Novation Bass Station Rack Owner's Manual
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Novation Bass Station Rack Owner's Manual

Analogue synthesizer module
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  • Page 1 OWNERS MANUAL...

  • Page 2: Table Of Contents

    Midi Implementation Chart...21 Factory Programs List ...22 Thank you for buying the Novation BassStation Rack Analogue Bass Synthesizer. The module you have purchased is ideal for producing the kind of bass sounds which have returned to popularity in recent years, hut it is capable of far more than just that.

  • Page 3: Front Panel Controls & Features

    FRONT PANEL Master Volume Section This section contains the Master Volume and Portamento controls, Headphone output socket and the Program write enable switch. Data Entry I Program Section This section contains the 12 Data Entry buttons, Display and Menu LEDs, Audition/Demo and Mode Buttons.

  • Page 4: Connections & Quick Set-Up Guide

    MIDI In on the BassStation Rack and check that the ‘Write’ switch is in the ‘Protect’ position. Now, connect the power supply ( Novation PSU-3 ) to the socket marked ‘Power In 9VDC’ and plug into a suitable AC power outlet.

  • Page 5: How The Controls Work

    HOW THE CONTROLS WORK MASTER VOL SECTION Volume - Rotary This knob allows you to adjust the output volume of the BassStation Rack. Turn to the left to reduce the volume and to the right to increase the volume. This control affects both the Line level output on the rear panel and the Headphone output on the front panel.

  • Page 6: Program Change

    DATA ENTRY / PROGRAM SECTION CONT. 1. Press and hold down the Audition button - note sounds once. 2. Press the ‘+‘ button on the Data Entry’ keypad - note sounds once + 1/3 octave. ( Each time the ‘+‘ button is pressed the note will sound and move up 1/3 octave) 3.
  • Page 7 HOW THE CONTROLS WORK DATA ENTRY / PROGRAM SECTION CONT. Pitch Bend Range This is where you set the semitone range response br the pitch bend wheel of an external keyboard. Each number represents a semitone i.e. bend range ‘02 = two semitones. bend range 12’...
  • Page 8 DATA ENTRY / PROGRAM SECTION CONT. Aftertouch I Breath Filter Mod Depth This dual function button is used to set the amount of filter modulation for either Aftertouch or Breath ( MIDI wind controllers ). Range = ‘-7’ to ‘+07. Press the AT/BIR F.MOD button once - the display alternates between: Use the ‘-‘...
  • Page 9 HOW THE CONTROLS WORK Data Entry I Program Section Cont. CV/Gate MIDI Channel & Type This dual function button is used to set the CV/Gate convertor MIDI channel. Range = ‘01’ to ‘16’ and the type of system used ( Roland. Korg etc. ) Range = ‘00’ to ‘02’. Press the ‘C V/GATE CR.

  • Page 10: Save & Load (Sysex Dumps)

    Data Entry I Program Section Cont. PROGRAMS: The program sounds should be identical in every unit so a ‘Save All’ procedure should be carried out from the ‘Master’ unit to all the ‘Slave’ units in the chain - see the ‘Save’ section on page 9. Now you can use the ‘Master’ unit to call up the same sound on all the ‘Slaves’.

  • Page 11: Editing & Writing Sounds

    HOW THE CONTROLS WORK Data Entry I Program Section Cont. Loading Sounds There are two ways to load a ‘Single’ sound into the BassStation Rack. 1. If you want to overwrite an existing sound, select the ‘Program’ mode and call up the program where you want to store the incoming sound.

  • Page 12: Analogue Voice Architecture

    ANALOGUE VOICE ARCHITECTURE The BassStation features all the classic elements of analogue or ‘subtractive’ synthesis; two oscillators with standard waveshapes, a voltage-controlled filter with resonance and an LFO and two envelopes for amplitude and filter/pitch/pulse width modulation. The term subtractive gives a clue to the way analogue syn- thesis works.

  • Page 13: Lfo Section

    HOW THE CONTROLS WORK LFO Section The LFO (Low Frequency Oscillator) produces regular electronic variations which are too low to be heard when converted into audio vibrations. However, they can be used to modify various elements of the sound, producing regular changes in pitch (vibrato), pulse width or filter cut-off (two different controls on the harmonic content of the sound).

  • Page 14: Oscillators L&2 Section

    Oscillators 1 & 2 Section Each oscillator is a sound source producing the elec- tronic equivalent of the vibration in the air which makes a sound (the speakers you are using to listen to the BassStation convert the electronic signal into an acoustic one you can actually hear).

  • Page 15: Oscillators 1&2 Mod/Sync. Section

    HOW THE CONTROLS WORK Oscillator 1 &2 Mod/Sync. Section This section allows you to setup modulations (automat- ic changes) to the pitch timbre of the oscillators whilst they are playing back. This gives the sound more "life", by making it more interesting to the ear. Pitch changes include the amount of vibrato and auto bends or slides.

  • Page 16: Filter Section

    Oscillator 1&2 Mod/Sync. Section Cont. Oscillator Sync. This facility causes the waveform of oscillator 2 to restart its cycle each time oscillator 1 starts its cycle, whatever the difference in timing would otherwise be if they were not synchronised. The effect of this is to keep the pitch identical ( so settings of the De- tune and Semitone knobs will appear not to work ), but make radical changes to the timbre of the sounds.

  • Page 17: Envelopes 1&2 Section

    HOW THE CONTROLS WORK Filter Section - Continued Resonance - Rotary This knob allows you to boost or emphasise the frequencies around the Cut-off fre- quency (set by Frequency knob above). For this reason on some synths this control is known as Emphasis.
  • Page 18 Envelope (1 &2) Section - Continued Envelope 1,2,1 &2 - Switch This switch selects which envelope you are currently making changes to. If 1 is select- ed then changes to the knobs in this section will change the way the amplitude or vol- ume envelope responds when you hit, hold and release a note.

  • Page 19: Midi Control

    MIDI CONTROL MIDI Control In addition to all the standard MIDI functions, the BassStation Rack has the ability to transmit and receive changes to the filter and envelope controls dur- ing a performance. You can also synchronise the LFO to the MIDI clock. Filter Section Controls The Frequency, Resonance and Mod Depth rotary controls in this section are assigned to the following MIDI controllers...

  • Page 20: Appendix

    Set Up For Roland TB303* Emulation The Roland TB303 The Roland TB303 Bass Line has a very familiar and unique sound for an analogue synthesiser. The BassStation Rack can emulate this sound and indeed create a much wider range of sounds. The TB303 has a single oscillator and single envelope that control both the level of the sound and the way in which the filter contours that sound.

  • Page 21: Specification

    APPENDIX Specification Monophonic Sound Source: Oscillator 1 Range C-2 to C7 Waveform Square/Sawtooth/Pulse (Continuously variable) Pulse Width Modulation Variable depth control and source of Modulation selectable from Manual, LFO or Envelope 2 Master Fine +/-50 Cents tune Oscillator 2 Range C-3 to ClO Waveform Square/Sawtooth/Pulse (Continuously variable)

  • Page 22: Midi Implementation Chart

    MIDI IMPLEMENTATION CHART...

  • Page 23: Factory Programs List

    FACTORY PROGRAMS LIST Factory Program List Number Name 00 ...MOOGBASS 01 ...WOW BASS 02 ...JACKO BASS 03 ...SOFT BASS 04 ...ELECTRIC BASS 05 ...BIRDLAND BASS 06 ...PERCUSSIVE BASS 07 ...EOW BASS 08 ...POWER BASS 09 ...FREAKPOWER BASS 10 ...TB3O3AUTOGLIDE BASS 11 ...SPITSINE BASS 12 ...TB303 EOW BASS 13 ...TB303 SQUARE BASS...

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