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Novation X-Station User Manual

Novation X-Station
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Introduction........................................................... 2
In the Package.................................................................2
Product Registration.........................................................2
Using This Manual........................................................ 2
MIDI Controller Section Main Features......................... 2
Audio Section Main Features........................................ 2
Synthesizer Features.......................................................2
Quick Start Guide.................................................. 3
Conventions used in this Manual.................................... 3
Connecting Up To equipment......................................... 3
Stand Alone Operation.................................................... 3
Playing the Synthesizer.................................................... 3
Windows XP USB Driver Installation............................. 4
MAC OS X USB Driver Installation................................. 4
About ASIO on Windows XP........................................... 4
About Core Audio on MAC OS X..................................... 4
Selecting The X-Station as the Audio Device................. 5
Selecting The X-Station as the Audio Device in Cubase. ........ 5
The X-Station Control Panel........................................... 5
About Latency.................................................................. 5
Selecting The X-Station as the MIDI Device in Cubase.......... 6
Selecting The X-Station as the Audio Device in LOGIC.. ........ 6
Selecting The X-Station as the Audio Device in Reason.. ........ 7
Selecting The X-Station as the MIDI Device in Reason.. ........ 7
Controlling a VST Plug-In or Reason Instrument........................ 7
Factory Supplied Templates........................................... 7
Using The Programmable Template Controls................ 8
Sending A Snapshot Of The Controls............................10
Selecting A Sound On External MIDI Devices.............. 10
Changing The Action Of The Pitch / Mod Joystick.........10
Audio Connection And Setup.........................................10
Setting Up The Microphone Or Instrument Inputs.........10
Monitoring......................................................................10
Recording And Listening................................................10
Recording And Listening With Effects............................11
MIDI Tutorial......................................................... 12
Introduction................................................................... 12
How MIDI Ports Are Used............................................ 12
MIDI Messages............................................................. 12
Detailed Operation.............................................. 15
Front Panel Layout....................................................... 15
Modes And Menus....................................................... 16
Using Menus................................................................ 16
Entering Text................................................................ 16
The Template Common Menu...................................... 17
Template Edit Mode (Editing A Template).................... 18
The Template Edit ‘CC’ Pages..................................... 18
The Template Edit ‘NRPN’ & ‘RPN’ Pages.................. 19
The Template Edit ‘MMC’ Pages.................................. 19
The Template Edit ‘Note On/Off’ Pages....................... 20
The Template Edit ‘SYSEX MESSAGE’ Pages............ 20
The Template Edit ‘Program Change’ Pages............... 21
Using The X / Y Touchpad........................................... 21
Using The Footswitch Or Pedal................................... 22
Saving A Template To Memory..................................... 22
The Dual Multi Effects Processor................................. 23
The Delay Effect........................................................... 23
The Reverb Effect......................................................... 24
The Chorus Effect......................................................... 24
The Compressor........................................................... 25
The Distortion Effect..................................................... 26
The EQ Processor........................................................ 26
Advanced Features............................................. 27
Using The Transport Buttons....................................... 27
The Global Mode Menu.............................................. 27
Saving The Global Settings To Memory....................... 29
Upgrading The Operating System From MIDI............. 29
Synthesis Tutorial............................................... 30
Elements Of A Sound.................................................. 30
The Oscillators And Mixer............................................ 31
The Filter....................................................................... 32
Envelopes And Amplifier.............................................. 33
LFOs............................................................................. 35
Memories...................................................................... 35
Summary...................................................................... 35
The KS Synthesizer............................................. 36
Introduction................................................................... 36
Selecting KS Synth Patches........................................ 36
Editing A Synth Patch (Sound)..................................... 37
Saving A Synth Patch................................................... 37
Using Menus................................................................ 38
The Oscillator / Mixer Section..................................... 38
The Filter Section......................................................... 40
The LFOs Section........................................................ 41
The Envelopes Section................................................ 42
The Arpeggiator Section............................................... 43
The Effects Section...................................................... 44
The Oscillator Menu..................................................... 44
The Mixer Menu........................................................... 45
The Filter Menu............................................................ 47
The LFO Menu............................................................. 47
The Arpeggiator Menu.................................................. 49
The Sync Menu............................................................ 50
The Wheels Menu........................................................ 51
The Aftertouch And Breath Menu................................. 52
The Pan Menu.............................................................. 53
The KS Synth Mode Global Menu................................ 54
Routing MIDI To And From The KS Synthesizer.......... 54
The KS Synth General Settings................................... 55
Saving The KS Synth General Settings....................... 55
Appendix.............................................................. 56
Troubleshooting............................................................ 56
Using The X-Station With Reason............................... 57
Known Anomalies With Reason.................................. 57
Preset Template Listings...........................................58-61
The KS Synth Patch Preset Listings............................ 62
MIDI Implementation Chart........................................... 64
Safety CE Notices And Approvals................................ 65
CONTENTS
Contents
1

Table of Contents

Other manuals for Novation X-Station

Questions and Answers:

Novation X-Station Specifications

General IconGeneral
Polyphony8 voices
Oscillators2 per voice
AftertouchYes
Synthesis TypeVirtual Analog
ArpeggiatorYes
SequencerNo
MIDIIn, Out, Thru
Audio Interface2 In / 2 Out
WeightVaries by model
TypeSynthesizer/Controller/Interface
EffectsReverb, Chorus, Delay, Distortion
Keyboard25, 49, or 61 keys
PowerUSB
ControllersKnobs, faders, buttons
Outputs2 x 1/4" line outputs, 1 x 1/4" headphone output
USBYes
LFOs2
DisplayLCD
DimensionsVaries by model
FiltersMultimode filter (lowpass, highpass, bandpass)

Summary

Introduction

Using This Manual

Explains how to navigate and understand the manual's sections and terminology.

MIDI Controller Section Main Features

Details the X-Station's MIDI control capabilities and connectivity options.

Audio Section Main Features

Describes the X-Station's audio interface, preamps, and effects.

Synthesizer Features

Highlights the integrated virtual analog synthesizer engine.

Quick Start Guide

Conventions Used In This Manual

Defines key terms and symbols used throughout the manual.

Connecting Equipment

Guides on connecting the X-Station to computers and other gear.

Stand Alone Operation

Instructions for using the X-Station without a computer.

Playing the Synthesizer

Basic steps to activate and play the onboard synth engine.

Quick Start Guide

USB Driver Software Installation

Step-by-step guide to install USB drivers on Windows XP.

MAC OS X Driver Software Installation

Step-by-step guide to install drivers on Mac OS X.

About ASIO on Windows XP

Explanation of ASIO driver importance for Windows audio.

About Core Audio on MAC OS X

Explanation of Core Audio driver importance for Mac audio.

Quick Start Guide

Selecting the X-Station as the Audio Device

How to configure the X-Station as the audio interface in software.

The X-Station Control Panel

Details on accessing and using the X-Station's control panel settings.

About Latency

Explains audio latency and its impact on performance.

Resolution

Details the sample resolution settings for audio data.

Quick Start Guide

Selecting the X-Station in Cubase and LOGIC

Setup procedures for Cubase and Logic audio/MIDI.

Quick Start Guide

Selecting the X-Station in LOGIC and Reason

Setup procedures for Logic and Reason software.

Controlling a VST Plug-In Instrument or a Reason Instrument

Using X-Station to control virtual instruments.

Quick Start Guide

Using The programmable Template Controls

How to utilize and configure front panel controls.

Sending A Snapshot Of The Controls

Saving and sending current control states.

Quick Start Guide

Sending Snapshots Of Controls

How to save and send current control states.

Changing Joystick Action

Customizing the pitch/mod joystick behavior.

Selecting External Sounds

Controlling external MIDI devices with buttons.

Audio Connection and Setup

Connecting audio hardware and setting up signals.

Quick Start Guide

Setting Up Inputs - Monitoring - Recording And Listening

Covers input setup, monitoring, and recording processes.

Zero latency monitoring

Details on achieving zero latency monitoring.

Listening

Instructions on how to listen to audio playback.

Mono Recording

Guide for performing mono audio recording.

Quick Start Guide

Dual Mono Recording

Recording two mono sources simultaneously.

Stereo Recording

Guide for recording stereo audio sources.

Recording And Listening With Effects

How to record with or without effects applied.

MIDI Tutorial

Introduction

Basic overview of the MIDI standard and its purpose.

How MIDI Ports Are Used

Explanation of MIDI IN, OUT, and USB port functions.

MIDI Messages

Introduction to different types of MIDI messages.

MIDI Tutorial

MIDI Messages

Further details on MIDI messages like NRPN and RPN.

Registered Parameter Messages

Explanation of RPN messages and their use.

Pitch Bend Messages

Details on how pitch bend messages are transmitted.

Aftertouch Messages

Explanation of aftertouch messages and their types.

MIDI Tutorial

Program Change & Bank Select Messages

How to select sounds using PC/Bank Select.

System Exclusive Messages

Explanation of System Exclusive (Sysex) messages.

MIDI Machine Control (MMC) Messages

Details on MMC messages for device control.

Detailed Operation

Front Panel Layout

A detailed breakdown of all front panel controls and sections.

Detailed Operation

Modes And Menus

Describes the X-Station's different operational modes.

Using Menus

How to navigate and interact with the menu system.

Entering Text

Instructions for naming controls and templates.

Detailed Operation

The Template Common Menu

Settings applicable to the entire template.

Keyboard Velocity Curve (Menu Page 1)

Adjusting keyboard velocity response curves.

Keyboard MIDI Channel (Menu Page 2)

Setting the MIDI channel for keyboard transmission.

Keyboard MIDI Port (Menu Page 3)

Selecting which MIDI ports transmit keyboard data.

Detailed Operation

Template Edit Mode (Editing A Template)

Process for editing individual control functions within a template.

The Template Edit 'CC' Pages

Pages for configuring Continuous Controller messages.

Controller Number (Menu Page 2)

Assigning specific MIDI controller numbers.

Value Display Type (Menu Page 3)

Setting how values are displayed on screen.

Detailed Operation

The Template Edit 'NRPN' & 'RPN' Pages

Pages for configuring NRPN and RPN messages.

The Template Edit 'MMC' Pages

Pages for configuring MMC messages for buttons.

Momentary

Describes the momentary button action type.

Toggle

Describes the toggle button action type.

Detailed Operation

The Template Edit 'Note On/Off' Pages

Pages for configuring Note On/Off messages.

The Template Edit 'SYSEX' Pages

Pages for configuring System Exclusive messages.

Note Value (Menu Page 2)

Setting the note value for Note On/Off messages.

Button Action Type (Menu Page 3)

Defining how buttons behave when pressed.

Detailed Operation

The Template Edit 'Program Change' Pages

Pages for configuring Program Change messages.

Using The X / Y Touchpad

How to use and configure the X/Y touchpad.

Detailed Operation

Footswitch / Pedal - Saving Templates To Memory

Covers pedal usage and saving templates.

Using The Footswitch Or Pedal

Details footswitch and pedal functions and assignments.

Saving A Template To Memory

Step-by-step process for saving templates to memory.

Detailed Operation

The Dual Multi Effects Processor

How to apply and control effects on audio inputs.

The Delay Effect

Details the parameters for the Delay effect.

Detailed Operation

The Reverb Effect

Details the parameters for the Reverb effect.

The Chorus Effect

Details the parameters for the Chorus effect.

Detailed Operation

The Compressor

Details the parameters for the Compressor effect.

Threshold

Setting the compressor's signal threshold level.

Auto Gain

Using the auto gain feature for level control.

Detailed Operation

The Distortion Effect

Details the parameters for the Distortion effect.

The EQ Processor

Details the parameters for the EQ processor.

Advanced Features

Using The Transport Buttons

How to assign transport buttons for control.

The Global Mode Menu

Accessing and using global X-Station settings.

Memory Protect (Menu Page 1)

Enabling memory protection feature.

Advanced Features

Pitch Bend / Mod Calibration (Menu Page 8)

Calibrating the pitch and modulation joystick.

Aftertouch Calibration (Menu Page 9)

Calibrating the aftertouch response.

Battery Charge (Menu Page 10)

Managing battery charging options and rates.

Advanced Features

Saving The Global Settings To Memory

Procedure for saving global settings.

Upgrading The Operating System From MIDI

How to update the OS via MIDI.

Synthesis Tutorial

Elements Of A Sound

Understanding the basic components of sound.

Volume

Explanation of sound amplitude and loudness.

Pitch

Explanation of sound frequency and pitch.

Tone

Explanation of sound timbre and harmonics.

Synthesis Tutorial

The Oscillators And Mixer

Details on generating and mixing waveforms.

Sawtooth Waves

Description of sawtooth waveform characteristics.

Square Waves

Description of square waveform characteristics.

Synthesis Tutorial

Noise Waves

Description of noise waveform characteristics.

The Filter

Explanation of the subtractive synthesis filter.

FREQUENCY Knob

Controls the filter's cutoff frequency.

Synthesis Tutorial

Envelopes And Amplifier

How envelopes shape sound volume over time.

Cut off frequency

Explanation of filter cutoff point.

Synthesis Tutorial

Envelopes And Amplifier

Further details on envelope generators.

Attack Time

Adjusting the envelope's attack phase duration.

Decay Sliders

Adjusting the envelope's decay phase duration.

Synthesis Tutorial

LFOS

Explanation of Low Frequency Oscillators for modulation.

Memories

How to store and recall synthesizer sounds.

Summary

Recap of the main synthesis blocks.

The KS Synthesizer

Introduction

Overview of the X-Station's KS Synthesizer capabilities.

Selecting KS Synth Patches

How to select and load synth patches.

Using MIDI Bank Select & Program Change Messages

Controlling synth patches via MIDI messages.

The KS Synthesizer

Editing A Synth Patch (Sound)

Modifying the parameters of a synth patch.

Saving A Synth Patch

Procedure for saving edited synth patches to memory.

The KS Synthesizer

Using Menus

Navigating the KS Synth's menu system.

The Oscillator / Mixer Section

Controls for oscillators and mixer functions.

Oscillator Select Button

How to select oscillators for editing.

The KS Synthesizer

Obtaining A Classic Square / PWM Sound

Guide to creating a PWM sound.

Obtaining A Double Saw 'Thick' Detuned Sound

Guide to creating a detuned sawtooth sound.

PORTAMENTO Knob

Adjusting the portamento effect.

The KS Synthesizer

The Filter Section

Explanation of the filter section's functions.

FREQUENCY Knob

Controls the filter's cutoff frequency.

RESONANCE Knob

Controls the filter's resonance parameter.

The KS Synthesizer

The LFOs Section

Details on Low Frequency Oscillator parameters.

LFO Velocity (Menu Pages 1 & 8)

Setting LFO response to velocity.

LFO Delay Triggering (Menu Pages 2 & 9)

Configuring LFO delay triggering modes.

The KS Synthesizer

The Envelopes Section

Details on envelope generator parameters.

Attack Time

Adjusting the envelope's attack phase duration.

Decay Sliders

Adjusting the envelope's decay phase duration.

The KS Synthesizer

TRIGGER Button

Controls envelope triggering behavior.

The Arpeggiator Section

Details on the arpeggiator's functionality.

TEMPO Knob

Adjusting the arpeggiator's speed.

The KS Synthesizer

The Effects Section

Details on the built-in effects processor.

The Oscillator Menu

Menu options for configuring oscillators.

Polyphony Mode (Menu Page 1)

Setting the synthesizer's polyphony mode.

The KS Synthesizer

Preglide Semitones (Menu Page 4)

Adjusting pitch preglide for oscillators.

FM Synthesis

Explanation of Frequency Modulation synthesis.

The KS Synthesizer

The Mixer Menu

Menu options for controlling the mixer section.

OSC 2 to 3 FM Manual Level (Menu Page 7)

Setting FM level between OSC 2 and 3 manually.

The KS Synthesizer

The Filter Menu

Menu options for the filter section.

Velocity Sensitivity (Menu Page 1)

Setting filter sensitivity to velocity.

Q Normalise (Menu Page 2)

Normalizing the filter's resonance.

The KS Synthesizer

The LFO Menu

Menu options for LFO parameters.

LFO Keysync Initial Phase Offset

Configuring LFO phase offset for keysync.

LFO Polarity

Setting the direction of LFO modulation.

The KS Synthesizer

The Arpeggiator Menu

Menu options for the arpeggiator.

Mode (Menu Page 1 'ARP Mode')

Selecting the arpeggiator mode.

Octave Range (Menu Page 2 'ARP Octaves')

Setting the arpeggiator's octave range.

The KS Synthesizer

The Sync Menu

Synchronizing features to the arpeggiator clock.

SYNC Arp Tempo (Menu Page 1)

Syncing arpeggiator tempo.

SYNC Delay Time (Menu Page 6)

Syncing delay effect time to tempo.

The KS Synthesizer

The Wheels Menu

Controls for pitch/mod joystick response.

Control of Main Volume from the Modulation Wheel

Controlling volume with mod wheel.

The KS Synthesizer

The Aftertouch & Breath Menu

Responding to aftertouch and breath control messages.

Atouch: Osc 1, 2, 3 Pitch Shift (Menu Page 1)

Adjusting pitch shift via aftertouch.

Atouch: Osc 1, 2, 3 Pitch Mod (LFO 1)

Modulating pitch with LFO via aftertouch.

The KS Synthesizer

The Pan Menu

Controls for stereo panning effects.

Chorus Initial Start Position (Menu Page 4)

Setting Chorus LFO start position.

Pan Initial Start Position (Menu Page 3)

Setting Pan LFO start position.

The KS Synthesizer

The KS Synth Mode Global Menu

Global settings specific to KS Synth mode.

Synth Tuning (Menu Page 1)

Adjusting the master tuning of the synth.

Synth Global Sync (Menu Page 2)

Syncing LFOs to musical tempo.

The KS Synthesizer

The KS Synth General Settings

Common settings across all synth patches.

Saving The KS Synth General Settings

Procedure for saving general synth settings.

Appendix

Troubleshooting

Solutions for common operational problems.

Appendix

Using The X-Station With Reason

How to use templates with Reason software.

Known Anomalies With Reason

Specific issues encountered when using Reason.

Appendix

Preset Template Listing

List of available preset templates for various software.

Absynth - Native Instruments

Template configuration for Absynth software.

Albino - Linplug

Template configuration for Albino software.

Appendix

Preset Template Listing

Continues the list of preset templates.

Kontakt - Native Instruments

Template configuration for Kontakt software.

LIVE - Ableton

Template configuration for Ableton Live software.

Appendix

Preset Template Listing

Continues the list of preset templates.

Nord Lead 3 - Clavia

Template configuration for Nord Lead 3.

Oddity - G-Media

Template configuration for Oddity software.

Appendix

Preset Template Listing

Continues the list of preset templates.

SONAR - Cakewalk

Template configuration for Sonar DAW.

Stylus Spectrasonics

Template configuration for Stylus software.

Appendix

The KS Synth Patch Preset Listings

Lists all factory preset KS Synth patches for Bank 1.

Bank1

Presets from Bank 1 of the KS Synth.

Appendix

The KS Synth Patch Preset Listings

Lists all factory preset KS Synth patches for Bank 2.

Bank2

Presets from Bank 2 of the KS Synth.

Appendix

MIDI Implementation Chart

Technical chart detailing MIDI message support.

Appendix

Safety - CE Notices And Approvals

Important safety instructions and compliance.

FCC Information (U.S.A.)

Compliance information for the USA.

CANADA

Compliance information for Canada.

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