Arp Odyssey User Manual

Introduction

Welcome The ARP Odyssey brings polyphonic electronic music the performing avant-garde. phase-locked oscillators, digital ring modulator, sample & hold circuits, and most studio synthesizer.

to

the ARP Odyssey, the ultimate musical trip.

artist-rock,

It

includes such state-of-the-art firsts as

pop, soul, jazz,

of

the functions

of

a complete

or

to

With its ease Odyssey can produce an enormous variety live performance. Everything from thunder and lightning to

gong, fuzz guitar, and feedback distortion fingertips with the Odyssey's slider controls and patch switches. The Odyssey's foot pedal and foot switch add your expressive control. Its two-voice, 37-note keyboard has a nine-octave range. The Odyssey is compatible, and can be interfaced with all other ARP synthesizers. And, course, the famous ARP filters and oscillators give drift-free accuracy for professional-quality recordings.

of

operation and high reliability, your ARP

of

sounds in

is

at

your

you

to

of

2.

THE ARP ODYSSEY

the sound actually a mechanical filter and corresponds Voltage Controlled Filter (VCF) characteristic resonances its distinctive tone quality. The fingerboard, like the keyboard on your Odyssey, determines the pitch sound. The movement Envelope Generator, determines the attack and decay characteristics

Interconnecting the various functions shown in Figure A is

known as creating a illustrated in Figure A Similarly, it play of functions each function contributes

of

these vibrations. The body

of

the

body

of

the

bow, like

of

the sound.

"patch."

is,

of

course, a violin patch.

is

possible

on

the Odyssey. Actually, this visual representation

a patch permits you

of

the synthesizer are being employed and how

to

diagram any patch

to

better

to

the finished sound.

of

the violin

on

the Odyssey. It

that

give

the

The block diagram

that

understand what

to

the

violin

of

ADSR

you may

is

the

7.

FIGURE

A.

VIOLIN

BOW

DRAWN

ACROSS

STRING

CAUSING VIBRATIONS (Signal

Source)

BODY

OF VIOLIN AS A

RESONATOR

THE

ACTS

FILTER/

(Modifier)

I--+-

OUTPUT

VIOLIN SOUND

8.

I

FINGERS

CONTROL

BY

THE

AGAINST

FINGERBOARD

PITCH

PRESSING

STRING

THE

AXXE

I

KEYBOARD

CONTROLS

PITCH

+

OSCILLATOR WAVEFORMS

AND

NOISE

(Signal

Source)

t

I

MOVING

FINGERS

AND

FORTH

PRODUCES

VIBRATO

(Controller)

I

LFO

PRODUCES

VIBRATO

(Controller)

BACK

CONTROLLED

VOLTAGE

FILTER

(Modifier)

t

I

DRAWING

ACROSS

STRINGS

ATTACK

DECAY

(Controller)

i----.

I

ADSR

ENVELOPE

GENERATOR

(Controller)

BOW

THE

SHAPES

AND

OUTPUT

VIOLIN SOUND

NOISE

GENERATOR

..

i--.,

.____

AND

I

[ I

I

-1

SAMPLE

HOLD

MIXER

CONTROLLED

~

OSCILLATORS

- - - -

11-

VOLTAGE

j'

'

--

- - - - -

-

'

,_

RING

MOD

SAMPLE

AND

HOLD

' .

u

-

FREQUENCY

OSCILLATOR

TRIGGER

AUDIO MIXER

~

T

LOW

VOLTAGE

..

CONTROLLED

FILTER

'

VOLTAGE

CONTROLLED

-

AMPLIFIER

..

HIGH

PASS

FILTER

'

ADSR

AND

AR

PEDAL

ENVELOPE

GENERATORS

•

t

FIGURE

The figure above and internal connections in with our discussion be able to see exactly how the different functions interact.

B..

is

a block diagram

your

on

the

Odyssey's functions,

of

all the functions

Odyssey.

As

we

you

proceed

will

9.

The Voltage Controlled Oscillator produces electrical waveforms (saw-tooth, pulse, and square waves) which are used sound timbres. If a signal generated the same waveform instrument,

Different waveforms have different sounds. Your Odyssey is

capable

Sawtooth wave; full, brassy

Square wave; clarinet-like

both

of

as

a sound created

will sound the same.

creating six basic waveforms, plus noise:

on

your Odyssey

to

create a wide range

by

an oscillator has

by

a traditional

of

Pulse wave; bright, nasal

Modulated pulse wave; chorus-like, rich

Sine wave; pure, whistle-like

Various phase-synced waveforms; bright, rich

EXPERIMENT 1. LISTENING TO WAVEFORMS

1. Hook up your ODYSSEY to a speaker and amplifier

as

described

tone controls

PORTAMENTO

[

PITCH BENO

on

!.

page 3. For the time being, set all

on

your

amplifier for

"flat"

response.

2. Set all the controls positions shown in Figure settings before proceeding.

LFO

VCF

'.

i

[I

on

your ODYSSEY to match the

C.

Double check the

c:Ji~

VCA

r::vGe7

GENERATOR

] J Ii

FIGURE C

11.

FIGURED.

CC:il.flSE FINE

,:::~I e

i~o Hz

~

~"'

I

VOLTAGE CONTROLLED OSCILLATOR

1

3. The controls on your ODYSSEY are now set you

will be able to hear

the

different

"raw"

so

that

waveforms from the ODYSSEY'S VOLTAGE CONTROLLED OSCILLATOR (VCO) whenever

play the keyboard. Locate

the

three slide controls

under the AUDIO MIXER (white, green, and blue)

you

..

4. Raise the blue slider under the AUDIO MIXER and

play a few notes

JU1

hearing

is

on

the keyboard. The sound

the

raw, unprocessed sawtooth wave.

you

are

12.

!

LFO

.fUl

~

AOS.i

~

5. The pitch

use sliders are located in

of

this

tone

can be varied manually through

of

the COARSE and FINE tuning sliders. These

the

part

of

the panel marked

VOLTAGE CONTROLLED OSCILLATOR 1

(Figure

Hold a note down and push each

D~

of

these sliders through its range. The COARSE slider allows tuning through a good part FINE tuning slider allows a range octave. When oscillators, either to one another musical instrument, you will first slider

to

the approximate range, and then use

FINE slider

to

of

the audio spectrum, while the

of

about one

you

are tuning the voltage controlled

or

to

tune

the COARSE

find the pitch exactly.

another

the

6. The slide switch next frequency hundred when this switch

position. This hearing; consequently continuous of

clicks. The rate

controlled adjusting

of

VCO 1

is

far below

tone

but

by

the keyboard,

the

tuning sliders.

of

to

the

tuning sliders lowers the

by

a factor

you

only a more

this low frequency signal

of

about one

is

placed in its L.F.

the

range

of

will

not

hear any

or

less rapid series

but

can be varied

human

is

not

by

9. An even narrower pulse wave can be created raising the PULSE WIDTH slider all MIN marking. This waveform At

the MIN marking, waveform waveform. A square wave, as its symbol implies, has

a

top

percent

is

only about five percent

part

of

its waveform

of

the

total waveform.

the

top

the

way

is

very buzzy and thin.

part

of

the pulse

of

the

that

is

exactly fifty

by

to

the

total

7. Return and set

Now change

the AUDIO MIXER

play the keyboard and sound the hollow, clarinet-like sound.

8. The square wave on your ODYSSEY can be turned into

raising

under

1 box. Raise this slider play

sounds brighter, more nasal,

the

tuning sliders to

the

slide switch back

the

slide switch under the blue slider

to

of

a raw unprocessed square wave. Notice how

square wave, especially

another

on

waveform called a PULSE

the

blue slider labelled PULSE WIDTH located

the

VOLTAGE CONTROLLED OSCILLATOR

the

keyboard. Notice how the pulse wave

the

center

of

to

the

audio range.

the

bottom

you

will now be hearing

to

the halfway mark and again

position. Again,

at

low pitches, has a

WAVE

than

the square wave.

their range,

the

by

of

SQUARE

PULSE

WAVE (25%)

NARROW

FIGURE

WAVE (50%)

PULSE

WAVE

E.

L

(5%)

13.

14.

EXPERIMENT 2. PULSE WIDTH MODULATION

1. Lower

2.

3. The ODYSSEY has special PULSE WIDTH

the

PULSE WIDTH control slowly thereby gradually increasing the width until it becomes a square wave again with WIDTH slider all the way down.

If you move the PULSE WIDTH control up and down while holding down a low note, changing pulse width creates a kind effect. The faster control, the more pronounced the effect. or

"modulating" the pulse width while

you

are creating another waveform called the

"MODULATED PULSE WAVE."

MODULATION controls of

the modulated pulse waveform. Bring the blue PULSE WIDTH control all the pink LFO PULSE WIDTH MOD control all the way up. Play the keyboard and which

is

similar

moved

If

slider,

the

you

lower the pink LFO PULSE WIDTH

the

effect will diminish and finally disappear.

you

move

to

the effect

pulse width control

of

the

pulse wave

the

you

will hear

of

chorus-like

the

PULSE WIDTH

By

you

that

facilitate the generation

the

way down, and raise

you

will hear a sound

you

created when

by

hand in step 2.

PULSE

that

the

changing

play,

you

MOD

Notice

that

the pink LFO FREQ control

of

the

Low Frequency Oscillator

speed

of

the chorus-like sound.

4. Experiment with different combinations of

the blue PULSE WIDTH control, PULSE WIDTH FREQ control.

MOD

control, and

U'O

....

box

changes the

the

FIGURE F.

:It

to

the right

of

settings

pink LFO

EXPERIMENT 3. PHASE SYNCHRONIZATION

FIGURE G

Now look

1.

CONTROLLED OSCILLATOR 2. VOLTAGE CONTROLLED OSCILLATOR 2 1 except for two things:

at

the

part

of

the panel marked VOLT AGE

is

exactly like

• VCO 2 does operating range.

• VCO 2 can be SYNCHRONIZED to

not

have a low-frequency

vco 1.

Lower the blue slider under

and raise the green slider. Now play the keyboard.

You are now listening to VCO 2.

2.

VCO

2 can be switched between sawtooth wave and

square wave VCO varied in the same manner. VCO 2 also has pulse

width modulation like that

were done above

3. Phase-synchronization accomplished

labelled SYNC OFF/ON.

the

2, when it

by

same as VCO 1, and

is

not phase-synchronized, can be

the

VCO

L Try

on

VCO

of

the

switch at

AUDIO MIXER box

the

experiments

1 with

VCO

two oscillators

the

top

right

VCO

frequency

2.

is

of

VCO

of

SYNC

STEP

3.

VOLTAGE CONTROLLED OSCILLATOR

~.

.n.n.

'

2

15.

16.

PHASE-SYNCHRONIZED

FIGURE

H.

STEP

4.

J_ J_ J_

FIGURE

I.

AUDIO

MIXER

'GE~fk~~o-;-,

I

+O

~I~

~

NOISE VC0-1 VC0•2

~

! =

""'

,,.._,

MOO

.~,

.f"l.IL .n.n..

FIGURE J.

When this switch is forced is

again,

waveform. This Figure and pulse waveforms

It

VCO 2 will vary sliders for VCO 2 are changed, even though the basic frequency remains the same

You can hear this effect in its raw form VCO 1 the 100 Hz mark) and slowly moving tuning control range from SYNCHRONIZATION Switch Experiment also with changing the frequency

VCO 1 while leaving VCO 2 in about its range. Some spectacular sound, unique

4. At this point, should practice tuning VCO 1 and VCO 2 musical intervals

third sliders under the audio mixer.

to

done

by

or

restart whenever VCO 1 begins another

H,

is

for this reason

to

some relatively low audio frequency (near

is

on,

the

audio signal from

conform

causing the waveform

and

of

bottom

to

the

frequency

is

shown for sawtooth waves in

the

same principle applies

as

well.

that

the

harmonic sound

as

the COARSE and FINE frequency

the waveform does

as

VCO 1

).

of

VCO 2 through its entire tuning

to

top

after turning

of

the patches make use

to

the ODYSSEY.

too

, with

the

SYN SWITCH off,

by

opening

both

of

VCO 2

not

change (it

by

the

of

VCO 2 on.

the

second and

VCO

middle

VCO

to

square

setting

coarse

PHASE-

of

this

to

various

1.

This

begin

of

you

2

EXPERIMENT 4. NOISE

EXPERIMENT

5.

FREQUENCY MODULATION

1. Lower the blue and green sliders under the AUDIO MIXER box and raise notes on the keyboard and listen are hearing what

is

known

the

white slider. Play a few

to

the

sound. You

as

WHITE NOISE. This noise contains all frequencies in the audio spectrum in equal amounts, and noise you hear between stations on the

is

harmonically identical

FM

to

radio

band.

2. There

is

a noise generator switch located in the upper left hand corner position

of

this switch

the ODYSSEY. Change the

to

PINK and again play a few notes on the keyboard. Whereas contains equal amplitudes NOISE contains equal energy

of

each frequency, PINK

of

WHITE

NOISE

each frequency. Physically, this means that the higher frequencies are present PINK NOISE noise because it sounds balanced

at

lower volumes than the lower frequencies.

is

the most musically useful kind

to

the ear, neither

of

too high and hissy, nor too low and rumbling. You will see later how ODYSSEY

to

use the

to

turn noise into a wide range

other

functions

on

of

exciting

the

sounds.

the

The pitch Oscillator (VCO) on your ODYSSEY

of

the

Voltage Controlled

is

controlled by the

VOLTAGE

CONTROLLED

I

OSCIU.ATOA

1

,..,,._,,.

.nn

keyboard. You know this from the previous experiments and also see connected diagram, page 9.

that

to

the

keyboard VCO As

experience, you can also change pitch

or

frequency

of

you

can

is

on

the

block

you will now

the

VCO

by bringing in ''control voltages'' from other devices on the ODYSSEY.

1. To begin experimenting with Frequency Modulation, again set the controls exactly shown in Figure

2. Raise the blue

C.

VCO

FIGURE

as

1 slider under the AUDIO

K.

MIXER.

You will now hear

the

sawtooth wave again when

you play the keyboard.

3. Hold down a note on the keyboard and slowly raise

the pink LFO control next

to

the TRANSPOSE

17.

Arp Odyssey User Manual

Specifications and Main Features

Frequently Asked Questions

User Manual

Introduction

Contents

EXTERNAL AMPLIFIER AND SPEAKER

HOW YOUR ODYSSEY WORKS

EXPERIMENT 1. LISTENING TO WAVEFORMS

EXPERIMENT 2. PULSE WIDTH MODULATION

EXPERIMENT 3. PHASE SYNCHRONIZATION

EXPERIMENT 4. NOISE