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Alesis Andromeda A6 Using Manual
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Alesis Andromeda A6 Using Manual

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Using the Andromeda A6
INDEX
SOFTWARE:
Sysex Platforms and Utilities
Most Recent OS
To Load a new OS
Free Soundbanks
SOFT RESET
HARD RESET
USER GROUPS
A6 TIPS AND TRICKS DOCUMENT
USING ANDROMEDA:
Overall philosophy of the user interface, knob behaviours, etc.
PROGRAM MODE
FRONT PANEL MODULES:
Defining each section of the front panel and some tips on using each:
-Keyboard performance parameters
-LFOs
-Sample and Hold
-Process
-Audio Rate FM, Oscillators and Filters
-Pre Filter Mix
-Filters
-Post Filter Mix
-Envelopes
-Voice Mix
-Digital Effects
-Analog Distortion
-Mix Mode
-External Audio and CV Inputs
-Ribbon Controller
SETTING UP LFO, S/H, AND ENVELOPE TRIGGERS:
-LFO
-S/H
-Envelopes
-Polarities of Triggers explained

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Summary of Contents for Alesis Andromeda A6

  • Page 1 Using the Andromeda A6 INDEX SOFTWARE: Sysex Platforms and Utilities Most Recent OS To Load a new OS Free Soundbanks SOFT RESET HARD RESET USER GROUPS A6 TIPS AND TRICKS DOCUMENT USING ANDROMEDA: Overall philosophy of the user interface, knob behaviours, etc.
  • Page 2 You may also send the OS from one A6 to another; power cycle the source A6 holding soft button 6 during the entire power-up. Follow the prompts. Free Soundbanks: Free banks of Programs are available at the Alesis site: http://www.alesis.com/downloads/software/A6/index.html and at a pair of user’s groups as follows.

  • Page 3: User Groups

    User Groups: You can join the Yahoo Group; if you're not a member of Yahoo Groups, sign up http://groups.yahoo.com and then search for Andromeda ION. If you're already a member of Yahoo Groups, go to http://launch.groups.yahoo.com/group/Andromeda_A6-ION/ The original mailing list, started at www.code404.com, is now at http://www.wohmart.com/A6/ including many Programs, mp3 soundclips, mailing list archives, etc.
  • Page 4 Using Andromeda -The Andromeda behaves as a monotimbral synth in Program mode, while splits, layers, and multichannel operation is accessed in Mix mode. -The majority of front-panel functions are per Program, excepting the Master Volume control and Master Tune control. Everything you see is stored per Program, and can be edited in the same way in Mix mode, per Mix Channel.

  • Page 5: Program Mode

    Pressing Program or Mix will place you at the top level of that mode from any page. It is necessary to Auto Tune A6 after about 5 minutes after powering up. Background Tuning should keep it in tune after that unless the unit is power cycled. Note that the Filters are not tuned by the background tuning process;...
  • Page 6 are per Voice, and are per-note functions; Sources with a PGM prefix, later in the list, are per Program, or are 'global' and will effect all voices at once in the same way. At the end of the list are Clock and Gate Sources. The clocks should be self-explanatory in name;...
  • Page 7 rates due to the speed of the Coldfire microprocessor combined with the large number of features present in A6 (over 700 parameters per Program). -Soft Button 1, Wave, allows scrolling to the desired parameter on the LFO page. -LFOs can be Freerunning (the Trig LED will be off) by setting (on the Trig page) Enable to Off (Soft Pot 6), VOXTRIG to ON VOX and Freerun to On (Soft Pot 8).
  • Page 8 you like, etc. These features are a gift from the developers/coders, as are the Croutes; they weren’t spec’d and are powerful, creative and much appreciated! The Engine Optimizer also resides here; this controls the smoothing done to the digitally-sourced control signals that are applied to the A6’s analog parameters, to avoid stepping, zipper noise, etc.
  • Page 9 Noise and Osc modulation are allowed simultaneously. Osc CV will soon be a modulation destination on the Filer mods. -Oscillator to Oscillator audio-rate FM is available. You must have a waveform (or more than one) selected on both Oscillators for it to function. The Osc 2 FM pot on Osc 1 introduces exponential modulation of Oscillator 2 by the summed output of Oscillator 2's waveforms (includes the Suboctaves).
  • Page 10 a Level of 100 each will compensate and the resultant clipping will not be nearly as audible as in the other Filter configurations. Filters -The button between the Filters allows selection of four modes of operation. 1. Mix. The combined output of the Pre Filter Mix module is sent to both filters, which are in parallel.
  • Page 11 Filter Mix module. They are not pure sines but useful regardless. -The “fizzy-sounding” clipping that the Pre Filter Mix can produce is also possible in the Post Filter Mix, so take care to keep the sum total of all active Filter Levels below 100 (for example, Filter 1 BP: 29 and Filter 2: 65).
  • Page 12 select it's second layer, Retrig, which allows you to have the Envelope fire repeatedly from Sources such as LFOs etc. Envelope 3 can be Retriggered and Triggered from the Mod Sources, but you must play notes to fire as many voices as you desire. You must also change Programs to stop the voices from sounding when Env 3 is cyclicly Retriggered.
  • Page 13 monophonic outputs for a bass, lead, or other single-note-at-a-time sound, such as removing a snare drum from the main outputs on a drum machine and only having it appear at the one output jack of your choice. The Voice Mix button Voice Output toggles the individual outputs on and off per Program.
  • Page 14 DFX send, and not to the Main outs, adds character to the reverb, etc. Mix Mode -The 'Soft Pot' number 3, MIDI Channel, selects which Mix Channel Andromeda's keyboard will play as Local. -To select a Program in a Mix Channel, select a Mix and then click upon the desired Channel button (1->8 Shift 9->16).
  • Page 15 External Audio and CV Inputs -You are responsible for setting the correct level into the audio inputs as there is no trim available. If you match the level of the factory Programs, you’re in the ballpark. A direct output from a CD player’s line out will require attenuation. Note that there are Schmitt Triggers on the Voice 15 and Voice 16 audio inputs that are scanned by the microprocessor and then appear in the modulation Source list about three-quarters of the way...
  • Page 16 -The external CV inputs are assignable per Program to any of the available individual destinations: -Oscillator 1 Linear FM amount from Oscillator 2 -Oscillator 1 Exponential FM amount from Oscillator 2 -Oscillator 1 Pulse Width -Oscillator 2 Exponential FM -Oscillator 2 Pulse Width -Note that selection of the Oscillator CV input negates the availability of the analog noise path to the same oscillator destinations.
  • Page 17 -Note that this control path is not capable of being calibrated by the microprocessor and that there will be audible variance between voices when using it. Optimization can be done by using an input voltage that swings between zero and five volts DC, using a single Voice in Mono mode Program.
  • Page 18 upon each subsequent Trigger: Trig: ON, TRGSMP: Off, VOXTRG: OFF, and choose your Trigger Source. -To have the S/H initiate a single sampling upon a Mod Source Trigger: Trig: ON, TRGSMP: ON, VOXTRG: OFF ENVELOPES: There are two levels of Triggering on the Envelopes. Trigger, the top level, allows firing the Envelope once from the keyboard or any other Mod Source.