Motas 6 User Manual
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Motas 6 User Manual

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User Guide
document version 1.27 (non-printed)
for screenreaders
for firmware version 06020116
November 11, 2020

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  • Page 1 User Guide document version 1.27 (non-printed) for screenreaders for firmware version 06020116 November 11, 2020...

  • Page 2: Table Of Contents

    Contents Foreword Proper use and maintenance. Document conventions Introduction Top and rear panel Quick-start Control Overview Parameter pages Parameter page display overview Modulation. Global Modulation Sources Low-Frequency Oscillator (LFO) waveforms Global Low-Frequency Oscillators (LFOx) Dedicated Low-Frequency Oscillators (LFO) Envelope Generators (EG) Editing parameters with rotary knobs Parameter pages - in depth 10.1...
  • Page 3 10.5 Mixer section 10.6 Low-pass filter 1 10.7 High-pass filter 10.8 Low-pass filter 2 10.9 Output stage Patch summary 11.1 Parameter mapping Load, save and copy 12.1 Load patch 12.2 Save and erase patches 12.3 Copy/Reset/Randomise Vector morphing Arpeggiator 14.1 Main arpeggiator settings 14.2...
  • Page 4 17.4 Parameter mapping 17.5 MIDI channels 17.6 Modulators. 17.7 Morph/patch change 17.8 CV/Gate inputs 17.9 CV/gate offset and scaling. 17.10 Tuning 17.11 SysEx data backup 17.12 Param map control 17.13 NRPN / SysEx/ THRU 17.14 Poly chain 17.15 System settings 17.16...

  • Page 5: Foreword

    Whilst every effort has been made to ensure that this guide is as accurate as possible Motas Electronics Limited will not be liable for any erroneous information. This manual may be updated at any time without prior notice. Please check the website for updates.

  • Page 6: Proper Use And Maintenance

    [WARNING!] Please read the following in- sound. Any other use is prohibited. Motas Electronics structions carefully and keep them with the appa- Limited is not liable for damages due to incorrect use.

  • Page 7: Document Conventions

    Document conventions You will find many screenshots taken from MOTAS-6 throughout this guide. An example is shown be- low: The following document formatting conventions are used: • Link (blue text) is a weblink or a link to another part of this document.

  • Page 8: Introduction

    • Three independent analogue filters (VCFs) with flexible justable resonance to self-oscillation (with selectable 1, 2, routing: 3, 4, 5 and 6-pole outputs), a 2-pole high-pass filter and a second 4-pole low-pass filter with adjustable resonance to – Low-pass resonant filter (6-pole with selectable out- self-oscillation.
  • Page 9 MOTAS-6 has traditional MIDI input and MIDI output con- nectors in addition to USB MIDI. USB MIDI allows faster data transfer to and from a PC and MOTAS-6 is recognised as a standard MIDI device (no special drivers should be needed).

  • Page 10: Top And Rear Panel

    USB MIDI socket for connection to PC headphones out (2 channel mono) [ USB type-B ] [ Stereo 6.35mm phone socket ] power supply in main audio out (mono) [ 2.1mm. 12V DC, centre positive ] [ Mono 6.35mm phone socket ]...

  • Page 11: Quick-Start

    MIDI keyboard and set it up to send MIDI notes as you play. Alternatively connect MOTAS-6 to your PC with a USB cable – it should appear as a standard MIDI device (once powered on). Use your sequencer or other soft- ware to send note data.

  • Page 12: Control Overview

    Patch parameter editing MOTAS-6 has a parameter mapping feature that can be The sound generated by MOTAS-6 is controlled by the set- used to send and receive simple MIDI CCs to control up to tings on 33 parameter ’pages’ – each parameter has its own 24 patch parameters.

  • Page 13: Parameter

    Parameter pages The sound generated by MOTAS-6 is controlled by the set- phase modulation level [KNOB-PHASE MOD] tings on 33 parameter ’pages’ – each parameter has its own overall volume level [KNOB-LEVEL] ’page’ shown on the display. These are listed below and...

  • Page 14: Parameter Page Display Overview

    Use the buttons to jump set [BUTTON-UP] [BUTTON-DOWN] Although controlling the sound in MOTAS-6 may appear amounts in offset. to be rather daunting at first given the number of param- eter pages and the large number options on each page,...
  • Page 15 Current preset MOTAS-6 has 5 preset patches. The current patch for edit- ing is shown as a number in the bottom left corner (patch 1 in this case). In addition a corresponding preset will be brightly lit. When the arpeggiator or pattern se-...

  • Page 16: Modulation

    9.1 Global Modulation Sources Each and every parameter page has dedicated modulation There are 6 MIDI / CV / Global modulation sources avail- control amounts from 9 sources: able on each parameter page: MIDI note-on value (or CV pitch), MIDI velocity (or CV velocity) and 4 globally assigned modulation sources (from MIDI input, CV input or global EGs/LFOs).
  • Page 17 source has it’s own icon on the display running along the second row. Each modulation source has two amount settings. The first (primary) sets the amount of the modulation signal to add or subtract to the parameter page basic offset e.g if set on the parameter page LPF-1FREQ it would directly increase or decrease the cut-off frequency of low-pass filter 1 as the modulation signal increases or decreases.
  • Page 18 See sec- [INFO] The note pitch modulation signal is tion 17.6 for how to setup these global modulation sources. derived from the ’latest’ (i.e. most recent) note currently being played, including the effects of portamento, but excluding pitch-bend signals.

  • Page 19: Low-Frequency Oscillator (Lfo) Waveforms

    BURST very fast burst BURST BURST2 fast burst BURST2 SIN+2 sine + sine at twice frequency SIN+2 SIN+3 sine + sine at three-times frequency SIN+3 SIN-TRI half sin and half triangle combo SINTRI TRI/2 half triangle, half constant combo TRI/2 BEAT modulated sine BEAT BEAT2...
  • Page 20 is unique to each page. LFO-X and then use [ROTARY ENCODER] or [BUTTON-UP] [BUTTON-DOWN] On the fourth row down on the display, on the left hand side the settings for LFOx are shown. In non pitch-tracking mode the frequency can be set from 0.001Hz –...

  • Page 21: Dedicated Low-Frequency Oscillators (Lfo)

    Choice of global LFO 1–4 [ADVANCED-INFO] Use pitch-tracking to apply a range of AM and FM effects (depend- Choose from one of the 4 global LFOs to assign to this pa- ing where the LFO is appled). Offset the pitch- rameter page: GLOBAL1, GLOBAL2 ,GLOBAL3 or GLOBAL4.
  • Page 22 [BUTTON-DOWN] which LFO option to edit and the [ROTARY ENCODER] to LFO frequency modulation change the values. There are 6 options: The active global LFO and EG for this parameter page can modulate the dedicated LFO frequency. Set the amounts...

  • Page 23: Envelope Generators (Eg)

    EG op- [BUTTON-UP] [BUTTON-DOWN] envelope falls from the sustain level tion to edit and the [ROTARY ENCODER] to change the (1 ms to 34.6 seconds). values. There are 6 options. Press simultaneously to re- EG Choice [BUTTON-UP] [BUTTON-DOWN] set the values to defaults.
  • Page 24 Keytrack Shape The shape of the EG curve can be adjusted over a wide NORMAL EG triggers on first note-on event, range. release phase starts when all notes are released. 1ST NOTE EG triggers on 1st note-on event, LOG-F very fast curve transitioning to very slow release phase starts when that note is released.

  • Page 25: Editing Parameters With Rotary Knobs

    9.6 Editing parameters with rotary knobs are set enabled [BUTTON-PAGE LOCK] [BUTTON-VALUE LOCK] whilst on a parameter page then the rotary knobs allow real-time editing for many of the parameters for that page. Also the frequencies/tempo sync of the global LFOs can be controlled.

  • Page 26: Parameter Pages - In Depth

    This chapter describes each parameter page in detail. The OSC-1LEVEL settings on each parameter page control the sound [KNOB-LEVEL] MOTAS-6 makes. To access a particular parameter page This parameter page sets the overall volume level of the turn the appropriate rotary knob . The active parameter waveforms from oscillator 1 into the mixer.
  • Page 27 LAST pitch set to the last note on. 1ST pitch set to the 1st or earliest [TIP] MOTAS-6 can play paraphonically – you note on. can play up to 3-note chords where each note of 2ND pitch set to the 2nd note on the chord is generated by each oscillator.

  • Page 28: Oscillator 2

    OSC-2LEVEL [KNOB-LEVEL] The sawtooth wave has a rising and then This parameter page sets the overall volume level of the abruptly falling shape giving a tone very rich in harmon- waveforms from oscillator 2 into the mixer. ics (odd and even). Use for many sounds including strings, with appropriate filtering.

  • Page 29: Oscillator 3

    LAST pitch set to the last note on. OSC-2TRIANGLE 1ST pitch set to the 1st or earliest [KNOB-TRIANGLE] note on. This parameter page sets the volume level of the triangle 2ND pitch set to the 2nd note on wave output of oscillator 2. 3RD pitch set to the 3rd note on.
  • Page 30 View and edit the additional options by pressing when the active item is the [BUTTON-LEFT] [BUTTON-RIGHT] [INFO] Since MOTAS-6 has real analogue os- basic offset. cillators even at a setting of zero pitch offset the Note track oscillators will still drift in tune slightly producing a naturally rich sound.

  • Page 31: Mixer Section

    This waveform can be phase-modulated to distort the wave- form from a pure triangle. [TIP] Use an EG to modulate the noise level to give a short burst of noise at the start of each OSC-3SAWTOOTH note press to simulate percussive sounds. [KNOB-SAWTOOTH] This parameter page sets the volume level of the sawtooth wave output of oscillator 3.

  • Page 32: Low-Pass Filter 1

    POLE-4 pole-4 output This filter is a very powerful low-pass filter with up to 6- (-24 dB roll-off per octave). pole roll-off (-36 dB per octave). It has adjustable reso-...

  • Page 33: High-Pass Filter

    (normal setting). POLE-1 low-pass filter 1 pole 1. Low-pass filter 1 is constructed from a chain of 6 separate POLE-2 low-pass filter 1 pole 2. filtering stages and the one selected for the final output POLE-4 low-pass filter 1 pole 4.

  • Page 34: Output Stage

    At higher settings more of the input where the level of the outputs of the filters are mixed and harmonics are pased through with corresponding brighter sent out of the MOTAS-6 audio out connectors (mono sig- sound. nal [MAIN AUDIO OUT] and headphones [HEADPHONE SOCKET]).

  • Page 35: Patch Summary

    33 parameter pages. In feint on OSC-1 slot #5 [KNOB-PWM] the far left of each box is shown a small horizontal bar that OSC-1 slot #6 [KNOB-PWM] shows the rotary knob position which was saved with OSC-2 slot #7 [KNOB-LEVEL] the patch.

  • Page 36: Load, Save And Copy

    Load, save and copy MOTAS-6 allows up to 500 individual patches to be saved [INFO] The load/save page remembers and loaded (in addition to the patches saved with sequences) which patch you last accessed so when you load or and these are arranged into 10 ’folders’ or ’banks’.

  • Page 37: Copy/Reset/Randomise

    Press [5] to erase the selected patch (you will be asked to confirm by pressing [1]). [TIP] A fast way to zero a modulation on all pages is to set the values to zero and then do a copy-to-all pages operation 12.3 Copy/Reset/Randomise Reset page Press...
  • Page 38 [INFO] The pitches and main output stage pages are intentionally not randomised when you choose ’randomise patch’ (except for depth 8 or greater for pitch, and 10 for main output) to more reliably allow you to hear something that is in tune with the starting point.

  • Page 39: Vector Morphing

    VM XX-XX-XX-XX where the xx values are the blend amounts in percent from the patches in slots #1–#4. MOTAS-6 has a unique ’vector morphing’ feature. This al- lows blending of the parameters for the active patch from [INFO] In vector morph mode the patch the patches in slots #1–#4, in a 2-D space, using the morph-...

  • Page 40: Arpeggiator

    Arpeggiator The arpeggiator feature allows MOTAS-6 to automatically • UPDN plays in ascending and then descending order of play notes from a chord in succession with adjustable di- pitch rection, number of octaves, pattern etc. The tempo is de- • UP2 plays in the order of the keys as played within each...

  • Page 41: Internal Arpeggiator Settings

    [TIP] Use the internal hold arpeggiator mode to play the arpeggiator when you don’t have a MIDI controller keyboard around, to hear MOTAS-6 play on its own. 14.3 Internal arpeggiator settings Page 3 has the settings for the arpeggiator relevant in INT or H-INT modes only.

  • Page 42: Pattern Sequencer

    [BUTTON-PATTERN] Repeated pressing of the same button toggles whether bol R flashes on the display. MIDI input to MOTAS-6 as well the data in that page is active or ignored (shown by a cross as live patch changes (from rotary knobs , [ROTARY EN- or a tick in the bottom right hand side of the display).
  • Page 43 [BUTTON-PATCH] to play the different sounds in the pattern for a rhythm track. MOTAS-6 can change sounds very rapidly (< 1ms) and so you can enjoy quite complex Continuous parameter edit page multi-sound patterns. You can also edit the sounds...

  • Page 44: Load/Save/Copy Patterns

    PATCH change patch for the pattern T-OFFSET shift the timing of the pattern in units of 6 clock ticks (0 – 8) 15.3 Load/save/copy patterns 15.5 Load/save sequences Patterns can be loaded and saved in much the same way as for patches (see section 12). There are 7 banks of pat- Sequences can be loaded and saved in much the same way terns each containing 8 patterns.

  • Page 45: Monitor

    To leave monitor mode press another control button or turn a parameter control (when ’page-lock’ is not enabled). When monitor mode is enabled again the last selected mode is recalled. [TIP] MOTAS-6 can generated very strong au- Press to navigate the dif- [BUTTON-LEFT]...

  • Page 46: Oscilloscope

    MIDI device correctly, or a cable is not connected, dio signal. The timebase is synchronised to the or MOTAS-6 is set to the wrong MIDI receive chan- waveform as far as possible in order to prevent a nel.
  • Page 47 Using the [ROTARY ENCODER] the range of frequency displayed can be zoomed in or out. [ADVANCED-INFO] Internally the spectrum analyser feature works by digital sampling of the Press [2] to pause/unpause the display (pause shown by audio signal over a fixed time period. Then an FFT P on the screen).

  • Page 48: Setup

    Setup The setup pages allow setting of a variety of operating set- TRACK NOTE-OFF sets whether the tings arranged over 16 pages. Press the but- pitch of the oscillators can update and the envelope gen- [BUTTON-SETUP] ton to enter the setup pages. erators can re-trigger after note-off events.

  • Page 49: Tempo Settings

    buttons again to select which of the 4 custom waveforms LFOs, the arpegiator and the pattern/ sequencer. Choose to edit. EXT MIDI for external MIDI (incoming on USB or MIDI in), EXT CLK for gate pulses on the CV/Gate inputs or INTER- Each custom waveform has up to 32 steps in time.

  • Page 50: Midi Channels

    17.12. Note that if NRPNs are enabled for M1 sets the assignment of the controller to any send or receive (see 17.13) then slot 6 will be inactive M1 . The choice is from MIDI CC controllers plus channel af- to avoid clashes with the NRPN data.

  • Page 51: Morph/Patch Change

    At the bottom of the display a longer name for the chosen source is displayed. MOTAS-6 has 4 analogue CV/gate inputs [CV/GATE INPUTSD]. MORPH-Y sets the modulation source to control the mor- Each input can be configured independently and set to one...

  • Page 52: Cv/Gate Offset And Scaling

    PENTATRIAD 11 182, 204, 386, 498, 590, 702, 884, 906, 996, 1088 TURKISH 17 OFFSET sets the master tuning of MOTAS-6 from -100 to 68, 113, 204, 294, 362, 408, 498, 566, 611, 702, 792, 860, 906, 996, 1064, 1109 +100 cents (-1 semitone to +1 semitone).

  • Page 53: Sysex Data Backup

    Here the response to NRPN (Non-Registered Parameter Number) MIDI data and SysEx (System Exclusive) MIDI data is configured. NRPNs are used by MOTAS-6 to send and re- ceive parameter changes in real-time. MIDI IN sets which data is processed on the MIDI in con-...

  • Page 54: Poly Chain

    17.16 Custom settings This page allows a start-up message to be displayed, press Here you can setup multiple MOTAS-6 devices to play poly- phonically together. Each device must be connected in a [1] to enter your custom message. To enter the message...

  • Page 55: Calibration Values

    This page shows (at the top left) a set of 3 unique serial at certain pitches and calibrates them against an numbers for your MOTAS-6 product, UI and main PCB ver- accurate crystal frequency source, the calibration sions, as well as the firmware version and the firmware results are stored in internal non-volatile memory.

  • Page 56: Real-Time Patch Change Recording

    Real-time patch change recording MOTAS-6 can send and receive MIDI NRPN messages to al- global source (such as a shared EG or LFO) then the data low full resolution external recording and control of patch value is zero. settings – see 17.13. A less comprehensive but often more In the case of a page-related parameter changing (i.e.
  • Page 57 Global data NRPN LSB data LFOx 1 frequency LFOx 2 frequency LFOx 3 frequency LFOx 4 frequency EGx 1 delay EGx 2 delay EGx 3 delay EGx 4 delay EGx 1 attack EGx 2 attack EGx 3 attack EGx 4 attack EGx 1 decay EGx 2 decay EGx 3 decay...

  • Page 58: I Signal Path Diagram (Simplified)

    Signal path diagram (simplified) page 54 User Guide v1.27 [FOR SCREENREADERS]...

  • Page 59: Midi Implementation Chart

    Key-based Instrument Ctrl (Yes/No) Master Fine/Coarse Tune (Yes/No) Other Universal System Exclusive Manufacturer or Non-Commercial System Exclusive Motas Electronics Ltd ID# : 00H 21H 2FH NRPNs (Yes/No) RPN 00 (Pitch Bend Sensitivity) (Yes/No) RPN 01 (Channel Fine Tune) (Yes/No) RPN 02 (Channel Coarse Tune) (Yes/No)
  • Page 60 MIDI Implementation Chart v. 2.0 (Page 2 of 3) Manufacturer: Motas Electronics Limited. Model: Motas 6. Date: March 2020. Control # Function Transmitted (Y/N) Recognised (Y/N) Remarks MIDI Bank Select (MSB) 17.6 Modulation Wheel (MSB) 17.4 & 17.6 Breath Controller (MSB) 17.4...
  • Page 61 Sound Controller 3 (default: Release Time) 17.6 Sound Controller 4 (default: Attack Time) 17.6 Sound Controller 5 (default: Brightness) 17.6 Sound Controller 6 (GM2 default: Decay Time) 17.6 Sound Controller 7 (GM2 default: Vibrato Rate) 17.6 Sound Controller 8 (GM2 default: Vibrato Depth) 17.6 Sound Controller 9 (GM2 default: Vibrato Delay) 17.6...

  • Page 62: Midi Sysex Messages

    MOTAS- Request oscilloscope trace 0x0B – Request bulk data 0x0C – 6. MIDI system exclusive (SysEx) messages allow Request info 0x0E – transfer of bulk data such as patch data, screen- Request global data 0x0F –...

  • Page 63: Specifications

    Audio input ..........mono input on 6.35 mm ( ) phone socket CV/Gate inputs .

  • Page 64: Veu Declaration Of Conformity

    Standards to Which Conformity Is Declared: (for DIRECTIVE 2014/30/EU ) EN 55032:2012 and EN 55103-2:2009 Signed for and on behalf of Motas Electronics Limited: Place of issue: Cambridge, United Kingdom. Date of issue:...

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