Arturia Vox Continental V User Manual
ARTURIA VOX Continental V User's Manual -1- 1 INTRODUCTION
USER’S MANUAL
Version 1.0
ARTURIA VOX Continental V User's Manual -2- 1 INTRODUCTION
Project management
Glen Darcey
Theo Niessink
Product management
Glen Darcey
Programming
Adrien Courdavault
Pierre-Lin Laneyrie
Theo Niessink
Design
Glen Darcey
Shaun Ellwood
(decoderdesign.com)
Morgan Perrier
Sound design
Glen Darcey
Stephane Schott
Theo Niessink
Luca Torre
Manual
Randy Lee
1st edition, May 2014
© ARTURIA S.A. – 1999-2014 – All rights reserved.
30, chemin du Vieux Chêne
38240 Meylan
ARTURIA VOX Continental V User's Manual -3- 1 INTRODUCTION
FRANCE
http://www.arturia.com
Table of contents
Table&of&Contents&
Project management................................................................................................................................... 2!
Table of contents .......................................................................................................................................... 3!
1.1 The electronic organ .............................................................................................................................. 5!
1.1.1 Introduction....................................................................................................................................... 5!
1.1.2 The spark that started the fire: the Telharmonium........................................................................ 5!
1.1.3 Technological innovations .............................................................................................................. 6!
1.2 The VOX Continental.............................................................................................................................. 7!
1.2.1 Beginnings with Jennings................................................................................................................. 7!
1.2.2 Physical features: what a looker!.................................................................................................... 8!
1.2.3 The sound of renown ....................................................................................................................... 8!
1.2.4 Maintenance .................................................................................................................................... 9!
1.2.5 The VOX rocks: a selected discography ....................................................................................... 9!
1.3 Physical modeling synthesis ................................................................................................................. 10!
1.3.1 Music and math: yet another link................................................................................................. 10!
1.3.2 A computational conundrum....................................................................................................... 10!
1.3.3 The endless revolution.................................................................................................................... 11!
2.1 Installation for Windows 7 or 8 ............................................................................................................. 12!
2.2 Installation for Mac OS X ...................................................................................................................... 13!
3.1 Registration ............................................................................................................................................ 15!
3.2 License download ................................................................................................................................ 16!
3.3 Launch the application........................................................................................................................ 18!
4.1 Virtual keyboards and pedals ............................................................................................................. 19!
4.2 The tool bar: introduction and initial setup ........................................................................................ 19!
4.2.1 Audio and MIDI settings................................................................................................................. 20!
4.2.2 Choose the organ color ................................................................................................................ 21!
4.3 Managing presets ................................................................................................................................. 22!
4.3.1 Select a bank, type, or preset ...................................................................................................... 22!
4.3.2 Saving an edited preset ................................................................................................................ 24!
4.3.3 Import / Export a bank of presets................................................................................................. 25!
4.4 Advanced features .............................................................................................................................. 25!
4.4.1 Extended mode.............................................................................................................................. 25!
4.4.2 Open mode .................................................................................................................................... 26!
4.4.3 The pedals....................................................................................................................................... 28!
4.4.4 Output mode.................................................................................................................................. 29!
ARTURIA VOX Continental V User's Manual -4- 1 INTRODUCTION
4.4.5 The Swell pedal............................................................................................................................... 31!
4.4.6 FX Slot............................................................................................................................................... 32!
4.4.7 The Panic button: “Stuck” happens............................................................................................. 32!
4.4.8 CPU meter ....................................................................................................................................... 32!
4.4.9 Global MIDI channel...................................................................................................................... 33!
4.4.10 MIDI control configurations......................................................................................................... 33!
4.4.11 MIDI preferences: the PREF button............................................................................................. 36!
4.4.12 The MIDI Mode tabs ..................................................................................................................... 38!
4.5 Types of controls.................................................................................................................................... 39!
4.5.1 Potentiometers................................................................................................................................ 39!
4.5.2 Switches........................................................................................................................................... 40!
4.6 The effects.............................................................................................................................................. 40!
4.6.1 Flanger ......................................................................................................................................... 41!
4.6.2 Phaser........................................................................................................................................... 42!
4.6.3 Chorus .......................................................................................................................................... 43!
4.6.4 Delay ............................................................................................................................................ 43!
4.6.5 Overdrive ..................................................................................................................................... 44!
4.6.6 Wah .............................................................................................................................................. 45!
4.6.7 Leslie speaker model.................................................................................................................. 45!
4.6.8 Guitar amp model...................................................................................................................... 46!
END USER LICENSE AGREEMENT................................................................................................................. 48!
1. Software Ownership................................................................................................................................ 48!
2. Grant of License...................................................................................................................................... 48!
3. Activation of the Software..................................................................................................................... 49!
4. Support, Upgrades and Updates after Product Registration............................................................. 49!
5. License module (eLicenser Key and/or Soft eLicenser) ..................................................................... 49!
6. Defect and loss of the eLicenser dongle ............................................................................................. 50!
7. No unbundling......................................................................................................................................... 50!
8. Assignment of rights................................................................................................................................ 50!
9. Upgrades and updates.......................................................................................................................... 50!
10. Limited warranty.................................................................................................................................... 51!
11. Remedies ............................................................................................................................................... 51!
12. No other warranties .............................................................................................................................. 51!
13. No liability for consequential damages ............................................................................................. 51!
ARTURIA VOX Continental V User's Manual -5- 1 INTRODUCTION
1
INTRODUCTION
1.1 The electronic organ
1.1.1 Introduction
The term “organ” is quite versatile, representing a number of constructions ranging from the
biological to the electromechanical. Its Greek root is the word “organon”, which when
translated literally means “that with which one works.” And many generations of musicians
stretching back further than Johann Sebastian Bach and forward past Joey DeFrancesco would
agree! The organ, in all its forms, has been at the heart of some of the greatest music ever
produced.
Even within the musical realm the history of the organ has many parallel branches. But prior to
the late 19th century AD the method of tone production always depended on the flow of air
through a pipe or past a reed, with the airflow provided courtesy of one or more humans:
pumping bellows with their arms, pushing pedals with their feet, or exhaling into some device
belonging to the harmonica family.
So imagine the rejoicing when someone had the idea to involve electricity! Not only did this
allow the players to focus more on the music than on their heart rate; it opened up a range of
technological innovations that led to a nearly infinite number of timbral possibilities. And the
organ still arguably reigns supreme as the musical instrument capable of the widest diversity in
both pitch and timbre. Perhaps this is why it is also found in nearly every style of music known to
humankind.
There is much information available elsewhere regarding the history of the organ leading up to
the 20th century. Our focus here will be on the development of the electronic organ.
1.1.2 The spark that started the fire: the Telharmonium
The very first electronic organ was the Telharmonium, invented in 1897 by Thaddeus Cahill. Only
three were made, with the final model weighing almost 200 tons!
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A Telharmonium console by Thaddeus Cahill, circa 1897
The Telharmonium (a.k.a. the “Dynamophone”) was originally heard by most people through
means of electrical wires attached to “paper cones”, the forerunners of today’s loudspeakers.
The music was transmitted to various locations in New York City over the burgeoning telephone
system! Crosstalk from the Telharmonium sometimes interfered with telephone conversations, so
that idea didn’t last long.
Between 1906 and 1908 there were a number of well-received public performances in a concert
hall setting as well. “Build it and they will come…” (Well, they had to, didn’t they? The
Telharmonium wasn’t exactly portable.)
Sadly, there are no surviving recordings of the Telharmonium. But there are many web sites
containing a wealth of information about this fascinating and groundbreaking instrument.
1.1.3 Technological innovations
Another thing that made the Telharmonium different from other electrically-powered organs of
the day was the use of an electromechanical device to generate the tones, rather than simply
using electricity to blow air into a pipe or past a reed. These devices came to be known as
tonewheels, and they were the progenitors of the technology later employed by the Hammond
Organ Company in its legendary instruments. The resultant sound finally enabled the electronic
organ to distinguish itself from the pipe organ and reed organ, and also allowed musicians to
sculpt the tone of the instrument through the use of additive synthesis! We owe much to these
innovations.
Another form of tone generation became available with the advent of the transistor, and with it
an increase in portability and reliability. When combined with the frequency dividing technology
that had been developed roughly 10 years earlier, electronic (or “combo”) organs became
even more affordable and easier to maintain. For example, rather than tuning hundreds of
individual oscillation circuits, the technician only needed to set the fundamental frequency of 12
circuits. The rest of the pitches and their overtones were derived through the combined use of
frequency dividers and phase-locked loop (PLL) frequency synthesizers. You tune one, you tune
them all (times 12).
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And from these discoveries sprang the VOX Continental and its descendants, arguably the most
popular and influential “combo” organ series ever produced.
1.2 The VOX Continental
1.2.1 Beginnings with Jennings
The VOX Continental was originally created by the Jennings Musical Instrument company (JMI).
JMI had been in the organ business since the 1950s, at first making accordions and then
expanding into the home and church organ markets. Their first somewhat “portable” organs
were instruments called the UniVOX, which were initially designed to be attached by means of
metal clips beneath the right-hand side of a piano keyboard. Later they designed an adjustable,
chrome-plated stand to streamline the setup process.
The UniVOX models had buttons for sound-shaping purposes, a tube-based tone generator, and
a built-in amplifier and speaker. They somewhat resembled an accordion, but given their fixed
position they couldn’t be “arm powered” so they needed an AC power source nearby.
Pictured below is the second UniVOX model, the J10:
Like its predecessor the J6, the J10 was monophonic. But it provided an extra row of buttons for
preset selection, which multiplied its usefulness and appeal. It was used on the song Telstar,
which was a #1 hit on both sides of “the Pond” for The Tornados in December of 1962. The
Tornados went on to become early adopters of the VOX Continental, scoring several more hits in
the process.
After a period of development, JMI began mass-production of the first VOX Continental organ in
1962. It was later produced as a joint venture with an Italian manufacturer. There were a number
of models all based on the Continental that were released with various feature differences: the
Continental itself (single-manual), the Super Continental (dual-manual), the Jaguar (switches
instead of drawbars), the Corinthian (similar to the Jaguar), the Baroque (built-in amp and
speakers) and the 300. The 300 was the most advanced, with the equivalent of a Continental on
the lower manual and an expanded Continental on the upper with different drawbars.
In roughly 1967 Tom Jennings was fired from his own company after a buyout. He then started up
the Jennings Electronic Instruments (JEI) company and began making his own organs again.
These organs were based on the Continental 300 but further expanded with more drawbars on
the upper manual, an expanded percussion section, the addition of tremolo and spring reverb,
as well as some tone presets.
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The sound of the VOX organs caught on fast and they became a staple of the British invasion
sound used by the Animals, The Beatles, The Zombies, and more.
1.2.2 Physical features: what a looker!
Few keyboards have a design as immediately recognized as the VOX Continental. Its distinctive
shape and unique color schemes set it apart from any other portable organ.
Two views of the VOX Continental I
The chrome legs would store within the detachable lid, making the unit much easier to transport
than its behemoth rival, the Hammond. The sturdy, flat, and red/orange top was a perfect place
for a second keyboard, such as the Fender Rhodes Piano Bass often used by Ray Manzarek of
The Doors. The inverse coloring of the keys, previously only seen on harpsichords, was the final
stroke of aesthetic genius. It was an irresistible combination (or “combo”, if you will).
1.2.3 The sound of renown
The VOX Continental has a sound that is quite distinct from a Hammond organ. It is actually more
flexible sonically because it does not rely merely on sine waves; it also gives the user the ability to
add or substitute triangle waveforms (which were actually filtered square waves), greatly
expanding the sonic palette.
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Because of this flexibility its timbre has been described alternately as “bright”, “airy”, “edgy”,
“smooth” and “mellow”. Where its rivals might struggle to be heard in certain settings, the VOX
Continental had no trouble cutting through a guitar-heavy mix. And when a more subtle tone
was required the simpler sine waveforms could be used instead, or used in combination with the
triangle waveforms as “sweeteners”.
And of course, the VOX Continental V software instrument makes all of those options yours!
1.2.4 Maintenance
As much as the tuning of a VOX Continental was simplified by the frequency divider
components, the electromechanical aspects of the keyboard were still of concern. For each key
there was an independent contact for each drawbar stop, and as the organ aged in proportion
to how much it was used, these individual contacts would begin to age as well…and often at
different rates. A very old, poorly maintained VOX Continental would likely give a very different
sound from key to key. The overall output can be quite unpredictable when this is the case.
Call us crazy, but we really are serious about faithfully recreating the experience of these classic
instruments. So one of the interesting things we did with our VOX Continental V emulation is give
you the ability to add that “unpredictability” back in! You’ll find a control in Open mode labeled
Key Contact Age. Give that a twist and see what happens! It might inject the right amount of
personality into a preset you are creating.
1.2.5 The VOX rocks: a selected discography
There have been many, many albums made using the various VOX models, but here is a brief list
of recordings bearing its unmistakable sound
96 Tears – Question Mark & the Mysterians
House Of The Rising Sun – The Animals
I’m Down – The Beatles
Light My Fire – The Doors
Watching the Detectives – Elvis Costello
Do You Love Me – The Dave Clark Five
I’m a Believer – The Monkees
In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida – Iron Butterfly
One Step Beyond – Madness
Working My Way Back To You – The Four Seasons
This is only a small sample, and yet it represents huge hits spanning several decades! Clearly this is
a musical instrument with serious staying power and broad audience appeal.
Still a classic and in great demand, the prices of VOX organs have climbed in response to their
limited availability. Thankfully, Arturia’s VOX Continental V software brings this iconic instrument
back to life, placing it within the reach of the modern musician with even the most modest
budget.
ARTURIA VOX Continental V User's Manual -10- 1 INTRODUCTION
1.3 Physical modeling synthesis
When you want to create a sound, there are many methods of synthesis from which to choose:
• Additive, which creates a timbre by adding various waveforms together
• Subtractive, in which partials of an audio signal are attenuated by a filter to reduce the
original harmonic content of the sound
• Frequency Modulation (FM), where waveforms are used in carrier/modulator relationships
and tuned according to the harmonic series to produce overtones in the carrier waves
• Wavetable, which offers a wide selection of digital waveforms and then allows them to
be layered, filtered, and/or used as the crossfade targets of an X/Y controller or a looping
envelope
• Sample Playback, where recordings of a sound are triggered by a playback device, and
can be transposed by increasing the playback speed when different pitches are required
• Granular, which splits samples into very short “grains” and allows them to be manipulated
through a myriad of playback options, and
• Physical modeling. In this method the output waveform is calculated according to a set
of equations and algorithms derived through extensive analysis of a physical sound
source.
1.3.1 Music and math: yet another link
A physical model attempts to codify the laws of physics that govern a particular form of sound
generation. A model typically will have multiple parameters, some of which are constants that
describe the physical materials and dimensions of the instrument, while others are timedependent components representing the player´s interaction with the instrument, such as
plucking a string, pressing a valve, or reducing the pressure of his embouchure, etc.
This idea has been around for a long time, but development has been hindered until recently
because processors that were powerful enough to handle the computational complexity of the
physical models either didn’t exist or were too expensive.
But if you’ve been watching the technological trajectories, you know those days are in the past.
And we’re just as happy about that as you are.
1.3.2 A computational conundrum
Here’s an example of what must be taken into account while developing a physical model. To
recreate the sound of a drum, for instance, a formula must be in place to represent all of the
ways the collision between a drum stick and a drum head sends shockwaves through a twodimensional membrane. Among other things, the formula must incorporate:
• The properties of the striker: its rigidity, the velocity of the hit, the material, and how/where
the strike happens
• The membrane: its mass density, elasticity, woven fabric vs. plastic vs. skin, etc.
• The sympathetic resonances of the membrane and the body of the drum
• The conditions at the membrane boundaries: is there a rigid termination to the drum´s
body, or are there multiple, independently adjustable pressure points?
ARTURIA VOX Continental V User's Manual -11- 1 INTRODUCTION
• The ancillary and perhaps lingering response of additional components, such as the
snares under a snare drum.
Similar complexities can be found in instruments such as an acoustic guitar. A few years ago, a
French scientist finally completed a comprehensive modeling of all acoustic guitar parameters.
The calculations to produce the sound took three days!
The second-biggest challenge of physical modeling synthesis is to simplify the algorithms
wherever possible without sacrificing the essential nature of the instrument being modeled. The
goal is to achieve an efficient model which can be used interactively, in real time, without
limiting the spontaneous paths a musician may take during a rush of creativity.
1.3.3 The endless revolution
There are several methods of physical modeling synthesis, including Karplus-Strong algorithms,
digital waveguide synthesis, and formant synthesis. Each one uses a different paradigm to bring
a modeled sound to its musical fruition.
The salient point here is that physical modeling synthesis is capable of recreating the character of
a “real” instrument during performance, including its subtle nuances of expression, while using a
thousand times less hard drive space than the “sampling” method would take to produce an
inferior result.
Not to rub it in, but we really should mention the ability of physical modeling algorithms to
combine parameters into instruments that have never existed. There is no limit to the types of
sounds physical modeling synthesis can produce!
And when you gather a bunch of music fanatics who also possess a knowledge of the pertinent
laws of physics and an in-depth understanding of the characteristics of electronic circuits, you
wind up with Arturia. And Arturia now offers you our latest brainchild, the VOX Continental V.
May it light the fires of creativity for you!
ARTURIA WURLITZER V User's Manual -12- 2 INSTALLATION
2
INSTALLATION
VOX Continental V works on computers equipped with Windows 7 or 8 and MAC OS X 10.7 or
later. You can use the stand-alone version or use VOX Continental V as a VST, Audio Units or AAX
instrument.
2.1 Installation for Windows 7 or 8
Insert the CD-ROM into the drive. Explore the contents of the CD-ROM, then double click on the
file named VOX_V_Setup.exe, and follow the on-screen instructions.
First, you can choose the item(s) to install:
• Standalone application: This checkbox gives you the option to install VOX Continental V as
a plug-in only, if you think you will never want to run it on its own without the use of a DAW.
• VST 2.4 plug-in is the Steinberg standard interface for plug-ins, and is supported by a large
number of audio applications.
• VST 3 plug-in is the newest version of VST, so if the DAWs you use are VST 3 compatible you
won´t need to install the older version of VST. You can safely uncheck the “VST 2.4 plug-in”.
• VST 3 plug-in (64 bits) is for the 64-bit version of Windows and 64-bit DAWs.
ARTURIA WURLITZER V User's Manual -13- 2 INSTALLATION
• AAX plug-in (32 bits) is for use with the 32-bit version of Pro Tools.
• AAX plug-in (64 bits) is for the 64-bit versions of Windows and Pro Tools.
If you have any doubt, just select all of the items. They do not require much disk space.
Second, confirm the locations of the shared VST folders. They will probably be selected already,
but if not you can navigate to the paths shown below or change the destinations to the folders of
your choice.
The installer now has enough information to complete the installation. When the installation
process is complete, please proceed to the Authorization instructions in Chapter 3.
2.2 Installation for Mac OS X
Insert the CD-ROM into the drive. Explore the contents of the CD-ROM, then double click on the
icon named “VOX Continental V.mpkg” and follow the on-screen instructions.
First, read and accept the End User License Agreement.
After that you’ll be taken to a screen where you can choose the item(s) to install:
• Standalone installs the full version of the VOX Continental V application so you can use it
without a Digital Audio Workstation (DAW).
• VST is the Steinberg standard interface for plug-ins, and is supported by a large number of
audio applications. VST 2 is used by some applications and VST 3 is used by others. If you are
ARTURIA WURLITZER V User's Manual -14- 2 INSTALLATION
certain none of your applications use one or the other of the VST versions, then you can
uncheck that one. But in the long run it probably makes more sense to install them both,
since they don’t take up much space and you might buy a different application someday
that needs that one.
• AAX needs to be installed if you use Pro Tools.
• AudioUnit is the audio interface developed by Apple.
If you have any doubts, just select all of the items. They don’t require much disk space.
Last, when prompted enter the administrator name and password of your computer in the
authentication window.
The installer now has enough information to complete the installation. When the installation
process is complete, please proceed to the Authorization instructions on the next page.
ARTURIA WURLITZER V User's Manual -15- 3 AUTHORIZATION
3
AUTHORIZATION
Now that VOX Continental V has been installed on your computer, you will need to register and
authorize it before you will be able to take full advantage of the features, such as the ability to
save your edits.
The authorization process is done in two steps: Registration and License download.
3.1 Registration
The first step is to register your software in order to obtain the activation code that will enable you
to use the software as intended.
As you go through the following steps make sure you have the license serial number of your VOX
Continental V software and the unlock code with you. These were emailed to you after the online
purchase.
Connect your computer to the internet and go to this web page: http://www.arturia.com/login
• If you already have an Arturia account set up, simply log in:
• If you don´t have an Arturia account yet, please create one now:
Once you are logged into your account you can register your VOX Continental V software and
obtain your activation code.
Go to the “My Registered Products” section of your account and click on the “Add” button. In
the form that appears, select “VOX Continental V” from the drop-down menu and enter your
serial number and unlock code exactly as they appear on the registration card. If you received
these numbers in an email, you should be able to copy and paste them into the appropriate
locations:
After confirmation you will see a screen from which you can copy the eLicenser activation code.
This information will be sent to you by email also as a backup.
ARTURIA WURLITZER V User's Manual -16- 3 AUTHORIZATION
3.2 License download
Now that you have retrieved the activation code, launch the eLicenser Control Center on your
computer. This application has been automatically installed on your computer during the
installation of your VOX Continental V software, and is accessible here:
• Windows 7 or 8: Start > Programs > eLicenser > eLicenser Control Center
• Windows 8 (alternate): C:\Program Files (x86)\eLicenser\eLCC.exe
• Mac OS X: (Macintosh HD) > Applications > eLicenser Control Center
The following screenshots have been taken on a computer running Mac OS X, but the process is
identical on a machine running Windows 7 or 8. The same functions apply; only the graphical
user interface differs, and possibly the language used.
In the eLicenser Control Center main window you should see a “SeL” (Soft-eLicenser) virtual
dongle installed into your computer.
In the eLicenser Control Center menu, click on the “Enter Activation Code” button and enter the
code when prompted. Simply paste in the 32-digit code you just copied from your account on
the Arturia website:
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