Novation SUMMIT - Effects and Modulation; Effects Processing

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The Effects Section
Summit comes equipped with two sound effects (FX) sections – one per Part. FX can
be applied to the sound the synth is generating to add colour and character. When Multi
Patches are in use, FX may be added to Parts A and B independently. All FX parameters
are saved with the Patch.
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The FX tools comprise analogue distortion and three digital “time-domain” effects: Reverb,
Chorus and Delay. Each has its own set of controls and any or all FX may be used without
restriction.
In addition, the FX Menu provides extensive control of additional parameters for the digital
FX. These may be used in parallel configuration, or arranged in series in any order: the
configurations are set up in the FX Menu.
A second menu – FX Mod – gives access to a 4-slot modulation matrix dedicated to the
FX section. This is entirely independent of the main modulation Matrix (accessed through
its own Mod menu), and allows you to apply modulation control to most primary FX
parameters. See page 39 for full details.
The FX processing section is active by default: the Bypass button
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switches the digital
FX processing out of circuit: it does not bypass the Distortion processor.
Distortion
Distortion may be added with the single Level control
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. A controlled amount of
distortion is added after the VCA, in the analogue domain, and affects the sum of all sixteen
voices and any external audio inputs applied. (See the block diagram at page 21.) This
means that the distortion characteristic will change as the amplitude of the signal changes
over time as a result of the Amplitude Envelope, and also with the number of active voices.
The output from the Distortion processor is then routed to the other FX.
Note that “per-voice” distortion may be added either post-filter by adjusting Post
Filter Drive on Page 3 of the Voice menu, or pre-filter by adjusting the Overdrive
control in the Filter section
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.
Chorus
Chorus is an effect produced by mixing a continuously delayed version of the signal with
the original. The characteristic swirling effect is produced by the Chorus processor’s own
LFO making very small changes in the delays. The changing delay also produces the effect
of multiple voices, some of which are pitch-shifted; this adds to the effect.
Summit has three stereo Chorus programs, named 2 Tap, 4 Tap and Ensemble, selected
by the Type button
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. The names reflect the nature of traditional chorus generation,
which was to mix together several versions of the same signal, each with a different and
varying delay, derived from a multi-tap delay line. The amount of Chorus effect added to the
“dry” signal is adjusted by the Level control
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. The Rate control
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sets the frequency
of the Chorus processor’s dedicated LFO. Lower values give a lower frequency, and hence
a sound whose characteristic changes more gradually. A slow rate is often more effective.
There are further Chorus parameters available for adjustment in the FX Menu.
Delay
The Delay FX processor produces one or more repetitions of the note played. Although the
two are intimately related in an acoustic sense, delay should not be confused with reverb in
terms of an effect. Think of delay simply as “Echo”.
The Time control
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sets the basic delay: the note played will be repeated after a fixed
time. Higher values correspond to a longer delay. If Time is varied while a note is being
played, pitch shifting will result.
It is often desirable to synchronise echoes to tempo: on Summit this can be done by
selecting Sync
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. The Time control then invokes Page 4 of the FX menu, and varies the
DelaySync parameter, which is displayed on the OLED while the control is adjusted.
The sync value is limited by the maximum delay time of 1.4 seconds, consequently some
combinations of ClockRate (set on Page 1 of the Arp/Clock menu) and DelaySync
result in truncating the delay time to the maximum calculated sync rate permissible, i.e., the
delay time will reduce, but it will remain in sync.
The output of the delay processor is connected back to the input, at a reduced level; The
Feedback control
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sets the level. This results in multiple echoes, as the delayed signal
is further repeated. With Feedback set to zero, no delayed signal at all is fed back, so
only a single echo results. As you increase the value, you will hear more echoes for each
note, though they still die away in volume. Setting the control in the centre of its range
(64) results in about 5 or 6 audible echoes; at the maximum setting the decay in volume is
almost imperceptible and the repetitions will still be audible after a minute or more.
The Level control
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adjusts the level of the echoes: at the maximum setting (127), the
first echo is approximately the same volume as the initial, dry note.
There are further Delay parameters available for adjustment in the FX Menu.
Reverb
Reverberation (reverb) adds the effect of an acoustic space to a sound. Unlike delay,
reverb is created by generating a dense set of delayed signals, typically with different
phase relationships and equalisations applied to re-create what happens to sound in a real
acoustic space.
Summit provides three reverb presets, selected by the Size button
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. The presets are
simply numbered 1, 2 and 3, and set the RevSize parameter (see page 37) to values
of 0, 64 or 127 respectively, thus simulating spaces of different sizes.
The Time control
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sets the basic reverb time of the selected space and determines how
long it takes the reverb to die away to inaudibility. The Level control
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adjusts the volume
of the reverb.
The FX Menu
The following additional parameters for the three time-domain effects are available in the
FX menu. Two menu pages are dedicated to Chorus (Pages 2 and 3) and two to Delay
(Pages 4 and 5); Reverb has three pages (Pages 6 to 8). There is one further page (Page
1) with “global” parameters affecting all three effects.
Global FX page:
The default menu display is shown below:
FX GLOBAL 1/8
WetLevel 127 H
DryLevel 127
Routing Parallel
The parameters available on the Global FX page affect all three time-domain FX
processors (Chorus, Delay and Reverb).
Wet and Dry Levels
Displayed as: WetLevel DryLevel
Initial value: 64 and 127
Range of adjustment: 0 to 127 0 to 127
The terms “wet” and “dry” as applied to FX processors respectively refer to the untreated
signal, i.e., the input to the processors, and the treated signal. It is normal to mix these
together and the default parameter values (both 127) create an equal, full-level mix. By
reducing DryLevel, the treated signal will predominate, which can produce some
unusual and interesting effects with reverb and delay. With WetLevel at zero, no
processing effect will be audible.