Arturia dimension-d User Manual

USER MANUAL

Special Thanks

DIRECTION

Frederic BRUN Kevin MOLCARD

DEVELOPMENT

Samuel LIMIER

Kévin ARCAS

Rasmus KÜRSTEIN

Corentin COMTE

DESIGN

Martin DUTASTA Clément BASTIAT Shaun ELWOOD Morgan PERRIER

SOUND DESIGN

Jean-Baptiste ARTHUS

Jean-Michel BLANCHET

TESTING

Florian MARIN Thomas BARBIER Christophe TESSA

MANUAL

Fernando MANUEL RODRIGUES (author)

Alessandro DE CECCO

Raynald DANTIGNY

Alexandre ADAM

Baptiste AUBRY

Clément BASTIAT

William ROBERTSON

Camille DALEMANS

Holger STEINBRINK

Timothé BEHETY

Yann BURRER

Loris DE MARCO

Geoffrey GORMOND

Léo BATTLE

Minoru KOIKE

Charlotte METAIS

Pierre-Lin LANEYRIE

Mathieu NOCENTI

Marie PAULI

Jose RENDON

BETA TESTING

Gustavo BRAVETTI

David BIRDWELL

Jeffrey CECIL

Dwight DAVIS

www.arturia.com

Information contained in this manual is subject to change without notice and does not represent a commitment on the part of Arturia. The software described in this manual is provided under the terms of a license agreement or non-disclosure agreement. The software license agreement specifies the terms and conditions for its lawful use. No part of this manual may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any purpose other than purchaser’s personal use, without the express written permission of ARTURIA S.A.

All other products, logos or company names quoted in this manual are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners.

Product version: 1.0

Revision date: 19 November 2020

Marco CORREIA (Koshdukai)

Ben EGGEHORN

Matthew HERBERT

Guillaume HERNANDEZ

Jay JANSSEN

Luca LEFEVRE

Terry MARSDEN

Peter TOMLINSON

Chuck ZWICKY

Thank you for purchasing Arturia's Chorus

DIMENSION-D!

This manual covers the features and operation of the Chorus DIMENSION-D.

Be sure to register your software as soon as possible! When you purchased Chorus DIMENSION-D you were sent a serial number and an unlock code by e-mail. These are required during the online registration process.

Special Messages

Specifications Subject to Change:

The information contained in this manual is believed to be correct at the time of printing. However, Arturia reserves the right to change or modify any of the specifications or features without notice or obligation.

IMPORTANT:

The software, when used in combination with an amplifier, headphones or speakers, may be able to produce sound levels that could cause permanent hearing loss. DO NOT operate for long periods of time at a high level or at a level that is uncomfortable.

If you experience any hearing loss or ringing in the ears, you should consult an audiologist.

Introduction

Congratulations on your purchase of Arturia's Chorus DIMENSION-D!

Arturia's passion for synthesizers and sonic purity has given demanding musicians the best software instruments for professional audio production.

Arturia also has a growing expertise in the audio field, and in 2017 launched the AudioFuse, a pro studio quality audio interface that features two proprietary DiscretePRO® microphone preamplifiers and a set of top-notch AD/DA converters. This line was recently expanded with the launch of the AudioFuse Studio and the AudioFuse 8Pre. Arturia has also been busy making effect plug-ins, launching in 2018 the first Arturia effects bundle, which included the

Pre 1973, the Pre TridA, and the Pre V76.

Other bundles followed, dedicated to compressors, filters, delays, and reverbs. With the launch of these new effects, this time dedicated to modulation, Arturia consolidates its position as a leader in audio effects plug-ins.

ARTURIA has a passion for excellence and accuracy. This has led us to conduct an extensive analysis of every aspect of one of the most sought-after chorus units of the past. But, as is now a habit and a fundamental characteristic of all of our plug-ins, we didn't just model the sound and behavior of this unique unit, we also added several features that were unimaginable in the days the original was being manufactured.

Chorus DIMENSION-D runs as a plug-in in all major formats inside your DAW.

DISCLAIMER: All manufacturer and product names mentioned in this manual are trademarks of their respective owners, which are in no way associated or affiliated with Arturia. The trademarks of other manufacturers mentioned are used solely to identify the products of those manufacturers whose features and sound were studied during the development of this plug-in. All names of equipment inventors and manufacturers have been included for illustrative and educational purposes only and do not suggest any affiliation or endorsement of Chorus DIMENSION-D by any equipment inventor or manufacturer.

The Arturia team

1. WELCOME ......................................................................................................................................................................... 2

1.1. What is a modulation effect? ........................................................................................................................................ 2

1.2. What about Chorus DIMENSION-D? ........................................................................................................................ 3

1.3. Where can you use a chorus unit like this?........................................................................................................ 4

2. ACTIVATION AND FIRST START.......................................................................................................................... 5

2.1. Activate the Arturia Chorus DIMENSION-D license......................................................................................... 5

2.1.1. The Arturia Software Center (ASC).................................................................................................................................................................... 5

2.2. Working with plug-ins....................................................................................................................................................... 5

3. CHORUS DIMENSION-D OVERVIEW.............................................................................................................. 6

3.1. Arturia's Chorus DIMENSION-D plug-in .................................................................................................................. 6

3.2. Understanding the Chorus DIMENSION-D Signal Flow .............................................................................. 7

3.3. Getting hands-on with Chorus DIMENSION-D.................................................................................................. 9

3.3.1. Chorus Basics................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 9

3.3.2. Advanced methods of using the chorus................................................................................................................................................... 10

4. CHORUS DIMENSION-D CONTROL PANEL ................................................................................................. 11

4.1. Channel Configuration (Mono/Stereo/Mono-to-Stereo).............................................................................. 11

4.2. Main Control Panel ............................................................................................................................................................ 12

4.2.1. Mode ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 12

4.2.2. Dimension Mode........................................................................................................................................................................................................ 13

4.2.3. Output Level.................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 14

4.2.4. Power................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 14

4.3. Advanced Mode Control Panel.................................................................................................................................. 15

4.3.1. Oscillator Shape.......................................................................................................................................................................................................... 15

4.3.2. Dynamic Color ............................................................................................................................................................................................................ 16

4.3.3. Width (Stereo Width).............................................................................................................................................................................................. 16

4.3.4. Mix........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 17

5. USER INTERFACE ........................................................................................................................................................ 18

5.1. The Upper Toolbar............................................................................................................................................................... 18

5.1.1. Save Preset...................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 18

5.1.2. Save Preset As…........................................................................................................................................................................................................... 18

5.1.3. Import................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 19

5.1.4. Export Menu ................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 19

5.1.5. Resize Window options.......................................................................................................................................................................................... 19

5.1.6. Help...................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 19

5.1.7. Preset Selection ......................................................................................................................................................................................................... 20

5.2. Advanced Mode (Double Arrow) Button............................................................................................................ 20

5.3. The Lower Toolbar ............................................................................................................................................................. 21

5.3.1. Panic................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 21

5.3.2. Undo .................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 21

5.3.3. History .............................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 21

5.3.4. Redo................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 21

5.3.5. Bypass.............................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 21

5.3.6. CPU meter..................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 22

5.4. The Preset browser.......................................................................................................................................................... 22

5.5. Fine-tuning parameters................................................................................................................................................. 23

5.6. Resetting your controls.................................................................................................................................................. 23

6. Software License Agreement............................................................................................................................ 24

1. WELCOME

1.1. What is a modulation effect?

Modulation effects work by modifying the sound in a certain way, usually by means of modulation controlled by a Low-Frequency Oscillator (LFO). For example, they can add one or more slightly delayed versions of the sound to itself, while modulating the pitch of those versions over time.

You can obtain three main effect types with modulation: chorus, flanging, and phase shifting. Of the three, chorus is perhaps the most sought-after, since it allows to create "richer" versions of the sound. The chorus effect works by mixing the audio signal with one or more delayed, pitch-modulated copies of itself. The pitch of the added voices is modulated by an LFO, which makes the overall effect similar to that of the flanger, except with longer delays and less modulation.

This effect may be used to recreate the one that naturally occurs when individual sounds, with approximately the same time and very similar pitches, converge and are perceived as one, like what happens when you listen to a voice choir or a string ensemble (also sometimes designated as a "string choir") - hence the "chorus" name, and also the presence of "ensemble" presets in many chorus effects, and even some special tailored chorus effects called "ensemble" or even "symphony". You can say that the "chorus" effect sounds like multiplying while widening and thickening the sound. It also allows to create a stereo image out of a mono signal.

Flanger is an effect similar to Chorus, produced by mixing two identical signals, with one signal delayed by a small and gradually changing amount of time and modulated through an LFO, which produces a characteristic undulating (sweeping) effect, but with a sound resembling the result of a comb filtering. Speeding up the LFO accentuates the modulation effect. As we said, the effect is similar to Chorus, but here you use shorter delays for the delayed signal.

Also, part of the signal is usually fed-back into the input, producing a resonance effect. The phase of the feedback signal can also be inverted, to achieve further variations of the flanger effect.

The Phaser (phase-shifter) is another modulation effect, with results somehow similar to Flanger. It is produced by splitting the audio signal into two paths, one being treated by allpass filters, which preserve the amplitude of the original signal but alter its phase. Here, you use no delayed signal. The two paths are mixed back together after the all-pass filtering, and the frequencies that are out of phase cancel each other out, producing the phaser's characteristic "whoosh" sweeping effect.

So, the phaser works by canceling bands of frequencies to obtain the desired effect. No delay is used in this effect, which differentiates it from the other two.

Modulation effects can create a huge range of sonorities, and the results may be perceived as a fuller, richer sound. No wonder they have been used extensively since they appeared. Also, they have been an essential addition to almost any synthesizer since the eighties.

2 Arturia - User Manual Chorus DIMENSION-D - WELCOME

1.2. What about Chorus DIMENSION-D?

The Arturia Chorus DIMENSION-D is part of a new set of effects, proposing three new iconic vintage modulation effects units.

This unit was a stereo chorus rack which became a studio legend after its introduction in 1979. Loved for its delicate spatial enhancement and subtle modulation, this chorus unit became the go-to sweetener for vocals, piano and guitar throughout the eighties. Among the people who used it extensively are artists such as Brian Eno, Talking Heads, Peter Gabriel, Steve Ray Vaughan and Kate Bush.

It is remarkable for its simplicity. In fact you only have four buttons to operate it. The unit is preset-based, and each button selects one chorus preset. Only the fourth button, when pressed, increases the effect obtained with each one of the first three buttons.

The distinctive sound of this device is mostly due to its BBD (bucket-brigade delay) chip architecture, the original output signal dry/wet cross mix and the addition of built-in compressor/expander and filters. This results in a unique warm analog sound and character, with a slight low-pass feel.

The bucket-brigade architecture owes its name to the analogy to a line of people passing buckets of water from hand to hand. That's exactly what happens in a chip architecture like this, where the signal passes from capacitor to capacitor with delays added, one step per clock cycle.

But that's not all. Chorus DIMENSION-D comes equipped with some extra tools to allow you to go beyond what you could achieve with the original unit. Here, you get extra waveforms for the modulation LFO, a stereo width control, and a dynamic color control.

Arturia - User Manual Chorus DIMENSION-D - WELCOME 3

1.3. Where can you use a chorus unit like this?

A chorus has a multitude of uses. As was mentioned already, it works great to add dimension to a mono sound, transforming it to stereo (when used in a mono-to-stereo configuration). Also, it may contribute an extra degree of density to any sound, transforming a solo into a choir or ensemble (exactly what's implied in the effect's name).

Those who know the Juno-60 (and also the JX synths, but especially the first) may remember the ubiquitous chorus effect that was featured in the control panel. The chorus was so important to the sound of that synth that some even say the Juno-60 was a chorus unit with a synth attached. In fact never before had a single oscillator synthesizer sounded so rich and full.

That said, it's the sounds that naturally demand ensemble and dimension effects that can benefit most from a chorus effect. Sounds like strings, brass, and winds, can come up bigger with chorus. A solo instrument like guitar or voice, for example, can also benefit from the addition of a chorus effect.

Vocals, naturally, can take great advantage of a chorus unit, especially background vocals. But lead vocals too can benefit of the extra dimension added by a good chorus unit.

We've already mentioned the ensemble sounds, but keyboards in general can grow a lot with the addition of chorus. Organs (of course - of any kind), but also pianos, especially the electric piano (eventually complemented with other modulation effects... but we will get there).

Longer delay values in the chorus effect can work well to create the illusion of a double performance, and this takes us back to the solos (as in guitar solos), which may sometimes be "doubled" with a chorus unit.

But you can use chorus pretty much anywhere, and in many ways. Experiment extensively. Use your imagination. Don't be afraid of making mistakes. We've all made mistakes, and we've all learned a lot by making them. The most important thing is to have a great time using this unit and creating great sounds with it.

4 Arturia - User Manual Chorus DIMENSION-D - WELCOME

2. ACTIVATION AND FIRST START

The Arturia Chorus DIMENSION-D plug-in works on computers equipped with:

Windows 7 or later and macOS 10.10 or later.

You can use the Chorus DIMENSION-D plug-in as an Audio Unit, AAX, VST2 or VST3 plug-in (64-bit only).

2.1. Activate the Arturia Chorus DIMENSION-D license

Once the software has been installed, the next step should be to activate your license, so that you can use it without limitations.

This is a simple process which involves a different software program: the Arturia Software Center.

2.1.1. The Arturia Software Center (ASC)

If you have not already installed the ASC, go to this web page:

https://www.arturia.com/support/updates&manuals

Look for the Arturia Software Center at the top of the page, and then download the version of the installer that you need for your system (macOS or Windows).

Follow the installation instructions and then:

• Launch the Arturia Software Center (ASC)

• Log into your Arturia account

• Scroll down to the My Products section of the ASC

• Click the Activate button

That's all there is to it!

2.2. Working with plug-ins

Chorus DIMENSION-D can be used in all major digital audio workstations (DAWs), including Live, Logic, Cubase, Pro Tools and others, as it comes in all the main plug-in formats. Unlike what happens with hardware, you can load as many instances of the effect as you find useful. Chorus DIMENSION-D has two other big advantages over hardware:

• You can automate numerous parameters using your DAW’s automation system;

• Your settings and current plug-in state will become recorded in your project, and you can pick up exactly where you left off the next time you open it.

Arturia - User Manual Chorus DIMENSION-D - ACTIVATION AND FIRST START 5

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