Novation Supernova II Rack User Manual

CONTENTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1

FRONT PANEL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2

BACK PANEL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3

SETTING UP - BASIC SETUP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4

ADVANCED SETUP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5

ABOUTANALOGUE SYNTHESIS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6

ABOUT FM SYNTHESIS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15

ABOUT EFFECTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18

NOVATIONISH - NOVATION JARGON . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22

ABOUT PROGRAMS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23

ABOUT DRUM MAPS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24

ABOUT PERFORMANCES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25

MULTITIMBRALUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27

SELECTING PROGRAMS & PERFORMANCES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29

SELECTING DRUM MAPS AND DRUM MAPPROGRAMS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30

EDITING & WRITING ARPEGGIATOR PATTERNS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31

EDITING & WRITING PROGRAMS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34

EDITING & WRITING PERFORMANCES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37

MASTER VOLUME SECTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41

MODE SECTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .42

DISPLAYSECTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .53

ARPEGGIATOR SECTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .54

INPUTS SECTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .60

VOCODER SECTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .63

OSCILLATOR SECTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .66

FILTER SECTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .81

LFO SECTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .88

ENVELOPES SECTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .92

EFFECTS SECTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .98

PART EDIT SECTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .111

TROUBLESHOOTING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .119

SPECIFICATION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .124

BANK MESSAGES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .125

MIDI CONTROLLER TABLE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .126

MIDI NRPN TABLES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .127

PROGRAM BANK A . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .128

PROGRAM BANK B . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .129

PROGRAM BANK C . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .130

PROGRAM BANK D . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .131

DRUM MAPA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .132

DRUM MAP B . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .133

DRUM MAP C . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .134

DRUM MAP D . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .135

PERFORMANCE BANK A . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .136

PERFORMANCE BANK B . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .137

MONOPHONIC PRESET PATTERNS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .138

POLYPHONIC PRESETPATTERNS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .139

DISTRIBUTORS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .140

INDEX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .141

CONTENTS

FRONT PANEL

1 - Master Volume Section

This section contains the Master Volume knob, Headphone socket & Power On/Off switch..

2 - Input Section

This section contains all Input sockets & the button associated with the 2 Inputs.

3 - Mode Section

This section contains all the buttons used to select various modes.

4 - Oscillator Section

This section contains all the Knobs & buttons associated with the Oscillators.

5 - Arpeggiator Section

This section contains all the Knobs & buttons associated with the Arpeggiator.

6 - Vocoder Section

This section contains the menu button & Balance knob associated with the Vocoder.

7 - Oscillator Modulation Matrix Section

This section contains all the Knobs & buttons associated with the Oscillators Modulation Matrix.

8 - Display Section

This section contains the Display, the Data Knobs, Page, Bank & Prog buttons.

9 - Filter Section

This section contains all the Knobs & buttons associated with the Filter.

10 - Filter Modulation Matrix Section

This section contains all the Knobs & buttons associated with the Filter Modulation Matrix.

11 - LFO Section

This section contains all the Knobs & buttons associated with the 2 LFOs.

12 - Envelopes Section

This section contains all the knobs, sliders & buttons associated with the 3 Envelopes.

13 - Part Edit Section

This section contains all the knobs & buttons associated with Parts of a Performance.

14 - Effects Section

This section contains all the knobs & buttons associated with the Effects section.

4 9 12 14

3 5 6 8 11 13

7 10

inputs

power on/off

master volume

headphones

input/switch 1

input/switch2

perf

prog

Arpeggiator

on/off

mute

Oscillators

solo copymenu unison

osc 2osc 1 osc 3

tune

oct /semi mod

compare writeglobalfind

latch

key sync

1*3 2*3 noise

specialsawsquare

fm fmfm

voice control

cents Q norm

portamento

Vocoder

balance

gate timespeed

modulation

mix

pitch

width

sync

hardness

polyphonic synthesiser

page

Filter

lfo 1

lfo 2

level

env 2

env 3

wheel overdrive

bank

data

prog

freq

reso/width

LFOs

menu lfo 1 lfo 2

sourcedestination source

lfo 1

Envelopes

lfo 2

env 2

multi

env 3

overload

(poly limit)

wheel

trisaw s/hsquare speed

env 1

(amp)

attack

env 2

env 3

velocitydelay prog leveltrack

modulation

18dB 24dB12dB

bandlow highspecial

resonancefrequency

Part Edit

12345678

pedal

output

velocitytune

polyphonymidi

delay

sustain releasedecay

range

solo

special

mute

Effects

delay

reverb

chorus flanger phaser

menu menu

part level

distortion

pan/ trem

menumenu

EQ comb filter special

PRO-X

36 VOICES

1 - IEC Mains Connector.

This socket is for the supplied Mains lead. This socket accepts 110V, 220V & 240V mains supplies at 50 or 60 Hz. In other words the Supernova II Rack will work on any county’s mains supply.

2 - SPDIF Phono In & Out Connectors.

These phono sockets provide SPDIF format digital inputs & outputs supplied when the optional SPDIF/ADATcard is installed.

2 - ADAT Optical In & Out Connectors.

These optical connectors provide ADAT format digital inputs & outputs supplied when the optional SPDIF/ADATcard is installed.

3 - Pedal / Switch 3 Socket.

This 1/4 inch jack socket allows the connection of either a optional footswitch or expression pedal to be connected. The function is user defined in the Global mode.

4 - MIDI IN / MIDI OUT / MIDI THRU Connectors.

The MIDI IN connector is used to receive MIDI Data from an external device. The MIDI OUT connector is used to transmit MIDI Data to an external device. The MIDI THRU connector re-transmits MIDI Data received by the MIDI IN socket to an external device.

5 - Master Left & Right / Aux 1 / Aux 2 & Aux 3 Audio Outputs.

The Master Left & Right 1/4 inch Jack sockets deliver a Stereo Line Level output signal for connection to a mixing desk or amplifier. The level of these outputs is controlled by the Master Volume Knob on the front panel.

The Aux 1 1/4 inch Jack sockets deliver a Stereo Line Level output signal for connection to a mixing desk or amplifier. These outputs can be used in addition with the Master Audio Outputs for more flexibility in live & studio applications.

The Aux 2 1/4 inch Jack sockets deliver a Stereo Line Level output signal for connection to a mixing desk or amplifier. These outputs can be used in addition with the Master Audio & the Aux. 1 Outputs for even more flexibility in live & studio applications.

The Aux 3 1/4 inch Jack sockets deliver a Stereo Line Level output signal for connection to a mixing desk or amplifier. These outputs can be used in addition with the Master Audio & the Aux. 1 & 2 Outputs for even more flexibility in live & studio applications.

6 - Input/SW2 & input/SW1 Connectors.

These 1/4 inch Jack sockets provide 2 audio inputs for synthesis, filtering or effect processing or as footswitch inputs. These inputs mirror the ones on the front panel. Inserting a jack plug into an input on the front panel will disconnect any connection made on the back panel and the front panel input will be used until the jack plug is removed from the front panel input. The function of these sockets is user defined in the Global mode. When used as audio inputs the sensitivity is user defined in the inputs menu.

7 - Headphones - Socket.

Use this 1/4 inch Jack Socket to monitor the Left & Right output of the Supernova II Rack via headphones. This output will drive any type of headphones. The Supernova II Racks headphone amplifier will deliver a louder signal if low impedance headphones are used. i.e. 8 ohms impedance. Be aware that the sound pressure level obtainable with low impedance headphones could damage hearing.

BACK PANEL

PRO-X

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

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SETTING UP - BASIC SETUP

Setting up

Connect the Master left & Right Audio Outputs ( & the Aux. 1, Aux. 2 & Aux. 3 Audio Outputs if required ) of the Supernova II Rack to a suitable amplifier or mixing desk’s stereo inputs & set the Master Volume control on the Supernova II Rack to a reasonably high output level ( 9 - 10 ). This will maintain a good signal to noise ratio. Make sure the input volume on your amplifier or mixing desk is initially set to zero. Make sure that the Supernova II Racks mains switch is in the “OFF” position. Connect the Mains supply with the supplied lead to the Mains Socket on the Supernova II Rack. Connect the other end to the mains supply & switch the supply on. The display should now illuminate showing the Performance, Program or Favourite that was selected the last time global data was written into memory. Refer to page 42 for details on this function. Now switch on your amplifier & adjust the volume accordingly whilst playing the master keyboard.

The master keyboard will be playing the currently selected Performance, Program or Favourite. To listen to all of the Factory sounds, make sure you are in the Performance, Program or Favourite Mode by pressing the Performance, Program or Favourite Button & use the Keypad section to call up the different sounds. For details on how to select the different Performances & Programs & what they are refer to page 29.

Basic setup

Above is a diagram of the basic way to set-up the Supernova II Rack. Normally the set-up would be as follows: Connect the Supernova II Rack as shown above. Set the “Local On/Off” parameter on page 7 of the Global mode to OFF. Turn the Computer Software / Sequencer’s “Soft Thru” ( or sometimes called “Echo Back” ) to the “ON” or “Enabled” position. Now when selecting a “Track” in the computer Software / Sequencer that is assigned to the same channel as the Supernova II Rack is set to receive on ( If this is a Performance you can set the receive channels individually for each “Part”. Refer to page 115 for details, If this is a Program, Programs are played on the “Global MIDI Channel. Refer to page 43 for details.) playing the master keyboard should should produce sounds through the Headphones / Monitors.

The Supernova II Rack can have virtually any parameter controlled via MIDI. The movement of any knob, the pressing of any button or change to any parameter can be recorded with this setup. These recordings can then be easily edited on a sequencer. Details on all the controllers & NRPNs used by the Supernova II Rack can be found on page 128 to page 129.

If there are additional keyboards / Modules connected via MIDI, this diagram does not include audio for the keyboards / Modules.

The audio outputs of these devices must also be connected to the mixer.

To listen to the Factory Demo

Once the Supernova II Rack is connected as shown you can listen to the Factory Demonstration. To do this press the Find & Global buttons at the same time.

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To Mains Supply

MIDI OUT

Computer / Sequencer Amplifer / Mixer and Monitors

Master Keyboard / Workstation

Sustain PedalMIDI OUTMIDI IN

Audio

Inputs

NOTE:

This is the one of the more advanced ways to set up the Supernova II Rack. Connect the Supernova II Rack as shown above. Set the “Local On/Off” parameter on page 7 of the Global mode to OFF. Turn the Computer Software / Sequencer’s “Soft Thru” ( or sometimes called “Echo Back” ) to the “ON” or “Enabled” position. Now when selecting a “Track” in the computer Software / Sequencer that is assigned to the same channel as the Supernova II Rack is set to receive on ( If this is a Performance you can set the receive channels individually for each “Part”. Refer to page 115 for details, If this is a Program, Programs are played on the “Global MIDI Channel. Refer to page 43 for details.) playing the master keyboard should should produce sounds through the Headphones / Monitors.

There are 4 stereo pairs of Outputs connected to the mixer. This allows individual sounds to be processed externally by the mixer & other outboard equipment. To direct “Parts” of a “Performance” to these separate outputs Refer to page 115 for details. Additionally, the Supernova II Rack automatically redirects the effects outputs for the selected part to go to the same outputs as the part, so even if separate outputs are assigned the associated effects follow automatically.

Additionally a microphone is connected to Input/SW1 & this allows external signals to be processed by the synthesis engine ( including filtering ) and/or effects processors & Vocoder of the Supernova II Rack. In fact virtually any type of signal can be used by the Supernova II Rack, as the gain of the 2 inputs can be adjusted from Microphone level through to Studio levels. (+4dBm ) Refer to page 61 for details on how to use the inputs. The inputs can also double as Footswitch inputs & a footswitch is connected to Input/SW2. The function of this can be user determined in the Global mode. Refer to page 47 for details.

An expression pedal input is also provided allowing a optional pedal to be connected. This allows the volume of the Supernova II Rack to be controlled from the expression pedal. This to can be a footswitch input. The function of this Pedal/Switch input can be user determined in the Global mode. Refer to page 47 for details.

Optionally a Digital I/O card can be fitted to the Supernova II Rack providing an ADAT Optical & SPDIF Coaxial digital Input & output. When connected to suitable hardware such as a KORG 1212 PCI Card or any similar digital audio card for computers or a digital Mixer such as the Yamaha 02R with suitable digital interfaces, the Supernova II Rack can transfer sound digitally. This allows the Supernova II Rack to integrate easily within a modern digital studio & allows some unique possibilities such as, the separate filtering & effects processing of 8 ADAT tracks of audio from a computer hard disk recording system simultaneously, & then digitally transferring the processed tracks back to the computer via the ADAT out, or alternatively using the Supernova II Rack as an I/O system as there are 2 analogue inputs & 8 analogue outputs.

Amplifer / Mixer and Monitors

Audio Inputs

Mixing Console

Effects Processors

To Mains Supply

Master Keyboard / Workstation

Sustain PedalMIDI OUT

MIDI Merge Box

MIDI INMIDI OUT

Computer / Sequencer

IN 1 IN 2

OUT

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Microphone

ADVANCED SETUP

ABOUT ANALOGUE SYNTHESIS

OSCILLATORS - pitch

To understand synthesis, it is necessary to have some understanding about sound itself. Sound is a vibration or oscillation. These vibrations create changes in air pressure which is picked up by your ears & is perceived as sound. When dealing with musical sounds the vibrations or oscillations occur at regular intervals & are perceived as the “Pitch” or “Frequency” of a sound. The simplest musical sound is a sine wave because it contains only one “Pitch” & is perceived as a very “Pure” tone similar to a whistle. Most musical sounds consist of several different “Pitches” or “Frequencies”. The loudest is referred to as the “Fundamental” & determines the perceived “Pitch” of the note. The other frequencies present are called “Harmonics” & in musical sounds usually occur in multiples of the fundamental frequency. i.e. if the fundamental note is 440Hz then a musical harmonic series would be 2nd harmonic = 880Hz, 3rd harmonic = 1320Hz, 4th harmonic = 1760Hz, 5th harmonic = 2200hz etc. The number & loudness of these “Harmonics” determines the “Timbre” of a sound. This gives a sound character & is why a violin sounds different from a guitar & a piano sounds different again. In an Analogue synthesiser, you have the choice of several different waveforms. Each waveform has different amounts of harmonics & so the “Timbre” of each one is quite different. Below are descriptions of some of the waveforms & indications on what they can be best used for.

Sawtooth waves have all the harmonics of the fundamental frequency. As you can see, every harmonic has half the amplitude of the previous one. This sound is pleasing to the ear & is useful for basses, leads, & synthesising stringed instruments.

Square waves have only the odd harmonics present. These are at the same amplitudes as the odd harmonics in a saw wave. Square waves have a hollow / metallic sound to them & so are useful in creating unusual synthesiser sounds & oboe like sounds.

White noise has no fundamental & all harmonics are the same value. This wave can be used by itself to synthesise explosions or wind & when used in conjunction with other waveforms can be used to create the illusion of “Breath” in an instrument.

PWM ( PULSE WIDTH MODULATION )

The choice of waveform is important as it determines the basic “Timbre” of the sound you are making. There are additional methods of synthesis that allow more harmonics to be generated. The First of these is Pulse Width Modulation. ( PWM for short ). Essentially the duty cycle of the normally symmetrical square wave is varied. This means the wave form goes from a Square wave to a Pulse wave like so:

This has a very pleasant “thickening” chorus like effect & is often used in Pad type & String section type sounds.

Level

Saw Waveform

1234567

Harmonics

Level

Square Waveform

1234567

Harmonics

Level

Noise Waveform

1234567

Harmonics

Variable Width

Square Waveform

Pulse Waveform

Additionally there is a synthesis method called Oscillator sync. This takes two oscillators & uses one ( the Master ) to reset the other ( The Slave ) each time it starts a new cycle. The effect is most noticeable when the two oscillators are out of tune as shown below.

This Sync Effect creates very piercing & metallic sounds & are used a lot as lead sounds. It is worth noting that the Supernova II Rack does not require 2 oscillators to create this effect. The Sync “Effect” is created by the Analogue Sound Modelling process without the need for a Sync Oscillator, there is merely a “Sync” parameter that creates the classic Sync Effect. This means that each of the 3 oscillators in one Supernova II Rack “voice” can be independently Sync’ed as if there were 3 Master & 3 Slave oscillators.

Analogue Sound Modelling technology also enables the creation of some new “Sync” related parameters that are not found on analogue synthesisers. These are “Key Sync”, “Sync Skew” & “Formant Width”

Normally on an analogue synthesiser, even though the Master & Slave oscillators are detuned relative to each other, they both track keyboard pitch equally. i.e. if you play notes one octave apart, both the Master & the Slave oscillator will be transposed one octave. “Key Sync” allows the slave oscillator to have its pitch tracking adjusted independently. This means that the “Sync Effect” will change as you play different notes up & down the master keyboard.

Sync Skew manipulates the frequency of the “virtual” slave oscillator within one cycle of the master oscillator. The result is that the Sync Effect seems to have a higher frequency at the end of each cycle with positive modulation & at the start of the cycle with negative modulation. This parameter makes the sync waveform sound even harsher. This is particularly good for aggressive lead sounds.

ABOUT ANALOGUE SYNTHESIS

Osc1( Master )

Osc2 ( Slave )

Sync Waveform

Osc1( Master )

Osc2 ( Slave )

Sync Waveform

Normal Saw Sync Waveform

Positive Skew on a Saw Sync Wave

Negative Skew on a Saw Sync Wave

ABOUT ANALOGUE SYNTHESIS

Sync Skew also effects the standard Square & Saw waveforms. The effect is to “swash” the waveform at the end of its cycle with positive modulation & swashing the waveform at the beginning of the cycle. On a square wave, moderate amounts of this effect produce similar effects to Pulse width modulation except width modulation over 100% can be achieved allowing may cycles to be “swashed” into one original one. This can also be described as Frequency Modulation within the cycle & so mimics classic “Cross Modulation” with a Saw wave. This can produce effects similar to Sync but when this parameter is used in conjunction with Formant Width the results can be very different. Below are examples of Sync Skew on standard Square & Saw waveforms. Note how the wave is swashed at one end & more than one cycle has been swashed into the original cycle.

Formant width is a parameter that controls the level of the cycles of the “virtual” slave oscillator. This can be used to simulate resonance within the oscillator itself by using the “Harden” parameter to smooth out the sharp edges of this wave form. The effect is to reduce the level of every successive slave cycle. Additionally this parameter has an effect on the normal Saw & Square waveforms. The effect is to boost the treble content of these waves.

Both Sync Skew & Formant Width can be used in conjunction to create yet even more waveforms. Below are examples.

Analogue Sound Modelling technology allows even more control over the waveform. Once you have selected you basic oscillator waveforms you can further modify then using a “Hardening” process. This “Hardening” rounds off all the “Sharp” edges of the waveform, thereby reducing its harmonic content. Below is an example of the “Harden” parameter on a Square wave.

Negative Skew on a Square Wave

Positive Skew on a Square Wave

Negative Skew on a Saw Wave

Postive Skew on a Saw Wave

Sync Waveform

Sync Formant Width Waveform

Formant Width on a Square Wave

Formant Width on a Saw Wave

Negative Skew & Formant Width on a Saw Wave

The Harden parameter is completely variable & can reduce a square wave to only one harmonic producing a Sine wave. The Harden process can also be applied to the noise generator providing control over the harmonic content of the noise. Below is an example of the “Harden” parameter on Pink Noise.

Finally there is Ring modulation. This uses two oscillators but instead of adding them together like in a mixer they are multiplied together. This is very similar to FM & produces the kind of effect shown below:

The Ring Modulation effect creates metallic & bell like sounds & is used generally for lead sounds, but if used subtly can produce Electric Pianos etc & if used radically can produce unusual sound effects.

All these methods further enhance the basic Oscillator waveforms to include many more or a useful mix of harmonics. Once the waveforms have been selected you can then “fine tune” the harmonic content of the mixture of different waveforms by passing them through a “Filter” to remove unwanted harmonics. The filter in an Analogue synthesiser is a very powerful “Tone Control”. Like the tone control on a stereo, the filter can alter how things sound but it cannot change the style of music being played on the record, & so the filter in a synthesiser can alter the “tone” of a sound but is restricted by the basic “Timbre” of the waveforms. For this reason, several waveforms are available at once & you can “Mix” them together to provide more harmonically rich waveforms.

ABOUT ANALOGUE SYNTHESIS

Square Waveform

Softened Square Waveform

Level

Noise Waveform

Softened Noise Waveform

1234567

Harmonics

Level

1234567

Harmonics

Osc1

Osc2

Ring Modulated Waveform Osc1 x Osc2

ABOUT ANALOGUE SYNTHESIS

Below is a diagram showing the signal path in the Supernova II Rack & all the waveforms at various locations.

Different waveforms are being produced by different oscillators using different techniques. The Oscillators, Ring Modulators & the Noise Generator all being Mixed together & feed to the filter. The signal is then in turn fed to the Amplifier. Oscillator 1 is using a Square wave modulated by Sync Skew & then Hardened to create a sine-like wave except it has an extra bump in it. This produces a Whistle like sound. Oscillator 2 is using a Saw wave modulated by Sync Skew & Sync producing a Harsh sound & Oscillator 3 is using a Square wave modulated by Sync Skew & Formant Width to produce a bright PWM like waveform. The 1*3 Ring modulator & the 2*3 Ring modulator are producing complex waveforms & these along with all the Oscillators & the Noise generator are fed to the Mixer.

FILTER - tone

There are several different types of filter. These are Low Pass Filter, High Pass Filter & Band Pass Filter. The Low Pass Filter allows harmonics below a set frequency to pass through the filter. Hence the name Low Pass Filter. The High Pass Filter allows harmonics above a set frequency to pass through the filter. Hence the name High Pass Filter. The Band Pass Filter allows harmonics at a set frequency to pass through the filter, the harmonics above & below the set frequency do not pass through the filter. Hence the name Band Pass Filter. Below are the frequency response curves of the three types of filters.

Additionally the slope of the curve at which the filter rejects unwanted harmonics can be altered. The effect is similar to a “Q” control on a parametric EQ. In the 12db position the Cutoff Frequency slope is less steep so the higher frequencies are not attenuated as much as they are in the 24 or 18db positions. This makes the resulting filtering in the 12db position more subtle than the 24 or 18db positions which you should select if you want the Cutoff Frequency to be more obvious. The slope is measured in db per Octave & below are the response curves of a Low Pass Filter with 24, 18 & 12 db per Octave slopes.

All these filters have a Resonance parameter. This has the effect of emphasising harmonics at the cutoff frequency of the filter. This is very useful for creating large tonal differences to a basic waveform. The effect is shown below as both frequency response curves when resonance is applied in a the Filter.

Signal Path Diagram

Osc 1

Osc 2

Osc 3

Noise Gen

Osc 1 output ( Sq wave Softened with +ve Skew )

Osc 2 output ( Saw wave Synced with +ve Skew )

Osc 3 output ( Sq wave Synced with +ve Skew & Formant width )

Pink noise output

Osc 1*3 Ring Mod

Osc 2*3 Ring Mod

Ring Mod output

MIXER

Osc 1 level

Osc 1*3 level

Osc 2 level

Osc 2*3 level

Osc 3 level

Noise level

Mixer output Filter output Amp output

Filter Amp

Env 2

LFO 1

Env 3

LFO 2

Env 1

Cutoff

Volume

Frequency

Low Pass Filter Responce Curve

Volume

High Pass Filter Responce Curve

Cutoff

Frequency

Cutoff

Volume

Frequency

Band Pass Filter Responce Curve

Volume

Cutoff

Frequency

Volume

Cutoff

Frequency

Volume

Cutoff

Frequency

24db/oct LPF Responce Curve

18db/oct LPF Responce Curve

Frequency

12db/oct LPF Responce Curve

AMPLIFIER - volume

The last major process that makes up a sound is its “Volume”. The “Volume” of sounds vary as time goes by & so an Organ has very different volume characteristics than that of a Piano or String section. See the following diagrams for details.

The “Organ” can be seen to go to full volume instantly when a key is pressed & then stay there until the key is released at which point the volume drops instantly to zero.

The “Piano” can be seen to go to full volume instantly when a key is pressed & then gradually fall back down to zero over several seconds.

ABOUT ANALOGUE SYNTHESIS

Cutoff

Frequency

Volume

No Resonance Mid Resonance High Resonance

Volume

Frequency

Cutoff

Frequency

Volume

Low Pass Filter with Resonance Responce Curves

Cutoff

Frequency

Volume

No Resonance Mid Resonance High Resonance

Volume

Frequency

High Pass Filter with Resonance Responce Curves

Volume

Cutoff

Frequency

Volume

No Resonance

Cutoff

Frequency

Cutoff

Frequency

Volume

Mid Resonance

Cutoff

Frequency

Cutoff

Frequency

Cutoff

Frequency

Band Pass Filter with Resonance Responce Curves

Volume

Key "On"

Key "Off"

Time

"Organ" Type Volume Response Curve

Volume

Key "On"

Time

"Piano" Type Volume Response Curve

Key "Off"

ABOUT ANALOGUE SYNTHESIS

The “String section” can be seen to go to full volume gradually over several seconds when a key is pressed & then stay there until the key is released when gradually over a couple of seconds the volume drops to zero.

These curves are called “Envelopes” & in an Analogue synthesiser “Envelope Generators” are used to recreate them. Envelope Generators have 4 parameters which are used to adjust the shape of the envelope, see the diagram below:

Attack time is used to adjust the time it takes when the key is pressed for the envelope to go from zero to full value. ( Fade in ) Decay time is used to adjust the time it takes for the envelope to go from full value to the value set by the Sustain level. ( Piano

like decay of volume ) Sustain level is used to set the level that the envelope remains at while the key is held down. Release time is used to adjust the time it takes when the key is released for the level to go from the sustain value to zero. ( Fade

out ) The Supernova II Rack also offers additional envelope features to the classic ADSR types allowing even more flexibility, see the

diagram below:

In addition to the Attack, Decay, Sustain & Release parameters there is also 3 new parameters. These are: Sustain Rate which is used to control the slope of the “Sustain” phase of the envelope. When this parameter is set to 0 the curve is

normal like so:

When this parameter has a +ve value, during the “Sustain” phase of the envelope the Sustain value will rise to full at a “Rate” determined by this parameter as can be seen below:

Volume

Key "On"

Key "Off"

Time

"String Section" Type Volume Response Curve

Volume

Key "On"

Decay

Time

Infinite Sustain

Time with

no Sustain Rate

Attack

Time

ADSR Type Volume Response Curve

Key "Off"

Sustain level

Release Time

Volume

Key "On"

Attack

Time

Decay

Time

Infinite Sustain

Time with

+ve Sustain Rate

Key "Off"

Sustain level

Release Time

ADSR Type Volume Response Curve

Volume

Key "On"

Key "Off"

Sustain level

Decay

Time

Infinite Sustain

Time with

no Sustain Rate

Release Time

Attack

Time

Low values like +01 will produce a very slow rise & high values will produce a quick rise to full intensity. When this parameter has a

-ve value, during the “Sustain” phase of the envelope the Sustain value will fall to zero at a “Rate” determined by this parameter as can be seen below:

Low values like -01 will produce a very slow fall & high values will produce a quick fall to zero intensity.

A-D Repeat allows the Attack & Decay phases of the envelope to be looped, producing repeated cycles of Attack & Decay curves. This is fully adjustable from Off ( normal ADSR operation ) to 126 repeats & Infinity.

Sustain Time which is used to control how long the “Sustain” phase of the envelope will last. When this parameter is set to 127 ( infinite ) the curve is normal like so:

When this parameter is set to anything less than 127 the “Sustain” phase has a defined time duration & can be adjusted from very long to very short, so that the “Sustain” phase may end before the key played is released at which point the “Release” phase will start automatically. Below is an example of all 3 new parameters working together:

Summary

An Analogue Synthesiser can be broken down into three main elements. 1 - The Oscillator is the part of a synthesiser that generates “Waveforms” at a certain “Pitch”. 2 - The type of “Waveform” selected in the Oscillator & the settings of the “Filter” determine the “Tone” of the sound. 3 - The sound is then passed through an “Amplifier” which is controlled by an “Envelope Generator”. These alter the “Volume” of a

sound over time.

ABOUT ANALOGUE SYNTHESIS

Volume

Key "On"

Attack

Time

Decay

Time

Infinite Sustain

Time with

+ve Sustain Rate

Key "Off"

Sustain level

Release Time

Volume

Key "On"

Attack

Time

Decay

Time

Infinite Sustain

Time with

-ve Sustain Rate

Key "Off"

Sustain level

Release Time

Volume

Key "On"

Attack

Time

Decay

Time

Infinite Sustain

Time with

no Sustain Rate

Key "Off"

Sustain level

Release Time

Volume

Key "On"

A/D Repeat

set to 1

Short Sustain

Time with

+ve Sustain Rate

Key "Off"

Sustain level

Release Time

ABOUT ANALOGUE SYNTHESIS

All of these three main elements can be controlled by various methods for example: The “Pitch” of a note can be played on a master keyboard or a synthesiser & additionally it can be manipulated in real time using

the “Pitch Bend Wheel” to create “Slides” & “Bends” in pitch. LFOs ( low frequency oscillators ) can be used to “Wobble” the pitch of a note at a specific rate creating a “Vibrato” effect. An Envelope Generator can also be used to “Slide” the pitch in an automatic way.

The Filter can be manipulated by LFOs to vary the “Tone” of a sound at a specific rate creating a “Wah Wah” type of effect. An Envelope Generator can also be used on the Filter so that the “Tone” of a sound changes over time. Afeature called “Keyboard Tracking” can also be used on the Filter so that the “Tone” of a sound changes depending on the note being played.

The Amplifier can be manipulated by Envelope Generators so that changes in the “Volume” of a sound over time can make the sound short & percussive, or more like a piano or even like an organ. Additionally the “Velocity” at which you hit the keys can also be used to manipulate volume making a sound more “expressive”.

The elements that manipulate these three main synthesis elements are called “Modulation Sources”. The Supernova II Rack features 3 Envelope generators & 2 LFOs ( Low Frequency Oscillators ) as Modulation “Sources”. In addi-

tion to this Velocity, ( The dynamics of your keyboard playing. i.e. ppp to fff ) Aftertouch ( Pressure on the key(s) of the master keyboard while note(s) are held ) & the Modulation Wheel are included in a as additional “Sources” of modulation signals in a “Modulation Matrix”. This allows almost any “Source” to modulate a given parameter. It is even possible to have combinations of different “Sources” modulating one parameter. In the Supernova II Rack this has been neatly arranged on the front panel so that accessing all the possible combinations of modulation is quick & easy. Below is the Modulation Matrix for the Oscillator section.

Oscillator Modulation Matrix

Simply by pressing the desired “Source” ( the row of buttons on the right ) & the desired “Destination” ( the row of buttons on the left ) & adjusting the “Level” or “Mod Depth” knobs allows the creation of complex modulation setups easily. On older modular Analogue Synthesisers this was done with “Patch” leads that physically connected the “Sources” & “Destinations” together.

This allows some very powerful performance features to be implemented. i.e. It is possible to sweep the “Sync” effect, “Harden” effect, Pulse Width Modulation & alter the Mix of all three oscillators independently plus open the Filter Cutoff Frequency, Reduce the Filter Resonance, add lots more Distortion & Delay & reduce the Chorus & Reverb, all by simply moving the Mod Wheel forward! With the Modulation Matrix relationships like this are quick to set up & will transform a “static” sound into one with real “hands on” control & flexibility.

This is where most synthesisers end. However, the Supernova II Rack features a very powerful Effects section. It could be said that effects are as much “part” of a sound as the raw sound itself. Some of the larger old Analogue systems had built in spring reverb, & with the development of DSP technology, digital effects have become available in modern synthesisers. However when in a “Multimbral” application, all the sounds are generally passed through one set of effects. In the Supernova II Rack, a block of 7 effects is part of the “Program” & can be considered to be part of the synthesis engine. These include Distortion, EQ, Reverb, Chorus/Flanger/Phaser, Delay, Panning & Comb Filter effects. These can simulate “Real World” effects like Echo & Room Reverberation etc. Or they can be used to just do really weird things to your sound! For details on what each effect does & how best to use them refer to the about Effects section part of this manual on page 18 for details.

The best thing to do is just get in there & tweak those knobs, after all that’s why we put them there! Experiment & you’ll soon be creating your own sounds. Don’t worry about erasing the factory sounds in the memory. If you want, the factory sounds can be recalled. To do this Refer to page 46 for details.

level

sync

hardness

pitch

width

mix

mod

lfo 1

env 3

env 2

lfo 2

wheel

destination source

modulation

Basic Theory

Earlier in this manual we were introduced to the basics of subtractive synthesis & became familiar with terms such as harmonics, timbre, waveforms & oscillators. FM Synthesis is the technique of using one waveform ( Oscillator ) to Frequency Modulate - FM another to produce a resultant more harmonically complex waveform.

For purposes of illustration we will assume that the oscillators are producing sine waves.

As we have already discovered it is the CHANGE in harmonics over time that starts to make a sound interesting to our ears. In FM synthesis an envelope generator is inserted between the modulator & carrier waveforms so we have control over of how much Frequency modulation is taking place with respect to time.

Adding this envelope makes the basic FM building block look like this

We can see that the output waveform starts off as the same as the carrier, becomes more complex (HARMONICS ARE ADDED) as the amount of FM modulation increases via the envelope, & then returns to a simple wave again as the envelope decays. THE TIMBRE OF THE WAVEFORM IS CHANGING WITH TIME. This is the opposite of subtractive synthesis where often a LOW PASS FILTER is used to REMOVE HARMONICS.

To complete this simple synthesizer we need to add one further envelope to control the volume of what we are hearing. The complete building block will now look like this.

Yamaha popularised FM synthesis in the 1980’s with the famous DX7 synthesiser.The basic building block of the original Yamaha machine was referred to as an OPERATOR. An operator is just one oscillator with one envelope generator that can control the output level of the Oscillator.

ABOUT FM SYNTHESIS

Osc 1- Modulator

Modulation level = 0 = 30

Osc 3- Carrier

Output Waveform

= 90

Osc 1- Modulator

Envelope modulation level = 20

Osc 3- Carrier

Output Waveform

Modulator

Env - used to control FM modulation amount

Carrier

Env - used to control amplitude of sound over time

Output

ABOUT FM SYNTHESIS

Referring to our simple synthesiser in the diagram above we can outline the different sections & see that it comprises of two blocks, each one containing one oscillator & one envelope. This is known as a 2 OPERATOR SYSTEM in DX7 Language

The DX7 had six operators & they were presented to the user in preset combinations referred to as ALGORITHMS. This terminology of OPERATORS & ALGORITHMS immediately presented users of this new digital technology with a mystifying machine interface, thus creating original sounds was very often left to professional programmers. We will to make things clearer with the SUPERNOVAII so you may gain the knowledge to create your own FM sounds.

Programming of your own FM sounds using the Supernova II Rack.

In any one PROGRAM of the Supernova II Rack we can make up to 3 OPERATORS using the oscillators & envelopes available. We can also add a noise waveform for special effects & Drum/Percussion sounds. For simplicity most of the factory presets use the same structure as in the diagram below.

ANoise waveform maybe substituted for Osc1 or Osc2 Many musical instruments contain much of the detailed sonic information during the first few moments that the instrument is

plucked, struck or blown. For example when a Xylophone is struck, during the small amount of time after the beater has made contact with the wood it will resonate & contain many harmonics. The sound will then settle down to a more periodic waveform.

The easiest way to learn & understand FM is to study a few of the factory presets. So lets start with the Xylophone Select the FM sound Program D115"FMpt Xylo Lo". When manipulating FM sounds most of the "tweaking" will be done in the using the envelope section & oscillator section. Because we are now using an additive form of synthesis it is not really necessary to use the filter section. However it may be used

to enhance the sound further if required. When using the Supernova II Rack for FM synthesis it is important to note that it is ALWAYS Oscillator 3 that is heard as an output

to the mixer section. If you are creating sounds from scratch we recommend using the program D126 “FM Init Program” as a starting point as all the oscillators are set to sine waves & only oscillator 3 has its mix level turned up.

Operator 1

Operator 2

Output

Osc1

Env3

Osc3

Env1 Amplifier

Operator 1

Operator 3

Output

Osc2

Env2

Operator 2

Referring to the graphic above we have Oscillator 3 doing the "Body" of the sound. We then have Oscillator 1 via env3 Modulating Oscillator 1 for a small amount of time to simulate the effect of the beater. To hear just the body of the sound, press "osc3" in the Oscillator Section & press "solo". - Make sure that the button "fm" under the 1*3 is NOT LIT. Play the master keyboard & listen to the sound. You are hearing a softened square wave that is in fact a sine wave. Whilst playing the master keyboard press the "hardness" button & slowly rotate the "Level" knob. Notice how the sound becomes harder. Turn the knob back to so that the soften level is zero. Now press the "fm" button. You can hear the FM effect of Oscillator 1 coming in via envelope 3. The extra harmonics are now audible at the start of the sound & it resembles a real Xylophone.

The amount of time that this FM is taking place is controlled by env3. env3 is allowing an amount of Oscillator 1 to FM Oscillator 3. Experiment by selecting env3 in the Envelopes section & varying the decay time. Also Experiment with changing the pitch of Osc1. To do this press the "osc1" button & turn the "oct/semi" or "cents" knob.

Ageneral rule in FM synthesis is that the HIGHER THE FM MODULATION AMOUNT, THE HARDER OR BRIGHTER THE SOUND BECOMES.

The real power of FM in the Supernova II Rack is the ability to "stack" programs into performances. The Performance "FM Xylophone" in B025 is actually made from 2 programs. The program as described above (FMpt Xylo Lo) &

FMpt Xylo Hi. From the names you can work out which program is doing what part of the sound !!!!! To hear the 2 programs together select Performance B025. This is a layer of the 2 programs. In terms of Operators this sound will now look like this in block diagram form.

The Supernova II Racks effect section is arguably one of the most powerful in a synthesiser of this type today. With all this power it is possible to obtain a level of production that was previously unattainable.

ABOUT FM SYNTHESIS

Osc1

Env3

Osc3

Env1 Amplifier

Operator 1

Operator 2

ProgA Fmpt Xylo Lo

Output

Osc1

Env3

Osc3

Env1 Amplifier

Operator 1

Operator 2

ProgB Fmpt Xylo Hi

ABOUT EFFECTS

Effects can be “Effects” or they can be “Acoustic Simulations”. Both are useful in the production of modern music, in fact they are almost essential. Clever use of effects can enhance a track beyond compare. However, slapping loads of effect on everything can do the reverse.

In the Supernova II Rack there are 7 effects units per Program. They are: Distortion, EQ ( Equalisation ), Comb Filter, Reverb, Chorus/Flanger/Phaser ( This is one effect that can be a Rotary Speaker or an Ensemble or a Chorus or a Flanger or a Phaser ), Delay & Panner/Tremolo. Let’s look at all of these effects one by one.

Distortion.

This is usually an effect reserved for Guitar players. As the name suggests, this has the effect of distorting the incoming signal as can be seen in the diagram below.

This effect not only gives the sound a hard edge & a dirty kind of quality, it also has several other characteristics that are worthy of note. Firstly, low level harmonics within the waveform are exaggerated. “Resonant” waveforms & indeed any resonance or additional harmonics will jump out if this effect is used. Secondly, the maximum level that comes out of the distortion effect is relatively constant so there is a definite compression effect as well. This can be useful for mixing, as the level of the sound is the same. The Distortion parameter as its name implies introduces Distortion.

EQ.

This effect is not normally found on most synthesisers, but is found on mixing desks & is very useful for fine tweaking the individual sounds to make them “fit” together in a mix. Very often a sound may be too “muffled” sounding or a bass too “twangy” sounding. This is where EQ comes in. Muffled sounds have insufficient treble, so adjusting the Treble EQ will either boost or reduce the treble. Similarly, the Bass EQ will either boost or reduce the bass. In the Supernova II Rack there is a Treble EQ control & a Bass EQ control.

Comb Filter.

This effect is a filter that generates many peaks in the frequency response of the signal. This can be seen in the frequency Response curve below.

There are many peaks & they look like a “comb” hence the name Comb Filter. There are two parameters associated with this effect. Comb frequency controls the “frequencies” at which the peaks occur & Comb boost controls how high the peaks are. The effect is to alter the timbre of the sound. Although similar to EQ, this effect can produce effects not possible using a standard EQ.

Saw Waveform

Distorted Saw Waveform

Boost

Level

Comb Filter Frequency Responce at a low "Freqency" setting

Boost

Level

Comb Filter Frequency Responce at a high "Freqency" setting

The resulting sound tends to be quite “Metallic” sounding especially when large “Boosts” are applied.

Reverb.

This is an “Acoustic Simulation of a room. Why does singing sound good in the toilet? Reverb that’s why. The Reverb Effect is a computer model of the acoustics of a room. The type of room is up to you, anywhere from the toilet to the local Concert hall is possible. Below is a simplified diagram of the reflections of sound in a room. Note there are many reflections from all directions.

When the Reverb button is pressed, the knob in the effect section controls how much Reverb there is. Anticlockwise there is little effect This can be thought of as being very close to the sound source within the hall. Fully clockwise there is lots & this can be thought of as being at the other end of the hall from the sound source. Basically one way of looking at this parameter is “where you are & where the sound source is in the hall”.

Different types of rooms & halls have different acoustics. For this reason, Supernova II Rack features several different Reverb types. These range from very, very small rooms like the “Dry Chamber” setting to the very large hall like the “Large type 2” setting. Additionally, “special” types have been included. These are “Gated” types & are an artificial type of reverberation that sustains for a period & typically dies away suddenly rather than smoothly decaying away as reverb does naturally. These types can be used as a special effect, especially on drums.

Most rooms have dominant large reflective surfaces ( Larger walls typically ) & these create dominant echoes in the reverberated signal. Early ref ( reflection ) level simulates these reflections. Large amounts of Early ref level will produce strong signal at the beginning of the reverb.

Decay Time is the time it takes for the Reverb to die away after the sound has stopped. This can be thought of a “what the hall is made of”. Very acoustically reflective rooms tend to have long decay times & very non reflective rooms have short ones.

HF damp is short for High Frequency Damping. This controls the “tone” of the decaying Reverb. This can be thought of as the amount of carpet & drapes in the hall. Carpet & drapes tend to absorb high frequencies so as a sound “bounces” around the hall , giving you your Reverb effect. With each bounce the sound looses a little treble. No HF Damping is a little unusual in the “real” world but can be used to emphasise sibilant or trebly sounds. Normally a little HF Damping is applied to give the Reverb a natural kind of sound.

Chorus/Flanger/Phaser.

This is one effect that can be a Rotary Speaker, Ensemble, Quad Chorus, Chorus / Flanger or a Phaser.

Rotary Speaker - an overview.

This effect is designed to simulate the effect created by a “Leslie” cabinet often used in conjunction with an Organ such as a Hammond B3. The effect was created by 2 separate speakers in the Leslie cabinet that are spun around independently with 2 motors. Hence the name of this effect, “Rotary Speaker”. One of the speakers in the Leslie cabinet is a “Horn” ( Tweeter ) & the other is a “Rotor”. ( Woofer ) The effect has 2 settings, a “Fast” setting, ( where the speakers are rotating fast ) & a “Slow” setting ( where the speakers are rotating slowly ) The speakers are quite heavy so when changing from one setting to another the speed change is not instant but gradual due to the speakers inertia.

ABOUT EFFECTS

Ensemble - an overview.

This effect is designed to simulate the “Ensemble” effects found in classic “String Ensemble” keyboards like the Solina or the Roland SE101. This is similar to Chorus in the sense that Ensemble provides an effect that fattens up sounds & provides a stereo image but without the swirling sensation. It could in actual fact be thought of as 4 independent Choruses all running at different speeds, thus masking the “wobbly” sensation that Chorus can produce. This is particularly suitable for string sounds as it sounds smoother than Chorus for this purpose.

Chorus - an overview.

This is an effect originally designed to simulate the effect when many people sing together as opposed to one person or the sound of a 12 string guitar as opposed to a 6 string guitar. Chorus is an effect that is produced by detuning the signal slightly & mixing it back together with the original signal. The characteristic Chorus swirling effect is produced by an LFO that controls the amount of detuning the chorus performs.

Quad Chorus.

This is a effectively 4 Choruses running at once from one LFO but in different phases. This creates a particularly “thick” Chorus effect suitable for String Ensemble & other “Lush” sounds.

Chorus/Flanger. .

Normal Chorus & Flanger effects are quite similar. Using this effect as a Chorus provides a Stereo effect with a smooth swirling sensation that fattens up sounds & provides a stereo image. This type of Chorus differs from the Quad Chorus in the sense that although not as “thick” sounding, this Chorus retains the “definition” of the effected sound making it more suitable for basses, organs & percussive sounds. The Flanger effect is similar to a chorus but tends to use more detuning & feedback to produce an effect with a pronounced swirling sensation that emphasises the harmonics in the sound as it sweeps through them.

Phaser.

This effect is almost the reverse of a Flanger. A small amount of phase shift is applied to the signal via an LFO. When this is added back together with the original signal, a pronounced swirling effect is produced that cancels out harmonics in a sound as it sweeps through them.

Chorus Speed. This parameter controls how fast the LFO for this effect is going. Generally a fairly slow speed is used. Higher speeds tend to induce a vibrato like quality to the sound.

Mod Depth controls the amount of detuning or phase shift that the effects LFO produces. Again large amounts of modulation from this parameter will produce a more noticeable effect. Generally moderate amounts are used but you will find that bass sounds benefit with more Mod Depth than normal. Feedback controls how much of the treated signal is fed back into the input. Subtle effects like chorus benefit from low levels of feedback. Flangers & Phasers on the other hand sound better with more feedback. Feedback emphasises the harmonics in a Flanger & emphasises the cancellation of harmonics in a Phaser.

The Type parameter determines if this effect is going to be a Chorus or a Flanger or a Phaser. Select the one you want.

The effects LFO should not be confused with the front panel Program LFOs.

Delay.

This effect is normally a single acoustic reflection of a sound. This is commonly called Echo. This effect can be heard naturally anywhere where there is a large flat surface, like a concrete wall. A“Stereo” version can be considered to be two concrete walls & this is the type that the Supernova II Rack uses. The distance from the walls determines the delay time & in the example below the distance between the left wall & left ear of the listener is different to the distance between the right wall & the right ear of the listener. This creates a Stereo “staggering” effect of the echoes & is normally referred to as “Multi Tap Delay” or “Tap Delay”.

NOTE:

Delay Time. This parameter controls the amount of time it takes for the delayed signal to be heard after the original signal. In the example given above this is the same effect as the distance you are from the wall. Alarge distance produces a long delay & a short distance produces a short delay. In the Supernova II Rack, the Delay time is the time of the longest delay. The shorter delay will be a percentage of this value. See “Ratio” below.

Feedback. This parameter controls how much of the delayed signal is fed back into the delay’s input. No feedback produces a “Slapback Echo” effect, that is just one delayed signal with no repeats. Small amounts of feedback produce “repeated” signals giving the “Echo” effect. This can be thought of as standing in-between two parallel concrete walls. The sound bounces back & forth between them. In this case the Decay Time represents the distance between the walls.

HF Damping. HF Damping is short for High Frequency Damping. This controls the “tone” of the decaying Echo. This can be thought of as the amount of drapes on the walls. Drapes tend to absorb high frequencies so as a sound “bounces” from wall to wall , giving you your Echo effect, with each bounce the sound looses a little treble. No HF Damping is a little unusual in the “real” world but can be used to emphasise sibilant or trebly sounds. This characteristic was found in older “Tape” based echo units. Higher values of this parameter simulates the effect of worn out tape or heads in a tape echo. Normally a little HF Damping is applied to give the Echo a natural kind of sound.

Delay Ratio. The Ratio parameter automatically adjusts the “Ratio” of the Longest Delay time & the shorter Delay time into timings that are useful for Musical use. This parameter does not effect the Delay Time parameter but does alter the shorter Delay time so that it works well with the Delay Time setting.

Width is the Stereo spread between the long & shorter Delay times. At a width of 0, both delays appear in the middle of the stereo field. (Mono) At a width of 127, the long delay will appear on one output & the shorter delay on the other producing a dramatic stereo effect.

Pan.

This effect controls where the sound “sits” in the stereo field. In the Supernova II Rack this performs exactly the same function as Pan does on a Mixing console. It can be used to statically position a sound anywhere from Left to Right in the stereo field. This ( as everything else on Supernova II Rack ) can be controlled via MIDI controllers.

Pan Typedetermines if the Pan is set to Pan automatically. If set to “Autopan” the sound will swing from side to side of the stereo field at a rate determined by the Speed parameter. If set to “Tremolo” the sound goes up & down in volume at a rate determined by the Speed parameter.

Pan Speed determines the speed of the Autopan & Tremolo effects. Pan Depth determines how much the Autopan & Tremolo effects control the Volume of the sound, small amounts produces subtle

movements & full amount produces change from no sound to full volume. ATranslation of terms used throughout this manual.

ABOUT EFFECTS

NOVATIONISH - NOVATION JARGON

In this manual there are several terms used that may lead to confusion if not fully understood. Below is an explanation of all the Novationish used in this manual

Program

This is the simplest type of sound Supernova II Rack can create. These are accessed by pressing the Program button. Other Manufacturers sometimes call these Patches or Partials.

Drum Map

This is the special arrangement where many Programs are arranged across the master keyboard, ( one for each note ) & are all accessed simultaneously. The Drum Maps are accessed by pressing the Program button & the Bank buttons. Other Manufacturers sometimes call these Drumkits.

Performance

This is the most complex type of sound Supernova II Rack can create. It is made up of 8 different sounds called Parts. These Parts can be layered or set up as splits to form the Performance. Performances are accessed by pressing the Performance button. Other Manufacturers sometimes call these Multis, Multisetups or Combinations.

Part

This is one of the 8 sounds or Parts of a Performance. The sound assigned to a Part is called a Program. Other Manufacturers sometimes call these Timbres.

Voice

This is a measurement of polyphony. One voice is the equivalent of one note being played. One voice in the Supernova II Rack uses three Oscillators, two Ring Modulators & a Noise generator as sound sources. All these sound sources can be used simultaneously in one Voice.

Oscillator

This is the basic waveform generator in the Supernova II Rack. As described above there are three Oscillators per Voice.

Sync Effect

This is a parameter of one oscillator that simulates the “Sync Effect” generated by 2 Analogue oscillators in a “Oscillator Sync” configuration. For more details refer to page 6 - About Analogue Synthesis.

Hardness Effect

This is a parameter that controls the harmonic content of any waveform. Full Hardness Effect on a waveform produces a normal wave. Minimum Hardness produces an near sine wave. This is similar to having a separate LPF for each oscillator. For more details refer page 8 - About Analogue Synthesis.

Analogue Sound Modelling™

This is the Synthesis System the Supernova II Rack uses to create sound. Created by Novation, this new method of synthesis was first used in the Award winning Novation Drum Station.

When this symbol appears in the manual this indicates an important feature, or a destructive function such as Writing data to memory etc.

NOTE:

There are 3 types of “Sounds” you can select in the Supernova II Rack. These are Programs, Drum Maps & Performances. When the Program Button is selected a single Program is recalled from memory. A Program is the most basic type of sound in the

Supernova II Rack. This sound is made up of the 3 oscillators, the 2 ring modulators & the noise generator. These are Mixed together & are fed through the Filter, Amplifier & effects processors. The sound produced by a Program in Program Mode comes out of outputs 1 & 2. AProgram uses the “Global MIDI Channel” to receive MIDI Data. AProgram covers the entire range of notes on a master keyboard & has the standard velocity curve. On other synthesisers, a “Program” is sometimes referred to as a “Patch” or “Partial”. This is fairly standard amongst synthesisers except the Supernova II Rack differs in 2 areas.

Firstly, the Effects Section is memorised with the Program. Although this may seem standard in comparison to other equipment, the real difference happens when a Performance is selected. Because the Supernova II Rack can run 56 Effects at once, all 8 “Parts” of a Performance have their own Effects Section. This allows all the “Parts” of a Performance to sound exactly the same in Performance mode as they do in Program mode. This is unique to the Supernova II Rack & is literally like having the equivalent of 8 separate synthesisers with 8 sets of effects sections allowing a very high level of production to be achieved with just one box.

Secondly, the Arpeggiator Sections parameters are also memorised with a Program. Similarly because the Supernova II Rack can run 8 Arpeggiators at once, all 8 “Parts” of a Performance have their own Arpeggiation.

Below is a simplified block diagram of a “Program” in the Supernova II Rack.

In a Program, incoming MIDI messages get processed by the Arpeggiator (If it is “On” ) & control the Oscillators. The signals produced are mixed together in the Mixer section & the resulting signal is passed on to the Filter. The signal then is passed to the Amplifier which then sends the signal into the effects section. This signal path is refected on the front panel of the Supernova II Rack allowing easy understanding of the synthesis process. All the essential controls of this process are on the front panel & in Program mode, adjusting the controls will directly effect the sound produced. For a deeper understanding of the creation of sounds refer to the section “About Analogue Synthesis” on page 6 for details.

Arpeggiator Oscillators

and Ring

Modulators

Mixer Filter Amplifier

Dist EQ

Pan

Reverb

Chorus

Delay

LFO 2

Envelope 2

Envelope 1LFO 1

Envelope 3

MIDI

Program

Comb

Effect Section

( Shown in Normal

Configuration, D + R + C )

ABOUT PROGRAMS

ABOUT DRUM MAPS

ADrum Map is a special way of playing Programs. Normally a Program is transposed & is played over the entire range of the master keyboard. In a Drum Map each program is assigned to a single note on the master keyboard & every note from C1 ( bottom C on the master keyboard ) to B4 plays a different program. Basically a separate “Program” is assigned to each note in a Drum Map. This allows the master keyboard to access different Drum sounds on each key. This is particularly useful when using the Supernova II Rack with a sequencer as a Drum Map can be assigned to a single “Part” of a Performance allowing many different drums to be played on one MIDI channel. Each Drum Map contains 50 Programs. Below is a block diagram of a Supernova II Rack Drum Map.

The incoming note data is split up & fed to one of the 50 Programs in the Drum Map. These programs are 000 to 49. Drum Map Programs 000 to 048 are for storing sound data. The output of all these programs is mixed together & fed through one effects section. The effects sections parameters are stored in Drum Map Program 049, however adjusting the effects section of any Program within a particular Drum Map will alter the effects on Drum Map Program 049 & hence the whole Drum Map. When a Drum Map program is saved the sound data is stored in the desired location & any edits to the effects data is stored in Drum Map Program

049. Effects settings from other programs can be imported into a Drum Map by saving the Program that has the desired effects in Drum Map Program 49.

In the Supernova II Rack there are 8 Drum Maps.

Adjusting the effects of any Drum Map Program will affect all the sounds in the entire Drum Map.

Any Program written into Drum Map location 049 will not make a sound but will write the source Programs effects on the entire Drum Map.

It is possible to write a “normal” type of Program into a Drum Map & write a Drum Map Program into a “normal” Programs location using write procedure.

Drum Bank Program a000

Drum Bank Program a048

Dist EQ

Comb

Pan

Reverb

Chorus

MIDI

Drum Bank Program a049

Effects section

Effect Section

( Shown in Normal

Configuration, D + R + C )

Drum Bank

Delay

NOTE:

APerformance is a more complex arrangement where several Programs can be used at once. This allows the creation of much more complex sounds that are either layered together to create a “Fatter” sound or a Split of 2 or more sounds on the master keyboard. In fact a Performance consists of up to 8 “Parts”. Each one of the parts can have its own Program & as explained before this means each “Part” has its own Effects Section & Arpeggiator. This means it is possible to layer up to 8 Programs or create a 8 way split of different sounds across the master keyboard or any combination of the two. Below are some examples.

In the Performance Layer example there are 2 Pad Programs layered together over the entire range of the master keyboard. Playing any one note will play both the sounds on that note. In the Velocity Crossfadeexample playing the master keyboard softly will mean Pad 1 is heard, playing the master keyboard hard & Pad 2 will be heard, playing the master keyboard with medium feel will produce a mixture of Pad 1 & Pad 2.

In the Performance Split example, play the higher end of the master keyboard & Pad 1 will be heard. Play the low end & Pad 2 will be heard. Additionally to this, it can be seen that different Arpeggiators are assigned to the Lower & Upper parts of the master keyboard. Both of these can be played at the same time. The Performance Multiple example is much more complex, a Performance can have 8 “Parts”, in this case 7 have been used. The lower half of the master keyboard is a 3 way layer of Programs. There is a Pad, a Bass & an Arpeggiated 303 sound. These all sound at the same time when a note is pressed within their range. A little further up the master keyboard a Brass sound has been assigned & when the master keyboard is struck hard a Ring mod FX is added. Further up the master keyboard still there are 2 Arpeggiated sounds assigned. They are arranged in a Velocity crossfade so that playing the master keyboard in this range softly produces a Spike sound with an Arpeggiation & playing it heavily produces a Bell sound with a different Arpeggiation. To set the split points use the “Range” Parameter to specify over which “Range” of notes the selected “Part” will sound. To set the velocity crossfades use the “Velocity Curve” Parameter to specify how the selected “Part” will respond to velocity.

Performance mode is also the mode in which you can use Supernova II Rack “Multitimbrally”. This allows Supernova II Rack to play up to 8 different sounds simultaneously on 8 different MIDIChannels. Each “Part” of a Performance can have a separate MIDI channel setting. This is how you use the Supernova II Rack Multitimbrally.

Bell

Arpeggiator

Brass

Ring FX

Arpeggiator

Spike

Master Keyboard / Workstation

Keyboard Range

Velocity = 127

Velocity = 1

PERFORMANCE SPLIT EXAMPLE

Pad 1

Pad 2

Arpeggiator

Master Keyboard / Workstation

Keyboard Range

Velocity = 127

Velocity = 1

PERFORMANCE MULTIPLE EXAMPLE

303

Arpeggiator

Pad

Bass

Master Keyboard / Workstation

Keyboard Range

Velocity = 127

Velocity = 1

Pad

Pad 1

Pad 2

PERFORMANCE LAYER EXAMPLE

Master Keyboard / Workstation

Keyboard Range

Velocity = 127

Velocity = 1

PERFORMANCE VELOCITY CROSSFADE EXAMPLE

Pad 1

Pad 2

ABOUT PERFORMANCES

Above is an example of 8 different sounds assigned to 8 different MIDIChannels. Set the individual “Parts” to the required MIDI channels & make sure the “Part” Ranges are set to cover the full range of the master keyboard & Velocities are set to the normal setting otherwise unexpected results may occur. Also it can be seen that combinations of Multitimbral & Split/Layered Performances can be made, for example a performance could be set up so that parts 1 to 4 were assigned to MIDI Channels 1 to 4 & part 5 & 6 assigned to MIDI channel 5 with key ranges set for parts 5 & 6 so that a split is created & parts 7 & 8 assigned to MIDI channel 6 with full key ranges so that a layer is created.

When a Program change message is received on the Global MIDI channel it will change the selected Program or Performance. If a Program change is received on a Part MIDI Channel that is not the Global one it will change the assigned Program for that Part. When it does so the effects settings stored in the Program will be loaded into the Parts Effects section if the Effects used parameter in the Output menu is set to “Program” . If this parameter is set to “Performance” the Program will change but the effects setting for that part will not be altered. Additionally the Arpeggiator Parameters from the Program will be loaded into the Part’s Arpeggiator.

There is only oneArpeggiator Speed control in a Performance. Adjusting the speed of any Parts Arpeggiator will control all 8 Arpeggiators.

Below is a simplified block diagram of a “Performance” in the Supernova II Rack.

APerformance is literally a duplication of 8 Programs, including the Effects Sections & the Arpeggiators.

Arpeggiator Oscillators

and Ring

Modulators

Mixer Filter Amplifier

Dist EQ

Pan

Reverb

Chorus

Delay

LFO 2

Envelope 2

Envelope 1LFO 1

Envelope 3

MIDI

Tune

Velocity

Output

Range

Polyphony

Performance

Comb

Effect Section

( Shown in Normal

Configuration, D + R + C )

Part 8

M Ch8

Part 7

M Ch7

Part 6

M Ch6

Part 5

M Ch5

Part 4

M Ch4

Part 3

M Ch3

Part 2

M Ch2

Part 1

M Ch1

Velocity = 127

M Ch1

Velocity = 1

Master Keyboard / Workstation

Keyboard Range MULTI TIMBRAL PERFORMANCE EXAMPLE

NOTE:

The Multi Mode for Supernova II Rack is “Performance” mode. To make a multitimbral setup follow this procedure. Make sure the Supernova II Rack is in the Performance Mode by pressing the Performance Button. It will light. We suggest that you use Performance A126 “Multi Ch 1-8” of the Performances as a starting point as this is set up specifically for Multitimbral use & is a good starting template.

To assign a Bass sound to MIDI Channel 1 for example, press the “Part 1” button & the display will change to indicate the current sound assigned to that Part. ( In the Factory Programs this is Bank AProgram number A000 “Sintillator”) Now use the Bank & Prog buttons to select the desired sound. For example Bank AProg Number 002 “Softena Bass”. In Perf A126, Part 1 is assigned to MIDI channel 1, Part 2 is assigned to MIDI channel 2 etc. etc. ( If you wish to alter the MIDI channel setting press the “MIDI” button & set the MIDI Channel to whatever channel required ). You should now hear the Bass sound when MIDI channel 1 is played into the Supernova II Rack. If you wish to assign the Effects from the Program to the Part then press the “Output” button & set the parameter “Effects used” to Program.

To assign a String sound to MIDI Channel 2 for example, press the “Part 2” button & the display will change to indicate the current sound assigned to that Part. ( In the Factory Programs this is Bank AProgram number A000 “Sintillator”) Now use the Bank & Prog buttons to select the desired sound. For example Bank AProg Number 012 “Stringz”. In Perf A126, Part 1 is assigned to MIDI channel 1, Part 2 is assigned to MIDI channel 2 etc. etc. ( If you wish to alter the MIDI channel setting press the “MIDI” button & set the MIDI Channel to whatever channel required ) You should now hear the String sound when MIDI channel 2 is played into the Supernova II Rack. If you wish to assign the Effects from the Program to the Part then press the “Output” button & set the parameter “Effects used” to Program.

To assign a Drum sound to MIDI Channel 3 for example, press the “Part 3” button & the display will change to indicate the current sound assigned to that Part. ( In the Factory Programs this is Bank AProgram number A000 “Sintillator”) Now use the Bank & Prog buttons to select the desired sound. For example Bank AProg Number 006 “Garage Kick M-Wh”. In Perf A126, Part 1 is assigned to MIDI channel 1, Part 2 is assigned to MIDI channel 2, Part 3 is assigned to MIDI channel 3 etc. etc. ( If you wish to alter the MIDI channel setting press the “MIDI” button & set the MIDI Channel to whatever channel required ) You should now hear the Drum sound when MIDI channel 3 is played into the Supernova II Rack. If you wish to assign the Effects from the Program to the Part then press the “Output” button & set the parameter “Effects used” to Program.

The other Parts are assigned in a similar way & 8 Parts can be used at once. If 2 or more Parts are assigned to the same MIDI Channel all these Parts will sound at once when that MIDI channel is received by Supernova II Rack.

Some parameters of a Program in a “Part” of a Performance are over-rideable without having to alter the original Programs settings. These include the “Level” of the Program, the Arpeggiator “Speed” the “ArpeggiatorOn/Off”and all the Effects parameters if the Effects used parameter in the Parts Output menu is set to “Part”. This allows the creation of completely different effects settings on a individual Part without effecting the source programs settings. The Part can be optimised so that when Program changes are received on that Part the Supernova II Rack will keep the settings you have made in the Performance & ignore the settings of the newly selected Program. This is done by setting the Effects used parameter in the “Output Menu” to “Part”. Alternatively, the whole of the effects can change when a Program change message is received by a Part by setting this parameter to “Program”. Pressing the “Copy”button in the effects section activates a Copy mode where the Parts Program effects are copied into the Part effects buffer.

Only one Performance is available at any time. It is not possible to create a Multi type setup with multiple Performances.

When a Program change message is received on the Global MIDI channel it will change the selected Program or Performance. If a Program change is received on a Part MIDI Channel that is not the Global one it will change the assigned Program for that Part. When it does so the effects settings stored in the Program will be loaded into the Parts Effects section if the Effects used parameter in the Output menu is set to “Program” . If this parameter is set to “Performance” the Program will change but the effects setting for that Part will not be altered. Additionally the Arpeggiator Parameters from the Program will be loaded into the Part’s Arpeggiator.

There is only one Arpeggiator Speed control in a Performance. Adjusting the speed of any Part’s Arpeggiator will control all 8 Arpeggiators. If you create your own from existing Performances other than the Factory Init Performances, parameters may have been set in individual Parts so that in a multi setup strange things may happen. Here’s the check list: Velocity behaves strangely on one Part - The Velocity Curve parameter in the Velocity menu is not set to “Normal”. The Part is Monophonic & should be Poly - The Polyphony parameter in the Polyphony menu is set to “Mono”. The Part is polyphonic & should be Mono - The Polyphony parameter in the Polyphony menu is set to “Poly”.

MULTITIMBRAL USE

NOTE:

MULTITIMBRAL USE

The Part is Muted / No response at all - If the Part light flashes steadily, even with no MIDI input, the Part is Muted. The Part is Muted / No response at all - Does the Part light flash when MIDI is sent?

- Yes - The Assigned outputs may be different to the ones connected, check the setting of the Outputs menu for the offending Part.

- No - The MIDI Channel for the Part is set to the incorrect channel in the MIDImenu.

- No - Polyphony parameter in the Polyphony menu is set to “Off”.

The Part is in a different key to the others - The Part Semitone parameter in the Tune menu is not set to “0” The Part is in a out of tune with the others - The Part Detune parameter in the Tune menu is not set to “0” The sustain pedal behaves in reverse on the assigned Part - The Polarity of the pedal is set incorrectly, set the Sustain parameter in MIDI menu to “Enable” or “Enable (I)” so that the desired effect is produced. The Sustain pedal does not work on the assigned Part - The Sustain parameter in the MIDImenu is not set to “Enable” or “ Enable (i)”.

There are a lot of sounds in Supernova II Rack & they are arranged into “Banks”. There are 4 Banks of 128 Performances, ( 512 Performances in total ) 8 Banks of 128 Programs, ( 1024 Programs in total ) & 8 Drum Maps each with 50 Programs. Pressing the Program button will activate the Program Mode & the display will show:

Program mode has been selected because the Program button is lit & the bottom line of the display is indicating “Prog” followed by the Bank & number of the sound. The top line is displaying the name of the sound.

Pressing the Bank up button & the display changes to:

Bank B has now been selected. The higher Data knob can also be used to select the required bank. A further entry is required to determine the location of the sound within this Bank if different from the current selection. Use the Program buttons or the lower Data knob to select Program 123 & the display shows:

And the sound has changed. Pressing the Bank down button once will bring Supernova II Rack back to the ABank. Selecting Performances is done in exactly the same way. When sounds are selected from the front panel, the appropriate MIDI Bank & Program change messages are sent on the last entry

of the keypad & can be recorded on Computer Software / Sequencer. Selecting sounds via MIDI is very simple, just send the appropriate MIDI Bank number & Program change commands to Supernova II Rack from the Computer Software / Sequencer. To change Programs & Performances, these messages should be sent on the Global MIDI Channel. If however you have a Multitimbral Performance, individual parts can be changed with suitable Bank number & Program change messages on the individual MIDI Channels assigned to the “Parts” of the Performance.

There is a Chart on page 125 outlining all the different Bank numbers for selecting the different modes via MIDI.

TinCanWire M-Wh

Prog B123

Filtered H2O

Prog BOOO

Sintillator M-Wh

Prog AOOO

SELECTING PROGRAMS & PERFORMANCES

SELECTING DRUM MAPS AND DRUM MAP PROGRAMS

Pressing the Program button will activate the Program Mode & the display will show:

Pressing the Bank up button 8 times & the display changes to:

Drum Map a000 has now been selected. Afurther 2 digit entry is required to determine the location of the sound within this Drum Map if different from the current selection. Press the higher 0 button followed by the lower 2 button on the keypad & the display shows:

And the sound has changed showing Program a002. Alternatively as all the 50 programs in Drum Map a are simultaneously available on the master keyboard, the selection can be made from the master keyboard. Play the master keyboard until the sound desired is found, now play the note while holding down the Page down button. If D1 is played the display should look the same as above.

When sounds are selected from the front panel, the appropriate MIDI Bank & Program change messages are sent on the last entry of the keypad & can be recorded on Computer Software / Sequencer. Selecting sounds via MIDI is very simple, just send the appropriate MIDI Bank number & Program change commands to Supernova II Rack from the Computer Software / Sequencer. To change Programs & Performances, these messages should be sent on the Global MIDI Channel. If however you have a Multitimbral Performance, individual parts can be changed with suitable Bank number & Program change messages on the individual MIDI Channels assigned to the “Parts” of the Performance.

There is a Chart on page 125 outlining all the different Bank numbers for selecting the different modes via MIDI.

Harder Kick

Drum aOO2

Garage Kick

Drum aOOO

Sintillator M-Wh

Prog AOOO

+ 118 hidden pages

Novation Supernova II Rack User Manual

Specifications and Main Features

Frequently Asked Questions

User Manual