Novation Circuit User Manual

28
English
Exploring the Macros
You can modify Circuit’s synth sounds extensively with the Macro controls
3
. Each of the 64
factory Patches available can have eight of its parameters “tweaked” in value to alter the sound.
The audible effect of any adjustment will depend to a large degree on the Patch itself: on some
Patches the effect of a given Macro control will be more obvious than on others.
By far the best way of understanding the effect of each Macro control is to load some different
Patches, and experiment with the controls while listening. You will nd that with certain Patches,
turning some of the Macro controls will have an audibly different effect when other Macro
controls have different settings. Try moving pairs of controls together to create unusual and
interesting sonic variations.
If you’re familiar with synth terminology, you may nd it useful to know that,
where possible, the assignment of the Macro controls broadly follows this
scheme:
Macros 1 & 2 adjust Oscillator parameters
Macros 3 & 4 adjust Envelope parameters
Macros 5 & 6 adjust Filter parameters
Macros 7 & 8 adjust Modulation and FX parameters
However, it must be emphasised that numerous Patches will differ to a greater or lesser
degree from these assignments, and that there is no substitute for experimentation!
Each Macro control has an RGB LED below the knob, which illuminates in either purple
or green according to which synth is selected. The rotary controls are ‘endless’; the LEDs
therefore provide an indication of the parameter value, with the LEDs’ brightness indicating the
current value of the parameter as the knob is turned.
You can use the Macro controls while a pattern is playing to alter synth sounds in real time.
If Circuit is in Record, the LEDs change to red as soon as the knob is turned, and parameter
variations will now be recorded to the Session. See page 38 for more details.
The Macro controls can also be varied by an external MIDI controller of any kind. Circuit’s MIDI
I/O conguration will need to be set to receive MIDI Control Change (CC) data – this is the
default setting, but see “MIDI I/O” on page 67 for full information.
Macro parameter variations originating from an external MIDI controller can be recorded in
Circuit in exactly the same way as the physical knob movements described above.

Novation Circuit Specifications

General

Type	Groovebox
Drum Tracks	4
Power	USB or 6xAA Batteries
Synth Engines	2
Pads	32 RGB Velocity-sensitive pads
Knobs	8
Effects	Delay and Reverb
Connectivity	MIDI In/Out, USB
Included Software	Ableton Live Lite, Components
Polyphony	6-voice
Sample Memory	60 seconds
Weight	1.0 kg