Native Instruments Skanner User Manual
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Native Instruments Skanner User Manual

Native Instruments Skanner User Manual

Software for computer-based audio production and djing
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Summary of Contents for Native Instruments Skanner

  • Page 1 Manual...
  • Page 2 The information in this document is subject to change without notice and does not represent a commitment on the part of Native Instruments GmbH. The software described by this docu­ ment is subject to a License Agreement and may not be copied to other media. No part of this...
  • Page 3 Contact Germany Native Instruments GmbH Schlesische Str. 29-30 D-10997 Berlin Germany www.native-instruments.de Native Instruments North America, Inc. 6725 Sunset Boulevard 5th Floor Los Angeles, CA 90028 www.native-instruments.com © Native Instruments GmbH, 2011. All rights reserved.

  • Page 4: Table Of Contents

    Saving a Snapshot ........................15 Selecting SKANNER A and B Panel Views ................... 16 Overview of SKANNER Ensemble ................18 Overview of Signal Flow ......................19 Overview of SKANNER User Interface - View A ................20 5.2.1 Sample Display ......................20 5.2.2 MASTER Slider ......................
  • Page 5 LFO Section ........................ 46 Macro Controls Section ....................... 48 5.8.1 Macro Controller Parameters ..................48 5.8.2 Source Section ......................49 5.8.3 Variation Section ....................... 50 5.8.4 Filter Section ......................52 5.8.5 Space Section ......................53 Credits ........................55 SKANNER - Manual - 5...

  • Page 6: Welcome To Skanner

    Welcome to SKANNER Foreword by Stephan Schmitt I hope SKANNER will invite you to explore the potential of its special approach to synthesis. Scan through the sample on a bigger scale or use the oscillators to read its waveforms like un­...
  • Page 7 ▪ Important names and concepts are printed in bold. ► Single instructions are introduced by this play button type arrow. → Results of actions are introduced by this smaller arrow. SKANNER - Manual - 7...

  • Page 8: What Is Skanner

    — perfect for forward-thinking sound designers and producers of cutting-edge electronic music. If you want to dig deeper into the architecture of SKANNER, the ’B’ view provides access to more detailed parameters. Use SKANNER with REAKTOR 5.6.2 and you can replace the in­...

  • Page 9: Installation And Activation

    When installation is finished, start the Service Center application, which was installed with SKANNER. It will connect your computer to the Internet and activate your SKANNER installa­ tion. In order to activate your copy of SKANNER, you have to perform the following steps with­ in the Service Center: Log in: Enter your Native Instruments user account name and password on the initial page.
  • Page 10 Download updates: When the server has confirmed the activation, the Service Center automati­ cally displays the Update Manager with a list of all available updates for your installed prod­ ucts. Please make sure that you always use the latest version of your Native Instruments prod­ ucts to ensure they function correctly.

  • Page 11: How To Use Skanner

    The following sections will give you a brief overview over some basic operations: you will learn how to open SKANNER, how to explore the factory-set Snapshots and how to load and play SKANNER snapshots from the Main bar and the Sidepane.
  • Page 12 How to Use SKANNER How to Open SKANNER Click the Skanner folder. The folder's content will be displayed in the lower section of the browser. Double click the Skanner.ens file, or drag it into the main screen. SKANNER - Manual - 12...

  • Page 13: Exploring Factory-Set Snapshots

    Snapshot. A Snapshot is REAKTOR’s notion for a sound, preset, or patch. SKANNER can hold banks of Snapshots, and loading any of these Snapshots will set each control of that Instrument to a specific value, and re-create a particular sound.
  • Page 14 How to Use SKANNER Exploring Factory-set Snapshots SKANNER interface with Snapshot list in the Sidepane. [1] Sidepane Button [2] Snapshot drop-down menu [3] Snapshot Banks [4] Snapshots SKANNER - Manual - 14...

  • Page 15: Loading A Snapshot From The Sidepane

    REAKTOR PLAYER, so you can tweak a sound perfectly for your song. All parameter settings made in SKANNER will be saved as part of your DAW project. Please read the REAKTOR documentation for more information on plug-in mode.

  • Page 16: Selecting Skanner A And B Panel Views

    How to Use SKANNER Selecting SKANNER A and B Panel Views Selecting SKANNER A and B Panel Views REAKTOR allows for each Instrument to have two separate Panel layouts, A and B. You can switch between the A and B Panel Views by clicking on the A View and B View buttons in the Instrument Header or by right-clicking on the Instrument Panel and clicking on the View B or View A menu entry.
  • Page 17 How to Use SKANNER Selecting SKANNER A and B Panel Views View B SKANNER View B SKANNER - Manual - 17...

  • Page 18: Overview Of Skanner Ensemble

    Overview of SKANNER Ensemble Overview of SKANNER Ensemble SKANNER is based on “Sample Lookup”, a minimalistic sample playback module from the early days of REAKTOR, and utilizes the audio signal at the input of this module to control the playhead position in the selected sample from where the value is read and passed to the out­...

  • Page 19: Overview Of Signal Flow

    The signal flow diagram shows how the position signal for the Sample Lookup module is gener­ ated and how the output of the sample reader is processed. For a detailed description of all parameters please refer to ↑5.3, Overview of SKANNER User Interface - View SKANNER - Manual - 19...

  • Page 20: Overview Of Skanner User Interface - View A

    5.2.1 Sample Display The sample display area of SKANNER shows the selected sample and the position of the play­ head as a light green line. When the playhead is modulated the position of playhead moves to different areas as it reads the sample.

  • Page 21: Master Slider

    Overview of SKANNER Ensemble Overview of SKANNER User Interface - View A This element is for display purposes only but in the full version of REAKTOR a WAV or AIFF file can be dropped here. The new sample will replace the currently used sample and will be stored with the Ensemble.
  • Page 22 Overview of SKANNER Ensemble Overview of SKANNER User Interface - View A Global LFO Parameters View A — LFO section [1] RATE: Sets the LFO frequency. When SYNC is on the LFO will be quantized to multiples of the BPM.

  • Page 23: Preset Morpher Section

    A morph can be stopped at any point and can be reversed or modulated by other movements. However, the switchable parameters cannot be morphed. In SKANNER they are set at the be­ ginning of a morph movement.
  • Page 24 Overview of SKANNER Ensemble Overview of SKANNER User Interface - View A The features in View B can not be used when the PRESET MORPHER is enabled, as a result you will automatically be prompted to disable PRESET MORPHING when switching to View B.

  • Page 25: Macro Controls Section

    Overview of SKANNER Ensemble Overview of SKANNER User Interface - View A [6] Morph Control: This is the central element for the control and display of the morph state. The 8 Snapshots of the selected group are assigned to 8 segments. The green segment indi­...
  • Page 26 The first two macro controls (SOURCE, VARIATION) are designated to parameters of the syn­ thesis engine of SKANNER while the second two macro controls (FILTER, SPACE) are as­ signed to the three effects. These can be assigned to MIDI sources for example, a modulation wheel, or expression pedal.

  • Page 27: Overview Of Skanner User Interface - View B

    Overview of SKANNER Ensemble Overview of SKANNER User Interface - View B For precise control assign Macro Controls to a MIDI controller like an expression pedal or to a sequencer automation parameter. Overview of SKANNER User Interface - View B View B —...

  • Page 28: Synth Engine Section

    REAKTOR samplers. Therefore the Sample Map Editor of REAKTOR does not ap­ ply. However, there are 12 Sample Lookup modules in the SKANNER instrument, so up to 12 different samples can be stored and used for creating snapshots.
  • Page 29 ▪ At negative values the phase is inverted. B: Sample position modulation depth by Oscillator B. [4] LFO: Adjust the LFO amount for the amplitude of ▪ With the slider in the central position there is no modulation. SKANNER - Manual - 29...
  • Page 30 ▪ 1 = playback in original speed. [15] Fine Position Slider: Sets the fine position (in ms). The slider moves are smoothed by an adjustable low-pass filter. The coarse (%) slider sets the center of the range where this slider works. SKANNER - Manual - 30...

  • Page 31: Polyphonic Processing Section

    MODU­ LATORS page. For detailed parameter descriptions on the FDBK section see ↑5.7.2, ENV Sec­ tion. [5] MIX: Mix all four signals with variable signs. For detailed parameter descriptions see ↑5.5.4, Mix Section. SKANNER - Manual - 31...

  • Page 32: Am (Amplitude Modulation)

    This polyphonic and tunable delay is part of the feedback path. It strongly influences the fre­ quency of self-oscillations. Its output signal is also one of the sources for the output mixer (MIX). This can be used to create sound coloration by comb filter effects. SKANNER - Manual - 32...
  • Page 33 ▪ Origin at C3=60. [5] TUNE: Set the fundamental frequency of the delay [in semitones]. It controls the time of the internal delay line. At the maximum position (200) the delay is set to zero. SKANNER - Manual - 33...

  • Page 34: Filter Section

    CUT: Cutoff of the high-pass filter. [3] Scaling: Keyboard scaling of the high-pass filter. ▪ 0: no influence ▪ 1: full tracking with the notes ▪ Origin at C3=60. CUT: Cutoff of the low-pass filter. SKANNER - Manual - 34...

  • Page 35: Mix Section

    [3] DELAY: Mix level for the output of the DELAY. [4] FILTER: Mix level for the output of the FILTER. 5.5.5 Amp ENV Section The amplitude of the signal coming from the output mixer is controlled by an ADSR envelope with adjustable velocity sensitivity. SKANNER - Manual - 35...

  • Page 36: Effects Section

    At the output of the Amp Envelope the voices of the polyphonic instrument are combined and the resulting signal is processed by three effect stages, the flexible 8-pole Filter, a stereo delay (Echo) and a reverb unit. SKANNER - Manual - 36...

  • Page 37: 8-Pole Filter Section

    [1] CENTER: Shifts the mean cutoff frequency of both 4-pole filters on both channels up or down [Hz]. R: Sets the difference between the cutoff frequencies of the left and of the right chan­ nel. SKANNER - Manual - 37...

  • Page 38: Echo Section

    1.0). In center position, both delay times are equal. [4] FDBK: Amount of feedback from the delay output to its input. CUT: Cutoff frequency of the filter that damps the lower frequencies of the delayed sig­ nal. SKANNER - Manual - 38...

  • Page 39: Reverb Section

    [2] SIZE: The room size and reverb time are set here. CUT: Cutoff of the filter that damps the lower frequencies of the reverberation signal. CUT: Cutoff of the filter that damps the higher frequencies of the reverberation signal. SKANNER - Manual - 39...

  • Page 40: Miscellaneous Controls

    [3] SCOPE: Displays the signal at the end of the effect chain, behind the MASTER and the Soft Clipper. The stereo channels are summed up for the display. Modulators Section The following section contains the sources for modulation of the sample reader position and some other target parameters. SKANNER - Manual - 40...
  • Page 41 There are five sources for modulation: Oscillator A, Oscillator B, LFO, Envelope and Feedback. The table below shows how each modulator can affect parameters Modulation targets: Osc A Osc B Feedback Sample position Osc. Pos. Amounts Oscillator pitches Oscillator phases SKANNER - Manual - 41...

  • Page 42: Oscillators A And B Sections

    Oscillators A and B are identical therefore, only parameter descriptions for Oscillator A will follow. Please use this as a reference for both oscillators. Oscillator A and B Parameters View B — Overview of Oscillator A and B. [1] SHAPE: Oscillator waveform: ▪ left end: Sine SKANNER - Manual - 42...
  • Page 43 [15] V: Influence of the key velocity on the peak and sustain levels of the envelope: ▪ 0: no influence, full levels ▪ 0...1: increasing influence by the velocity ▪ 1: full control by velocity, dynamic range: 43 dB. SKANNER - Manual - 43...

  • Page 44: Env Section

    [3] B: Level of the Breakpoint between the two Decay segments. [4] D2: Time of the second (exponential) Decay 1 - 10000 ms. [5] S: Sustain level. [6] R: Release time 1 - 10000 ms. SKANNER - Manual - 44...

  • Page 45: Fdbk Section

    ▪ -1: full modulation by LFO (0 ... 2x depth) - phase inverse ▪ 0: no LFO modulation ▪ 1: full modulation by LFO (0 ... 2x depth). [2] ENV: Amount of modulation of the feedback level by the Envelope. SKANNER - Manual - 45...

  • Page 46: Lfo Section

    View B — Overview of LFO section [1] Keyboard Tracking: Keyboard tracking amount of the LFO frequency If this slider is set to zero and KEY SYNC is off the LFO becomes monophonic. [2] RATE: LFO frequency [Hz]. SKANNER - Manual - 46...
  • Page 47 ▪ 0 : zero crossing of the rising ramp ▪ +0.5 : upper peak ▪ +1 : zero crossing of the falling ramp. [8] FADE: Fade-in time (in seconds). It controls the ramp-up of the LFO amplitude, which is triggered by each Note-On. SKANNER - Manual - 47...

  • Page 48: Macro Controls Section

    Macro Controls Section Macro Controls Section SKANNER has four modulation macro controllers. These can be used with remote controllers, in a keyboard setting roughly corresponding to a volume or expression pedal, and the modula­ tion wheel. The first two controllers...

  • Page 49: Source Section

    Macro Controls. For additional sound variation SKANNER features Preset Morphing which allows you to morph between two presets. For further information on Preset Morphing please refer to ↑5.2.4, Preset Morpher...

  • Page 50: Variation Section

    Mixer: Delay Mixer: AM Mixer: Delay Mixer: Filter 5.8.3 Variation Section VARIATION is a Macro Control with up to three destinations in the sample reader engine. Typi­ cally this is used for more subtle sound changes. SKANNER - Manual - 50...
  • Page 51 Filter: Hi Cut Osc A: FB Osc B: FB Feedback: Int-Ext Osc A: LFO Osc B: LFO Feedback: LFO Osc A: Env Osc B: Env Feedback: Env Pos: FB Pos: FB AM: A - B SKANNER - Manual - 51...

  • Page 52: Filter Section

    Macro Controller on the first, second and third target. [3] Amount Sliders: Control amount of the Macro Control on the first and second target. [4] LFO: When this button is activated the FILTER knob is replaced by the signal of the Global LFO. SKANNER - Manual - 52...

  • Page 53: Space Section

    By pressing the button on the left the fader can be replaced by the signal of the monophonic LFO. [3] Amount Sliders: Control amount of the Macro Control on the first and second target. SKANNER - Manual - 53...
  • Page 54 Global LFO. Space Modulation Targets Destination 1: Destination 2: Echo: Time Echo: Time Echo: LR Offset Echo: LR Offset Echo: Feedback Echo: Feedback Echo: Mix Echo: Mix Reverb: Size Reverb: Size Reverb: Mix Reverb: Mix SKANNER - Manual - 54...

  • Page 55: Credits

    Product Design: Stephan Schmitt and Efflam Le Bivic. Graphic Design: Gregory Pignot, Efflam Le Bivic,and Gösta Wellmer. Sound Design: Robert Linke, Jamil Samad, Angelos Liaros, Klaus-Dieter Pollack, Tasmodia, Mike Daliot, and Stephan Schmitt. Manual: David Gover and Stephan Schmitt. SKANNER - Manual - 55...

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