Silver Orbit Pro 2011 VSTi-Synthesizer

(formerly Solar Orbit)

by HG Fortune 2009 / 2011 Free!

- Quickstart -

Silver Orbit is fairly compact VSTi Synthesizer featuring:

as soundsources:
two oscillators with two waves with 8 waveforms each and option to modify the waveshape plus one
oscillator with 5 waveforms, the latter one can be frequency modulated which is synced to osc. 2 thus FM will
result in getting harmonic content;

as modifiers:
one 24dB Lowpass filter with resonance per synthvoice
one Spook fx as global fx
one Color fx can be seen as 'simple' EQ to enhance lower or upper frequencies
one BassEnhancer to enhance low frequencies (works indenpendently from Color signal)
one delay synced to bpm;

as sources for modulation:

four ADSR envelope generators (one for Filter, one for VCA and two as monophonic global sources)
six LFO and one Sample & Hold;

as additional Modulation controls:

XY Super Modulation as Mod Matrix with adjustable amount to destinations;

plus six Lazy buttons to randomize related sets of parameters.

All in all Solar Orbit is capable of producing quite a variety of sounds among most noticeable are stunning
sync sounds, fairly unique pads and fx sounds plus. With a good response on the lower frequency range one
might achieve quite 'huge' and deep sounds too.

Plu: internal Patch Select, Patch (re-)name, & manage (load/save fxb/fxp)
There are 14 Tutorial patches to get familiar with specific features of Solar Orbit:
the patchnames provide info what to change in order to notice how the sound is affected
Tut:SyncFM-move EG4 Sus Slider then EG4-/+Knob
Tut:Spook-move SpookMod then Density then Spook1
Tut:Spook-move SpookMod then EG3 Sus then SpookMod
Tut:Color-move Color knob
Tut:Osc1-move ShapeMod knob and change waveform
Tut:Osc3 PW-Mod-move that knob
Tut:Spook-move EG4 Dec slider hit key again (and repeat)
Tut:SynFM-Play Legato and non legato change Atk&Dec (repeat hitting key)
Tut:Detune-press Detune on/off move knob
Tut:SupMod-move ball then press Auto Off/On only 4 dest. used
Tut:Filter-move Filt EG Sus slider then LFO:EG knob
Tut:Pan&Delay-press Label L<P>R and move knob above
Tut:Velocity > Cutoff-hit key listen then lower value (and repeat)
Tut:Byp:Filt-move knob later change mod source

This will help you to understand better how each of these features can be used to create your sound.

Besides this practical access to the features of Silver Orbit a few additional words to some sections.

X/Y Supermodulation

The X/Y Supermodulation features 6 fixed destinations and 2

slots for selectable destinations. Auto Mode uses a dedicated
selectable mod source for X and Y axis each. While the amount
can be adjusted by AutoAmt knobs to positive and negative
amount. Also you may select the axis to be used on the
destinations evenb with inverted amount too. Also you can
determine the amount of modulation for each destination. As
this modulation controlis meant not as a static control rather
than as being in motion via Auto Mode On or by moving the
'joystick ball' manually by mouse or external MIDI device the
range of adjustable amount from 1 to 10 is sufficient. Also you
can set to off for no modulation to a selected destination.

The LFO section - each with different waves selectable

There is pitch related LFO (PLO) for use with Mod Wheel but this LFO can also be selected
elsewise. Next to this is an SLFO which is a very slow LFO up to 24 bars for one cycle.

LFO1 and 2 are more conventional LFO

LFO 3 offfers a different set of waves to be selected and these waves can be modified in
shape similar to Osc 1 and 2

Sample & Hold has different modes selectable as sample source and also a knob for
variation for the sample source

LFO4 offers a set of some mor complex waveforms with it's rate (or speed) to be adjusted
by a dedicated knob.
The Oscillator section

Osc. 1 and 2 provide two waves selectable with shape modulation which can be
modulated by different sources. Next to the octave selector is a semitone
selector for Osc. 1. Output of both oscillators can be balanced by knob above
Osc 1:2

Detune provides a slight adjustable detune between Osc 1 and 2 which results
in a more vivid sound.

Osc 3 is a quite conventional oscillator but it can be frequency modulated by

various sources and EG 4 with adjustble amount ansd polarity by the resp.
knob below, this FM is synced to Osc 2 in order to result in harmonic output.
Also there is the option for pulse width modulation by various sources. It's level
is adjustable.

Portamento can be set to on or off with adjustable time controlled by the resp.
knob.

The Filter section

the 24 dB low pass filter with resonance has it's dedicated

ADSR EG and a selectable 2nd mod source which can be
balanced against the EG amount by the resp. knob.
As additional mod source Velocity can be used with an
adjustable amount which is linked to Cutoff.

The VCA section

The VCA amplifier section offers an ADSR envelope generator and an

option to balance the direckt signal of the oscillators against the filtered
signal also to be modulated by various sources.
Velocity can be used to control the ouput level of the amplifier if the AmpVel
switch is set to On which is a global setting valid for all patches then.

The Spook effect

Spook provides a fairly flexible way to modify the sound adding e.g. some kind of
'metallic' timbre or even to some flanger like fx. please check related tutorial patches
for it's detailed effect on the sound.

Color, Bass Enhance, Pan and Delay

Color allows to enhance lower or higher frequencies (like a simple EG) while
BassEnhance is an independant option to increase the bass response with it's signal
present on both channels without panning. Pan works in two ways: normal or with
delay to opposite direction (see image showing the latter case and the label being
used as switch)
Delay can be switched on/off and delay time is linked to several bpm related settings.
Feedback and delay level are adjustable.
Some more general hints:
Using long release settings will increase CPU-usage - remedy: lower release at filter ADSR, lower release at
ADSR in master section and raise delay Lvl instead. So in most cases a release just below half way up of the
slider will be sufficient to get a fading on the sound. Also fast LFO settings at many destinations consume a
lot more CPU than one efficiently set at the most significant target which is in fact in most cases sonically
even more efficient for a more pronounced sound.

Switching between patches might lead to some sound artefacts by Delay when done while sound is still
playing. In order to have a clean switching the sound of current patch should have faded to zero level before
switching to next patch. Or, have delays set at the same Delay parameter value.

As of MIDI implementation all assigned MIDI CCs are shown on the GUI as soon as a slider, knob or switch
is moved with the current value shown too..

Changing these default MIDI CC assignments will affect the Lazy System please keep this in mind.

Some credits:
Silver Orbit 2011 was made with SynthEdit by Jeff McClintock by HG Fortune
Patches done by Dimitri Schkoda and HG Fortune

Homepage: www.hgf-synthesizer.de
H. G. Fortune
G. Hager
Almaweg 49
53347 Alfter
0228/642997
Germany
email: fortune@flomo-art.de

Thanks to all who have helped and do support my work!

Terms of License Agreement:

You are not allowed to distribute, transfer license or sell this software. You are allowed to
run the program on different computers as long as You are the only person having access
to and using the program.

You are not allowed to modify, decompile or reverse-engineer the program.

This program is not copy-protected but protected by national & international (copyright-)
laws.

The software is supplied as is. Use this program on Your own risk and Your own
responsibility.