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Kultur Dokumente
Little LFO
User Manual
Little LFO
by Little IO Co.
Contents
Overview
OscillatorStatus
Switch
StatusLight
OscillatorLabel
VolumeandEnvelope
Volume
Envelope
Attack(ATT)
Decay(DEC)
Sustain(SUS)
Release(REL)
Legato
OscillatorShapeSection
WaveSelector
Amplitude(AMP)
Phase(PHS)
PulseWidth(PW)
KeyboardSync(SNC)
OscillatorFrequencySection
SettingFrequencyControlSource
KeyboardFrequencyControl
MajorControl(SEMI):Semitoneoffset
MinorControl(PORT):Portamento
TempoFrequencyControl
Major(TEMPO):Tempo
Minor(CORR):PhaseCorrection
FreeFrequencyControl
Major(FRQ):Frequency
Minor(FINE):FineControl
ModulationSection
(SNC)Synchronization
(AMP)AmplitudeModulation
(FRQ)FrequencyModulation
(PHS)PhaseModulation
InternalModulationCycle
AudioOutputs
+ALLKEYS+
Oscillator Audio Outputs
AntiAliasing
PerformanceCVPorts(AsinPerformanceArts)
GateCV Input and Output
NoteCV Input and Output
EnvelopeCV Outputs
OscillatorCVInputs
Trim Knobs
Amplitude CV Input
Frequency CV Input
Phase CV Input
PulseWidth CV Input
OscillatorCVOutputs
BipolarOutput
UnipolarOutput
EnvelopedOutput
Overview
LittleLFOisamultiusesemimodularRackExtension.Itcanbeusedasasoundand/or
modulationsourceforReason.Asasoundsource,thereisahugevarietyofpossibilities.It
comeswith125Combinatorpatchesmadeby9patchdesigners,withinstrumentssuchas
synths,basses,drumkitsandsoundeffects.Asamodulationsource,thecombinationof
variousinternalmodulationandwaveformsgivesawiderangeofmodulationpossibilities.
CommonUses
Oscillatorsectionforasynthesizer
Modulationsectionforsynthesizeroreffects
Weirdnoisemakerforsoundeffectsorfun
CoolFeatures
Separateportamentoforeachoscillator
Pulsewidthcanbeusedonanywaveform
Allactiveoscillatorsarehookedintoamodulationcycle(SeeInternalModulationCycle
section)
Adjustablephasecorrectionfortemposyncedoscillators(SeePhaseCorrectioninthe
Tempo Frequency Controlsection)
MoreStandardFeatures
4Oscillators
15waveforms
Frequencycanbecontrolledbykeyboard,tempo,orfreelyset
Optionalantialiasing
Amplitude,frequency,phase,andpulsewidthcontrolsforeachoscillator
Keyboardsynchronizationforeachoscillator
Amplitude,frequencyandphasemodulationbetweenoscillators
Oscillatorsynchronization
ADSRenvelopeisautomaticallyhookeduptoamplitude,butalsohas2CVoutputs
CVinputsforoscillatoramplitude,frequency,phase,andpulsewidth
Audiooutputswithandwithoutenvelope
BipolarandunipolarCVoutputs,eachwithandwithoutenvelope
GateandnoteCVinputandoutput/throughput
Oscillator Status
Switch
Thisswitchturnstheoscillatoronandoff.Whentheoscillatorisoff,itisremovedfromthe
modulationcycle.
Status Light
Whentheoscillatorisatthetopofthewaveform,thelightisallthewayon.Whentheoscillator
isatthebottomofthewaveform,thelightisallthewayoff.Thisisausefulvisualizationwhen
theoscillatorsfrequencyisbelow10Hz.
Oscillator Label
Theoscillatorsarelabeled1,2,3,and4.
Volume
TheVolumeslidercontrolstheoutputtoallaudiosources.
Minimum: dBFS(Allaudiosignalssilent)
Maximum: 0dBFS(Unalteredaudiosignals)
Envelope
ThereisasingleADSRenvelope(Attack>Decay>Sustain>Release)inLittleLFO.It
internallycontrolstheamplitudeofallsignalssenttotheenvelopedAudioandCVoutputs(See
OscillatorCVOutputsandAudioOutputs).
Attack (ATT)
064seconds
Decay (DEC)
064seconds
Sustain (SUS)
01scalingofamplitude
Release (REL)
064seconds
Theenvelopewillaffecttheamplitudeofallenvelopedoutputports.
Whenlegatoisoff,hittinganyMIDInotewillalwaysjumptotheattackpartoftheenvelope.When
legatoison,onlytriggernoteswilljumptotheattackpartoftheenvelope.
Legato
LegatochangesafewcontrolsthroughoutLittleLFO.Whenlegatoisoff,eachMIDInoteis
consideredadistincttrigger.Whenlegatoison,onlyMIDInotesthatareprecededbynoactive
notesareconsideredatrigger.Triggernotesretriggertheenvelopetoimmediatelyrestartfrom
theattack.Notesthatoverlaporoccurcontinuouslyareconsideredtied.Inlegatomode,tied
notesdonotrestarttheenvelope.Thiscanbeusefulfortyingnotestogetherintophrases.
Wave Selector
Choosefrom15differentwaveformsbyscrollingthroughthemwithup/downbuttons:
sine
downcurve
3pyramid
triangle
upcurve
5pyramid
square
3step
9pyramid
downsaw
4step
noise
upsaw
8step
smoothnoise
Ifyouwantantialiasedversionsofthesewaveforms,thereisatoggleonthebackthatyoumust
enable.
Amplitude (AMP)
ThiscontrolstheamplitudeoftheaudioandCVoutputsandaffectstheamountofinternal
modulationgiventothenextactiveoscillatorinthemodulationcycle.
Minimum: 0%
Maximum: 100%
Phase (PHS)
Thiscontrolsthepointinthewaveformatwhichitwillbeginplaying.
Minimum: 180(1halfwaveformbackward)
Maximum: +180(1halfwaveformforward)
SquareWave
SineWave
PW:50%
Unchanged
Waveform
PW:20%
PW:80%
Note:Currently,oscillatorsfasterthan64Hzarenotkeyboardsyncediftheenvelopeis
engaged.Thismaychangeinafuturerelease.
10
Inthissetting,thefrequencyiscontrolledbyMIDInotesandnotestriggeredthroughthenoteand
gateCVinput.
Note:BeforeanynoteiseversenttoLittleLFO,keyboardfrequencycontrolledoscillatorswill
defaulttoMIDInote0,whichisabout8.18Hz.
Major Control (SEMI): Semitone offset
ForeverynotesenttoLittleLFO,theoscillatorsfrequencywillbesettothespecified
numberofsemitonesawayfromthatnotesfrequency.Forexample,settingthisknobto
+7willcausethisoscillatorsfrequencytobeamusicalfifthabovethenotesenttoLittle
LFO.Thisisusefulforharmonizingoscillatorsandaddingsuboscillators.
Minimum: 32semitones
Maximum: +32semitones
Minor Control (PORT): Portamento
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Portamentoisaglidebetweennotes.Playingonenoteandthenanotherwillcausethe
frequencyglidefromthefirstnotetothesecondcontinuously.Theportamentoknobsets
thetimeittakestomakethefullglidefromthelowestMIDInotepossibletothehighest
MIDInotepossible.Smallernotechangeswilltakelesstime.
Minimum: 0seconds
Maximum: 10seconds
Iflegatoison,therewillonlybeaglidebetweentiednotes(seeLegatoinVolumeand
Envelope).
Inthissetting,thefrequencyiscontrolledrelativetotheoveralltempo(BPM).
Major (TEMPO): Tempo
Thisknobsetsthefrequencytoafractionofthetempo.Forexample,4/4meansonce
every4beats.So,theperiodis4beats,andthefrequencyissetaccordingly.Asanother
example,1/4meansonceeverybeat,sotheperiodis1beat.Asanotherexample,4/4T
means3timesforevery2timesthatthe4/4wouldplay.Inotherwords,4/4Tis1.5times
thefrequencyof4/4.The24possibletemposyncedvaluesare32/4,16/4,12/4,8/4,7/4,
6/4,8/4T,5/4,4/4,3/4,4/4T,2/4,3/8,2/4T,1/4,3/16,1/4T,1/8,1/8T,1/16,1/16T,1/32,
1/32T,and1/64.
Notethattheoscillatorkeepsplayingitdoesnotstartorstoponparticularbeats.The
beatsarejustusedtodeterminetheperiodofthewaveform,whichequivalentlysetsthe
frequency.So,inthe4/4example,theoscillatorsfrequencyissetsothatthebeginning
ofthewaveformoccursatthebeginningofthefirstbeatoffourbeats.
Minor (CORR): Phase Correction
Theoscillatorsbasefrequencyissetbyfrequencysectionontheoscillatoritself,
whetherbykeyboardfrequencycontrol,tempofrequencycontrol,orfreefrequency
control.TheoscillatorsfrequencycanbemodulatedbyanotheroscillatororCV
frequencyinput.Thus,collectively,theinfluencesthataffecttheoscillatorsfrequencyare
thefrequencycontrolknobontheoscillatoritself,frequencymodulationfromanother
oscillator,orfrequencymodulationfromCVinput.
Atemposyncedoscillatorisinphasewiththetempowhenthebeginningofthe
oscillatorswaveformoccursatthepointsintimespecifiedbytheTEMPOknob.For
example,iftheTEMPOknobissetto4/4andtheoscillatorisinphasewiththetempo,
thenthebeginningofthewaveformwilloccuronceeveryfourbeats,atthebeginningof
thefirstbeat.
12
Ifthetemposyncedoscillatorsfrequencyisbeingchangedbytheinfluencesmentioned
above,itispossibleforittogetoutofphasewiththetempo.Thismayormaynotbe
desirable.Phasecorrectionpullstheoscillatorbackinphasewiththetempo.
TheCORRknobsetshowlongittakestocorrectthephaseoftheoscillator.
Minimum: 0seconds(immediatecorrection)
Maximum: (nocorrection)
WhentheCORRknobissetto0,correctionhappensimmediately.Whenitssetto,
thecorrectiontakesforever,or,inotherwords,thereisnocorrection.
Withimmediatecorrection,thentheoscillatorwillimmediatelybesetinphasewiththe
tempo.Inthiscase,frequencymodulationfromanotheroscillatororfromCVinputhave
noeffect.ChangingtheTEMPOknoboftheoscillatoritselfresultsinclickingbecausethe
phaseisimmediatelychanged.
Withnocorrection,theoscillatorsfrequencywillbethenormalresultofallinfluenceson
thefrequencyacombinationoftheTEMPOknobsbasefrequency,thefrequency
modulationfromanotheroscillator,andthefrequencymodulationfromtheCVinput.This
allowstheoscillatortogetoutofphasewiththetempo.
Withsomecorrection,e.g.iftheCORRknobissetto1second,thentheoscillators
phasewillbepulledbackinphasewiththetempooveratimespanof1second.So,ifthe
TEMPOknobischangedtoanewposition,thenwithin1secondtheoscillatorsphase
willsmoothlyshifttobeinphasewiththetempo.Thiswillnotcauseclicking.Ifthe
oscillatorsfrequencykeepschangingmorethanonceasecond,eitherduetofrequency
modulationormultiplechangestotheTEMPOknob,thenthephasewillnevercatchup.
Thiscanbeaninterestingeffect.
TryThis:Settheoscillatortoalowfrequency,modulateitsfrequency,andchangethe
CORRknobtocreatedifferenttypesofrepeatingwaveforms.
Inthissetting,thefrequencyisspecifiedinHz.
Major (FRQ): Frequency
Minimum:
0Hz
13
Maximum:
4096Hz
14
Modulation Section
Themodulationsectioncontrolsfrequency,amplitude,andphasemodulationaswellas
synchronization.Theinternalmodulationcycledetermineswhichoscillatorismodulatingwhich
(seeInternalModulationCycle).Whendescribingmodulation,itisimportanttodistinguish
betweenthemodulationandcarrierfrequencies.Forexample,ifOscillator2ismodulating
Oscillator1,thenOscillator2isthemodulatorandOscillator1isthecarrier.Inthisexample,the
modulationsectionhighlightedbelowdetermineshowOscillator2modulatesOscillator1.
Ingeneral,amodulationsectionhasamodulatorandacarrier.Themodulatorisalwaysthe
oscillatorimmediatelytotherightofthemodulationsection.Thecarrierisdeterminedbythe
internalmodulationcycle.
Note:Intheknobcontrolsforamplitude,frequency,andphasemodulation,negative
percentagesactasifthemodulatorsignalwasinverted.
Synchronization (SNC)
TurningSNConmakeitsothat,wheneverthemodulatorarrivesbackatthebeginningofits
waveform,itforcesthecarrierwavetojumptothebeginningofitswaveform.Thiscausesthe
carrierwavetohavethesamebasefrequencyofthemodulatorwave.
15
peakto30%whenthemodulatorisatitstrough.
16
Forexample,ifalloscillatorsareturnedon,thenOscillator4willmodulateOscillator3,whichwill
modulateOscillator2,whichwillmodulateOscillator1,whichwillmodulateOscillator4.
Anyinactiveoscillatorisleftoutofthecycle.
Asanotherexample,ifonlyOscillators1and3areturnedon,thenOscillator3willmodulate
Oscillator1,andOscillator1willmodulateOscillator3.
Bydefault,themodulationcontrolsareallsetto0,sonomodulationwilloccuruntiltheseare
changed.Forspecificsonmodulationcontrols,seeModulation Section.
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Audio Outputs
Audiooutputsprovidetheaudiodataindifferentformats.
Note:Trianglesonbothsidesofanoutputmeanthatitisenveloped.
+ALL KEYS+
The+ALLKEYS+outputisasumofalloscillatorsinkeyboardfrequencycontrolmode.This
audiooutputisenveloped,asindicatedbytheenvelopetriangles.+ALLKEYS+isconvenientfor
usingLittleLFOasasynth.
Oscillatoraudiodataisavailableenvelopedorunenveloped.Theenvelopedaudiooutputison
therightunenvelopedisontheleft.
18
Anti Aliasing
Bydefault,antialiasingisoff.Turningitonremovesaparticularkindofdissonancefromthe
audiooutputswhenplayinghighernotes.
Note:Evenifantialiasingisturnedon,aliasingmaystilloccurwithoscillatorsyncing,pulsewidth
modification,andaggressivemodulation.Thismaychangeinalaterrelease.
19
Performance CV Ports
(AsinPerformanceArts)
Envelope CV Outputs
LittleLFOhasasingleADSRenvelopewhichcontrolstheamplitudeoftheenvelopedCV
outputs.TheEnvelopeCVoutputsprovidesjusttheenvelopeinformationitself.Thevalueranges
between0and1asspecifiedbytheattack,decay,sustain,andreleasevalues.Withthe
20
EnvelopeCVout,thisdatacanalsobesenttootherinputportstocontrolthingssuchas
frequency,pulsewidth,etc.
21
Oscillator CV Inputs
Inadditiontotheinternalmodulationonthefrontofthedevice,theoscillatorscanbemodulated
usingtheCVinputsonthebackofthedevice.Theamplitude,frequency,phase,andpulsewidth
ofeachoscillatorcanbemodulatedviatheseCVinputs.
Trim Knobs
EachoscillatorCVinputhasatrimknobthatreducestherangeoftheeffect.
Minimum: 0(0%)
Maximum: 127(100%)
Bydefault,thetrimknobsaresetto127andthusallowthemaximumrangeoftheeffect.Ifthe
trimknobissetto,forexample,63,thentherangeoftheeffectisreducedbyabouthalf.
22
TryThis:Plugintwofrequencycontrolsourcestotwodifferentoscillatorstocreate
nonstandardpolyphony.
TryThis:TurnonOscillators1and2andsetthemtokeyboardfrequencycontrolmode.For
eachoscillator,turnonaMatrixSequencerandhookitsnoteCVoutputintotheoscillators
FREQCVinputanditsgateCVoutputintotheoscillatorsAMPCVinput.Thencreatesome
modulationbetweentheoscillators.WhenbothMatrixesareplayingnotesatthesametime,
theoscillatorsaremodulating,butwhenonlyoneMatrixisplayinganotethereisno
modulation.DistributororOchenKspolysplittercanbeusedaswell.
23
Oscillator CV Outputs
OscillatorCVoutputisavailableinfourforms.Theaudiodatacanbeadjustedbytheenvelopeor
not,anditcanbebipolarorunipolar.Thesixoscillatoraudiooutputportsarehighlightedabove.
Theyformtworowsandthreecolumnswhichcorrespondtothetablebelow.
NotEnveloped
NotEnveloped
Enveloped
Bipolar
Notenveloped,
bipolarCVoutput
Notenveloped,
bipolarCVoutput
Enveloped,
bipolarCVoutput
Unipolar
Notenveloped,
unipolarCVoutput
Notenveloped,
unipolarCVoutput
Enveloped,
unipolarCVoutput
Bipolar
BipolarCVoutputvaluescanrangefrom1to1.Thecenterofthewaveformcorrespondstothe
value0.Forexample,iftheoscillatoramplitudeis80%,thenitsbipolarCVoutputrangesfrom
0.8to0.8.
ExamplebipolarCVoutputforawaveformwithamplitude80%
OnepossiblewaytousethisistoplugtheCVoutputofoneoscillator,callitOscillatorA,intothe
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frequencyCVinputofanotheroscillator,callitOscillatorB.ThenOscillatorBwillhaveahigher
frequencywhenOscillatorAsCVoutputispositiveandlowerfrequencieswithOscillatorAsCV
outputisnegative.
Unipolar
UnipolarCVoutputvaluescanrangefrom0to1.Thewaveformisbottomalignedat0and
verticallyscaleddownbyhalftofitwithinthe0to1range.Forexample,ifthewaveforms
amplitudeis80%,thenthenitsunipolarCVoutputrangesfrom0to0.8.
ExampleunipolarCVoutputforawaveformwithamplitude80%
Enveloped
EnvelopedCVoutputvaluesareamplitudeadjustedbytheenvelope.
TryThis:PluganenvelopedCVoutputfromoneoscillatorintothefrequencyCVinputof
anotheroscillator.Thiswillcauseavibratoeffectinthesecondoscillatorwhichslowlycomes
inwiththeattackoftheenvelope.