Per-Oscillator Parameters; Common Oscillator Parameters; The Mixer; Mixer Parameters - Novation Ultranova User Manual

RE7: Density
Displayed as:
O1Dense
Initial value: 0
Range of adjustment: 0 to 127
The density parameter effectively adds copies of the oscillator waveform to itself. Up to
eight additional virtual oscillators are used for this, depending on the value of the param-
eter. This produces a "thicker" sound at low to medium values, but if the virtual oscillators
are detuned slightly (see RE8 below), a more interesting effect is obtained.
RE8: Density Detuning
Displayed as:
O1DnsDtn
Initial value: 0
Range of adjustment: 0 to 127
This parameter should be used in conjunction with the Density control. It detunes the
virtual density oscillators, and you will notice not only a thicker sound, but the effect of
beating as well.
The Density and Density Detune parameters can be used to "thicken" the sound,
and simulate the effect of adding additional Voices. The Unison and Unison
Detune parameters in the Voice Menu can be used to create a very similar effect,
but using Density and Density Detune have the advantage of not needing to use
additional Voices, which are inite in number.
Per-oscillator parameters (Page 2)
O1PtchWh O1WTInt ModVib MVibRate
+12 127 0
RE1: Pitch wheel range
Displayed as:
O1PtchWh
Initial value: +12
Range of adjustment: -12 to +12
The pitch wheel can vary the oscillator pitch by up to an octave, up or down. The units are
in semitones, so with a value of +12, moving the pitchwheel up increases the pitch of the
notes being played by one octave, and moving it down takes them down an octave. Setting
the parameter to a negative value has the effect of reversing the operating sense of the
pitch wheel. You will ind that many of the factory patches have this parameter set to +2,
allowing a pitch wheel range of 1 tone. It is worth noting that (like all per-oscillator param-
eters) the value can be set independently for each oscillator.
RE2: Wave Table Interpolation
Displayed as:
O1WTInt
Initial value: 127
Range of adjustment: 0 to 127
This parameter sets how smooth the transition is between adjacent waveforms in the same
wavetable. A value of 127 will create a very smooth transition, with the adjacent waveforms
blending together. With a value of zero the transitions will be abrupt and obvious. With a
high 01WInt value set, it is possible retain a mix of adjacent waveforms if the modulation
value remains ixed. When modulating the wavetable Index (via LFO, etc.), the wavetable
interpolation parameter sets how smooth (or not!) the transition is.

Common Oscillator parameters

The remaining parameters in the Oscillator Menu are common to all 3 oscillators. They are
available whichever oscillator is selected by the SELECT button [10].
RE3: Single Fixed Note
Displayed as:
FixNote
Initial value: Off
Range of adjustment: Off, C# -2 to G 8
Some sounds need not be chromatically-dependent. Examples would be certain percus-
sion sounds (e.g., bass drums), and sound effects, such as a laser gun. It is possible to as-
sign a ixed note to a patch, such that playing any key on the keyboard generates the same
sound. The pitch on which the sound is based may be any semitone note in a range of over
ten octaves. With the parameter set Off, the keyboard behaves as normal. With it set to any
other value, every key plays the sound at the pitch corresponding to the value.
RE4: Vibrato depth
Displayed as:
ModVib
Initial value: 0
Range of adjustment: 0 to 127
Adding vibrato to an oscillator modulates (or varies) the pitch of the note cyclically, adding
a "wobble" to the tone. This parameter determines the vibrato depth, and hence how obvi-
ous the "wobble" is. The mod wheel is used to apply vibrato, with the ModVib parameter
14
OscDrift OscPhase FixNote
65 0 0deg Off
value representing the maximum depth of vibrato that can be obtained with the mod wheel
in its fully 'up' position. On the UltraNova, VibMod and MvibRate (below) are common
parameters that affect all oscillators and do not require the use of the LFO section.
RE5: Vibrato Rate
Displayed as:
Initial value:
Range of adjustment:
This parameter sets the rate (or frequency) of the vibrato from very slow (value = 0) to very
fast (value =127).
RE6: Oscillator Drift
Displayed as:
Initial value:
Range of adjustment:
When the three oscillators are set to the same tuning, their waveforms are perfectly
synchronised. Old analogue synthesizers were unable to stay perfectly in tune, and Oscil-
lator Drift 'emulates' this imperfection by applying a controlled amount of detuning so that
the oscillators are slightly out of tune with each other. This adds a "fuller" character to the
sound.
RE7: Oscillator Phase
Displayed as:
Initial value:
Range of adjustment:
NoiseTyp
This adjusts the point in the waveform at which the oscillators start, and is adjustable in
White
3 degree increments over one whole waveform cycle (360 ). The effect of this is to add a
slight "click" or "edge" to the start of the note, as the instantaneous output voltage when
the key is pressed is not zero. Setting the parameter to 90 or 270 produces the most
obvious effect. With the parameter set to 0º, the oscillators always start precisely in step. If
Free is set, the phase relationship of the waveforms is unrelated to when a key is pressed.
RE8: Noise Source Type
Displayed as:
Initial value:
Range of adjustment:
In addition to the three main oscillators, the UltraNova also has a noise generator. White
noise is deined as a signal with "equal power at all frequencies", and is a familiar "hissing"
sound. Restricting the bandwidth of the noise generator alters the characteristic of the
"hiss", and the other three options for this parameter apply such iltering. Note that the
noise generator has its own input to the mixer, and in order to hear it in isolation, its input
will need to be turned up and the oscillator inputs turned down. (See 15.)

the mIxer

The outputs of the three oscillators and the noise source are passed to a simple audio
mixer, where their individual contributions to the overall sound output can be adjusted.
Most of the factory patches use either two, or all three oscillators, but with their outputs
summed in various combinations of levels. Pressing the MIXER button [12] opens the
Mixer Menu, which has two pages. One of the PAGE buttons will be illuminated, indicating
that further menu pages are available. A total of 6 inputs and two FX sends are available for
adjustment on Page 1, and each input can be solo'd on Page 2.
As with any other audio mixer, don't be tempted to turn all the inputs up. The
mixer should be used to balance sounds. If multiple sources are in use, then
each input setting should be about halfway – about 64 or so, and the more
inputs you are using, the more careful you need to be. If you get this wrong, you
risk internal signal clipping, which will sound extremely unpleasant.
Mixer parameters (Page 1)
MIXER O1Level O2Level
127 0
RE1: Oscillator 1 Level O1Solo O2Solo
Off Off
Displayed as:
Initial value:
Range of adjustment:
VOICE PortTime
Off
This parameter sets the amount of Oscillator 1's signal present in the overall sound.
LFO L1Rate L1RSync
1-3 68 Off
L1Delay L1DSync
0 Off
VOCODER On/Off Balance
Off v67 m 0
MVibRate
65
0 to 127
OscDrift
0
0 to 127
OscPhase
0deg
Free, 0deg to 357deg
NoiseTyp
White
White, High, Band or High-band
O3Level RM1*3Lvl RM2*3Lvl NoiseLvl
0 0 0
O3Solo NoisSolo RM13Solo RM23Solo
Off Off Off Off
O1Level
127
0 to 127
PortMode PreGlide PolyMode Unison
Expo 0 Poly1 Off
L1Wave L1Phase L1Slew L1KSync
Sine 0 0 Off
L1InOut L1DTrig
FadeIn Legato
Width SibLevel SibType
127 40 HighPass
PreFXLvl PstFXLvl
0 0dB 0dB
UnDetune
25
L1Comn L1OneSht
Off Off