Controllers > Envelope Follower; Controllers > Adsr; Controllers > Sequencer; Controllers > Modifiers - Fractal VP4 Owner's Manual

VP4 OWNER'S MANUAL
Controllers > Envelope Follower
The Envelope Follower generates a control signal based on the dynamics of
your playing. You can fine-tune its sensitivity and response time, making it
ideal for "touch" effects that react to how hard or soft you play.
You can independently set Attack and Release times, adjust the trigger
Threshold, and control the input Gain. Additionally, Low Cut and High Cut
filters let you shape the response without altering what you hear. A meter
shows the response in realtime while you play.
Controllers > ADSR
The ADSR controller is an envelope generator. Once triggered, it changes its
output value over time with adjustable settings for Attack, Decay, Sustain,
Sustain Level, and Release ("ADSR"). A graph visually represents the effects
of these settings as you make adjustments.
The ADSR is triggered when the signal level surpasses a set point called the
Threshold. A Type parameter lets you choose between Linear and Exponential
curves. You can observe the graph to see how these settings affect the
envelope.
The ADSR has three modes—Once, Loop, and Sustain—and can optionally
be set to Retrigger every time the signal level goes above the set point,
rather than needing to play all the way through before retriggering. Unlike
the Envelope Follower (above), the ADSR envelope generator produces the
same control signal each time, but only triggers when you play with enough
intensity.
Controllers > Sequencer
The Step Sequencer brings rhythm and movement to a sound by creating
control patterns. Rate and Tempo allow you to define the speed of your
sequence, while Stages lets you select the number of steps in the pattern. Use
the Run switch to start or stop the sequence, and the Step button to advance
the sequence manually. Finally, Damping Time smooths the transitions
between stages, giving your pattern a more fluid, less abrupt feel.
MODIFIERS & CONTROLLERS
Controllers > Modifiers
The last page of the Controllers menu is the Modifiers list, which displays all
the modifiers in the current preset. You can edit any modifier in this list by
selecting it and pressing ENTER. Each preset can include up to 16 modifiers,
but remember that each one also demands a tiny slice of CPU!

Pitch Detector

The Pitch Detector is available as a Source for modifiers, though it doesn't
appear in the Controllers menu since it has no adjustable parameters. It
analyzes the pitch of your playing, outputting a low value for low notes and a
high value for high notes, calibrated to the range of a 6-string electric guitar in
standard tuning.

External Controllers

External Controllers are also Modifier Sources, but they need to have a control
source assigned to them in order to function. For each of the four External
Controllers, you can globally assign PEDAL 1, PEDAL 2, or any MIDI CC#
message.
For example, if you want to use MIDI CC#11 to operate a Wah effect, you
would first assign "CC#11" to External 1 in global SETUP, and then use
External 1 as the Source of a modifier controlling the Wah.
While this proxy method is indirect, it has several advantages. First, it allows
you to share presets between those who use different pedals in different
ways, providing an easy way to make global changes instead of editing every
preset. One person might use PEDAL 1 as a Global Volume while another
uses it for Wah, Whammy and other flexible scenarios. Yet another might
connect a MIDI controller with its own onboard pedal that transmits CC#11.
External Controllers assigned to MIDI are given a value of "0" until some
MIDI data is received to change them. The External Controller Initial Value
parameters can change the startup value for a MIDI controller to any value.
Then, when the VP4 is powered on, any modifiers assigned to the missing
controller will be at the desired value instead of at 0.
Find the options to assign and set the initial value for External controllers in
the SETUP > MIDI/Remote menu.
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