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SOMA ORNAMENT‑8 User Manual
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SOMA ORNAMENT‑8 User Manual

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Summary of Contents for SOMA ORNAMENT‑8

  • Page 1 USER MANUAL...
  • Page 2 ORNAMENT•8 USER MANUAL GENERAL REVIEW ORNAMENT‑8 is an analog synthesizer of behavior for creating complex rhythmic patterns and control signals. Since it inherits and further develops the principles laid down in the LYRA•8 organismic synthesizer and the PULSAR•23 organismic drum machine, we called it the “organismic sequencer”.
  • Page 3 USER MANUAL ORNAMENT•8 Depending on the switching scheme and settings, the ORNAMENT can generate both stable, strictly repeating oscillations, and very complex, time-evolving sequences close to pseudo- chaotic. The 100 percent analog nature of the ORNAMENT, sensitive to environmental changes and the saturated life of the microworld, introduces an element of real chaos and unpredictability into its behavior, which is especially evident when the system is not stable and has many quasi‑stable states between which it can switch from the slightest changes in the flow of pulses.
  • Page 4 ORNAMENT•8 USER MANUAL DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF ORNAMENT AND ITS OPERATION The ORNAMENT includes: Eight identical cells, which are controlled delay lines. Four pulse converters combined with 3.5mm contact-minijack adapters. Four 3.5mm contact-minijack adapters. Two ground contacts for connecting to the ground of the connected device. Two +12v power sockets connected in parallel for powering external devices.
  • Page 5 USER MANUAL ORNAMENT•8 DELAY CELL INTERFACE All inputs are marked with a before the name of the input ( TRIG, X2, СV). All outputs are marked with a after the name of the output (TRIG , PASS , CV , LYRA , PULSAR ) The interface of each delay cell consists of the following elements: RESET button —...
  • Page 6 ORNAMENT•8 USER MANUAL Input contact CV. The voltage at this pin controls the TIME pulse rate. Baud rate = voltage at CV x TIME knob position. An unconnected pin has a voltage of 3 volts. Output contact CV . With the phase switch in upper position and the cell activated, the output voltage increases from 0 to 10 volts.
  • Page 7 USER MANUAL ORNAMENT•8 relay with a controlled duration of stay in the active state, and some additional functions which will be described later. Let’s compare ORNAMENT to a mechanical system in which pulses are transmitted, such as in billiards. A billiard ball rolls in the free state for a certain amount of time until it hits another ball, and transfers the pulse to that ball.
  • Page 8 ORNAMENT•8 USER MANUAL PATCHING Commutation of trigger pulses: Since the output trigger pulse cannot be transferred back to the input of the same cell, at least two cells must be connected in order for the pulses to continually circulate. Let’s examine the principles and techniques of commutation of trigger pulses.
  • Page 9 USER MANUAL ORNAMENT•8 Consider what commutations for this control are possible: • CV output of any cell can be connected to input CV of any cell. In this case, the delay time (capacitor charge time) in the controlled cell will decrease as the control cell moves from the beginning of its activation to its completion and the voltage at its output CV will increase.
  • Page 10 ORNAMENT socket using the supplied power cord. The ORNAMENT consumes only a small current — from 10 to 50 milliamps, depending on the operating mode, so any SOMA power supply is capable of simultaneously powering several ORNAMENTs and one other device.
  • Page 11 USER MANUAL ORNAMENT•8 CONNECTION TO LYRA•8 The ORNAMENT interacts really well with LYRA•8, complementing its organismic synthesis with no less organizational sequences:) Actually, the ORNAMENT was originally developed as a sequencer suitable for LYRA, as using a traditional step sequencer for LYRA is unbe‑ coming.
  • Page 12 ORNAMENT•8 USER MANUAL MASTERING THE INSTRUMENT Since ORNAMENT was originally developed for LYRA•8, we will try to show the practical techniques of patching and playing with the example of ORNAMENT driving LYRA. Connect each LYRA output to the corresponding metal contact of the LYRA•8 using the adapter pad (sold separately).
  • Page 13 USER MANUAL ORNAMENT•8 Рiс. 1...
  • Page 14 ORNAMENT•8 USER MANUAL PATCHING AND ALLIGATOR CLIPS Initially, I planned to create a sequencer for LYRA with a small set of predefined patches (cell connections), which “would be enough” for comfortable playing. Eight in a row, two pairs of four, and so on. But the very first prototype showed that this approach is not suitable. LYRA is a polyphonic FM synthesizer, and classical sequencers with a linear loop structure will not take full advantage of its synthesis capabilities.
  • Page 15 USER MANUAL ORNAMENT•8 Рiс. 2 The ORNAMENT allows you to create loops of any length, with a minimum of 2 steps or cells. If you need a loop length of, for example, 64 steps, you need to take eight ORNAMENTs and merge their cells into one chain.
  • Page 16 ORNAMENT•8 USER MANUAL on the contrary it will almost always be silent. Experiment with the duration of the cells, as well as the mode of their operation, to find interesting tones at the moments when two or more LYRA voices sound connected in the FM synthesis mode. Рiс. 3 This principle of creating durations is more like how we create music when we simply play a musical instrument.
  • Page 17 USER MANUAL ORNAMENT•8 Рiс. 3...
  • Page 18 ORNAMENT•8 USER MANUAL be able to receive trigger pulses. The cell will “eat” the trigger pulses until there are none left, thus clearing the loop after one cycle. Explore the nature of collisions. Set the durations of the LOOP cells to be approximately equal to each other.
  • Page 19 USER MANUAL ORNAMENT•8 Рiс. 4...
  • Page 20 ORNAMENT•8 USER MANUAL to “hold” LYRA’s fifth voice. How often this trigger will skip depends on the TIME value of the fourth cell. Moreover, this connection is nonlinear. Note that when a trigger arrives at the input of the fifth cell, only one cell is active in loop 1-4. Let's return polyphony to this loop, but with a delay.
  • Page 21 USER MANUAL ORNAMENT•8 Рiс. 5...
  • Page 22 ORNAMENT•8 USER MANUAL Let's go back to LOOP and the fifth cell, which temporarily stores the trigger pulse that comes to it from PASS . So far, this trigger is the most interesting thing that hap‑ pens in this patch. The longer TIME , the more often this trigger passes to the fifth cell.
  • Page 23 USER MANUAL ORNAMENT•8 Рiс. 6...
  • Page 24 ORNAMENT•8 USER MANUAL result will be. Always remember to experiment and create hypotheses that could potentially lead to interesting behavior. Additionally, you can diversify this patch using the PASS output. Create a situation where the trigger will “fly out” of the loop through this output to another loop. And after some time it will also “fly back in”.
  • Page 25 USER MANUAL ORNAMENT•8 Рiс. 7...
  • Page 26 ORNAMENT•8 USER MANUAL Рiс. 8...

  • Page 27: Specifications

    Maxim Bogdanov — PR, sales and communications. Maxim Manakov — QC, adjustment, technical support. Maxim Tulpakov ‑web development and administration Nastya Azartsova — rendering panel and web design. Thomas Lundberg — proofreader, editor. Arseniy Vasilenko — web administration. SOMA laboratory 2020 www.somasynths.com...
  • Page 28 Manual version 1.0 07/2020. Made in Russia...