FXpansion EtchRed User Manual
Etch Operation Manual
© 2012 FXpansion Audio
Etch Operation Manual2
Table of Contents
1 Introduction 3
................................................................................................................................... 5Using Etch Red in Reason1.1
2 Etch audio modules and signal path 7
................................................................................................................................... 8Drive2.1
................................................................................................................................... 9Filter1 and Filter22.2
................................................................................................................................... 11Output2.3
3 Using TransMod modulation in Etch Red 12
................................................................................................................................... 15TransMod modulation sources3.1
4 Etch internal modulators 16
................................................................................................................................... 17Envelope4.1
................................................................................................................................... 18LFO1 and LFO24.2
................................................................................................................................... 19Follower4.3
................................................................................................................................... 20Sample and Hold (S&H)4.4
5 Filter response curves 21
................................................................................................................................... 22Japan filter type5.1
................................................................................................................................... 26SVF filter type5.2
................................................................................................................................... 28Fatty and Comb filter types5.3
6 Credits 29
© 2012 FXpansion Audio
1 Introduction
Etch Red is a dual-filter Rack Extension effect with distortion and compression. It features
extensive modulation possibilities using its internal TransMod modulation system which allows
complex, intricate modulation of the filters.
Introduction 3
Etch Red Layout
Etch Red's interface is laid out in 3 sections, from top to bottom:
Audio path: the Drive, Filter and Output modules
Modulation source selection: this area lets you select a modulation source to edit its modulation
depths for parameters
Internal modulation sources: the Envelope, LFOs, Follower and Sample & Hold provide a variety
of ways to modulate Etch Red's parameters
Etch Red also features a number of inputs and outputs on its rear panel, which allow you to inject
external audio and modulation sources and also to route the output of the internal modulation
sources to other destinations in your Reason session.
Standard controls/indicators
Bypass/On/Off
This control exists on all Reason devices for managing the state of the entire device.
Input meter
This meter represents the amplitude of the audio input signal.
Patches
Etch Red features programmable effect presets, called Patches. It includes a number of factory
Patches which can be used as they are or provide you with a good starting point for further
tweaking.
Patches use the '.repatch' file extension. Loading and saving Patches is done in the same way as
for other instruments and effects in Reason, using the Patch browse and save controls at the top of
the Etch Red panel.
© 2012 FXpansion Audio
Etch Operation Manual4
Using TransMod modulation in Etch
1.Select one of the 10 available modulation sources as the
cur r e n tly v ie w e d
source (LFO1
is selected by default)
2.Each parameter in Etch Red that can be modulated has an accompanying red
Tr a ns Mo d
am o un t k n ob
which sets the modulation depth from the
cur r e n tly v ie w e d
TransMod
modulation source.
The red knob is bi-polar - it can introduce positive or negative modulation from the
value set by the parameter's main knob.
Etch Red also features two additional modulation functions
which operate outside the TransMod system:
Filter FM
The Filter FM function features a direct modulation routing
from LFO1, LFO2 or the FM Override external inputs on the
Etch Red rear panel. The depth is set by the FM knob on each
filter, which can itself be modulated via the TransMod system.
The filter FM function can operate at audio rates, unlike the
TransMod system which is quantized to control rates.
Filter Key Track
Etch Red Audio path
The Drive, Filter and Output modules form the heart of Etch Red. By default, the Drive is placed
before the filters in the signal path, although their order can be swapped using the Post button on
the Drive module.
Each Filter module features 4 selectable filter types, each with a varied set of responses. There
are dedicated key tracking and audio-rate FM functions, and the filters can be placed in parallel
and panned left/right for true stereo filtering.
The Output module features final level controls for both filters, a simple but very effective 1-knob
compressor and final output level and panning controls.
Etch Red Modulation
Each TransMod source features its own set of modulation depths to each parameter: a parameter
can be modulated by any number of the 10 available sources simultaneously. The TransMod system
is discussed in detail in chapter 3.
TransMod Modulation sources
Etch Red features 5 built-in modulators: a triggered Envelope, 2 LFOs, an envelope Follower and a
Sample & Hold (S&H). All are intended to be used with the TransMod system, although as
mentioned, the LFOs feature a direct FM routing to each filter cutoff. The level of each modulator
can be controlled by another modulation source, by modulating its Gain control. This is very useful
for dynamic, evolving modulation shapes.
Although Etch Red features a number of built-in modulators, there are a number of other sources
which are derived from the inputs on the rear panel.
The Filter Key Track function allows you to 'play' Etch Red's filters using MIDI keyboard input via
Reason's sequencer or from other modules such as the Matrix sequencer.
© 2012 FXpansion Audio
1.1 Using Etch Red in Reason
Etch Red is a Reason Rack Extension. In use, it is operated in a very similar way as any other
device within Reason: the front panel houses Etch Red's controls and built-in modulation functions,
while the rear panel features a number of audio and C V inputs and outputs.
Rear panel audio and CV/gate connections
Introduction 5
Main audio in/out
Etch Red features stereo audio inputs and outputs in the Main In/Out section. If only one of the
inputs is connected, this signal is duplicated to the other channel.
Filter FM audio inputs
The F ilter1 F M and Filter2 FM inputs override the default routing of LFO1 or LFO2 to the audiorate filter FM function on each filter.
These inputs are for audio signals only - C V sources should be connected to the CV1 or CV2 inputs
and routed to the filter cutoffs via the TransMod system.
Override audio inputs
These audio inputs override the default signals used for the Follower (Envelope Follower) and
Sample & Hold internal modulators in Etch Red.
Follower
With nothing patched to this input, the Follower module follows transients in the input audio signal
(audio routed to the Main input). Patching an external audio signal into this input makes the
Follower track transients in this signal instead.
Sample & Hold
With nothing patched into this input, the Sample & Hold module acts on a dedicated internal noise
generator (the source that is sampled and held). If an external audio signal is patched into this
input, it is used instead of the internal noise source.
TransMod modulation CV/gate inputs
CV1 and CV2
These inputs are used for the CV1 and CV2 TransMod modulation sources. Each of these inputs
features an attenuator for fine-tuning the level of incoming C V signals.
© 2012 FXpansion Audio
Etch Operation Manual6
Pitch, Gate
These inputs are related to various functionality within various TransMod sources and internal
modulator devices in Etch Red.
The Pitch input is used for:
the Pitch TransMod source, which lets you modulate parameters according to incoming note
input
the filter Key Track function, which allows precise note-to-frequency tracking for the filter
cutoff
The Gate input receives velocity-sensitive gate CV signals and is used for the Envelope modulator
and also the Velocity and Random TransMod sources.
Note: Etch Red receives MIDI note input from Reason's MIDI input and sequencer. This input, in
addition to the rear panel Pitch/Gate inputs, is used for modulation functions which require a pitch
or gate input.
LFO1 and LFO2 Retrigger
These inputs accept gate-type C V signals - when a suitable gate signal is received at each input,
the relevant LFO is retriggered (it is restarted according to its current Phase setting).
S&H Retrigger
This input is intended to be patched to an external gate or square-wave LFO source to trigger the
Sample & Hold modulator function in addition to its internal clock.
TransMod modulation CV outputs
These C V outputs provide the output from Etch Red's internal modulators so that they can be used
to modulate parameters elsewhere within Reason. Simply patch the outputs to suitable C V inputs
on another Reason device. The LFO1, LFO2 and S&H outputs transmit unipolar (0 to 1) or bipolar (1 to 1) modulation depending upon the state of each modulator's Unipolar button, described in
chapter 3.
© 2012 FXpansion Audio
Etch audio modules and signal path 7
Power buttons
The Drive, Filter1 and Filter2 modules feature a Power
button - deactivate it to bypass the module.
In this example, the Drive module is active (powered on)
while the Filter1 module has been deactivated (powered
off).
To bypass Etch Red entirely, you should use the standard
switch control at the top-left of the device.
2 Etch audio modules and signal path
Etch Red's audio modules are arranged from left to right in the default routing configuration.
Distortion routing
It is possible to change the position of the Distortion module before (default configuration) or after
the filter stages using the Post button.
Filter routing
By default, Filter1 and Filter2 are arranged in series. It is possible to change this to a parallel
routing using the Parallel button on the Filter2 module. Parallel routing is useful for stereo
filtering.
Filter output levels
The Output module contains the final level controls for Filter1 and Filter2, labelled F1 Out and F2
Out.
© 2012 FXpansion Audio
Etch Operation Manual8
The Drive module allows you to apply various flavours of overdrive and
distortion to the signal, prior to or after Etch Red's filtering stages.
Power
The Power button activates or bypasses the Drive module.
Post
The Post button toggles the position of the Drive stage before or after the
filtering stages. By default it is deactivated, meaning that the distortion occurs
before the Filter stages. Enabling the button results in placing the Drive after the
Filter stages.
Drive
[w /Tra n sMod a m ou n t]
The Drive parameter sets the amount of drive applied to the signal.
Diode
OTA
Op-amp
Half-rectifier
Shredder
Clipper
Tannin
2.1 Drive
Type
Each of the available Type settings changes the input to output amplitude in a non-linear way,
with each setting offering different timbral effects. Click the up/down buttons to cycle through the
available Types or click the display to select from a drop-down menu. The following response
curves show the amplitude of the input signal vs. the output signal.
© 2012 FXpansion Audio
2.2 Filter1 and Filter2
Etch Red's 2 filter modules are identical, although there are minor differences in terms of controls
for linking and routing.
Power
The Power buttons for Filter1 and Filter2 allow you to activate or bypass each filter.
Key Track (Filter1 only)
The Key Track function lets you directly 'play' Etch Red's filters with notes from Reason's
sequencer or its main CV/gate inputs. It is recommended to use this function rather than the Pitch
TransMod source to modulate the Freq control because it results in perfectly accurate pitch
tracking.
For key tracking both filters together, it is necessary to activate the F1 Freq Link button.
Etch audio modules and signal path 9
F1 Freq Link (Filter2 only)
With the F1 Freq Link button selected, adjusting or modulating the Freq control for Filter1 results
in the same changes being applied to Filter2.
The value of the Filter2 Freq control is added to that of Filter1, so its value acts as an offset to the
Filter1 Freq value. Therefore, if you want both filters' Freq parameters to be the same, you should
set Filter2's Freq control to 0 when using the F1 Freq Link function.
Any offset between the F req setting of Filter1 and Filter2 is preserved whenever possible. Any
offset can be temporarily lost by moving the filter frequency to the extreme minimum/maximum
positions, although it returns when moving the filter back into the main range.
Parallel (Filter2 only)
The Parallel button allows you to toggle the routing of Filter1 and Filter2. By default it is
deactivated, meaning that the routing of the filters is serial: Filter1 is placed before Filter2 in the
signal path. With the button activated, the 2 filters operate on the same input signal in parallel,
with the output being subsequently mixed after the filtering stages.
Type
Etch Red features 4 different filter models, selectable with the Type control. Each Type provides a
varied set of Mode settings and possesses different circuit-modelled characteristics. Click the up/
down buttons to cycle through the available Types or click the display to select from a drop-down
menu. See chapter 5 for filter response curves of all Types and Modes in Etch Red.
Japan
This filter type is a classic Japanese monosynth filter based on cascaded OTA components. The
Japan filter offers a large variety of filter Mode settings: As well as conventional 2-pole and 4-pole
low-pass, band-pass, high-pass and notch filters, it also features a 2-pole peak filter response and
a number of additional combinations of low-pass, high-pass, notch and peak filter outputs which
provide a huge range of possible sonic effects.
SVF
This filter is a typical state-variable filter (SVF) design, offering 2-pole and 4-pole low-pass, bandpass, high-pass, notch and peak filter responses using the Mode control.
© 2012 FXpansion Audio
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