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Cwejman S1 MK2 User Manual

Semi-modular, analogue monophonic synthesizer
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S1 MK2 User's Manual
(Guide/Handbook)

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Summary of Contents for Cwejman S1 MK2

  • Page 1 S1 MK2 User’s Manual (Guide/Handbook)

  • Page 2: Table Of Contents

    Table of contents page Certification....................1 Warranty and Assistance................ 1 Limitation of warranty................Before using this Synthesizer..............Checking Accessories............... Environmental Conditions..............Safety Symbols.................. 3 Grounding Requirements..............Rack Installation................Installation of Instrument Stand (optional)......... 3 Repackaging for Shipment..............Warm up time..................Introduction....................
  • Page 3 Reset Message Received..............CV Gate/Trigg Configuration............. Setting for CV Outputs..............Setting Parameters................Routing the CV Outputs..............Parameter Values, Table 1............... Upgrading Software................Possible Routing of CV Outputs............MIDI Implementation Chart............... Inside the Synthesizer................Oscillators..................Sine Waveform.................. 34 Triangle Waveform................Sawtooth Waveform................Pulse Waveform................

  • Page 4: Certification

    Copyright 2005 by Cwejman . Printed in Sweden. All rights reserved. No part of this manual may be reproduced in any form without written permission of Cwejman .

  • Page 5: Checking Accessories

    Before Using this Synthesizer Checking Accessories Upon receipt of this instrument, run the checks shown below: Run visual checks against any and all damages or imperfections. Check the quantity and rating of standard accessories to assure their conformance with the table below. Should there be any flaw, or damage, or missing or insufficient materials, contact the dealer or the sales and support office.

  • Page 6: Before Using This Synthesizer

    The following is a general guide for repackaging for shipment. NOTE: If the instrument is to be shipped to Cwejman Sound for service or repair, attach a tag to the instrument identifying the owner and indicating the service or repair to be carried out, include the serial number.

  • Page 7: Introduction

    Introduction The S1 is a semi-modular, analogue monophonic synthesizer. It is easy to get started with since it is pre- patched for optimal use of its sound producing possibilities and eliminates the need for external connections between modules during use. Each module can be disconnected and used separately, e.g. to control or be controlled by other instruments.

  • Page 8: Getting Started

    OSC1, OSC2, OSC3, SCALE; 1 Volt/octave OSC1, OSC2, OSC3, RANGE; ’RANGE’ octave steps CALIBRATION MASTER, SCALE; general scale sensitivity calibration MASTER, ANALOG CV INPUT; 1 Volt/octave Power cord inlet MAINS INLET 115/230 V Switch for mains voltage selection SELECTOR BALANCED, 16 dBVmax @ 600 ohm (rear panel) INSTRUMENT OUTPUTS SINGLE ENDED, 10 dBVmax (front and rear panel)

  • Page 10: Patchbay

    Now begin to experiment: - Turn the FILTER MIX knob in the MASTER AMP section in position LPF or MMF to hear signals of all oscillators. - Change the waveforms and tunings of the oscillators. - Change the setting of the LPF- and MMF sections (CUTOFF, Q-PEAK, POLE, MODE) and move the FILTER MIX knob in the MASTER AMP section.
  • Page 11 This allows you to individually modulate the frequency of each of oscillator and the master controller just by moving the FM LEVEL knobs in the oscillator section. The same aplied to the MODULATION LEVEL knob in the MASTER CONTROLLER section. The MODULATION INPUT sockets breaks these pre-patched signals and allow you to redirect any other signal to frequency control of the oscillators and the master tuning.
  • Page 12 MASTER GLIDE TIME CONTROLLER MASTER TRANSPOSE MASTER TUNING 1 millisecond to 10 seconds 6 octaves in 1 octave steps ± 3 semitones MASTER MODULATION LEVEL pre-patched to LFO ENVELOPE GENERATOR 1 SELECTOR TRIGGER 1, main MIDI channel TRIGGER 2, main MIDI channel + 1 LOWPASS FILTER MASTER CV TRACKING MASTER CV1 CONTROL...

  • Page 13: Oscillators

    OSCILLATORS The Oscillators (OSC1-3) are the main sound sources of the instrument. They are identical, except to their pre-patched frequency modulation sources and the fact that OSC1 can be switched to LFO mode. Oscillators are equipped with seven waveforms, sync and different frequency and pulse width modulation routes.

  • Page 14: Oscillators Cv

    OSCILLATOR 1 RANGE 0 (C2) to 6 (C8) in 1 octave steps. AUDIO mode RANGE 8 seconds to 120 milliseconds. LF mode ± 6 semitones. TUNE PULSE WIDTH 5% to 95%. Sine, Triangle, Saw, Saw+Triangle, Triangle + Pulse, Saw+Pulse, Waveforms Pulse: ±...

  • Page 15: Mixer

    Amplitude modulation input, ± 5 Volts wave @ 5Volts input CV. CV, LEVEL Pulse width modulation input, 5% pulse width/ 1Volt input CV. CV, PWM Mixer This is a two input / two output DC-coupled mixer with input level controls. The inputs are pre-patched to the LFO triangle wave and to the ENVELOPE GENERATOR 1, but can be coupled to any other source.

  • Page 16: Ring Modulator

    Ring Modulator A ring modulator is a classic audio effect device and due to the non harmonic character of the output signal, very useful to create metallic timbres such as bells, sweeping whistles and percussive sounds and tremolo effects (modulated by low periodic signal like a LFO). Two input signals are needed and pre-patched to OSC 2 and 3 sine wave outputs.

  • Page 17: Lfo

    LFO, Low Frequency Oscillator The LFO provides a sub-audio signal for modulation purposes. It is used to achieve periodic modulations like sweeps, vibrato effects or arpeggios. RATE determines the frequency of the LFO and is indicated by the LED WAVEFORM SELECTOR provides seven different waveforms. The patch-section offers some more LFO functions: The GATE SOURCE SELECTOR switch enables the LFO to start at a zero-crossing and thus to sync the LFO to MIDI/GATE 1, MIDI/GATE 2 or to an external signal patched to the EXT GATE socket.

  • Page 18: Low Pass Filter, Audio Input Mixer

    Low Pass Filter Audio Mixer Audio mixer for oscillator 1, 2, 3, ring modulator and pre-patched multi mode filters output. The output signals of the three oscillators, the ring modulator and the output signal of the multimode filter has individual levels into the lowpass filter input. The red labelling indicates the saturation level of the filter's input stage when one source is used.

  • Page 19: Filters

    Filters The most important sound shaping device of every substractive synthesizer is the filter. It cuts off specific and adjustable frequency ranges and thus overtones, which can result in drastic sonic changes of the filtered audio material. In the following, you will find a brief description of a filter in general, more detailed and technical information can be found on page 38 of this manual.
  • Page 20 FUNCTIONS CUTOFF controls the filters cutoff- (or corner-) frequency. POLE selects between 4 pole low pass, quasi band pass (that sounds different than the "true" bandpass of the MMF) and 6 pole low pass. Q-PEAK determines the boost of the corner frequency. From "9" on, the filter starts self-oscillating. To create useful and interesting sounds, the cutoff parameter has to be controlled dynamically.
  • Page 21 CUTOFF (CORNER FREQUENCY) TUNING; 16 Hz to 16 kHz 4 POLE / BANDPASS 6 POLE SELECTOR CORNER PEAK CONTROL FLAT to OSCILLATION SOURCE SELECTOR POSITIVE/ NEGATIVE GOING CORNER FREQUENCY MODULATION ENVELOPE GENERATOR 1 by ENVELOPE GENERATOR 1 SOURCE SELECTOR POSITIVE/ NEGATIVE GOING CORNER FREQUENCY MODULATION ENVELOPE GENERATOR 2 by ENVELOPE GENERATOR 2...

  • Page 22: Multi Mode Filter

    MULTI MODE FILTER The MMF is the most flexible filter found in any monophonic synthesizer. The whole circuit solution of the filter is an analogue "state of the art" and results in remarkable qualities such as: Wide frequency range from 5 Hz to 25 kHz Vital parameters such as CUTOFF, Q-PEAK and LEVEL (output) Selectable 2-, 4- and 6 poles Low-, high-, band pass mode...
  • Page 23 CUTOFF FREQUENCY TUNING 16 Hz to 16 kHz 2-4-6 POLE SELECTOR LOW-PASS/ HIGH-PASS/ BAND-PASS MODE SELECTOR CORNER PEAK CONTROL FLAT to OSCILLATION SOURCE SELECTOR POSITIVE/ NEGATIVE GOING CUTOFF FREQUENCY MODULATION ENVELOPE GENERATOR 1 by ENVELOPE GENERATOR 1 SOURCE SELECTOR POSITIVE/ NEGATIVE GOING CUTOFF FREQUENCY MODULATION ENVELOPE GENERATOR 2 by ENVELOPE GENERATOR 2...

  • Page 24: Envelope Generators

    Envelope Generators The envelope generators provide control voltages (CV's) that can be used to dynamicy change of parameters, such as; frequency, amplitude, pulse width, cutoff. The most common use is in connection with a filter and a voltage controlled amplifier in order to achieve dynamic timbre- and level-changes.

  • Page 25: Master Amplifier

    0.5 milliseconds to 20 seconds ATTACK TIME 0.5 milliseconds to 20 seconds DECAY TIME 0 to 5 Volts SUSTAIN LEVEL 0.5 milliseconds to 20 seconds RELEASE TIME 1 millisecond to 10 seconds DELAY TIME CV, ATTACK 0.5 milliseconds to 20 seconds @ 0 to 5 Volts CV 0.5 milliseconds to 20 seconds @ 0 to 5 Volts CV CV, DECAY 0 to 5 Volts @ 0 to 5 Volts CV...
  • Page 26 LOW-PASS and MULTI-MODE FILTER AUDIO MIXER OVERDRIVE CONTROLLER CLEAN (0) to SATURATED (10) AUDIO OUTPUT LEVEL ENVELOPE GENERATOR 1 & 2 AMPLITUDE CONTROL MIXER AMPLITUDE CONTROL MODE LINEAR 20%/Volt LOG 16 dB/Volt EXTERNAL AUDIO INPUT pre-patched to MASTER AMPLIFIER LOW-PASS FILTER OUTPUT AUDIO OUTPUT VELOCITY CONTROL SWITCH...

  • Page 27: Rear Panel

    REAR PANEL...

  • Page 28: Calibration

    MIDI IN (and programming), MIDI OUT (only program verification) MIDI INTERFACE and MIDI THRU Fixed: main tune, 0 to 10 Volts (10 octaves) Factory preset: Note on Velocity, 0 to 5 Volts Factory preset: Control Change #05, Modulation Wheel, 0 Volt ± 5 Volts Factory preset: Channel After Touch, 0 to 5 Volts MIDI OUTPUTS MASTER CV + Glide &...

  • Page 29: Oscillator Range

    Oscillator 2 and 3: Repeat the procedure as for Oscillator 1, using one of the other oscillators as reference. OSCILLATOR RANGE Oscillator 1: 1. On MASTER CV set switch for OSC1 and OSC2 to ON. 2. On OSC 1 and OSC 2 set RANGE switch and TUNE to position 0. 3.

  • Page 30: Midi

    MIDI General The MIDI interface is a so-called MIDI to CV & Gate/Trigger that converts MIDI messages to analog control voltages (CV) and Gate/Trigger (Gate/Trigg) control voltages. There are six CV channels, CV1-CV6, and two Gate/Trigg ports, Gate1/Trigg1 and Gate2/Trigg2. All the functions that have an external ’Control Voltage Input’, normally marked ’CV’...

  • Page 31: Gate2/Trigg2

    Gate1 activates Envelope Generator 1 (with fixed connection to Gate1) and/or Envelope Generator 2. The selection is made by MASTER CONTROLLER selector switches GATE 1 1-off-2 and GATE 2 1-off-2 on the front panel. Gate1 can also control LFO Sync via a switch in the LFO Gate1-Gate2 section.

  • Page 32: Cv2

    Function CV2 is preprogrammed for Note-On Velocity but can be reprogrammed, see the following section Functions for CV Outputs . CV2 is pre-patched for amplitude control but can be de- selected by a switch under the AMP-CV section. Default sensitivity is 100% but can be altered, see CV Gate/Trig Configuration below.

  • Page 33: How Midi Messages Are Handled

    How MIDI Messages are Handled Program Change Program Change messages with patch #01 restore the parameter settings to their default values. A currently played note is turned off by making both Gate 1 and Gate 2 inactive, the CV1 output is held at its latest value. The Note Stack is emptied. All CV Outputs on the S1 that are programmed for a controller or other function output are cleared, the output is set to 0V and the Pitch Wheel is centered.

  • Page 34: Setting For Cv Outputs

    Settings for CV Outputs CV Output 1 is always Pitch Out and it is not possible to use it for anything else. CV Outputs 2-5 can be programmed to react to MIDI Controllers or a number of pre-defined functions. These functions are listed below and in Table 1: 1.

  • Page 35: Routing The Cv Outputs

    Example 2: The CV2 Output Range is set to 32 as default. To change this to 64 for a 200% range instead do the following. Presume that the instrument has not received any other messages and has not been turned off since the last parameter change. ·...

  • Page 36: Parameter Values, Table 1

    Table 1, Parameter Values NRPN Fine Value Data Entry Parameter Function Comment Coarse Value (NRPN Coarse = 0) Lowest possible note Base Note 0-127, default is 24 that will be played. CV1 is always handled as main tune control. This CV1 Function parameter currently has no effect.

  • Page 37: Upgrading Software

    Upgrading Software Software in the S1 CVGate interface can be upgraded via MIDI. Software is upgraded via a programmer software that runs on any Windows machine. This software can be downloaded from the official website. The Windows machine must of course also have a standard MIDI interface.

  • Page 38: Inside The Synthesizer

    INSIDE THE SYNTHESIZER The S1 synthesizer is an analog instrument (not including the MIDI Converter of course). Most parameters such as frequency, amplitude, resonance (Q-PEAK), attack time, decay time, etc. are adjustable via potentiometers on the front panel and can also be voltage controlled via respective CV inputs.

  • Page 39: Triangle Waveform

    In other words the sine wave has its own character, it sounds nearly clean but it can change its timbre by, e.g.a filter sweep (dynamic) or by a filter with a peak frequency that corresponds with the harmonic overtones of the signal (static). The illustration below shows the result of modifying the signal with the Lowpass Filter and Q-peak = 7.

  • Page 40: Pulse Waveform

    Pulse Waveform The pulse wave is another classic waveform with variable pulse width and contains very strong overtones. Unlike the sawtooth wave the overtone content of the pulse wave can be altered by changing pulse width. For example, a symmetrical pulse contains only odd overtones (3, 5, 7, …). See the illustration below.

  • Page 41: Triangle + Pulse Waveform

    For example, if the pulse with 33% pulse width is modified by the Multi-Mode Filter (Highpass mode, Q- peak = 7) in series with the Lowpass Filter (Q-peak = 7), the result can be as shown in the illustration below, with dominant 4th and 5th overtones. The basic tone is heavily suppressed and the modified pulse signal sounds completely different than the original signal.
  • Page 42 OSCILLATOR2 FM(OSC1-SAW)+SYNC, 0SC1 & OSC2 SAW out OSCILLATOR2 SINUS out, FM+AM(OSC1/SAW)+SYNC -2.5 -2.5 -5.0 -5.0 -7.5 -7.5 3.00 4.00 5.00 6.00 7.00 8.00 3.00 4.00 5.00 6.00 7.00 8.00 Time (milliseconds) Time (milliseconds) A simple, yet acoustically interesting synchronized waveform that can be used as a template for creating Bass lead sounds is shown in the illustration below.

  • Page 43: Noise Generator

    Even though these waveforms do not look like noise, they are synthesized noise. By frequency modulating the oscillators in a ring a multitude of signals are created just like those found in noise. However, unlike random noise this synthesized oscillator noise can be manipulated in several ways, e.g.

  • Page 44: Low Pass Filter

    RING MODULATOR, INPUTS; OSC2/SIN & OSC3/SIN RING MODULATOR, INPUTS; OSC2/SAW & OSC3/SQR -2.5 -2.5 -5.0 -5.0 -7.5 -7.5 3.00 4.00 5.00 6.00 7.00 8.00 3.00 4.00 5.00 6.00 7.00 8.00 Time (milliseconds) Time (milliseconds) With synchronized oscillators a signal can be created with harmonic character but with the characteristic ring modulator sound.
  • Page 45 The illustration below shows the suppression of square wave overtones in the LPF. LOW-PASS FILTER, SQR WAVE IN 4-POLE MODE 6-POLE MODE -10.0 -20.0 -30.0 -40.0 -50.0 -60.0 -70.0 -80.0 -90.0 1.0k 3.0k 5.0k 7.0k 9.0k 11.0k 13.0k 15.0k 17.0k 19.0k Frequency (Hz) Q-peak affects the amplitude of the corner frequency from flat to self-oscillation.
  • Page 46 LOWPASS FILTER (6 POLE MODE), SELF-OSCILLATION MODE, MODULATED by LFO/SAW -2.5 -5.0 -7.5 Time (milliseconds) LPF is characterized by a non-linear transfer function, so-called saturation mode that is affected by the level of the incoming signal. In the audio mixer the red markings on the potentiometer scales show the level at which the filter operates in the non-linear mode (saturation mode).
  • Page 47 LOWPASS FILTER, OSC1/SQR WAVE IN, LEVEL = 7, Q-PEAK = 7 1000,0 Hz -10.0 -20.0 -30.0 2000,0 Hz -40.0 -50.0 -60.0 -70.0 -80.0 -90.0 1.0k 3.0k 5.0k 7.0k 9.0k 11.0k 13.0k 15.0k 17.0k 19.0k Frequency (Hz) Parameters such as Q–peak and Level are voltage controlled which enables the filter to modify signals with modulation of frequency corner.

  • Page 48: Multi Mode Filter

    MULTI MODE FILTER This filter has musical characteristics that differ from the Low Pass Filter. It has low pass, high pass and band pass mode and is linear, i.e. has no compression mode. Acoustically it is different and provides a necessary complement to the Low Pass Filter.

  • Page 49: Master Amplifier

    MASTER AMPLIFIER Attenuation in the voltage controlled amplifier (VCA) is controlled by Envelope Generator 1 and 2 via the panning mixer (ENVELOPE MIX) and the VELOCITY CONTROL (CV2). There are two attenuation control modes: Linear and logarithmic (Log). In linear mode the attenuation follows a linear relationship; 1 volt increase (or decrease of control voltage amplifies (or attenuates) 20% of the incoming signal or expressed in a simple mathematical formula: gain = X Volts/0.2...

  • Page 50: Envelope Generators

    ENVELOPE GENERATORS Both envelope generators are identical and provide control voltages that can be used to dynamic change of all voltage controlled parameters, such as; frequency, amplitude, pulse width, cutoff. The most common use is controlling a filters cutoff frequency and a voltage controlled amplifiers amplitude in order to achieve dynamic timbre- and level-changes.

  • Page 51: Lfo

    LFO's The Low Frequency Oscillator (LFO) can be used as modulation sources of all voltage controlled parameters, such as; oscillators frequency, pulse width, and cutoff frequency. LFO's has a wide rate range of 60 seconds (0.01 Hz) to 16 milliseconds (60 Hz). The waveforms shapes can be modified by applying voltage control for rate speed and output level.

  • Page 52: Overdrive

    OVERDRIVE The Output Mixer combines two signals, a clean signal from the Master Amplifier and a saturated signal from a saturation stage. The saturation stage is overdriven successively with the knob from clean to full saturated signal. This gradually produces increasing distortion, soft clipping, and with hard overdriving successively changes the operating point (as in a triode) to cause increasingly unsymmetrical clipping.

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