Section 5 — Understanding Sounds
8 ENSONIQ KT Musician’s Manual
Specifying a Modulation Source
Use the {CURSOR} buttons to select the Modulation Source parameter. Remember, it will be
flashing in the display when it is selected. Now you can use the Data Entry Slider or the
{VALUE} buttons to select one of the 16 available Modulation Sources:
LFO - Low Frequency Oscillator PITCH - Pitch Bend Wheel
NOISE1 - Stepped Noise Generator PEDAL - Control Voltage (CV) Pedal
NOISE2 - Smooth Noise Generator TIMBRE - Timbre (sequencer only)
ENV1 - Envelope 1 XCTRL - External MIDI Controller
ENV2 - Envelope 2 PRESSR - Pressure (Aftertouch)
ENV3 - Envelope 3 KEYBD - Keyboard Tracking
WHL+PR - Mod Wheel + Pressure VELOC - Velocity
WHEEL - Modulation Wheel <OFF> - No modulation
LFO — Low Frequency Oscillator
The Low Frequency Oscillator generates only very low frequency waves, below the audio
spectrum, which can produce vibrato, tremolo, and many other effects depending on the LFO wave
selected and where it is applied as a modulator. There are seven possible waveshapes for the LFO.
LFO is permanently routed to the waveform generator for pitch modulation. It can also be
assigned as a modulator elsewhere. See the description of the LFO pages in Section 6 — Standard
Sound Parameters for a complete discussion of the LFO.
NOISE1 — Stepped Noise Generator
The noise generator creates a randomly changing level. It is useful for modulating, among other
things, the pitch of a voice (Pitch Modulation page). Applied to pitch with large modulation
amounts, it tends to create strange “computer” sound effects. Small modulation amounts
(around +02 to +04) can create a subtle random movement in the sound, which imparts a more
natural quality. Depends on the Noise Rate setting, on LFO page 30.
NOISE2 — Smooth Noise Generator
The second noise generator works like NOISE1, but NOISE2 has a “smoothed” wave pattern.
When applied to pitch, NOISE2 has a “siren-like” quality, as compared to NOISE1’s computer
effects. Notice the difference between the two noise generator wave shapes:
Noise Rate
0
+100
-100
NOISE1
Noise Rate
0
+100
-100
NOISE2
ENV 1, ENV 2, ENV 3
The KT has three complex envelopes. Envelopes are used to create changes over time, in pitch,
brightness, volume, etc.
• ENV 1 is permanently routed to the pitch of the voice, though it can be assigned as a
modulator elsewhere if you wish.
• ENV 2 is permanently routed to the filter cutoff frequency. It can also be assigned as a
modulator elsewhere.
• ENV 3 always controls the volume or amplitude of the voice. It can also be selected as a
modulator elsewhere.