Red Sound FEDERATION BPM FX - PRO Owner's Manual

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Owners Manual

Issue 2

FEDERATION

BPM FX - PRO

Table of Contents

Summary of Contents for Red Sound FEDERATION BPM FX - PRO

Page 1 Owners Manual Issue 2 FEDERATION BPM FX - PRO...
Page 2: Table Of Contents
Specification ...................... MIDI Implementation ..................This operation manual uses the following symbols for identifying indicator conditions: = INDICATOR ON INDICATOR FLASHING www.redsound.com Copyright / Software Copyright / Design Right RED Sound Systems Ltd. 2001 Printed in England - Issue 2...
Page 3: Introduction
At the heart of the FEDERATION is Red Sound's acclaimed ‘V2’ BPM Analysis Engine (developed through ground- breaking products like the Voyager 1 and Micro-BPM), which shoulders the responsibility of calculating the tempo of the music.
Page 4: Front Panel
Front Panel FEDERATION BPM FX...
Page 5: Front Panel-Features
Front Panel Features FRONT PANEL FEATURES FILTER/LFO (FLANGER): This section features FREQUENCY, RESONANCE, ENVELOPE MOD and SPEED controls for the filter/flanger effects. The ACTIVATE button switches the effect on and off. The SET button can be used to change the BEATS trigger value or access the edit features of the FILTER/FLANGER. DELAY: This section features LEVEL (REPRO), REPEAT and SPEED controls for the delay effect.
Page 6: Rear Panel
(ALL FX) BPM FX - PRO AUDIO ALL FX THRU 9v DC Red Sound Systems Ltd Red Sound CAUTION: DO NOT OPEN CASE. REFER TO QUALIFIED SERVICE PERSONNEL. NO USER SERVICEABLE PARTS INSIDE www.redsound.com the colour of music BPM analysis...
Page 7: C Onnections - All Effects Mode
Connections - All FX Mode OWNERS MANUAL...
Page 8: Connections - Single Effects Mode
Connections - Single FX Mode FEDERATION BPM FX...
Page 9: Quick Start
Quick Start QUICK START If you want to quickly try out the performance of the FEDERATION, please read the following points carefully: CONNECTIONS: Before making any connections, make sure that the power on all your equipment is turned OFF. Connect the power supply (included) to the ‘power in’ socket on the rear panel of the FEDERATION and plug it into a suitable AC outlet.
Page 10: Operation
Operation EFFECTS CONFIGURATION DJ Mode (FX in series) For those who are new to the world of digital FX, or will be using the FEDERATION in a high-pressure situation such as live gigs, this is probably the best mode to start with. All four effects are chained together into a single signal path, automatically taking the output of the first effect and feeding it to the second, the second to third etc.
Page 11: I Nput Level
Operation To engage the FEDERATION’s BPM engine, set the rear panel ‘SYNC’ switch to the ‘AUDIO’ position (down). Any incoming MIDI clock data will now be ignored. To dis-engage the FEDERATION’s BPM engine, set the rear panel SYNC switch to the ‘MIDI’ position (up). The tempo of the incoming audio will NOT be used to control the tempo of the FEDERATION’s effects.
Page 12: Synchronisation Indicator
Operation NOTE: If the BPM engine has picked up on the off-beat information in the track (LEDs flashing on the off-beats) from a prominent Hi-Hat etc., you can use the NUDGE control’s Pull/Push feature to adjust the synchronisation to the on-beat position - for further information see page 23. During tempo analysis of the audio track, the right-hand digit in the display may fluctuate slightly as the BPM reading is constantly updated in real-time.
Page 13: Activating The Effects - Master On/Off
Operation ACTIVATING THE EFFECTS - MASTER ON/OFF Each effect can be selected independently or collectively using the 4 ACTIVATE buttons and the MASTER ON/OFF button. To cue the effect(s), press the ACTIVATE button(s) once in PAUSE mode (BPM detected, MASTER ON/OFF indicator flashing at BPM rate).
Page 14: Filter/Lfo
Effects THE FILTER /LFO FREQUENCY RESONANCE ENV MOD SPEED (FILTER/FLANGER) (FILTER TYPE) (LFO SHAPE) (MASTER) USER BEATS ACTIVATE SET(EDIT) FILTER/LFO FLANGER This effect recreates the most essential part (for many dance music producers and remixers) of a classic analogue synthesizer, the filter, and puts it under the direct control of the tempo of the source music via the synchronised Low Frequency Oscillator (LFO).
Page 15 Effects BAND-PASS: This type of filter allows a limited band of frequencies to pass whilst reducing the remaining high and low frequencies, the filtered frequency band being set by the position of the FREQUENCY control. Try positioning the control to isolate parts of the music such as vocals, bass etc. HIGH-PASS: This type of filter allows the high frequency elements to pass whilst reducing the lower frequencies as the FREQUENCY control is moved...
Page 16: Flanger
Effects When the SET button is pressed and held down (LED flashing) this control becomes the ‘master’ speed (EDIT) control for any activated effects. This feature can be used to change the trigger rate of up to four effects at once in real-time producing dramatic speeding up / slowing down effects.
Page 17: Cutter
Effects When you have selected the flanger characteristics you want, release the SET button. Now you can use the (EDIT) controls in this section to alter the settings of the selected flanger. FREQUENCY This control sets the frequency of the 'sweeping' element modulated by the trigger setting. This lets you fine tune which frequencies the flanging process will bring out.
Page 18 Effects When the Shape control is set to the left of centre, the volume will rise instantly to full on each triggered Beat, giving a very fast attack (with the release becoming increasingly sudden as the centre position is reached). This is ideal for making the beat of the music even more marked.
Page 19: Delay
Effects THE DELAY Vintage Tape Digital Grunge SPEED LEVEL REPEAT (REPRO) BEATS ACTIVATE SET (EDIT) DELAY This effect makes a copy of the source signal and then adds it back into the signal after a period of time as set by the BPM analyser.
Page 20: Panning
Effects delayed signal will be increasingly fed back into the delay to create more and more repeats, the multiple repeats slowly decaying in volume over a period of time. At the fully clockwise position (Max), the number of repeats feeding back into the delay will be sufficient to maintain the looped section indefinitely. SPEED This control can be used to manually set the trigger rate of the DELAY.
Page 21 Effects The unique Spatial Panning System (SPS), featured for the first time ever on the FEDERATION BPM FX, can actually split the incoming signal into three bands (low, mid and hi - as normally used by DJs) and then move these bands' pan positions independently.
Page 22 Effects Example 1: Frequency band movement when SPS control = ‘2-Way’ (2-Way Split control set to ‘Mid-Hi’ position) Example 2: Frequency band movement when SPS control = ‘Full’, SPS DIRECTION = ‘Right-Centre-Left’ (2-Way Split control has no function when SPS set to full) CENTRE CENTRE LEFT...
Page 23: Setting The Beats
Operation As the control is moved in a clockwise direction the crossover frequency rises, increasing the ‘width’ of the mid frequency band and ‘squeezing’ the high band until, at the fully clockwise position the crossover point will be at its maximum and all frequencies below will be grouped into the mid band.
Page 24: Tap/Clear
Operation Before attempting to set or change the BEATS value on any effect, ensure the FEDERATION is displaying a BPM reading from the AUDIO or MIDI input. To change a BEATS setting, press the effect SET button once and check that the indicator comes on, as in the following example: USER BEATS...
Page 25: Nudge Control
Operation The TAP function can also be used to assist the BPM engine as it analyses more complex rhythm tracks. Tapping along with the tempo of the track can help the software to recognise patterns within the music and so lock-in and adjust the BPM and/or synchronisation itself.
Page 26 Operation To check the current trigger synchronisation setting, press either the ‘PULL’ or PUSH’ button once. The main BPM display and SYNCHRONISATION indicators will now show the current setting, as in the following example: Example: Trigger point = ‘Synchronised’ Flashing ‘OK’ indicator PULL PUSH SYNCHRONISATION...
Page 27: Fx Mixer Joystick Control
Operation PUSH: To ‘Push’ the MIDI clock forwards, press the right button (PUSH) during the 4 second display period. +/UP PULL PUSH -/DOWN NUDGE The display reading will change for each press as follows: LGH / BAR LGH / BAR LGH / BAR Etc.
Page 28 Operation To mainly hear the FILTER or FLANGER effects, move the joystick to the North/West position, as in the following example: FILTER/LFO CUTTER “Activated” “Activated” “Activated” DELAY PANNING “Activated” “Activated” “Activated” FX MIXER To mainly hear the CUTTER effect, move the joystick to the North/East position, as in the following example: FILTER/LFO CUTTER “Activated”...
Page 29 Operation When the joystick is placed in a position other than those detailed above the result will be a unique blend of the activated effects. With all four effects activated, try moving the joystick around to get a feel of the different variations possible.
Page 30: Programs
Operation PROGRAMS This feature allows you to store all the FEDERATION effect settings in memory for instant recall of your favourite effect ‘scenes’. The position of every knob and switch, the trigger settings, the user beats patterns, utility mode parameters and even the joystick position can be memorised in eight user definable program locations. The main BEATS buttons are used to recall, compare and store the programs.
Page 31: User Beats
Operation press and hold down the selected program button (whilst still holding down the PROG button) for approximately 2 seconds. The indicator in the program button will flash rapidly and 'SAVE' will appear briefly in the main display when the store operation is complete. You can try any amount of program locations before saving the new setup by repeating this procedure.
Page 32 Operation The CUTTER effect will operate like the Filter/Flanger, ‘opening up’ when the TAP button is pressed (or held down) to allow the music through and closing when released. The PANNING effect will operate in a similar manner, the SPS frequencies moving to new pan positions with each press however, there will be no further panning movement when the TAP button is pressed and held down.
Page 33 Operation PATTERN LENGTH: Set the length to coincide with the number of bars you require for your pattern. When you have decided on the length of the pattern, ensure the ‘PATTERN SET’ indicator is flashing, then use the ‘BPM+/Up’ and ‘BPM-/Down’ buttons on the NUDGE control to change the value, as in the following example: Press twice LGH / BAR +/UP...
Page 34 Operation The two left-hand digits will show the bar position of the pattern as it loops around it’s set length. The ‘bar’ and ‘beat count’ displays will be updated throughout the recording process for confirmation of the exact bar/beat position within the pattern. Before entering any trigger events, watch the main BPM display and the indicators within the main BEATS buttons to familiarise yourself with the recording environment.
Page 35 Operation Fifth section of our example trigger pattern REST REST REST REST Triplet USER BEATS ----------------------------------------------------2----------------------------------------> ‘Recording input area’ = first half of third bar (2 beats) This section continues looping whilst ‘BAR LOOP’ is set to ‘on’ To exit ‘BAR LOOP’ mode simply press the ‘BAR LOOP’ button again (LED off). The pattern will now continue to play onwards from the end of the current loop section.
Page 36 Operation If you want to delete any tapped-in events, simply press the highlighted BEATS button(s) corresponding to the trigger position within the ‘recording input area’. The indicator will go out and the event will be removed. When you are satisfied with your recording, press the ‘LIVE(REC)’ button to exit record mode. You can go back and edit the pattern at any time by entering ‘Record Pause’...
Page 37: Utility
Operation UTILITY MODE The Utility section contains various system parameters that need to be altered less frequently than those on the main panel. Any changes will be stored when the power is turned off. The parameters available in this mode are: 1.
Page 38 Operation UTILITY 2: EFFECTS CONFIGURATION This is where you select the order of the effects when using the ‘ALL FX’ connectors. With utility mode ‘2’ selected, the display will alternate between: LGH / BAR LGH / BAR Display alternates Standard configuration = between Filter , Cutter,...
Page 39 Operation To change the BPM range, use the NUDGE control ‘BPM +/UP’ or ‘BPM -/DOWN’ buttons, as in the following example: +/UP PULL PUSH -/DOWN NUDGE LGH / BAR LGH / BAR Display alternates New setting = HI (115-230 BPM) between The BPM range setting is global i.e.
Page 40 Operation UTILITY 5: USER BEATS CLICK TRACK This is where you switch the USER BEATS click track on and off. With utility mode ‘5’ selected, the display will alternate between: LGH / BAR LGH / BAR Display alternates Default setting = Off between When set to ‘On’, the audible ‘beep’...
Page 41 Operation UTILITY 8: SAVE ALL PROGRAMS This is where you save all eight programs to an external MIDI storage device as a MIDI sysex dump. With utility mode ‘8’ selected, the display will alternate between: LGH / BAR LGH / BAR Display alternates All 8 programs to be saved between...
Page 42: Midi Control
MIDI Ensure the sysex dump is for a single program (always label your sysex dumps for ease of identification) and then transmit the data from the MIDI device. The main display will confirm the download as follows: LGH / BAR LGH / BAR Display alternates Single program loaded into...
Page 43: Audio To Midi Sync
MIDI Operation AUDIO - TO - MIDI SYNCHRONISATION This feature allows you to control the tempo of any connected MIDI hardware/software sequencer directly from the BPM of the incoming audio. The FEDERATION PRO generates a stable MIDI clock signal derived from the BPM of the audio input allowing you to add MIDI patterns, songs and phrases to the audio in perfect synchronisation.
Page 44: Headphone Monitoring
Headphone Monitor IMPORTANT NOTE: The FEDERATION will continue running the MIDI clock output indefinitely at the last detected BPM rate if the strong regular beats in the audio track become unavailable. This feature allows the connected MIDI sequencer to fill in parts during quite passages in the audio track without interruption or to continue playing after the track has finished.
Page 45: Specification
Specification FEDERATION BPM FX - PRO Audio SPS Panning Freq. Resp’nse: 20Hz to 20kHz (+/-0.5dB) Controls: SPS (X-Over 1), 2-Way Split (Direction), S/N ratio: >85dB Speed (X-Over 2), Set Beats, Activate THD: <0.015% SPS: Off, 2-Way, Full Input Levels: 1 - 2.5 V...
Page 46: Midi Implementation
MIDI Implementation Function Transmitted Recognized Remarks Default Basic 1-16 1-16 Memorized Channel Changed 1-16 1-16 Default Mode 4 Mode Messages Altered Note For filter if turned on. True Voice Number: Note ON Velocity Note OFF Key’s Aftertouch Ch’s Pitch Bend FX Mixer joystick ‘X’...
Page 47 For the USA FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION RADIO FREQUENCY INTERFERENCE STATEMENT This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits listed for a Class B digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residential installation.
Page 48: Copyright / Software Copyright / Design Right Red Sound Systems Ltd
Red Sound Systems Ltd Bourne House, Cores End Road, Bourne End, Bucks. SL8 5AR. England Phone : +44 (0)1628 819191 Fax : +44 (0)1628 819111 Copyright/Software Copyright/Design Right RED Sound Systems Ltd. 2001 Patent Pending Printed in England...