Novation MiniNova - Page 11

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of the note, according to the type of instrument.
For example, a note played on an Organ quickly attains full volume when a key is pressed.
It stays at full volume until the key is released, at which point the volume level falls instantly
to zero.
TIME
KEY "ON" KEY "OFF"
VOLUME
ATTACK DECAY RELEASE
SUSTAIN
TIME
KEY "ON" KEY "OFF"
VOLUME
TIME
KEY "ON" KEY "OFF"
VOLUME
TIME
KEY "ON" KEY "OFF"
VOLUME
ATTACK DECAY
RELEASE
SUSTAIN
SUSTAIN
RATE
TIME
KEY "ON" KEY "OFF"
VOLUME
ATTACK DECAY
RELEASE
SUSTAIN
SUSTAIN TIME
TIME
KEY "ON" KEY "OFF"
VOLUME
ATTACK DECAY RELEASE
SUSTAIN
TIME
KEY "ON" KEY "OFF"
VOLUME
ATTACK DECAY RELEASE
SUSTAIN
TIME
KEY "ON" KEY "OFF"
FILTER
CUT-OFF
A Piano note quickly attains full volume after a key is pressed, and gradually falls in volume
to zero after several seconds, even if the key is held.
TIME
KEY "ON" KEY "OFF"
VOLUME
ATTACK DECAY RELEASE
SUSTAIN
TIME
KEY "ON" KEY "OFF"
VOLUME
TIME
KEY "ON" KEY "OFF"
VOLUME
TIME
KEY "ON" KEY "OFF"
VOLUME
ATTACK DECAY
RELEASE
SUSTAIN
SUSTAIN
RATE
TIME
KEY "ON" KEY "OFF"
VOLUME
ATTACK DECAY
RELEASE
SUSTAIN
SUSTAIN TIME
TIME
KEY "ON" KEY "OFF"
VOLUME
ATTACK DECAY RELEASE
SUSTAIN
TIME
KEY "ON" KEY "OFF"
VOLUME
ATTACK DECAY RELEASE
SUSTAIN
TIME
KEY "ON" KEY "OFF"
FILTER
CUT-OFF
A String Section emulation only attains full volume gradually when a key is pressed. It
remains at full volume while the key is held down, but once the key is released, the volume
falls zero fairly slowly.
TIME
KEY "ON" KEY "OFF"
VOLUME
ATTACK DECAY RELEASE
SUSTAIN
TIME
KEY "ON" KEY "OFF"
VOLUME
TIME
KEY "ON" KEY "OFF"
VOLUME
TIME
KEY "ON" KEY "OFF"
VOLUME
ATTACK DECAY
RELEASE
SUSTAIN
SUSTAIN
RATE
TIME
KEY "ON" KEY "OFF"
VOLUME
ATTACK DECAY
RELEASE
SUSTAIN
SUSTAIN TIME
TIME
KEY "ON" KEY "OFF"
VOLUME
ATTACK DECAY RELEASE
SUSTAIN
TIME
KEY "ON" KEY "OFF"
VOLUME
ATTACK DECAY RELEASE
SUSTAIN
TIME
KEY "ON" KEY "OFF"
FILTER
CUT-OFF
In an analogue synthesizer, changes to a sound’s character which occur over the duration
of a note are controlled by a section called an Envelope Generator. The MiniNova has 6
Envelope Generators (called Env 1 to Env 6). Env 1 is always related to an Amplifier, which
controls the note’s amplitude – i.e., the volume of the sound - when the note is played.
Each envelope generator has four main controls which are used to adjust the shape of the
envelope.
Attack Time
Adjusts the time it takes after a key is pressed for the volume to climb from zero to full
volume. It can be used to create a sound with a slow fade-in.
TIME
KEY "ON" KEY "OFF"
VOLUME
ATTACK DECAY RELEASE
SUSTAIN
TIME
KEY "ON" KEY "OFF"
VOLUME
TIME
KEY "ON" KEY "OFF"
VOLUME
TIME
KEY "ON" KEY "OFF"
VOLUME
ATTACK DECAY
RELEASE
SUSTAIN
SUSTAIN
RATE
TIME
KEY "ON" KEY "OFF"
VOLUME
ATTACK DECAY
RELEASE
SUSTAIN
SUSTAIN TIME
TIME
KEY "ON" KEY "OFF"
VOLUME
ATTACK DECAY RELEASE
SUSTAIN
TIME
KEY "ON" KEY "OFF"
VOLUME
ATTACK DECAY RELEASE
SUSTAIN
TIME
KEY "ON" KEY "OFF"
FILTER
CUT-OFF
Decay Time
Adjusts the time it takes for the volume to fall from its initial full volume to the level set by the
Sustain control while a key is held down.
Sustain Level
This is unlike the other Envelope controls in that it sets a level rather than a period of time.
It sets the volume level that the envelope remains at while the key is held down, after the
Decay Time has expired.
Release Time
Adjusts the time it takes for the volume to fall from the Sustain level to zero once the key is
released. It can be used to create sounds that have a “fade-out” quality.
A typical synthesizer will have one or more envelopes. One envelope is always applied to
the amplifier to shape the volume of each note played. Additional envelopes can be used to
dynamically alter other sections of the synthesizer during the lifetime of each note.
The MiniNova’s second Envelope Generator (Env 2) is used to modify the filter cut-off
frequency over the lifetime of a note.
In the MiniNova, Envelope Generators 3 to 6 can be used for special purposes, such as
modulating the Wavetable index or FX levels.
TIME
KEY "ON" KEY "OFF"
VOLUME
ATTACK DECAY RELEASE
SUSTAIN
TIME
KEY "ON" KEY "OFF"
VOLUME
TIME
KEY "ON" KEY "OFF"
VOLUME
TIME
KEY "ON" KEY "OFF"
VOLUME
ATTACK DECAY
RELEASE
SUSTAIN
SUSTAIN
RATE
TIME
KEY "ON" KEY "OFF"
VOLUME
ATTACK DECAY
RELEASE
SUSTAIN
SUSTAIN TIME
TIME
KEY "ON" KEY "OFF"
VOLUME
ATTACK DECAY RELEASE
SUSTAIN
TIME
KEY "ON" KEY "OFF"
VOLUME
ATTACK DECAY RELEASE
SUSTAIN
TIME
KEY "ON" KEY "OFF"
FILTER
CUT-OFF
LFOs
Like the Envelope Generators, the LFO section of a synthesizer is a Modulator. Thus
instead of being a part of the sound synthesis itself, it is used to change (or modulate)
other sections of the synthesizer. For example, an LFO can be used to alter Oscillator pitch,
or Filter cut-off frequency.
Most musical instruments produce sounds that vary over time both in volume and in pitch
and timbre. Sometimes these variations can be quite subtle, but still contribute greatly
towards characterising the final sound.
Whereas an Envelope is used to control a one-off modulation during the lifetime of a
single note, LFOs modulate by using a repeating cyclic waveform or pattern. As discussed
earlier, Oscillators produce a constant waveform which can take the shape of a repeating
sine wave, triangle wave etc. LFOs produce waveforms in a similar way, but normally at a
frequency which is too low to produce a sound that the human ear could perceive. (In fact,
LFO stands for Low Frequency Oscillator.)
As with an Envelope, the waveforms generated by the LFOs may be fed to other parts of
the synthesizer to create the desired changes over time – or ‘movements’ - to the sound.
The MiniNova has three independent LFOs, which may be used to modulate different
synthesizer sections and can run at different speeds.
A typical waveshape for an LFO would be a Triangle wave.
TIME
PITCH
Imagine this very low frequency wave being applied to an Oscillator’s pitch. The result is
that the pitch of the Oscillator slowly rises and falls above and below its original pitch. This
would simulate, for example, a violinist moving a finger up and down the string of the
instrument whilst it is being bowed. This subtle up and down movement of pitch is referred
to as the ‘Vibrato’ effect.
Alternatively, if the same LFO signal were to modulate the Filter cut-off frequency instead of
the Oscillator pitch, a familiar wobbling effect known as ‘wah- wah’ would be result.
As well as setting up various sections of the synthesizer to be modulated by LFOs,
additional Envelopes may also be used as modulators at the same time. Clearly, the more
Oscillators, Filters, Envelopes and LFOs there are in a synthesizer, the more powerful it is.
Summary
A synthesizer can be broken down into five main sound generating or sound modifying
(modulating) blocks.
1. Oscillators that generate waveforms at a various pitches.
2. A Mixer that mixes the outputs from the Oscillators together.
3. Filters that remove certain harmonics, changing the character or timbre of the sound.
4. An Amplifier controlled by an Envelope generator, which alters the volume of a sound
over time when a note is played.
5. LFOs and Envelopes that can be used to modulate any of the above.
Much of the enjoyment to be had with a Synthesizer is with experimenting with the factory
preset sounds and creating new ones. There is no substitute for ‘hands on‘ experience.
Experiments with adjusting the MiniNova’s many parameters will eventually lead to a fuller
understanding of how the various controls alter and help shape new sounds.
Armed with the knowledge in this chapter, and an understanding of what is actually
happening in the machine when tweaks to the knobs and switches are made, the process
of creating new and exciting sounds will become easy - Have fun.