USER GUIDE
Thank you for choosing Ekssperimental Sounds ES01 Analog Synthesizer.
The ES01 incorporates advanced synthesizer technology and features
developed for the Reason rack environment with the added convenience
and versatility of a powerful Touch Data Programmer for advanced
internal routing and customization.
We urge you to read this user guide thoroughly in order to make the most
of your ES01 Analog Synthesizer.
INTRODUCTION
Power/Volume
This control serves the multi function of power switch, volume control
and note indicator.
If rotated clockwise the unit is turned ON and the indicator LED is lit.
Volume increases as the control is rotated towards the “10” at the end
of its scale. The LED will ash when ES01 receives notes via CV Gate or
MIDI.
GLOBAL SETTINGS
The ES01 is a by default a monophonic synthesizer but can be
congured to play up to 16 voices simultaneously in the Polyphonic
Mode, with Unison activated the total voices is reduced to 8.
Find all settings for polyphony, lters and oscillators under the tab
“GLOBAL SETTINGS” in the Touch Data Programmer.
Further information about the global settings on page 9.
BASIC SETTINGS
Feet Selector
This selector determines the ground
range of the ES01 pitch. If this
selector is set to “WN” white noise
is produced. By applying ltration to
this noise with the VCF the sound of
wind, waves and other cool effects
can be created.
Sub Oscillator
ES01 has one Sub Oscillator that
can be set to -1 or -2 octaves.
It follows the regular oscillator.
Activate and adjust the level and
waveform of the Sub Oscillator in
the GLOBAL SETTINGS tab in the
Touch Data Programmer.
Pitch Lever
This is the ES01 tuning control It
permits a tuning of -/+50 cents so
that you can match the pitch of
ES01 with that of other instruments.
Waveform Selector
Determines the waveform produced by the VCO. The different waveforms
have different types and numbers of harmonics and therefor different
sounds.
The ES01 offers four waveforms and a pulse width modulation feature as
shown in this chart:
Triangular wave Subdued, ideal for ute sounds.
Sawtooth wave Bright, perfect for string and brass sounds.
Square wave Woody tone, good for clarinet sound.
Rectangular wave Vibrant, great for trumpet, oboe etc.
PWM Thick, rich sound. Awesome for acid techno and synthetic sounds.
The Voltage Controlled Oscillator is the basic sound generator of the ES01.
The pitch of its signal is determined by the input of CV and MIDI message from your keyboard or sequencer.
Try switching the FEET and/or the wave selector while
playing or modulating it with the LFO, CV input or other
sources via the MOD panel in the Touch Data Programmer.
VCO
Glissando
Creates a glissando between notes played. The transition between notes
can be set to either “Stepped” or “Smooth” via GLOBAL SETTINGS in
the Touch Data programmer.
Freq Cut Off
Setting the VCF to the “H” end
allows upper harmonics to pass,
thereby creating a bright tonality.
Moving the control towards the
“L” end of the scale gradually cuts
off more and more harmonics,
creating a softer tonality. You
can increase the range of this
control via GLOBAL SETTINGS in
the Touch Data Programmer by
switching Filter Mode from Original
Range to Extended. You can also
change the slope of this lter from
the default 12 dB/octave to a more
drastic 24 dB/octave.
EG Depth
Determines to what degree the
envelope settings of the EG
section affects the VCF cut off
frequency. This permits creation of
a broad range of interesting timebased tonal variation effects.
VCA EG Depth
This lever determines to what
degree the envelope settings of
the EG section affects the level of
the sound (dB).
When using a Breath Controller
signal (BC IN) you might want to
lower this lever to let the BC IN
signal decide the amount of sound
amplication.
You can also modulate the VCA
Level via the Mod Matrix in the
Touch Data Programmer.
The Voltage Controlled Filter alters the sound by cutting off frequencies.
Resonance selector
Set to the “H” position frequencies
near the lter cut off frequency are
emphasized for a “sharper” sound.
By setting the Filter Mode in
GLOBAL SETTINGS to ”Extended
Range” you will also increase the
resonance range.
Voltage Controlled Amplier
VCF VCA
FREQUENCY
24dB /oct
FREQUENCY
12dB/oct
Attack Time
This controls the time for the
sound to reach maximum level
when a note is played.
Decay Time
Controls how long it take for the
sound the decrease to sustain
after the maximum level has been
reached. If the sustain control is
set to maximum no decay effect
will be noticeable.
Sustain Level
Determines the continuous level to
be maintain after attack and decay
have nished, as long as a note is
played.
Release Time
The time it take for the sound to
completely fade out after the note
has been released.
ENVELOPE GENERATOR
The EG block contains the ES01 envelope generator controls.
PWM (Pulse width modulation)
This function varies the width of
the pulse in each cycle determined
by the speed set by the PWM
SPEED control. This function can
be used to create a variety of chorus-like effects and add organic
feel to your tones.
CV (Control Voltage)
The CV jacks on the backside can
be used for modulation and is
accessible via the MOD matrix.
BC CV IN
The ES01 can be modulated via
Breath Control or the BC CV jacks
prerouted to the control knobs on
the front panel.
MODULATION
There are many ways to modulate the sound within the ES01, either by LFO, PWM, Mod Matrix or CV input.
LFO (Low frequency oscillator)
The LFO is prerouted to the Mod
Wheel which has a three way
switch allowing you to send the
modulation to VCO, VCF or VCA to
create periodic variations in pitch,
tone or volume. This routing can
be deactivated via the GLOBAL
SETTINGS tab in the Touch Data
Programmer. The LFO can also be
accessed in the MOD matrix.
LFO WAVE
Select the character of the
modulation from these ve
waveforms:
Sine Triangle Saw
Pulse Random
LFO SPEED
Determines the frequency of the
LFO from S (slow) to F (fast).
PITCH BEND
Pitch can be bent by 1 octave up
or down.
Pulse Width Modulation
Square wave
Sine
Triangle
Saw
Pulse
Random
TOUCH DATA PROGRAMMER
MODULATION MATRIX
MOD 1 & MOD 2
The modulation matrix provides
a total of 16 slots divided on two
pages, MOD1 & MOD2.
As an example try selecting “LFO
Unipolar” as the source, dial in -79
as the amount and select FEET as
the destination.
Set the LFO wave selector to
Sawtooth and the Feet selector to
4’ and hear a 4 octave arpeggio
controlled by the speed of the LFO.
You can sync the LFO to the
tempo of the song by changing it
from “Original Speed” to “Tempo
Synced” under the GLOBAL
SETTINGS tab in the TOUCH DATA
PROGRAMMER.
Feet changes at these + and –
values: 20, 40, 60, 80, 100
The BC Knobs are prerouted
for quick modulation via the
front panel. The prerouting can
be switched off under GLOBAL
SETTINGS, making the knobs
suitable as SOURCE and SCALE
controls within the modulation
matrix.
The vast possibilities of the
modulation matrix makes the ES01
much more versatile then the rst
impression might imply.
All Destination and Scale amounts
can be controlled via Combinators
and automation.
Modulating FEET with LFO for an arpeggio like effect
TOUCH DATA PROGRAMMER
GLOBAL SETTINGS
VOICES
ES01 can be set to Mono Retrig
(Default), Mono Legato and
Polyphonic (16 voices) mode.
Unison ON multiplies the voice by
4 and spreads the new voices in
the stereo eld with a slight detune
of each voice, creating a fatter and
more vibrant sound. In polyphonic
mode the voices are reduced from
16 to 8 when Unison is ON.
SUB OSC
The sub oscillator can be set to
OFF, -1 Octave and -2 Octaves.
Triangle, Square, Saw and Noise
can be selected as the waveform.
When Noise is selected the -1
Octave option produces white
noise while the -2 Octaves
produces pink noise.
VCF
Original Range limits the lter to
a ne tuned range. The Extended
range opens this limit and allows
for much more extreme ltering.
LFO
The Low Frequency Oscillator can
be set to Original Speed, Extended
Speed and to Tempo Sync.
Retrig ON causes the LFO to restart
on each new note.
PWM
The Pulse Width Modulation speed
can be set to Original Speed,
Extended Speed and to Tempo
Sync.
Retrig ON causes the PWM cycle
to restart on each new note.
MOD WHEEL
The range of the Mod Wheel can be
set to Original or Extended Depth.
Prerouting can be switched ON or
OFF.
GLISSANDO
Can be set to ON or AUTO. With
the AUTO option the Glissando
is activated only when notes are
played Legato.
Glissando can be set to either
Stepped or Smooth.
BC
With Hold Notes set to ON the
last played note is held, making it
possible to produce sound with a
Breath Controller even when the
key has been released.
Prerouting ON / OFF activates and
deactivates the BC VCF and VCA
controll knobs.
TOUCH DATA PROGRAMMER
Mod Functions
Sources & Destinations
Most of the options have a clear
link to the controls on the panel
or an obvious function. Here are
a brief explanation of the more
special ones:
Glissando
Similar to Note Number but also
looks at the current note value of
the glissando.
Held Notes
In poly mode when holding more
then one note each held note
increases the value.
Latched CV
The CV value at Note on-event
Random
Each new Note On event gives a
random value
LFO
Bipolar (default) generating both
negative and positive values based
on the LFO waveform. (Fig.1a)
Unipolar shifts the base of the
waveform to only modulate positive
or negative values (Fig.1b)
Shifted 90 degrees is a bipolar
modulation where the waveform is
shifted 90 degrees meaning it will
be one 4th cycle shifted in time.
(Fig.2)
The three options above are
dependent on the position of the
WAVE selector but all individual
LFO waveforms can be accessed
in the modulation menu. The
individual waveforms are always
bipolar.
0 90 180 360
Fig.2
SHIFTED TRIANGLE
Fig.1a
BIPOLAR SINE
Fig.1b
UNIPOLAR SINE
Concept and GUI by EKSSPERIMENTAL SOUNDS STUDIO
DSP Development by ROBOTIC BEAN CREATIVE
Thanks to: Niklas Backlund, Anders Ljung, Katarina Sjögren
Michael Sjöstedt, Peter Fischer, Fabian Kempe
Benedict Roff-Marsh, Reasonistas and ReasonTalk crew
and all the helpful Beta testers!
©2017-2018 EKSSPERIMENTAL SOUNDS STUDIO
www.ekss.se
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