The Envelopes Section
AMP & MOD Envelopes
The Envelopes are used to shape a sound throughout its duration. The
AMP Envelope always determines the volume of the sound with respect
to its duration.
The MOD Envelope may be used to control other sound elements of
the synthesizer throughout the duration of the sound. It can control
Oscillator Pulse Width, Filter frequency and Oscillator Pitch.
ATTACK Sliders
Sets how quickly the envelope rises to its maximum level when a note
is struck. Fully anticlockwise and this rise time or slope is very fast, less
than half a thousandth of a second (instantaneous to the ear) increas-
ing exponentially to twenty seconds when fully clockwise. To shorten
attack times, turn this control towards zero and to lengthen attack
times, turn this control towards maximum.
Note : When the attack time is set to Zero, the instantaneous rise time
of the Envelope may produce audible ‘clicks’. This is not a faulty condi-
tion and may be useful for the creation of certain sounds (for example,
‘key clicks’ on organ simulations). If this is undesirable, increase the
Attack time slightly until the clicks are inaudible.
DECAY Sliders
Sets how quickly the envelope falls to a sustain level after the maxi-
mum level has been reached. Set to zero, this time is about one thou-
sandth of a second (still instantaneous to the ear ) increasing exponen-
tially to twenty seconds when set to maximum. To shorten decay times,
move this control towards zero and to lengthen decay times move this
control towards maximum.
SUSTAIN Sliders
Sets the level at which the envelope remains following the Decay
phase, only while a key is being held on a controller keyboard (or there
is a MIDI Note On command present). When set to zero, the envelope
will decay to zero without being interrupted. As the control is moved
towards maximum, the sustain level increases until, when at maximum,
the sustain level is at its maximum level.
RELEASE Sliders
Sets how quickly the envelope falls from the sustain level to zero once
the note has been released. When set to zero, this time is about one
thousandth of a second (instantaneous to the ear) increasing exponen-
tially to twenty seconds when set to maximum. To shorten release
times, move this control towards zero and to lengthen release times,
move this control towards maximum.
MOD / ENV 3 Button
Selects whether the MOD Envelope sliders control the MOD Envelope
or the AD Envelope (indicated on the front panel as Envelope 3). When
the AD Envelope is selected, only the ATTACK and DECAY sliders can
be used. The LED above the button indicates which Envelope is cur-
rently selected.
AMP / MOD / ENV 3 Button
Selects whether the VELOCITY slider and TRIGGER button affect the
Amp Envelope, the Mod Envelope or the AD Envelope. The LED above
the button indicates which Envelope is currently selected.
VELOCITY Slider
These functions determine how the Amp, Mod and AD Envelopes
respond to Velocity information.
Setting up a sound to make it’s volume respond to velocity
Select the Amp Envelope using the AMP / MOD / ENV 3 button. Adjust
the VELOCITY slider. At a setting of zero, a soft key stroke will produce
a sound at the same volume as a hard key stroke. At a maximum posi-
tive value (63) soft key strokes will be much quieter than hard key
strokes. At a maximum negative value (-64), soft key strokes will be
much louder than hard key strokes.
Setting up a sound so its brightness or pitch respond to velocity
Select the Mod Envelope using the AMP / MOD / ENV 3 button. Adjust
the VELOCITY slider. In the Filter section, turn the Filter FREQUENCY
knob to a near zero setting or until the sound almost disappears. Turn
the ENV DEPTH knob in the Filter section to a maximum clockwise
position.
In the Envelopes section, Set the Mod Env ATTACK and SUSTAIN slid-
ers to zero and the DECAY slider to nearly full. While playing notes on
the Keyboard, adjust the VELOCITY slider. At a setting of zero there
will be no effect on the brightness of the sound.
At maximum positive value (63), soft key strokes will produce a tone
much softer than hard key strokes. At a maximum negative value (-64),
soft key strokes will produce a tone much brighter sound than hard key
strokes.To affect the pitch, adjust the ENV DEPTH knob in the
Oscillator section.
Adjusting the Velocity Response of the AD Envelope
Select a factory preset FM sound (such as 189). Select the AD
Envelope using the AMP / MOD / ENV 3 button. Adjust the VELOCITY
slider. Notice how the FM effect at the start of the sound becomes
dependent on how hard the keys are struck.
THE KS SYNTHESIZER
The Envelopes Section
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