Intellijel Uscale User Manual

µScale Manual

Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ê1

Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ê2

Before Your Start . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ê2

Installing Your Module . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ê2

Front Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ê5

Inputs & Outputs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ê5

Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ê6

Usage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ê6

Active Scale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ê6

Menus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ê6

Special Functions (Long Hold) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ê7

Shifting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ê8

Technical Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ê9

Overview

The μScale is a 6hp CV quantizer module. 1V/Oct 0 - 10 V range pitch CV signals are fed into the input marked “IN” and 0 - 10V unipolar or +/5V bipolar CV is fed into the “SHIFT” input to generate interesting and complex melodic CV out of the two outputs “OUT A” and “OUT B”. The buttons and tricolour LED’s allow users to easily program in scales and manipulate how the shift values affect the generated CV voltages in a wide variety of useful combinations. With the μScale it is possible to transform analog voltage sources from sequencers, LFO’s, controllers and CV generators into quantized musical values.

Installation

Intellijel Eurorack modules are designed to used with a Eurorack-compatible case and power supply.

Before Your Start

Before installing a new module in your case you must ensure your case’s power supply has sufficient free capacity to power the module:

• Sum up the specified 12 V current draw for all modules, including the new one. Do the same for the -12 V and 5 V current draw. The current draw will be specified in the manufacturer’s technical specifications for each module.

• Compare each of the sums to specifications for your case’s power supply.

• Only proceed with installation if none of the values exceeds the power supply’s specifications. Otherwise you must remove modules to free up capacity or upgrade your power supply.

You will also need to ensure you have enough free space (hp), as well as free power headers, in your case to fit the new module. You can use a tool like ModularGrid to assist in your planning. Failure to adequately power your modules may result in damage to your modules or power supply. If you are unsure, please contact us before proceeding.

Installing Your Module

When installing or removing a module from your case always turn off the power to the case and disconnect the power cable. Failure to do so may result in serious injury or equipment damage.

Ensure the 10-pin connector on the power cable is connected correctly to the module before proceeding. The red stripe on the cable must line up with the -12 V pins on the module’s power connector. The pins are indicated with the label -12V, a white stripe next to the connector, the words “red stripe”, or some combination of those indicators.

Figure 1. Example of a module power header.

Most modules will come with the cable already connected but it is good to double check. Be aware

that some modules may have headers that serve other purposes so ensure the cable is connected to the right one.

The other end of the cable, with a 16-pin connector, connects to the power bus board of your Eurorack case. Ensure the red stripe on the cable lines up with the -12 V pins on the bus board. On Intellijel power supplies the pins are labelled with the label “-12V” and a thick white stripe:

Figure 2. Intellijel power supply header.

If you are using another manufacturer’s power supply, check their documentation for instructions.

Once connected the wiring should resemble the picture below:

Figure 3. Module connected to a power supply.

Before reconnecting power and turning on your modular system, double check that the ribbon cable is fully seated on both ends and that all the pins are correctly aligned. Failure to do may result in damage to your modules or power supply.

After you have confirmed all the connections, you can reconnect the power cable and turn on your modular system. You should immediately check that all your modules have powered on and are functioning correctly. If you notice any anomalies, turn your system off right away and check your cabling again for mistakes.

Front Panel

Figure 4. µScale Front Panel

Inputs & Outputs

This input accepts 0-10 V. Connect the 1 V/Oct (or equivalent) voltage source here from things like a sequencer, keyboard/controller, offset generator etc.

SHIFT

This input accepts either 0-10 V or ±5 V signals depending on the position of the shift switch. Connect modulation sources such as secondary sequencer outputs, LFO, offset generator,

keyboard.

OUT A

Pitch CV voltages in the range of 0-10 V and tuned to 1V / Oct CV. This outputs is the quantized version of the signal fed to the “IN” jack.

OUT B

Pitch CV voltages in the range of 0-10V and tuned to 1V/Oct. The B outputs voltages are intervals based on the “A” output. The amount of that interval and its harmonic relation to the root note on “A” depends on several configurable settings.

Controls

SHIFT Polarity Switch

This switch alters the range of the SHIFT input. When set to UNI the input voltage is assumed to be unipolar with a range of 0 to 10 V. When set to ±5 V it’s assumed to be a bipolar signal with a range of -5 to 5 V.

Scale Buttons

The 12 scale buttons are used to alter the currently active scale as well as perform several additional functions. The details are described in the Usage section below.

Usage

Active Scale

The μScale is real-time programmable which means you can edit the scale while it is in the process of quantizing CV. To do this simply click any of the 12 buttons which represent the keys of a 12tet keyboard where the top-most button is C and the bottom-most button is B. Adjacent to each button is a tricolour LED. In normal operation (i.e. while not in a submenu display) the notes of the scale are denoted by red LED’s. The currently quantized note (from the IN jack) is shown as a green LED. So if you have a variable voltage source such as a sequencer output connected to IN and you have more than one note selected to be part of your scale, you should see the green LED lighting up at different positions of the scale to indicate the changing quantized values.

This scale you are editing is volatile and will not be saved unless you save it to a bank and preset. Furthermore if you want to make sure the scale is saved offline you must make sure to store the banks+presets to EEPROM .

Menus

There are seven menus accessible by pressing and holding the scale buttons for approximately 1 second:

1 SETTINGS

This menu allows you to set three separate settings: Shift Type (Pre Scale, In Scale or Post Scale),

Shift Destination (A, B. A+B or ROOT) and B Mode (Chromatic or In Scale). The current menu settings are denoted with three separate and different coloured LED’s). To exit the menu make a selection or click the SETTINGS button again.

2 INTRVL

Set the interval value used by output B. The LED position and colour shows the current interval value. A green LED shows a positive value in the range of 1-12 (where position ‘C’ is 1 and ‘B’ is

12). To set a negative value in the range of -1 to -12 simply double click the equivalent positive value. (E.g. for an interval of -3 double click the ‘D’ key). Negative interval values are displayed as a red LED. This interval is calculated in terms of fixed semi tones (chromatic) or scale degrees (in-scale/diatonic) depending on the option set in the SETTINGS menu (MODE: Chromatic OR InScale)

3 ROOT

Here you can shift the scale forwards or backwards relative to it’s root note. The green LED indicates the current lowest note of the programmed scale relative to ‘C’. So if I had a C# pentatonic scale programmed (all the black keys) the root note would be the C#. If I then pressed the F key the entire scale would shift 2 semi tones upwards. This means the note A# (last note in the scale) would be shifted off the scale but wrapped around to the bottom as C. Technically the new scale root should be F but since the scale root is always calculated as the lowest note relative to C the new scale root will actually be indicated as C.

4 BANK

Select one of 12 possible banks. The currently selected bank is indicated as a red LED. Available non-empty banks are indicated as green LED’s. So if you select a bank from one of the currently available non-empty banks then the LED colour will be yellow (red+green = yellow). Unlit LED’s show the empty banks.

5 SCALE

Select one of 12 possible scales from the current bank. Selected scale is indicated with a red LED. Blank scales have no LED’s lit while stored scales are indicated with green LED’s. So if you select a scale from one of the currently available nonempty banks then the LED colour will be yellow (red+green = yellow).

6 SAVE

Save scales to one of 12 possible locations in the current bank. Available locations are nonilluminated while used locations are indicated with a green LED.

7 X

Clear the currently active scale steps. All other buttons will exit while doing nothing.

Special Functions (Long Hold)

There are three special modes accessible by pressing and holding the following buttons for approximately 2 seconds:

LOAD FROM EEPROM (BANK Button)

Use this function to load all banks and settings that are stored in the EEPROM (nonvolatile

memory). Every time the µScale is powered on it automatically performs a load from EEPROM.

SAVE TO EEPROM (SAVE Button)

Use this function to permanently save all stored scales/banks and settings to EEPROM. If you do not do this, all edits and changes to banks, scales and settings will be lost when you power down the module.

SCALE SELECT MODE (SCALE Button)

This is a special mode that allows users to select up to 12 different scales from the current BANK via the SHIFT input (using CV). Scale editing becomes disabled (in order to edit the scales you must exit this mode by pressing and holding the SCALE Button again) and the main display will show the currently selected scale pattern in real time. ROOT, SCALE and SAVE menus are all disabled in this mode. You can still choose different banks, edit the interval amount and make changes to SETTINGS (although no SETTINGS will have any current effect except for the MODE). Keep in mind that if you have set the SHIFT setting to bipolar then positive values in the range of 0-5V will select scales 7-12 in the current Bank while -5V to 0V will select scales 1-6.

Shifting

The SETTINGS menu allows you to set Shift Type and Shift Destination.

The incoming CV values at the IN jack are first quantized to a chromatic scale value and then quantized to the current active scale. All shifting is applied after the chromatic quantizing which means it starts with some note value in the 10 octave range. The CV values at the SHIFT jack are quantized to a value in the range of +/-12.

Pre-Scale

This type of shifting occurs after the chromatic quantizing but before the scale quantizing. What this means is that the CV value at IN is quantized then the SHIFT value is added to it, and then it is quantized to the current scale. For example, if my incoming note was a C2 and my shift value was ‘3’ and the Shift Destination was A (in this case 3 means semitones) then the resulting value is C2 + 3 semitones = D#. This new value is then quantized to the current scale. So if the active scale is C major (which contains C,D,E,F,G,A,B) then the final resulting note that will play out of OUT A is E2 (the nearest note in the scale to D#, scale quantizing always rounds up). The interval value (generated at OUT B) uses the NoteA value as its root but it uses the value before the shifting is added to it. So in the above example if the interval value was ‘5’ and its mode was ‘Chromatic’ then the note at OUT B would be C2+5=F2 (not E2+5). If the shift destination had been ‘B’ instead of ‘A’ then OUT A would have been C2 (no change), but OUT B would be the sum of the chromatically quantized root note at ‘IN” (in this case C2) plus the shift amount (3) which would then be quantized to the scale (resulting in a value of E2) and then the interval value is added to it (5) so scaled(C2+3)+5=G2#. If the destination had been A+B then the result would have been OUT A = E2 and OUT B = G2# (both got shifted)

In-Scale

This type of shifting is Diatonic and occurs after both the chromatic and scale quantizing. This means that the shift amount represents the amount of degrees within the currently active scale. So

a note value of C2 with a shift value of 3, destination of A and an active scale of C major would result in a shifted note of OUT A = F2 since this is three scale notes above C2 (remember the C major scale C,D,E,F,G,A,B where the distance between C and F is 3 scale degrees). If the destination had been B then the OUT A would be unchanged (C2) but OUT B would be the diatonically shifted value of C2 (F2) plus the interval value (e.g. 5 semitones) which results in OUT B = F2+5 = A#2. If the destination had been A+B then then OUT A = F2 and OUT B = A#2.

Post-Scale

Post-Scale shifting is the easiest to understand of all the shifting types. For this type, the shift value is simply added to the scaled note. So if my scaled note is C2 and the shift value is 4 and the destination is A (and still using C major scale) then the resulting note is OUT A = C2+4 = E2. OUT B would be the unshifted note (C2) plus the interval value (e.g. 5) OUT B = C2+5 = F2. If the destination was B then OUT A = C2 (no change) but OUT B = C2+interval+shift = C2+4+5 = A2. If destination was A+B then OUT A = E2 and OUT B = A2 (i.e. both are shifted by the same amount of semi tones and can be considered to have changed keys by the amount of shifted semitones). So far we have looked at only using A, B or A+B as shift destinations. The fourth destination “ROOT” is an exception. With this destination the shifting type is irrelevant (and changing those values will have no effect). Instead the shift value is applied to the entire active scale moving it forwards or backwards by the shift amount. When the scale is being shifted it maintains the interval relations between each scale step so that the result is that the root note of the scale is shifted. It is highly recommended that the user experiment with these different shift type and destinations. You will find that small settings changes can result in dramatic changes in the melodies generated.

Technical Specifications

Width 6 hp

Maximum Depth 24 mm

Current Draw 60 mA @ +12 V

7 mA @ -12 V