Concept X

Digital Synthesizer

User Manual
Concept X User Manual 2

Content

1. General synthesis concept................................................................................... 3

2. First Step: Listening to the presets ...................................................................... 3
3. Programming sounds........................................................................................... 4
3.1. Global settings.............................................................................................. 4
3.2. Operators...................................................................................................... 5
3.3. FM-Matrix ..................................................................................................... 6
3.4. Filter.............................................................................................................. 7
3.5. Drive & LOFI................................................................................................. 8
3.6. Multi-Effects.................................................................................................. 8
3.7. Modulation .................................................................................................... 9
4. Connections....................................................................................................... 13
Concept X User Manual 3

1. General synthesis concept

Concept X is a four oscillator polyphonic wave table-synthesizer with DX-7-style

phase modulation. This greatly increases its sonic capabilities far beyond the borders
of classic wave table- or fm-synthesis. It’s also equipped with a multimode filter for
subtractive synthesis. The sounds range from classic wave table or fm timbres to
very complex textures or virtual analogue sounds, even pulse width modulation is
possible. To spice up the sound, it has an overdrive and sample rate & bit reducer
effect, and last but not least two multi-effect units.

2. First Step: Listening to the presets

Concept X comes with a large number of presets (actually 81). To change the preset,
you can either use the snapshot selector in the instrument header (1) or the spin
below the program number display (2).
The presets are grouped into five groups of sounds: classic wave table and fm-
sounds, advanced fm, vector fm and analogue style sounds.

2
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3. Programming sounds

To program your own sound, you have to switch to panel B. On this panel all sound
parameters are visible.

3.1. Global settings

Above the operators you find some controls for the global settings of the instrument.
The volume knob controls the overall volume of the instrument. This control is visible
on both panels.
The Gate mode menu selects the polyphony settings. There are five choices:

Poly: Polyphonic mode

Mono 1: Monophonic mode. Every note retriggers the envelopes
Mono all: Monophonic unison mode. Each note played triggers all voices.
Mono 1 Legato: Monophonic mode. If a note is played before the old one is
released, the envelopes will not be retriggered
Mono all Legato: Monophonic unison mode. If a note is played before the old one
is released, the envelopes will not be retriggered

The range knob transposes the instrument in octaves (+/- 3 octaves)

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Glide sets the portamento time. If gate mode is legato, portamento works as
autoglide.
Pb = Pitch bend range. 0 – 24 semitones.
Det = Unison detune. In all-voices monophonic modes or with more than one unison
voice it detunes the voices against each other. In the polyphonic mode it stretches
the tempered tuning of the instrument.
Sprd = Unison pan spread. Works only in all-voices monophonic modes.

Concept X features a keyboard-split function, where the operators A & B play at

notes below the split point and the operators C & D play above. This allows you to
program bi-timbral sounds. The split mode is activated by the split-button, the split-
point is set by the control below.

3.2. Operators

Concept X has four identical operators. Each one contains a set of 43 wave tables.
You can select the operator by the ABCD-buttons in the upper left corner. The
parameters are:

Ratio: Ratio between the oscillator’s frequency and the frequency of the
played note. Left: integer value - Right: frictional value
Wave: Position in the current wave set. For creating fm-sounds it’s
recommended to turn it a little bit clockwise to avoid the position going
into negative values which causes some kind of distortion.
Shift: Shifts the frequency spectrum. Use this for creating sync-sounds
Set: Chooses one of 43 wave-sets.
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A: Amplitude envelope attack time

D: Amplitude envelope decay time
S: Amplitude envelope sustain level
R: Amplitude envelope release time
Feedb: Amount of phase modulation by the oscillator itself (Feedback)
Osc Sync: Oscillator gate sync. This affects all oscillators. For analogue style
sounds it should be turned off.

At the bottom you find some dropdown menus and small knobs. These are for
modulating different parameters; a description follows at the chapter Modulation.

3.3. FM-Matrix

The FM-Matrix is quite simple. The buttons at the top switch the corresponding
operator on or off. If an operator is not in use, turn it off for saving CPU-power. The
signal flow is shown by the red arrow.
The four knobs at the bottom are for adjusting the volume of the corresponding
operator.

Left beside the on/off buttons you find a button labelled

“vector”. This enables the FM-Vector on panel a. The
vector controls the amount of phase-modulation of all operators. Check out the
snapshots in the vector-fm-group to see how it works.
The vector responds to midi-controller-messages.
X-axis: CC# 2
Y-axis: CC# 3
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3.4. Filter

Concept X is featured with a multimode filter with 12 different filter modes.

The buttons at the left choose which operator goes into the filter and which not.

Mode: Selects one of 12 filter-modes. Available modes are:

- 12 dB highpass
- 12 dB bandpass
- 12 dB lowpass
- 24 dB lowpass
- 12 dB bandstop
- 24 dB lowpass juno
- 24 dB lowpass pro-52
- 24 dB lowpass moog ladder
- 12 dB lowpass TB-303
- 24 dB lowpass Grobian old
- Comb filter*
- 12 dB lowpass with phase offset modulation**

Cutoff: Filter cutoff frequency

Reso: Filter resonance. * = bipolar
Kbd: Filter cutoff frequency keyboard tracking. ** = phase offset

In the phase offset mode, the signal is first feed into a delay with a very short delay
time depending on the note played. If you feed a sawtooth-wave into it and turn the
phase knob fully to the right, you’ll get a square wave.

If the filter is not in use, turn it of to save CPU-power.

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3.5. Drive & LOFI

Concept X has a simple overdrive unit. The signal is distorted by a parabolic

saturator. Use the drive-knob to adjust the amount of distortion. The button at the
upper left corner turns the overdrive on or off.

The LOFI-unit is for lowering the sound quality. You can adjust the bit resolution (bit-
knob) and the sample rate (s rate-knob). The button at the upper left corner turns the
LOFI-unit on or off.

3.6. Multi-Effects

Concept X has two independent multi-effect-slots. Each of them contains the

following effects:

- Delay: A simple modulated delay

- Chorus: Chorus/Flanger effect
- Reverb: A reverb effect (needs a lot CPU-power!)
- Phaser: A simple phaser effect
- Ring Mod: Ring modulation. The signal is multiplied by a sine wave with
adjustable pitch.
- EQ: Low shelf, high shelf and peak equalizer
- Compress: Compressor effect.
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All effects are quite simple with self-explanatory controls. The effects are in series,
the signal goes into effect 1 than in effect 2. Turn the effects off to save CPU-power if
they are not in use.

3.7. Modulation

Concept X features extensive modulation possibilities. There are 8 modulation

sources, 6 knobs and a mod-wheel on panel A.
The modulation section contains four envelopes and four variable modulation
sources with three different modes.

The envelopes are standard adsr-envelopes.

A: Attack time
D: Decay time
S: Sustain level
R: Release time
Vel: Enevlope amount control by velocity
Key tr.: Keyboard scaling (only at env 1 &2)
V>A: Velocity to attack time (only at env 3 & 4)
V>D: Velocity to decay time (only at env 3 & 4)
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The modulation sources 5 to 8 offer the choice of three different modulation sources:
- LFO Low frequency oscillator
- Perf: User definable waveform
- Step: Step sequencer

LFO parameters:

Rate: LFO frequency

Temp: LFO frequency is linked to song tempo
Phase: LFO sync phase. Only if gate sync is active
Sync: Gate sync on / off
Wave: Selects one of five waveforms
MW: Amplitude control by Modulation wheel. The modulation wheel responds
to midi-control-change # 1.
Env: Switches an internal envelope on or off. The envelope controls the
amplitude of the LFO
A: Internal envelope attack time
D: Internal envelope decay time
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Perf parameters:

Rate: Table readout frequency.

Temp snc: Readout frequency linked to song tempo

Step Parameters:

Speed: Readout speed (linked to song tempo)

Steps: Number of steps (1-16)

The data in the perf or step tables is stored with the snapshot. ATTENTION: To store
the data with a snap, first store your snap in the desired position, then edit the
pattern, otherwise the pattern will not be stored in the right position.
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Control Knobs:
On panel A you find six knobs labelled with ctrl1-6.
These are for direct midi control of certain parameters.
The knobs respond to midi-controller-messages.
Ctrl1: CC# 73
Ctrl2: CC# 72
Ctrl3: CC# 18
Ctrl4: CC# 74
Ctrl5: CC# 71
Ctrl6: CC# 17

Modulation destinations:

Most parameters can be modulated by all modulation sources. Only the controls at
the overdrive and LOFI sections can only be modulated by the control knobs and the
modulation wheel, because they are monophonic.
The menus select one of 16 modulation sources. The label of the menu shows the
modulation destination. The small knob beside the menu controls the amount of
modulation.

Amount
Destination Source
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4. Connections

The instrument has two audio outputs and three sequencer inputs. The inputs can for
example be connected to the PLASMA sequencer.

P: Pitch input
G: Gate input
CV: Control voltage input. Hard wired to the modulation wheel.

s.v.positronics 2007 Made in Germany