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ISLA Instruments S2400 User Manual
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ISLA Instruments S2400 User Manual

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S2400
User Manual
Copyright © 2020-2021 ISLA Instruments
Revised March 17, 2021
This manual is a work in progress. Updates will be posted as they are written.
The most up to date version can be downloaded from
https://islainstruments.com

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Summary of Contents for ISLA Instruments S2400

  • Page 1 S2400 User Manual Copyright © 2020-2021 ISLA Instruments Revised March 17, 2021 This manual is a work in progress. Updates will be posted as they are written. The most up to date version can be downloaded from https://islainstruments.com...
  • Page 2 First and foremost, if you’re reading this user manual then the likelihood is that you have either already purchased an S2400 or are perhaps considering doing so. If you have, then thank you. I’ve had a serious drum machine fetish for about 25 years now. The first machine I bought was a broken MXR-185 for cheaps at a local thrift store circa 1996.
  • Page 3 ISLA Instruments S2400 User Manual A A c c k k n n o o w w l l e e d d g g e e m m e e n n t t s s Vision/Design: Brad Holland...
  • Page 4 ISLA Instruments S2400 User Manual C C o o n n t t e e n n t t s s Foreword ............................2 Acknowledgements ......................... 3 Contents ............................4 Front Panel ............................5 Rear Panel............................7 Instant Gratification ........................8 User Interface Elements ........................
  • Page 5 ISLA Instruments S2400 User Manual F F r r o o n n t t P P a a n n e e l l Song: Switches between Song and Pattern modes. Shift: Shift is used in conjunction with other controls for additional features.
  • Page 6 ISLA Instruments S2400 User Manual Faders: The focus of the front panel. They control level, pitch, and various parameters depending on the Fader mode. Mute & Solo: A pair of illuminated buttons to mute/solo a track. They double as step buttons in TR Mode.
  • Page 7 SD-Card: SD-Card slot for saving samples and projects. Clock Out: 3.5mm clock out jack clocking external hardware or modules. Clock In: 3.5mm clock in jack for clocking the S2400 from external hardware or modules. MIDI In: MIDI DIN jack for controlling the S2400 via MIDI.
  • Page 8 I I n n s s t t a a n n t t G G r r a a t t i i f f i i c c a a t t i i o o n n You just got your S2400 and you want to make some beats now! Make Some Sounds Connect the Mix Out jacks on the back to an amp, mixer, or audio interface.
  • Page 9 Shift+Key means hold the Shift key, then press another key. Shifted keys are used all over. The keys across the top of the S2400 are all dual function, except Song. Press the key to access the function written under the key, and press Shift+ the key to access the function written above it.
  • Page 10 ISLA Instruments S2400 User Manual Navigating Menus Most of the keys across the top of the screen open a menu. Some other keys, like Shift+A bring open a menu depending on the active mode. Menus contain settings and actions. Most menus have a specific purpose and sub-menus are kept to a bare minimum.
  • Page 11 ISLA Instruments S2400 User Manual Shift+Arrows/Encoder: Scrolls to first/last list value. Enter/Encoder Press or Back: Exits edit mode for the setting. Number Keys: Some list fields have numeric shortcut keys. When editing, pressing a valid shortcut key selects the associated list value. If a list field is highlighted, but not selected, pressing a valid shortcut key is like selecting the field, then pressing the key.
  • Page 12 ISLA Instruments S2400 User Manual Browsing Files and Folders The S2400 has a file browser that is used for selecting sounds, kits, and projects to load, and for selecting the folder where a new sample will be saved. The top row of the file browser, above the line, shows the action being performed, e.g. Load Kit, or Select Sample Folder.
  • Page 13 SD Card Format The S2400 uses an SD Card to store samples, kits, projects, and settings. It must be formatted as FAT32, which is standard for most new SD cads. We have tested it with up to 512 GB cards. An inserted SD card can be formatted by the S2400 with the format option in the File menu.
  • Page 14 The original folder and its contents are not changed. Global Settings File Global settings are saved in a file called S2400.SET in the root of the SD card. The file contains all settings found in the Global Settings, Sync, Input Monitor, and Metronome menus, plus the sampling settings.
  • Page 15 The SD card can be edited on a computer, either by inserting it into an SD card slot on the computer, or with a USB SD card reader, or by leaving the card in the S2400 and enabling MSC mode from the File menu.
  • Page 16 ISLA Instruments S2400 User Manual A A s s s s i i g g n n i i n n g g S S o o u u n n d d s s t t o o T T r r a a c c k k s s There are four ways to assign sounds to tracks.
  • Page 17 ISLA Instruments S2400 User Manual P P a a t t t t e e r r n n M M o o d d e e Pattern mode is the base mode of the machine. It is the mode in which patterns are created.
  • Page 18 ISLA Instruments S2400 User Manual F F a a d d e e r r M M o o d d e e s s The row of buttons on the left (Level, Pitch, Envelope, and Loop/Slice) set the fader mode, that is, which parameter the faders control.
  • Page 19 ISLA Instruments S2400 User Manual Level Fader Mode The faders set the level of each track. Level is recorded into the pattern. If dynamic pads are turned on, then the pad pressure sets the level, and the level faders are ignored. Note that the dynamic level comes from how hard the pads are pressed, not how fast (velocity).
  • Page 20 Synthesizers have oscillators which are always running. In a synthesizer the envelope parts are actual times. Increase any of them and the whole sound plays for more time. In the S2400, the envelope parts are percentages of the total sample length. For example, if the sustain hold is set to 50.0 and the decay to 50.0, with all other parts being zero, then the sound will begin to decay...
  • Page 21 When looping is on, the sound plays once from the start point to the end point, then plays repeatedly from the loop point to the end point. When assigning a sound to a track, the S2400 reads the loop point data from the WAV file. It reads the "smpl" data chunk, which is different from cue or marker points.
  • Page 22 ISLA Instruments S2400 User Manual F4: Shift slice left. In multi-mode, F4 sets the start to the previous slice's end. F5: Force selected point to zero crossing, long-press to force all points to zero crossing. F6: Shift slice right. In multi-mode, F6 sets the end to the next slice's start.
  • Page 23 ISLA Instruments S2400 User Manual Normalize Press the Level key to normalize the sample to a specific dB level. The sample’s peak dB is displayed. The normalize setting number is an absolute number, not relative to the sample’s peak. Normalization is non-destructive, and can be changed multiple times without modifying the sample data.
  • Page 24 ISLA Instruments S2400 User Manual Name: The name of the file. Defaults to Sample plus a sequential three-digit number which is automatically set. Select the name to edit the file name. Assign to Track: After saving, the new file can be assigned to a track. Select the desired track from the list, or press a pad to fill in the track.
  • Page 25 ISLA Instruments S2400 User Manual M M u u l l t t i i M M o o d d e e With the normal fader modes, the eight pads/faders/knobs control eight tracks (one bank). Multi Mode takes a single track and spreads eight different values of one parameter (level, pitch, envelope, loop/slice) across the pads/faders/knobs.
  • Page 26 ISLA Instruments S2400 User Manual P P a a t t t t e e r r n n F F u u n n c c t t i i o o n n s s a a n n d d S S e e t t t t i i n n g g s s When in pattern mode, the top row of buttons gives quick access to the most common pattern functions and settings.
  • Page 27 In written music, time signatures are sometimes used to indicate tempo. For example, 6/8 time would be played faster than 3/4 time. In the S2400, the tempo is a separate setting, so both of those time signatures equate to the same measure length, because 6 eighth notes and 3 quarter notes take the same amount of time to play.
  • Page 28 ISLA Instruments S2400 User Manual While playing a pattern, or if playback is stopped, holding the Erase key and pressing a pad erases the entire track from the current pattern. This is a shortcut to using the Erase menu, and it does not ask for or give confirmation.
  • Page 29 ISLA Instruments S2400 User Manual S S t t e e p p P P r r o o g g r r a a m m The Step Program button is the far-right button on the top row. Step program mode is an alternative method of creating and editing patterns. The screen displays a pattern in a DAW-like grid.
  • Page 30 ISLA Instruments S2400 User Manual TR Mode TR mode allows editing a pattern in style of a TR-x0x step sequencer. The 16 mute and solo buttons become step buttons. The step numbers are printed below the buttons. The buttons light up to show that the track is triggered on that step. The measure being edited and displayed on the buttons follows the on-screen cursor.
  • Page 31 ISLA Instruments S2400 User Manual P P l l a a y y b b a a c c k k F F e e a a t t u u r r e e s s Mute/Solo In modes other than Step Program TR mode, the rectangular buttons above the pads control mute and solo.
  • Page 32 ISLA Instruments S2400 User Manual R R e e c c o o r r d d F F e e a a t t u u r r e e s s Live Parameter Record Overwrite Level, pitch, and filter parameter values that are recorded into the pattern can be changed on the fly.
  • Page 33 L L i i v v e e L L o o o o p p i i n n g g The S2400 can operate like an 8-track looper pedal, while still playing and recording patterns. Press F7 in Pattern mode to enable Live Looping. The tracks in Bank D become Live Loops. Any sounds previously assigned to those tracks will not play, but the machine will remember all of the track data.
  • Page 34 ISLA Instruments S2400 User Manual Live Loop Settings Press Shift+Pad to open the Live Loop settings and functions for each loop. Output Channel The output channel that the loop will play through. Divisions A Live Loop can be the full length of the pattern (one division), or it can be a fraction of the pattern length.
  • Page 35 Controls Song editing works like most screens on the S2400. Highlight a row with the arrow keys, or by turning the encoder. Press Enter or encoder to edit it. The editable part is highlighted.
  • Page 36 ISLA Instruments S2400 User Manual Event Types • Pattern Plays a pattern. • Tempo The song starts at its base tempo, which is set at the top of the screen. Tempo changes can be inserted into a song. Any change in tempo stays in effect until another change or the song restarts.
  • Page 37 ISLA Instruments S2400 User Manual T T r r a a c c k k S S e e t t t t i i n n g g s s To edit a track’s settings, press Shift+Pad, or select Track Settings from the Settings menu. Press a different pad to see and edit another track’s settings without having to press shift.
  • Page 38 The color of the pad can be set to one of nine predefined colors in the list, or can be set to any color using the fader. The pad color can be set to black, however the S2400 uses pad color and brightness to clarify what is going on, and that help is lost if the pads are not lit.
  • Page 39 LEDs, and displays an animation on the pad LEDs. When sleep time is set to zero, the S2400 never sleeps. The S2400 will not enter sleep mode if a pattern or song is playing.
  • Page 40 ISLA Instruments S2400 User Manual Sleep Color Sleep color sets the color of the sleep mode pad LED animation. Sleep Speed Sleep speed sets the speed of the sleep mode animation. Other Settings and Actions Track Settings This is one way to open the Track Settings menu. The other way is to press Shift+Pad.
  • Page 41 ISLA Instruments S2400 User Manual Clear Everything Clears all patterns, songs, and tracks from memory. This option also resets the project name, and ensures that if the save button is pressed, the previous project will not get overwritten. Memory Shows the amount of memory remaining for patterns and songs.
  • Page 42 ISLA Instruments S2400 User Manual F F i i l l e e Open the File menu by pressing Shift+File (the third key from the left in the top row). Please read the Files and SD Card section before this section.
  • Page 43 Puts the S2400 into USB Mass Storage Class mode. The S2400 will appear to a computer as a mass storage device like a USB drive. The SD card in the S2400 can then be viewed and edited on the computer.
  • Page 44 1 / 9 (Stop / Pause), 2 / 3 (Play / Deferred Play), 6 (Record Strobe), 7 / 8 (Record Exit / Record Pause). Channel This is the MIDI channel on which the S2400 will listen for control messages. As of this writing, only pattern change messages are supported, but other messages may be added in the future. Pattern Chg The S2400 can accept a MIDI message to change the current pattern.
  • Page 45 If accepting MIDI notes in, also accept the velocity from the note on message. If this option is off, then the level faders on the S2400 control the level. This works much the same way as the dynamic pads option.
  • Page 46 ISLA Instruments S2400 User Manual MIDI Track Map MIDI Mapping refers to the mapping of S2400 tracks to output MIDI notes, which are output when tracks are triggered and will trigger tracks when received. All mapping options can be edited on the S2400 Sync screen, or loaded from a MAP file.
  • Page 47 S2400 MIDI MAP files are text files with a MAP file extension (e.g. MyCntrlr.MAP). They can be created by the S2400 or from scratch, and are edited on a computer. If you create a map for a particular controller or software, you can share it with other users in the S2400 file sharing section of the Isla forum.
  • Page 48 Line inputs 1&2 and phono input 1 have a hardware gain multiplier which is applied before the gain amplifier knob on the back of the S2400. Gain can be set to ×1 (no extra gain), ×10, or ×100. Line inputs 3&4 and phono 2 have an optional ×10 software gain multiplier.
  • Page 49 ISLA Instruments S2400 User Manual Sample Time The S2400 has 64 MB of sample RAM. New samples can be up to 64 MB long. Maximum sample time depends on the bit rate and number of channels. Rate Channels Max Time...
  • Page 50 ISLA Instruments S2400 User Manual R R e e s s a a m m p p l l i i n n g g When a WAV file is selected in the file browser, press F4 to resample it.
  • Page 51 Open the Input Monitor menu by pressing Shift+InputMon (the fifth key from the left in the top row). The S2400 can monitor any pair of input jacks and send the signal to a pair of output channels or to the headphones only.
  • Page 52 ISLA Instruments S2400 User Manual P P a a n n The pan screen controls how the channels are mixed into the Mix Out jacks. Some planning is necessary when using stereo samples to ensure that the track’s channels are properly panned, and that no mono samples play on those channels.
  • Page 53 Addition effects settings may be added to the Effects menu in the future. Analog Filters The S2400 has the same analog filter circuitry as the Classic machine. The only difference is that in the S2400 the filters can be switched on and off.
  • Page 54 The second channel of a stereo sound just comes along for the ride. To reiterate, the S2400 can play eight stereo samples simultaneously. Consider the examples below. The choking behavior is the same whether the samples are mono or stereo.
  • Page 55 ISLA Instruments S2400 User Manual Track Priority Even if tracks are triggered at the exact same time in a pattern, they are still processed sequentially in track order. Consider this example: A1: Channel 1, Alt 2; A2: Channel 1, Alt 1 If a pattern has a trigger for A1 and A2 at the same time, A1 is triggered first on channel 1, then A2 is triggered on channel 1 (because A2 has no alternate channel), and chokes A1.
  • Page 56 ISLA Instruments S2400 User Manual F F - - K K e e y y Q Q u u i i c c k k R R e e f f e e r r e e n n c c e e...