Jomox XBASE 999 Operating Manual

MJX

XBASE 999

ANALOG DRUM SYNTHESIZER

Operating Manual

OS 1.3x

INTRODUCTION.........................................................................8

BRIEF INTRODUCTION TO THE

ANUAL CONVENTIONS

ONNECTION

OWER SUPPLY

UDIO CONNECTIONS

MIDI C

MIDI OUT............................................................................. 10

MIDI T Q

UICK START

.............................................................................9

..........................................................................9

ONNECTIONS

HRU

............................................................................11

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.................................................................9

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XBASE 999 .......................................8

THE USER INTERFACE .............................................................. 16

NPUT GAIN

HONES

ASTER

ATA/TEMPO

EFT/RIGHT

ASTER

DIT

..................................................................................... 18

IDI

ANK

A/B ..................................................................................... 18

CALE

ERF

ATT

ONG

RITE

OWN/UP

TART

TOP

NTER

HIFT/CANCEL

CALE BARS

TEP

NSTRUMENT KEYS

............................................................................17

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1...16

BUTTONS AND

....................................................................20

LEDS..................................................20

MASTER MODE ........................................................................21

2 XBASE 999 Operating Manual

IT SELECTION

AMING OF A KIT

ISPLAY CONTRAST

EMORY PROTECT

NITIALISATION OF THE CURRENT KIT

........................................................................21

......................................................................22

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.....................................................................23

...............................................23

EDIT MODE ............................................................................. 24

ELECTION OF A DRUM KIT

ELECTION OF AN INSTRUMENT

ANALOGUE SOUND ENGINE ......................................................25

ASS DRUM

Tune................................................................................. 25

Pitch................................................................................. 25

Attack...............................................................................25

Decay ............................................................................... 26

Gate ................................................................................. 26

Harmonics.........................................................................26

Pulse ................................................................................26

Noise ................................................................................27

EQ....................................................................................27

Compress.......................................................................... 27

Level ................................................................................27

Velocity............................................................................. 28

Scale ................................................................................28

Initialize............................................................................28

NAREDRUM

Tune................................................................................. 29

Snappy .............................................................................29

Decay ............................................................................... 29

Detune .............................................................................29

Noise Tune ........................................................................30

Level ................................................................................30

Velocity............................................................................. 30

OW TOM

Tune................................................................................. 31

Decay ............................................................................... 31

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XBASE 999 Operating Manual 3

Level ................................................................................31

Velocity............................................................................. 31

IGH TOM

Tune................................................................................. 32

Decay ............................................................................... 32

Level ................................................................................32

Velocity............................................................................. 32

.............................................................................. 32

SAMPLE BASED INSTRUMENTS .................................................. 33

VCA

ENVELOPE

HI HAT.................................................................................. 34

Tune................................................................................. 34

Closed Hi Hat Attack ...........................................................34

Closed Hi Hat Decay ........................................................... 35

Closed Hi Hat Peak Time .....................................................35

Open Hi Hat Attack............................................................. 35

Open Hi Hat Decay .............................................................35

Open Hi Hat Peak Time ....................................................... 36

Hi Hat Sample Select .......................................................... 36

Reverse Play......................................................................36

Source ..............................................................................37

Low Pass Filter Cutoff ......................................................... 37

High Pass Filter Cutoff.........................................................38

Filter Resonance ................................................................ 38

Level ................................................................................38

Velocity............................................................................. 39

Initialization ...................................................................... 39

LAP, RIM, CRASH AND RIDE

Tune................................................................................. 39

Attack...............................................................................40

Decay ............................................................................... 40

Peaktime........................................................................... 40

Reverse Play......................................................................41

Sample Selection ............................................................... 41

Level ................................................................................41

Velocity............................................................................. 42

Initialize............................................................................42

...................................................................33

....................................................... 39

4 XBASE 999 Operating Manual

LFOS.............................................................................. 43

LFO1 Waveform ................................................................. 43

LFO1 Destination................................................................ 43

LFO1 Intensity ................................................................... 44

LFO1 Rate ......................................................................... 44

LFO2 Waveform ................................................................. 44

LFO2 Destination................................................................ 45

LFO2 Intensity ................................................................... 45

LFO2 Rate ......................................................................... 45

Syncronization of LFO1 .......................................................46

Syncronization of LFO2 .......................................................46

THE FILTER .............................................................................47

UTOFF LEFT

UTOFF RIGHT

Q L

EFT

Q R

IGHT

ESONANCE LEFT

ESONANCE RIGHT

ILTER MODE LEFT

ILTER MODE RIGHT

ILTER GAIN

ITER

MIDI MODE .............................................................................51

ECEIVE CHANNEL

RANSMIT CHANNEL

ULK DUMP

ULK LOAD

RANSMIT PROGRAM CHANGE

RANSMIT

THE SEQUENCER ..................................................................... 55

ERFORM MODE

Selection of Drum Kits ........................................................ 55

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VCA OUT.......................................................................50

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MIDI C MIDI N MIDI C

ONTROLLERS OTE TRIGGERS LOCK

.............................................................. 54

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XBASE 999 Operating Manual 5

Perform Play Mode .............................................................55

A/B Pattern ....................................................................... 56

Perform Write Mode............................................................57

Programming of Patterns in Perform Write Mode .................... 57

Scale ................................................................................57

Selecting Instruments......................................................... 58

Setting or Clearing Steps – Programming Beats ..................... 59

Editing of Instrument Parameters ......................................... 59

Usage of Drum Kits ............................................................ 60

Muting Instruments ............................................................61

ATTERN MODE

Pattern Play Mode .............................................................. 62

Pattern Write Mode.............................................................62

Individual Step Edit ............................................................ 63

Track Record Mode .............................................................64

The Filter in Pattern Mode ...................................................65

ONG MODE

Song Mode Manual Programming ......................................... 69

Song Mode Realtime Programming ....................................... 71

Defining Loops ...................................................................73

........................................................................62

...........................................................................67

2ND FUNCTIONS .................................................................... 74

TORE KIT

LEAR PATTERN

TORE PATTERN

A/B P L

AST STEP

HUFFLE

EALTIME WRITE

ILTER ROUTING

TEREO PANNING

PLIT MODE

LOCK SELECT

ETRONOME

AMPLE SELECT

EVERSE

LFO P

6 XBASE 999 Operating Manual

(1) ........................................................................74

(2) .................................................................. 75

(3) ..................................................................75

LAYMODE

AGE

(4)...................................................................76

(5) ........................................................................76

(6)...........................................................................77

(7).................................................................78

(8) ................................................................. 79

(9) ................................................................ 80

(10).....................................................................81

(11)..................................................................81

(12) .................................................................... 82

(13)................................................................. 82

(14)......................................................................... 83

(15) .......................................................................83

IDI TRACKS

(16) ................................................................... 84

APPENDIX...............................................................................87

MIDI I

MPLEMENTATION

1. Sound Parameter (Continuous Controllers) ........................87

2. Note Commands.............................................................93

3. Sysex Commands ...........................................................93

Preset bulk dump ...............................................................93

OS bulk dump.................................................................... 93

Flash bank bulk dump .........................................................94

Flash bank erase command ................................................. 94

Dump request command .....................................................94

PECIFICATIONS

.......................................................................95

XBASE 999 .............................................. 87

XBASE 999 Operating Manual 7

Introduction

Thank you for using the JoMoX XBASE 999! We are pretty confident that that you’ll have lots of joy and entertainment with this incredible sounding analog drum synthesizer!

A brief introduction to the XBASE 999

The XBASE 999 is a drum machine with 9 instruments. Four of them are completely made up of advanced analog discrete circuitries and combine true analog sound with the advantage of full digital control of all parameters. The other 5 instruments are based on short 8 bit samples which are processed by an analog VCA envelope. They are of course also controllable in the digital domain. Thus they can be stored in memory and be remotely controlled by Midi. In order to affect the analog sound production as little as possible, all D/A converters are specially adapted to the parameters and being integrated into the circuitry. By doing so, the parameter control is provided for each trigger almost without any delay – which makes the neccessary technical efforts in the XBASE 999 quite big.

Additionally, the XBASE 999 has a great sounding stereo filter that allows for independent control of cutoff, Q and resonance. It is also controllable by Midi CC and can be sequenced by the internal sequencer with every of its parameters.

By using encoders instead of potentiometers annoying jumps of parameters belong to the past. Basically the editing of all instrument parameters is possible by the 16 encoders or by using the left / right cursor buttons and the data wheel.

The heart of a drum machine is of course the sequencer. The XBASE 999 has a classic step sequencer with step LEDs which also lets you edit various quantizes for each track and step with midi clock sync

8 XBASE 999 Operating Manual

and shuffle mode options. Furthermore, 4 additional programmable midi tracks can trigger external instruments. In Pattern Mode, the XBASE 999 can control all the sound settings for each step to obtain melodies and really freaky grooves. So, for instance, you can “abuse” the kick drum with long decay for creating a bass line due to it’s extremely flexible sound programming. On the sample based instruments each step can trigger a different sample if you want to. Each sample based instrument contains 31 different samples. With XBASE 999 it is possible now to reload them into the internal flash memory by midi sample dump. A PC/MAC tool for a convenient download can be downloaded at www.jomox.com.

Manual conventions

In order to make this manual better understandabe, in the following text passage all user interface descriptions of the XBASE 999 are set into round brackets and printed bold.

i.E. Press the (Master) button.

Display contents and values are printed like this: <Perf000>

Connection

Please use the XBASE 999 only in dry rooms not warmer than 35° C (95° F). On the back panel of the enclosure you will find following connections:

Power Supply

Please connect the provided wall wart adapter to the line and hook it up to the supply jack 10.5V~ AC IN on the XBASE 999. If, for any reason, you are not able to use the orginal power supply, please use an alternate current AC/AC adapter with at least 10.5 Volts and 2 amps. Some common halogen transformers like 12V~ AC 2 amps

XBASE 999 Operating Manual 9

with the appropriate plug connected could work. Please never use an AC/DC adapter as the XBASE 999 might get damadged!

Audio connections Please turn off the XBASE 999 and the mixer.

The XBASE 999 has a stereo main output that mixes all instruments and the filter. If you plug a cable into an individual output, this instrument is spared out from the stereo mix. All audio outputs are unbalanced. In the stereo main output the pure filter signal is lead out on the ring of the stereo ¼” jack. So if you use an insert cable, you have access to the mix signal and the pure filter signal without final VCA.

Please connect the audio outputs by ¼ ” audio cables with the audio inputs of your mixer.

MIDI Connections The MIDI in jack of the XBASE 999 is used for remote playing, controlling and syncronization by other MIDI capable devices like master keyboards and computers.

» Note: please only send as much Midi data as neccessary. The more Midi data has to pass the MIDI cable the worse the timing gets. Use different Midi ports for different machines as the Midi protocol is serial and consumes time and performance.

Please look into the Midi Implementation in the appendix which Midi data is received and processed by the XBASE 999.

Connect the MIDI In jack of the XBASE 999 with the MIDI Out jack of the master by use of a midi cable.

MIDI OUT

By MIDI out the XBASE 999 transmits midi data to other devices as

10 XBASE 999 Operating Manual

computers, synthesizers and others. Connect the MIDI Out jack of the XBASE 999 to the Midi In jack of the other device.

MIDI Thru

Midi data that is received on the MIDI In jack is being forwarded to the MIDI Thru jack without being changed. More MIDI capable devices can be connected to this port.

Quick Start

Connect the XBASE 999 to an appropriate amplifier or to a mixer. Before you turn on, please turn the master level at your mixer or amplifier down. On intial boot up sequence, you are welcomed by the following display:

WELCOME TO THE BEATS OF JOMOX

Press the (Start) button to start the sequencer. Now you can adjust the Master or the Phones knob to a convenient volume.

» Note: the Master volume knob is only working in the digital domain by multiplying controls to the internal instrument level control voltages and may reduce the internal dynamics if it’s turned low. For best performance and sound, leave it to maximum value 127 and use the external mixer to control the volume.

By pressing one of the 16 (Step) buttons you can select another pattern in the current bank. Alternatively you can use the the (Up) and (Down) buttons to achieve the same result. Press the (Bank) button to switch to another bank. You can cycle through the available 4 banks. If you want to change the tempo, press (Master) button and then (Right) button. Adjust the Tempo with the (Data/Tempo)

XBASE 999 Operating Manual 11

encoder.

Now that you know how to select patterns, let’s take a look at the different modes of the XBASE 999. After powering up, you are always in Perform Mode. That means, all steps of an instrument track address the same sound buffer and play the same sound throughout the whole track. By editing the encoders you can change the sound of any instrument whilst the sequencer is running. Next to each encoder there is a multi-color LED which lights up green when the corresponding parameter is existing in the selected instrument. If you want to edit a different instrument, press the (Write) button – now you are in Perform Write Mode. Now select the desired instrument with the light grey instrument keys, and immediatly the LEDs show up the editable parameters of the selected instrument. The red LED next to the instrument key also lights up indicating the currently selected instrument. If you don’t want to edit an instrument with running sequencer, press again (Write) button to leave the Perform Write Mode and trigger the instrument with the instrument key.

Now let’s go to the Master Mode. Press the (Master) button. In this mode the encoders are adressed to the individual instrument volumes and being displayed as bars in the LCD display. By pressing on one of the 9 first encoders you can mute or unmute the corresponding instrument. In case it is muted, the LED lights up red. This function is also available in the other modes regardless if it is Perform, Pattern or Edit or Master mode and regardless of any submenu. I.E. pressing encoder 1 always mutes or unmutes the kick drum.

Let’s program the first own created drum pattern. Switch to bank 2 by pressing the (Bank) button. By pressing (Step 1) button choose the first empty pattern. Now go to Perform Write Mode by pressing (Write) and select an instrument track by pressing the corresponding instrument key i.e. the bass drum track.

12 XBASE 999 Operating Manual

Start the sequencer and press a desired (Step) button. The step is played when the running LED comes across. Pressing again erases the step again. Complete your instrument rhythm and switch to another instrument and select steps to be played there as well and complete your own drum pattern by layering several instruments in a rhythmic pattern. If you want to set an accent, press the instrument key a second time so that the instrument LED starts to flash. Now you can set steps where playing steps were already set. They are lit orange to indicate that an accent is played on this step.

Now we’d like to introduce the Pattern Mode. Go back to Bank 1 as described above. Press the (Pattern) button to enter the Pattern Mode and listen to some of the factory patterns in bank 1 by selecting the patterns to get familiar with the possibilities of the XBASE 999. Actually the programming in Pattern Mode works very similar to the Perform Mode, only that each step has an own sound buffer so that you can store completely different sounds for one instrument on every step. First select an empty pattern. Now press (Write) to enter the Pattern Write Mode. Set steps as described above and listen to the instrument. Now hold the instrument key and press a desired step at the same time – the step LED will start to flash indicating that you are in Individual Step Edit Mode for this selected step. Listen to the instrument and hear that the sound only for this step is different. You can scroll with the (Data/Tempo) knob through some kits and the stored sounds are copied automatically into that step sound buffer. Or you edit the instrument buffer by tweaking the instrument knobs. All sound settings are recorded into that one step buffer (or more when you select several at the same time). When you press (Write) again and leave the Write Mode, these steps get locked. You can go on and program a different bass drum for every step,

XBASE 999 Operating Manual 13

create bass lines with long decayed Bass Drums or make melodies on the Clap sound. Even the sample select of the sample based instruments can be programmed for each step separately.

If you are satisfied with your new pattern let’s listen to the stereo filter. For this you have to route some instruments into the filter–you could also insert an external signal to the filter section over the external inputs. The instrument routing works as follows: press (Shift/Cancel) and then (Step 8) = Filter Routing. The display shows the following:

Filter Routing PerfOO1

xxxxxxxxx

With the (instrument) keys you can select the desired instruments that are to be processed by the filter. The display shows the following i.e.:

Stereo ShifOO8

Filter Routing PerfOO1

x^x^^^^xx Stereo ShifOO8

Now go to Pattern Write Mode and select the filter track by pressing the (Filter) key. In the display every step is displayed by an ”x”.

xxx xxx xxx xxx PattOO1 xxx x x xx xx xCEd B12O

The upper row shows the left channel of the filter, the lower the right channel. By pressing the (Filter) key again you can toggle between both channels. The cursor jumps to the corresponding row. To program a filter sequence you have to select a step to be changed by the (Step) buttons. I.E. choose step 1,5,9 and 13. Now the display shows no ”x” but a bar at the selected steps which indicates the value for this step. Additionally to the step LEDs 1..16 the LEDs next to encoder 1..16 light up when a step is set. With these encoders you

14 XBASE 999 Operating Manual

can change the selected parameter. With the (Left) and (Right) cursor buttons you can select which parameter is to be processed. There are

C - Cutoff Q - Quality (Bandwith) R - Resonance V - Volume VCA

For each of them you can program a sequence that changes with every selected step.

If you like the pattern you should store it to memory. Unless you don’t store it - all editings are only made in the edit buffer – it will be gone when you select another pattern. This is made by pressing (Shift/Cancel), then (Step 3) = Store Pattern.

Enjoy and check it out!

XBASE 999 Operating Manual 15

The User Interface

Tune Pitch Snappy/Cut LP Cutoff

BD Mute/Vol

SD Mute/Vol

LT Mute/V ol

HT Mute/Vol

Attack Decay Peaktime/Q HP Cutoff/Q

HH Mute/Vol

RID Mute/Vol M ID I 1 Mute

CLP Mute/Vol

Noise EQ

MIDI 4 Mu te

RIM Mute/Vol

Detune/SamplePulse

MIDI 2 Mute MIDI 3 Mute

Compression

CRH Mut e/ Vol

ResonanceHarmonics

Volume/Acc

1...16 Encoders and LEDs

Depending on the selected mode, the 16 encoders are assigned to different functions. The encoders provide a click (press) function which is firmly assigned to the mute function on knob 1..9. When an instrument is muted, the LED next to the encoder flashes red.

In Master Mode, the black printing is active and the encoders are used to adjust the volume of the instruments.

16 XBASE 999 Operating Manual

Left

Right

DATA / TEMPO

In Edit Mode, the orange indicated printing is active. The LEDs indicate which parameter for the selected instrument is editable by the knobs – they light up green in this case.

INPUT GAIN

MASTERPHONES

Input Gain

With this knob the input gain of the external filter input can be adjusted.

Phones

This knob controls the phones volume of the front headphone jack.

Master

Note that the master volume is only a “soft control” and works only on the internal CVs and instrument levels and therefore reduces the internal dynamics. For best results, leave this value on maximum level (127).

XBASE 999

ANALOG D RUM SYNTHESIZER

LEFT

RIGHT

Data/Tempo

This knob is used for editing of parameters that are chosen by the (Left) and (Right) cursor buttons. Furthermore, it changes the tempo of the sequencer.

XBASE 999 Operating Manual 17

BANK

A/B

SCALE

Left/Right

These cursor buttons are used for navigation within the display menus.

MASTER

EDIT

MIDI

Master

This button switches to Master Mode and in the display right down this symbol appears:<Ma>

Edit

This button switches to Edit Mode and in the display right down this symbol appears:<Ed>

Midi

This button switches to Midi Mode and in the display the midi menu appears.

1 2 3 4 A B 32 8Tr.16 Tr.

A B C D

Bank

The bank button cycles between 4 pattern banks.

A/B

This button switches between both alternative patterns A and B.

Scale

With this button you cyclicly select different bar scalings. They are

18 XBASE 999 Operating Manual

PERF

PATT

SONG

WRITE

START

specificly: 1/16 , 1/32 , 1/8 triplets and 1/16 triplets. The printed long bars above the step LEDs show the quarter downbeats for the corresponding scales.

DOWN UP

Perf

This button activates the Performance Mode of the sequencer.

Patt

This button activates the Pattern Mode of the sequencer.

Song

This button activates the Song Mode.

Write

This button activates - corresponding to the prior selected mode the Performance Write, the Pattern Write or the Song Write Mode.

Down/Up

These buttons are used for pattern change.

Start This button starts the sequencer.

STOP

Stop

This button stops the sequencer.

XBASE 999 Operating Manual 19

HIGH TOM

LOW TOM

CLOSED HI HAT

OPEN HI HAT

CLAP

RIM SHOT

CRASH

ENTER

Enter With this button various settings have to be entered.

SHI FT/CANCEL

Shift/Cancel

By pressing this button you can reach the 2nd functions of step buttons 1..16. Also used for cancelling functions.

Scale Bars

The orange or black bars marked with D, C, B and A indicate the quarter downbeats of the selected scale.

C B

Step 1...16 buttons and LEDs

By the 16 step buttons patterns are programmed and selected. Furthermore, in junction with the (Shift/Cancel) button they provide 2nd functions as the orange indicated printing shows.

Store

A/B

Clear

Store

Kit

Pattern

C# D D# E F F# G G#

Play Mode

Last Step

Shuffle

Real Time

Write

Filter

Routing

Stereo

Panning

Split

Mode

Clock Select

12111093 4 5 6 7 81 2

Metron.

Sample

select

1413

Reverse

LFO Page

1615

Midi

Tracks

Instrument Keys

These keys are used for triggering and selection of instruments.

20 XBASE 999 Operating Manual

Master Mode

The Master Mode is used for selection and naming of drum kits and some other global functions. The Master Mode is indicated by a “Ma” down right in the display. In Master Mode you can change the individual play back volumes of the instruments by the (Edit Encoders) (see the printing). The volumes are displayed as bars left down in the display.

Init Kit 123 Kick PerfOO1

Vol127 Ma B12O

Additionally, you can mute or unmute the instruments by pressing the (Edit Encoders). When an instrument is muted, the corresponding LED flashes red.

By the (Left) and (Right) encoders you can edit the following parameters. If you have pressed the (Master Button) you are currently in the kit selection parameter:

Kit Selection

By the (Data/Tempo) encoder you can choose out of 256 drum kits.

Init Kit 223 Kick PerfOO1

Vol127 Ma B12O

Beats per Minute <BPM> <MIDI/039-255>

With this parameter the speed of the sequencer can be edited in beats per minute. The lowest tempo below 39 BPM switches to Midi Clock syncronisation.

Init Kit 223 Kick PerfOO1

BPM 123Name GO! Ma B123

XBASE 999 Operating Manual 21

Naming of a kit

Move the cursor to <Name GO!>. Now press the enter button and the cursor will jump to the kit name’s first letter.

Init Kit O12 Kick PerfOO1

BPM 123Name GO! Ma B123

Now you can select the desired letter with the (Data/Tempo) Encoder. With the (Left) and (Right) buttons you can move the cursor to the other letters.

Mnit Kit O12 Kick PerfOO1 BPM 123Name OK? Ma B123

Finally press the enter button, and the display will show:

MyFavour O12 Kick PerfOO1

Drum kit stored Ma B123

Display Contrast <Contr> <030-110>

Move the cursor to the contrast parameter. Here you can change the contrast of the LCD display.

Init Kit 223 Kick PerfOO1

ContrO37MemPrOFF Ma B123

22 XBASE 999 Operating Manual

Memory Protect <MemPr> <on/off>

Move the cursor to the Memory Protect parameter. If this is set to <ON>, no drumkits or patterns can be stored.

Init Kit 123 Kick PerfOO1

ContrO37MemPrOFF Ma B123

Initialisation of the current kit <Init> <GO!>

To initialize the whole parameter set of a kit, please choose this item and acknowledge with the (ENTER) button.

MyOldKit 123 Kick PerfOO1

Init GO! Ma B123

The display shows:

MyOldKit 123 Kick PerfOO1 Are you sure?NO Ma B123

Now change this entry to <YES> by scrolling the (DATA/Tempo) knob.

Init Kit 123 Kick PerfOO1

Are you sure?YES Ma B123

After another acknowledge with the (ENTER) button the current kit gets initialised.

» Note: Only the current edit buffer will be initialized! If you don’t store after this, the old kit might get reloaded if you i.e. press the (edit) button again.

If Memory Protect was set to <ON> the function is disrupted. In this case please prior go to Memory Protect and unprotect the current preset.

XBASE 999 Operating Manual 23

Edit Mode

In Edit Mode all of the instrument parameters are being processed. After pressing the (Edit) button you are in Edit Mode and now you can navigate by the (Left) und (Right) buttons within the different parameter items.

In Edit Mode the (Edit Encoders) are assigned to instrument parameters. The LEDs next to the encoders light up green when the parameter is assigned to its knob and available for editing.

The first menu item which is automatically selected when the (Edit) button is pressed is:

Selection of a drum kit

With the (Data/Tempo) knob you can select 256 different drum kits. One drum kit contains a set of all sound parameters of all instruments (including the filter).

Hello999 OOOKick PerfOO1 Tune 113PitchO3O Ed B123

Selection of an instrument

Move the cursor to the instrument parameter. Now select the desired instrument by scrolling the (Data/Tempo) encoder.

Hello999 OOOSnar PerfOO1 Tune 113PitchO3O Ed B123

The second method to select an instrument is by the instrument keys in the Edit Write Mode. Please press the (Write) button whilst you are in Edit Mode. Automatically the Bass Drum is selected first, and now you can choose the desired instrument via the instrument keys which is shown in the display.

The following section describes the different instruments and its parameters.

24 XBASE 999 Operating Manual

Analogue Sound Engine

Bass Drum

Tune <Tune> <000-127>

This parameter determines the modulation intensity of the pitch envelope. High values lead to the typical ”kick in the gut” known from the 909, while lower values softer 808ish kick drums produce, reaching down to tuned basses.

Hello999 OOOKick PerfOO1 Tune 102PitchO3O Ed B123

Pitch <Pitch> <000-127>

Changes the basic tone of the bass drum within a far range. This results in very deep basses and reaches up to fairly high tones that might appear not very similar to a bass drum any more.

Hello999 OOOKick PerfOO1 Tune 113PitchO56 Ed B123

» Note: Please do not mistake tune and pitch of the bass drum. Because in the historical predecessor TR-909 the actual pitch envelope was called tune, the XBASE 999 keeps this tradition only with the bass drum. With all other instruments the tune parameter is called ”tune”!

Attack <Attac> <000-127>

In addition to the VCO, a mix from a short noise and pulse signal is generated which together form the attack signal. These part signals can individually be controlled (see lower). The attack parameter controls the intensity of this signal mix in the bass drum.

Hello999 OOOKick PerfOO1 Attac127DecayO78 Ed B123

XBASE 999 Operating Manual 25

Decay <Decay> <000-127>

Controls the decay (release) of the bass drum.

Hello999 OOOKick PerfOO1 Attac127DecayO78 Ed B123

Gate <Gate> <000-015>

Controls the gate time of the attack trigger. It is the time of the attack phase and reaches from 0.5ms to 4.5ms. On low values the attack sounds clicky, and with higher values the sound is clappier and the tune envelope more intense.

Hello999 OOOKick PerfOO1

Gate OO1HarmoOO7 Ed B123

» Note: this parameter is assigned to the encoder with printing Peaktime/Q!

Harmonics <Harmo> <000-127>

Harmonics controls the harmonic overtone spectrum of the bass drum VCO. The basically almost sine-shaped waveform of the VCO can continuously be distorted to a more parabolic waveform. The resulting sound is harder and timpani-like.

Hello999 OOOKick PerfOO1

Gate OO1HarmoO23 Ed B123

Pulse <Pulse> <000-127>

Controls the part of the pulse signal in the attack phase signal.

Hello999 OOOKick PerfOO1 PulseO67Noise121 Ed B123

26 XBASE 999 Operating Manual

Noise <Noise> <000-127>

Controls the part of the noise signal in the attack phase signal.

Hello999 OOOKick PerfOO1 PulseO67Noise151 Ed B123

EQ <EQ> <000-007>

On the output there is a flat filter which can smooth the bass drum. The sound is not changed if the parameter is turned to zero.

Hello999 OOOKick PerfOO1 EQ OO1ComprOOO Ed B123

Compress <Compr> <000-127>

Controls the compression of the bass drum VCA envelope. This only affects the decaying part of the loudness envelope. So the effect is rather an expansion of dynamics. Very useful for short and clicky kick drums and for adaption to room size.

Hello999 OOOKick PerfOO1 EQ OO1ComprO95 Ed B123

Level <Level> <000-127>

Controls the volume of the bass drum.

Hello999 OOOKick PerfOO1 Level127VelocON Ed B123

» Note: This is the individual volume of the instrument stored along with the current kit, not the global instrument volume which is also controlled in Master Mode (see page 21).

XBASE 999 Operating Manual 27

Velocity <Veloc> <ON/OFF>

If Velocity is set to <ON>, the velocity of a received MIDI note on is processed.

Hello999 OOOKick PerfOO1 Level127VelocON Ed B123

Scale <Scale> <LIN/SEM>

Determines if the pitch parameter controls the bass drum pitch in linear fashion (no musical tuning) or in semitones.

Hello999 OOOKick PerfOO1

ScaleLINInitOFF Ed B123

» Note: the bass drum oscillator has little tolerances and is not a dedicated analog synthesizer and therefore the tuning may differ a bit from pure musical scalings.

Initialize <Init> <ON/OFF>

If you set this parameter to <ON>, all sound parameters of the bass drum are immediatly initialised.

Hello999 OOOKick PerfOO1

ScaleLINInitON Ed B123

» Note: Only the edit buffer of the bass drum in initialized which means that nothing is stored to user memory! This yields the same for all other instruments.

28 XBASE 999 Operating Manual

Snaredrum

Tune <Tune> <000-127>

Controls the basic tone of the snare drum oscillators.

Hello999 OOOSnar PerfOO1

Tune O5OSnapp126 Ed B123

Snappy <Snapp> <000-127>

Controls the noise part of the snare drum signal.

Hello999 OOOSnar PerfOO1

TuneO5OSnapp122 Ed B123

Decay <Decay> <000-127>

Controls the length of noise decay.

Hello999 OOOSnar PerfOO1 Decay1O5DetunOOO Ed B123

Detune <Detun> <000-127>

This parameter detunes both snare drum oscillators.

Hello999 OOOSnar PerfOO1 Decay1O5DetunOOO Ed B123

XBASE 999 Operating Manual 29

+ 67 hidden pages

Jomox XBASE 999 Operating Manual

Specifications and Main Features

Frequently Asked Questions

User Manual