Gotharman PolySpaze User Manual
Gotharman’s PolySpaze
Polyphonic Synthesizer and
Sampler
User Manual V 2.08
Contents Of This Manual
Introduction 5
Very special thanks to 7
In The Box 8
Getting Started 9
User Interface 15
Preset Select Screen 19
Selecting a preset 20
The Synth 22
List of Synth Modulation Sources 23
PolySpaze Structure 26
Accessing the Synth Pages 30
Editing the parameters of the Synth Blocks 32
The Synth Blocks 33
Mode 33
Zones 38
Oscillator 1 (Oscillator/Sampler) 40
Oscillator 2 and Ring Modulator 48
HPF and LPF –The analog filters 51
VCA 56
Envelope 1 and 2 60
EFX 1-4 64
Effects Select Page 65
List Of Effects 66
Insert Effects Parameters 68
Filter 68
Chorus 71
Distortion 73
Bit Crush 75
Pitch Shifter 77
Resonator 79
Stretcher 81
FM 83
Glitch Shifters 85
Pitch Shaper 87
Wave Shaper 89
FAT 91
Filters 2 93
Output Effects Parameters 95
Delays 95
Granulator 97
Variator 99
Reverb 101
LFO1-4 103
Random Generator 1 to 4 109
The Sequencer 111
Sequencer playback start/stop 112
Enter the Sequencer 113
Sequencer Main 116
Realtime Record 117
Clear Seq 118
Note Track Sequencer 120
Note Steps Edit 120
Gate Time Steps Edit 123
Velocity Steps Edit 125
Note Track Mod Page 127
Clear Note Track 129
Mute/Unmute Tracks 130
Controller Tracks 132
Controller Steps Edit 132
Slide Steps Edit 134
Controller Track CC page 137
Clear Controller Track 138
Synth and Sequencer Morphing 139
More… preset parameters 140
Common Settings 143
Morph Setup 145
Touch Keyboard Settings 147
CV Inputs 150
CV Outputs 152
Initialize Preset 155
Morph Layer Copy 156
VCF Tune 159
Checking FLASH memory 161
Delete Sample Bank A 162
Delete Sample Bank B 163
Delete All Presets and Songs 164
C.P. 165
PRS 166
TJEK 167
Save Preset 168
Song Mode 174
Accessing Song Mode 175
Song Edit Page 179
Song Select Page 180
Song Realtime Recording 182
Save Song 186
Initialize Song 192
Sample Record And Edit 194
Recording a Sample 197
Edit A Sampling 204
Adjusting start and end points 205
Sample Chops 206
Generating Sample Chop Points 208
Deleting a Sample 210
USB 211
Open a Directory 213
Importing Files 214
Importing Multiple Files 215
Reload Multiple Files 217
Import Samplings As Chops 219
Make a new Directory 221
Delete file from USB drive 222
Export samples, presets and songs 223
Update Firmware 224
MIDI Specs 232
Introduction
A polyphonic/multi-timbral synthesizer/sampler with analog filters.
Thank you very much for purchasing/consider to purchase a Gotharman’s PolySpaze.
PolySpaze are a polyphonic/multi-timbral synthesizer/sampler with 4 voices.
Each voice has 2 oscillators, one of them with morphable waveforms and sample playback, a
ringmodulator, two resonant 24 dB analog filters (HPF+LPF), a VCA, 2 ADSR envelopes and a
random generator. It also has 4 LFO's, with morphable waveforms, that are global. Four effects
processors are also present. Each of the effects processors can either be placed as a voice insert
effect, or as a global send output effect.
It has a built-in sequencer with 4 note tracks and 8 controller tracks. Notes can be recorded in
realtime, or placed in steps on the touch screen. Controller events can be drawn on the touch
screen.
Different play modes are available.
The polyphonic modes lets you adjust the parameters for one voice, which is then polyphonically
playable from an attached MIDI device.
The FilterBank mode melts all 8 analog filters together, to form a filterbank, with all the parameters
of each filter adjustable.
Mono mode turns PolySpaze into one big mono synth, with the parameters of all 8 oscillators, 4
ring modulators, 8 analog filters, 4 VCA's, 8 ADSR envelopes, 4 LFO's and 4 effects processors
separately adjustable.
In multi-timbral mode, the 4 voices forms 4 different synthesizers, each with their own settable key
range and MIDI channel, and like in mono mode, the parameters of all the sound building blocks
are separately adjustable.
For playback and tweaking of stereo samplings, a dual filterbank stereo mode is available. 4 stereo
samplings can play back at a time, and the left and right channels are routed through each their own
set of 4 analog filters.
The Morph function lets you create 2 different layers of sounds and sequences, and morph
smoothly between these, using the Morph knob.
Performance controls includes Touch Screen Keyboard, 4 trigger buttons, the Morph Knob and 6
Quick Edit knobs, with 4 of them being assignable.
It also has a very sensitive capacitive touch screen, that is used for navigation, sequencer input, and
as a touch keyboard.
To make everything work as fast and effective as possible, PolySpaze is not programmed behind
any "OS". Everything is performed directly by the processor, and everything is programmed in
assembly language, which is up to 30 times more effective than the C++ language, that most people
program in, and it is programmed only to work with the PolySpaze hardware.
1024 preset slots and 1024 song slots are available, all user programmable.
Very special thanks to:
Christopher Rayce
Jody Schaible
Simon Allins
For supporting this project from the beginning. I really appreciate your trust. Without you,
PolySpaze might not have been…
Gotharman October 2017
In the box
In the PolySpaze box should be:
-PolySpaze itself
-A power supply
-A stereo to mono jack split cable
If any of these items are missing, please get in touch with Gotharman’s.
Getting Started
Connecting:
On the right end panel of your PolySpaze, you will find the power switch, connection for power
supply, stereo audio input and output, and USB. The audio inputs and outputs are stereo jacks.
You would probably want to connect the audio outputs to a mixer or an amplifier, or anything else
that ends out in a speaker/a set of speakers. Since PolySpaze doesn’t have built in speakers, it just
needs to be connected to something, that can transfer its amazing sound to you. Note that in order to
connect this to a mixer with mono input jacks, you will need a stereo to mono jack split cable, like
the one that came with PolySpaze. If you connect a standard mono jack cable, the output will just
act as a mono audio output.
Connect any line stereo/mono audio sources to the audio input, for sampling and/or processing
through PolySpaze’s analog filters and effects. Note that in order to connect this to an audio source
with mono output jacks, you will need a stereo to mono jack split cable, like the one that came with
PolySpaze. If you connect a standard mono jack cable, the input will just act as a mono audio input.
To the USB connector, a USB drive can be connected.
This should be:
-Maximum 32 GB
-FAT formatted
With a USB drive connected, you can:
-Import, export and back up samples as .wav files
-Import, export and back up PolySpaze presets and songs
-Update PolySpaze
To import a .wav file from another device, it must be:
-Mono or stereo
-44.1 KHz sample rate – PolySpaze will import other sample rates, but they will play back in a
wrong speed
-16 bit native PCM
-It is not compatible with broadcast wav files. To convert broadcast wav files, found in many
downloadable sample sets, to standard wavfiles, please use a program like NCH Wavepad or NCH
Switch.
On the left end panel of your PolySpaze, you will find the MIDI in and out connectors. The optional
CV inputs and outputs are also found here, if installed. Please notice, that the upper row of CV
connectors are the outputs, and the lower row are the inputs. The upper MIDI connector are the
input, and the lower are the output.
If the PolySpaze touch screen keyboard seems too limited, you might want to connect a MIDI
keyboard to MIDI in, in order to take full advantage of PolySpaze’s fully chromatically playable
sounds. It is also possible to connect anything that transmits a MIDI clock, if you would like the
sequencer of PolySpaze to sync to your setup.
On MIDI out, MIDI clock, MIDI CC’s from the PolySpaze edit knobs, and notes and CC’s from its
sequencer are transmitted. Connect any MIDI gear to this, that you would like to control from
PolySpaze.
Connect any CV voltage source to the 4 CV inputs. Each input can be set up to match the voltage
range of any CV source, up to +/- 15 volts. The CV inputs can be set up to modulate many
parameters and they can be set up to act as trigger sources.
Via the CV outputs it is possible to control analog gear. Each CV output, outputs both an adjustable
static voltage, plus a PolySpaze modulation source, so it is possible to both adjust t.ex. the cutoff
frequency of a connected analog filter, and to add modulation to this. It is also possible to output the
4 triggers via these, to trigger external gear.
Connect the supplied power adaptor to the Power input, and to a 100V to 240V power source.
It’s a 9V, minimum 2.0A type with a 2.1 mm DC plug, with positive middle. The powersupply on
the picture is only for reference. The actual one might look different.
Some PolySpaze’s might have been shipped out with a power adaptor, that has multiple tips. If you
have received one of these, you should use the tip with the blue ring, and make sure that the 2 parts
are alligned to the text “Tip”:
Please look at the picture, on the next page….
Turn it on
Push the “I” on the power switch. Your PolySpaze should now turn on.
The User Interface
PolySpaze has a highly sensitive capacitive touch display, 4 trigger buttons, a Morph Settings
button and a Sequencer Start/Stop button. It has 4 Edit/Quick Edit Knobs for controlling and editing
parameters and sending MIDI CC’s, 2 additional Quick Edit Knobs, a Morph knob, and a volume
knob.
Pushing the Triggers 1-4 buttons will trigger the respective PolySpaze voice, except when in
monophonic mode. In this mode any of the 4 trigger buttons will trigger all of the 4 PolySpaze
voices at the same time. Each trigger button will send a settable note number (Settable in the Synth
“Mode” section). When a trigger is trigged, the LED near it will light up.
The Start/Stop button will start and stop Sequencer playback. When the sequencer is playing back,
the green LED above the Start/Stop button will light.
The Morph Settings button, will toggle the parameters on any Synth and Sequencer page, between
2 layers of parameters, A and B. The Morph knob will morph between the two layers of either
Synth parameters or Sequencer parameters, as set up on the Morph Edit page, described later in this
manual.
The Volume knob always adjusts the audio output volume.
The Edit 1-4 Knobs below the display, adjusts the parameters on each page. On the Preset Select
screen, they acts as modulation sources, that controls any parameters that has knob1 to 4 set as
modulator, and transmits MIDI CC’s. Any Edit Knob, that has not been assigned as a modulator to
any parameter, acts as a Quick Edit Knob.
The Quick Edit Knobs controls:
-Edit Knob 1: Analog highpass filter resonance.
-Edit Knob 2: Analog lowpass filter resonance.
-Edit Knob 3: Analog filters FM (FFM).
-Edit Knob 4: VCA envelope release time.
The 2 additional Quick Edit Knobs always controls the Cut Off parameters of the analog highpass
ans lowpass filter,s and transmits MIDI CC’s.
The Touch Screen Keyboard
The PolySpaze display is touch sensitive. The touch interface is used for navigating through the edit
and settings pages, and in the bottom of most pages, a fully playable touch keyboard is present.
On the Preset and Song Select pages, it is, besides from playing notes on the touch keyboard, also
possible to apply modulation to the sound, by placing your finger on different positions between the
top and the bottom of the keyboard. This is referred to as Keyboard Y modulation. On any other
pages, the keyboard only plays notes.
The touch keyboard works in the same way as a connected MIDI keyboard. Each of PolySpazes’s 4
triggers can be set up to work inside a specific note range. The keyboard will, when a note is
played, activate the trigger that has been set up to be triggerered by this note. The note ranges of the
4 voices can overlap each other, so it is possible to have each key playing more than one sound at a
time.
The number of octaves for the touch keyboard is settable for each preset, to any number between 1
and 8.
It is also possible to set, which note the first key should play.
The Preset Select Screen
This is the first screen you will see, right after PolySpaze’s start-up screen, unless you left your
PolySpaze in Song mode, the last time it was turned off. Here you can change preset and jump to
PolySpaze’s edit and settings pages.
On the top of this screen, the Sequencer bar/beat, that is currently being played back, is shown.
Below this, it says “Preset”, if PolySpaze is currently in preset mode, or “Song” if it is currently in
song mode.
Below this, the number and name of the currently selected preset/song is shown.
Below the preset name/number, you will find the touch screen keyboard.
On the left side of the screen, 4 small VU-meters are shown. These show the output activity of
voices 1 to 4.
Touch the “EDIT” field in the upper right corner of the screen, to enter the edit and setup pages.
Touch the “PRESET” field, to select a memorized preset.
Selecting a preset:
Touch the “PRESET” field. A list of 5 presets near the currently selected preset, will now appear:
Touch “PREV” or “NEXT” to view the previous or next 5 presets, and finally touch the preset name
of the preset you would like to select. 1024 presets can be selected, from A01 to P64.
PolySpaze will now jump back to the main Preset Select screen, and show the name of the newly
selected preset.
If the sequencer is playing back, the Start/Stop LED will now start to flash, and the text “NEXT:”
will show right above the new presets name, awaiting track 1 to reach its start/end step. As soon as
this happens, PolySpaze will switch to the newly selected preset, the Start/Stop LED will stop
flashing, and “NEXT:” will dissapear.
If the sequencer is not playing back, PolySpaze will immediately switch to the new preset, when
you touch the preset name.
When PolySpaze is turned off, it will remember which preset was selected, and start up with this,
when turned on again. It will also remember if it was in preset or song mode, and start up in the
same mode, and if it was in song mode, it will also remember which song was selected.
On the Preset Select page, the 7 Edit/Quick Edit Knobs will transmit MIDI CC’s to PolySpaze’s
MIDI out, on the PolySpaze global MIDI channel. The Edit and Quick Edit knobs will receive
MIDI CC’s regardless of which page has been sellected.
The Morph knob will transmit/receive CC 1 (ModWheel).
The HPF Cut knob will transmit/receive CC 2.
The LPF Cut knob will transmit/receive CC 3.
Edit knob 1 / HPF Reso will transmit/receive CC4.
Edit knob 2 / LPF Reso will transmit/receive CC5.
Edit knob 3 / FFM will transmit/receive CC7.
Edit knob 4 / VCA R will transmit/receive CC8.
The Synth
In the Synth (synthesizer) section of PolySpaze, all the sound generation and shaping is happening.
PolySpaze has 4 voices, that each are a complete synthesizer. Each voice has:
-2 oscillators. Oscillator 1 can play back samplings and has morphable analog emulation
waveforms. Oscillator 2 has selectable analog emulation waveforms, noise and an audio input can
go through it.
-1 ring modulator. Source 1 can only be oscillator 2, source 2 can be either oscillator 1 or any of
the modulation sources.
-1 analog highpass filter with resonance.
-1 analog lowpass filter with resonance.
-1 VCA, where both output level and pan can be adjusted and modulated.
-1 effects processor, that can either act as an insert effect for the voice, or as and output effect, that
can be shared between voices.
-3 envelopes. Two ADSR types and one decay envelope.
Shared between the 4 voices:
-4 LFO’s with morphable waveforms.
-4 random generators with selectable triggers.
Remember to save all edits you do in the synth section. Else they will be lost when you change
preset, or turn PolySpaze off. See how to in the ”Save Preset” section.
List of Modulation Sources:
Slo: Slow Oscillator 1. The low frequency output of Oscillator 1
Slo-: Inverted Slow Oscillator 1. The Inverted low frequency output of Oscillator 1
Aenv: The output of the VCA Envelope
Aenv-: The output of the VCA Envelope Inverted
Env: The output of ADSR Envelope 1
Env-: The output of ADSR Envelope 1 Inverted
LFO1: The output of LFO1
LFO1-: The output of LFO1 Inverted
LFO2: The output of LFO2
LFO2-: The output of LFO2 Inverted
LFO3: The output of LFO3
LFO3-: The output of LFO3 Inverted
LFO4: The output of LFO4
LFO4-: The output of LFO4 Inverted
Rnd1: The output of Random Generator 1
Rnd1-: The output of Random Generator 1 Inverted
Rnd2: The output of Random Generator 2
Rnd2-: The output of Random Generator 2 Inverted
Rnd3: The output of Random Generator 3
Rnd3-: The output of Random Generator 3 Inverted
Rnd4: The output of Random Generator 4
Rnd4-: The output of Random Generator 4 Inverted
Seq1: The output of Sequencer Controller Track 1
Seq1-: The output of Sequencer Controller Track 1 Inverted
Seq2: The output of Sequencer Controller Track 2
Seq2-: The output of Sequencer Controller Track 2 Inverted
Seq3: The output of Sequencer Controller Track 3
Seq3-: The output of Sequencer Controller Track 3 Inverted
Seq4: The output of Sequencer Controller Track 4
Seq4-: The output of Sequencer Controller Track 4 Inverted
Seq5: The output of Sequencer Controller Track 5
Seq5-: The output of Sequencer Controller Track 5 Inverted
Seq6: The output of Sequencer Controller Track 6
Seq6-: The output of Sequencer Controller Track 6 Inverted
Seq7: The output of Sequencer Controller Track 7
Seq7-: The output of Sequencer Controller Track 7 Inverted
Seq8: The output of Sequencer Controller Track 8
Seq8-: The output of Sequencer Controller Track 8 Inverted
CV1: The voltage apllied to CV Input 1
CV1-: The voltage apllied to CV Input 1 Inverted
CV2: The voltage apllied to CV Input 2
CV2-: The voltage apllied to CV Input 2 Inverted
CV3: The voltage apllied to CV Input 3
CV3-: The voltage apllied to CV Input 3 Inverted
CV4: The voltage apllied to CV Input 4
CV4-: The voltage apllied to CV Input 4 Inverted
Kybd: The last note number value received for the part
Kybd-: The last note number value received for the part Inverted
Velo: The last note velocity value received for the part
Velo-: The last note velocity value received for the part Inverted
Aft: The last mono aftertouch value received for the part
Aft-: The last mono aftertouch value received for the part Inverted
Bnd: The last pitch bend value received for the part
Bnd-: The last pitch bend value received for the part Inverted
K1C4: Edit knob 1 value or the last MIDI CC 4 value received for the part
K1C4-: Edit knob 1 value or the last MIDI CC 4 value received for the part Inverted
K2C5: Edit knob 2 value or the last MIDI CC 5 value received for the part
K2C5-: Edit knob 2 value or the last MIDI CC 5 value received for the part Inverted
K3C7: Edit knob 3 value or the last MIDI CC 7 value received for the part
K3C7-: Edit knob 3 value or the last MIDI CC 7 value received for the part Inverted
K4C8: Edit knob 4 value or the last MIDI CC 8 value received for the part
K4C8-: Edit knob 4 value or the last MIDI CC 8 value received for the part Inverted
TouY: Touch screen keyboard Y-axis position
TouY-: Touch screen keyboard Y-axis position Inverted
CC12: The last MIDI CC 12 value received for the part
CC12-: The last MIDI CC 12 value received for the part Inverted
CC13: The last MIDI CC 13 value received for the part
CC13-: The last MIDI CC 13 value received for the part Inverted
CC14: The last MIDI CC 14 value received for the part
CC14-: The last MIDI CC 14 value received for the part Inverted
CC15: The last MIDI CC 15 value received for the part
CC15-: The last MIDI CC 15 value received for the part Inverted
CC16: The last MIDI CC 16 value received for the part
CC16-: The last MIDI CC 16 value received for the part Inverted
CC17: The last MIDI CC 17 value received for the part
CC17-: The last MIDI CC 17 value received for the part Inverted
CC18: The last MIDI CC 18 value received for the part
CC18-: The last MIDI CC 18 value received for the part Inverted
CC19: The last MIDI CC 19 value received for the part
CC19-: The last MIDI CC 19 value received for the part Inverted
CC20: The last MIDI CC 20 value received for the part
CC20-: The last MIDI CC 20 value received for the part Inverted
CC21: The last MIDI CC 21 value received for the part
CC21-: The last MIDI CC 21 value received for the part Inverted
CC22: The last MIDI CC 22 value received for the part
CC22-: The last MIDI CC 22 value received for the part Inverted
CC23: The last MIDI CC 23 value received for the part
CC23-: The last MIDI CC 23 value received for the part Inverted
CC24: The last MIDI CC 24 value received for the part
CC24-: The last MIDI CC 24 value received for the part Inverted
CC25: The last MIDI CC 25 value received for the part
CC25-: The last MIDI CC 25 value received for the part Inverted
CC26: The last MIDI CC 26 value received for the part
CC26-: The last MIDI CC 26 value received for the part Inverted
CC27: The last MIDI CC 27 value received for the part
CC27-: The last MIDI CC 27 value received for the part Inverted
CC28: The last MIDI CC 28 value received for the part
CC28-: The last MIDI CC 28 value received for the part Inverted
CC29: The last MIDI CC 29 value received for the part
CC29-: The last MIDI CC 29 value received for the part Inverted
CC30: The last MIDI CC 30 value received for the part
CC30-: The last MIDI CC 30 value received for the part Inverted
CC31: The last MIDI CC 31 value received for the part
CC31-: The last MIDI CC 31 value received for the part Inverted
CC33: The last MIDI CC 33 value received for the part
CC33-: The last MIDI CC 33 value received for the part Inverted
CC34: The last MIDI CC 34 value received for the part
CC34-: The last MIDI CC 34 value received for the part Inverted
CC35: The last MIDI CC 35 value received for the part
CC35-: The last MIDI CC 35 value received for the part Inverted
CC36: The last MIDI CC 36 value received for the part
CC36-: The last MIDI CC 36 value received for the part Inverted
CC37: The last MIDI CC 37 value received for the part
CC37-: The last MIDI CC 37 value received for the part Inverted
CC38: The last MIDI CC 38 value received for the part
CC38-: The last MIDI CC 38 value received for the part Inverted
Env2: The output of Decay Envelope 2
Env2-: The output of Decay Envelope 2 Inverted
Trg1: The state of Trigger 1
Trg1-: The state of Trigger 1 Inverted
Trg2: The state of Trigger 2
Trg2-: The state of Trigger 2 Inverted
Trg3: The state of Trigger 3
Trg3-: The state of Trigger 3 Inverted
Trg4: The state of Trigger 4
Trg4-: The state of Trigger 4 Inverted
FULL: A maximum level source –Let’s you adust a parameter, using the modulation amount
parameter.
FULL-: A minimum level source
PolySpaze Structure
PolySpaze can operate in different voice modes, as selected in the Mode block. Its voice structure
changes according to which mode it is in. This is selectable per preset.
On the following pages, the different structures are shown.
Accessing The Synth Pages
From the Preset/Song Select screen, Touch the “EDIT” field.
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