has a stereo analog Bucket Brigade Device (BBD) chorus circuit built-in with 3 different fixed chorus settings. When enabled, this effect is added to the sound before the final output. -
Page 15: Dynamics
XERXES INSTRUCTION MANUAL REV 0.7 No LEDs lit No chorus effect is active. Sound is unchanged from the filter section. Left LED on Chorus effect 1: Two slightly delayed sounds are added to the original sound, one with a smaller amplitude, adding a slight interference, producing a slow Leslie effect. -
Page 16: Amplifier Envelope
XERXES INSTRUCTION MANUAL REV 0.7 velocity data of higher than 64 is received. For velocity to have any effect on volume, reduce the VCA LEVEL to less than 100%. AFTERTOUCH Adjusts how aftertouch data affects filter cutoff. Turning the knob clockwise from 0 FILTER will produce a positive effect;... -
Page 17: Filter Envelope
XERXES INSTRUCTION MANUAL REV 0.7 DECAY Adjusts the time it takes for the note’s volume to drop from maximum level to a level set by the sustain knob. A setting of 10 takes about 23 seconds. SUSTAIN Adjusts the level to which the note’s decay stops if the key is being held or the Hold button is ON in the EG Controls section. -
Page 18: System Memory And Control Panel
SELECTING BANKS Xerxes has 11 built-in memory banks, 10 with 128 patch locations, and a special Vintage Bank with 40 patch locations. To select a new bank, press and hold Shift, then press the Enter key (shows BANK on the display button image). -
Page 19: Saving Patches
SETTINGS MENU Xerxes synthesizer contains internal settings which are accessible via the settings menu. These contain MIDI settings, additional settings for voices that are not available on the panel, system setup and calibration functions, and system reset and firmware upgrade functionality. - Page 20 XERXES INSTRUCTION MANUAL REV 0.7 ▪ FILTER FREQ ▪ FILTER RESO ▪ PULSE WIDTH 1 ▪ PULSE WIDTH 2 ▪ OCTAVE 1 ▪ OCTAVE 2 ▪ SYNC PHASE ▪ GLIDE SPEED ▪ AMPL+FILTER ▪ NONE o MODWHEEL POLARITY* Selects the polarity for modwheel data ▪...
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Page 21: Rear Panel
XERXES INSTRUCTION MANUAL REV 0.7 mode (NO=last note, Low, or High) ▪ PRESET VOLUME* (-6 to +6 dB) Adjusts the volume for current patch ▪ AMOUNT MODE LFO Destination Amount mode o COMMON Amount knob affects all destinations equally o INDIVIDUAL... -
Page 22: Troubleshooting
XERXES INSTRUCTION MANUAL REV 0.7 MIDI IN: MIDI input port MIDI THRU: MIDI data is passed from IN to THRU port unchanged MIDI OUT: Midi output port AUDIO OUT: Left and Right audio line output connections TROUBLESHOOTING ToDo LIMITED WARRANTY... - Page 23 Copyright ©2019 by Black Corporation Full legal address Telephone, Email, Website Japan...
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