Steinberg Padshop 2 Operation Manual
Operation Manual
Matthias Klag, Michael Ruf
Cristina Bachmann, Heiko Bischoff, Lillie Harris, Christina Kaboth, Insa Mingers, Matthias Obrecht, Sabine Pfeifer,
Benjamin Schütte, Marita Sladek
This PDF provides improved access for vision-impaired users. Please note that due to the complexity and number
of images in this document, it is not possible to include text descriptions of images.
The information in this document is subject to change without notice and does not represent a commitment on
the part of Steinberg Media Technologies GmbH. The software described by this document is subject to a License
Agreement and may not be copied to other media except as specically allowed in the License Agreement. No
part of this publication may be copied, reproduced, or otherwise transmitted or recorded, for any purpose,
without prior written permission by Steinberg Media Technologies GmbH. Registered licensees of the product
described herein may print one copy of this document for their personal use.
All product and company names are ™ or ® trademarks of their respective owners. For more information, please
visit www.steinberg.net/trademarks.
© Steinberg Media Technologies GmbH, 2019.
All rights reserved.
Padshop_2.0.0_en-US_2019-11-13
Table of Contents
4 New Features
5 Padshop
6 Getting Started
9 Common Editing Methods
10 Plug-in Functions Section
13 Keyboard
14 Layer Section
14 Synth Page
37 Arp Page
45 FX Page
49 Quick Controls
49 MIDI Controller Assignments
51 Index
3
New Features
New Features in Version 2.0.0
Highlights
Spectral Oscillator
● The spectral oscillator with its high-end time stretching and pitch scaling allows you to play
a sample freely at any speed, direction, or pitch. See Spectral Oscillator.
Additional Filter Shapes
● Padshop has new lter shapes for the HP, LP, and BP lters. See Filter Section.
Arp Page
● Use the integrated arpeggiator and phrase player. See Arp Page.
More New Features
New for Cubase Padshop users
● You can import your own samples into Padshop to use them in the grain or the spectral
oscillator.
● A global reverb effect to enrich your sound with fullness and atmosphere. See Global
Reverb Section.
Assigning Modulations via Drag and Drop
● The modulation sources and destinations on the Synth page can be connected using drag
and drop. See Connecting Modulation Source and Destination Using Drag and Drop.
Polyphonic LFOs
● In addition to the two monophonic LFOs, Padshop 2 has two additional polyphonic LFOs.
See LFO Section.
Env 3 Section
● The Env 3 section provides an additional envelope that can be routed freely in the
modulation matrix. See Envelope 3 Section.
Effects
● The effects parameters are now available on a separate page. See FX Page.
● The Ensemble and Phaser modulation effects are available in addition to the Chorus and
Flanger effects. See Modulation Effects Section.
● The global reverb effect now contains Chorusing parameters. See Global Reverb Section.
4
Padshop
Padshop 2 is a sophisticated granular and spectral synthesizer. This instrument allows you to
create complex sounds that can drastically evolve over time.
It features two completely independent layers that each use a set of samples as grain or spectral
oscillator sources. On each layer, you can work with factory samples or import your own. This
way, you can create interesting and very unique sounds, such as combining slowly moving pads
with rhythmic parts. Thanks to the new arpeggiator, you can also produce new, advanced
patterns.
The Filter section provides 24 different lter shapes, including low-pass, high-pass, band-pass,
and band-reject lters. The integrated lter distortion can produce analog tube distortions or
hard-clipping effects, or reduce the bit depth or sample frequency. Three envelopes (Filter, Amp,
and Env 3), four LFOs (two monophonic and two polyphonic LFOs), and the step modulator in
Padshop can be used to modulate a large number of modulation destinations, now even via drag
and drop.
The included modulation matrix features 16 freely assignable modulation rows. This allows you
to create Note Expression modulation assignments that can be directly addressed from within
Cubase, for example. To give the sounds the nal polish, Padshop provides a three-stage effects
section including EQ, chorus, anger, ensemble, phaser, different delay effects that can be
dened for each layer, and a global reverb effect.
5
Padshop
Getting Started
Grain Oscillator
The grain oscillator uses granular synthesis. In granular synthesis, only short portions of a
sample are played back. These so-called grains can be played back in any order. Each time a
grain ends, a new one starts. To avoid discontinuities in the playback and to minimize artifacts,
envelopes are applied to the grains. Very short grains produce sounds with an individual pitch.
This means that you can also extract pitched sounds from samples without a distinct pitch, such
as drum loops or sound effects. Sounds with longer grains usually play back with the pitch of the
original sample.
Spectral Oscillator
The spectral oscillator analyzes the spectrum of the loaded sample, that is, the progression of the
frequencies, amplitudes, and phases from the sample start to the end of the sample. The
analyzed spectrum is used to generate a waveform for playback. When the play marker moves
through the sample, dynamic progressions of waveforms are produced. You can also slow down
the playback speed up to the point where only a static waveform is played back. Furthermore,
Padshop allows you to modulate the playback position in the sample, which allows you to control
the movement through the sample using LFOs, the step modulator, or the arpeggiator controller
lanes, for example. The Purity, Inharmonicity, and Formant Shift parameters allow for
extensive sound manipulations.
Getting Started
The tutorials help you to get familiar with the functions and possibilities in Padshop. You can
experiment with the different presets and try out the available samples.
Creating Sounds Using Long Grains
Sounds with longer grains usually play back with the pitch of the original sample.
PROCEDURE
1. In the Oscillator section, select the “Crystal Pad” sample from the “Padshop/01 Synths”
folder.
2. Set Duration to 200.0.
3. Play a note.
A single grain is repeated continuously.
4. Set Number of Grains to 3.
This way, you get three grain streams.
5. Again, play a note.
The grain density has increased, but the sound is rather repetitive.
6. Set Position to 50 %.
7. Play a note and increase the Position Random value until the sound is no longer
repetitive.
Now, each grain plays a random portion of the sample, and the sound is much richer.
8. Experiment with the other parameters and see what they do, for example, try out Pitch
Interval, Speed, Duration, and Duration Key Follow.
9. Select another sample from the “Padshop/01 Synths” folder, and see how it sounds with
your settings.
10. Adjust the lter, envelope, and effect settings to your liking, and save your sound as a
preset.
6
Padshop
Getting Started
TIP
The “Swarm Intelligence” preset from the factory library is a good example for a pad sound
created using long grains.
Creating Sounds Using Short Grains
Very short grains produce sounds with an individual pitch. For that reason, you can also use
samples without a distinct pitch, such as drum loops and sound effects, to extract pitched sounds
from them.
PROCEDURE
1. Select the “Pure Sine” sample from the “Padshop/02 Waveforms” folder.
This loads a perfect sine wave.
2. Play a note.
You hear a single stream of grains.
3. Set Duration to 1.
The grain duration determines the pitch of the sound. With a Duration setting of 1 and
Duration Key Follow at +100 %, the sound plays back at the pitch that you play on the
keyboard. If you set Duration to 2, the pitch drops by one octave, because the grain
duration is twice as long. The longer the grain duration, the more the pitch of the sound is
determined by the pitch of the original sample.
4. Adjust the Shape parameter while you play, to hear the amplitude modulation.
The shape of the grains determines the amplitude of the portion of the sample that is
played back within the grain. This is similar to amplitude modulation, where one signal
(the modulator) determines the amplitude of another signal (the carrier). In this case, the
sample is the carrier and the grain is the modulator. Amplitude modulation adds
sidebands to each sinusoidal component of the carrier signal. Therefore, the more
complex the sample is, the more sidebands you hear.
5. Play a note and increase the Formant parameter.
A formant is a group of frequencies in the spectrum that is emphasized. When you
increase the parameter, you hear that a formant in the spectrum moves up. The pitch of
the sound does not change, because the grain duration is not modied. If you take a look
at the waveform display, you see that the higher the Formant setting, the longer the
portion of the sample that is played back within the grain.
6. Play a note, and decrease the Length parameter.
The Length parameter has an effect similar to the Formant parameter. By decreasing the
length, the grain is shortened, but the period at which the grains repeat stays the same.
Therefore, only the spectrum of the sound changes, but not its pitch.
7. Open the modulation matrix, select Grain Formant or Grain Length as modulation
destinations, and set the modulation source to Filter Envelope or LFO 1/2, for example.
This adds more liveliness to the sound.
8. Adjust the modulation depth, and listen to the result.
9. Try out your settings with a more complex sample.
10. Click the waveform to change the position of the grain playback. The spectrum changes
accordingly.
11. Adjust the lter, envelope, and effect settings to your liking, and save your sound as a
preset.
7
Padshop
Getting Started
TIP
The “Formantor” preset from the factory library is a good example for a pad sound created
using short grains.
Using LFO 3 for Time-Stretching
In this tutorial, you use LFO 3 to sync a loop to the tempo of your song. You can use the spectral
or grain oscillator for this.
PROCEDURE
1. Load the “Init” preset.
2. On the Synth page, select the oscillator that you want to use: grain or spectral.
3. Load the “Andank” sample from the “Padshop Factory/05 Musical Fx” folder.
You can also use other samples from this folder.
4. Set Position to +50 % and Speed to 0 %.
5. If you use the grain oscillator, set Number to 2, Duration to 10, and Duration Key Follow
to 0 %.
6. Go to LFO 3 and drag its modulation icon to the Position parameter.
● For the grain oscillator, this assigns LFO 3 to Grain Position in the modulation
matrix.
● For the spectral oscillator, this assigns LFO 3 to Spectral Position in the modulation
matrix.
7. On LFO 3, select Saw as Waveform and set Shape to 100 %.
8. Set Retrigger to On, Sync Mode to Tempo, and Rate to 4/4.
9. Optional: Try out other samples from the Padshop Factory/05 Musical Fx folder.
RESULT
If you now play a note and change the tempo of the host, the loop will follow.
TIP
The “Init Time Stretch” preset uses the settings described above for the grain and spectral
oscillators. Use this preset to switch freely between grain and spectral oscillator and listen how it
sounds.
The “Trigger Point” preset is a nished sound using the spectral oscillator. You can also switch it
to the grain oscillator.
Creating Sounds with the Spectral Oscillator
The spectral oscillator with its Purity, Inharmonicity, and Formant parameters allows you to
create characterful piano sounds.
PROCEDURE
1. Load the Init preset.
2. On the Synth page, select the spectral oscillator.
3. Load the “Grand Piano” sample from the “Padshop Factory/03 Instruments” folder.
4. Set Loop to Off.
5. Adjust the Purity and Inharmonicity parameters.
8
Padshop
Common Editing Methods
Purity affects the brightness of the sound, and Inharmonicity changes the timbre from
clean to dissonant.
6. Set Purity to +50 % and Inharmonicity to 0 %.
7. In the modulation matrix, assign Velocity to Spectral Purity and set the modulation
Depth to -25 %.
8. Assign Velocity to Spectral Inharmonicity and set the modulation Depth to +25 %.
The higher the velocity of the note, the brighter and more inharmonic the sound. Now, the
sound is too dull when playing low notes and too bright when playing high notes.
9. Set Formant Key Follow to 0 % to correct this with the formant lter.
10. To make the sound more playable, set Amplier Velocity to +50 %.
11. Optional: Add lters, amplier envelope, effects, or an arpeggio.
12. Optional: Experiment with other samples and the settings you made for this sound.
TIP
The “Illusions of Piano” preset is a good example of a preset that was produced this way.
Common Editing Methods
Some editing methods are the same throughout all pages and sections of Padshop.
Dials and Sliders
Dials and sliders can be unidirectional or bidirectional. Unidirectional values, for example, level
values, start at a minimum value and go up to the maximum. Bidirectional controls start from the
middle position and go to the left for negative and to the right for positive values.
Most of the editing methods are the same for dials and sliders.
● To adjust a value, click a dial or a slider and drag up and down, or use the mouse wheel.
If you press Alt when clicking a dial, a small slider appears, allowing you to set the
parameter.
● To make ne adjustments, press Shift and move the dial or use the mouse wheel.
● To restore the default value for a parameter, press Ctrl/Cmd and click on the control.
Buttons
Padshop contains two different types of buttons: On/Off buttons and push buttons.
On/Off Buttons
These buttons have two states: on and off. If you move the mouse over an On/Off button, it
changes its appearance to show that you can click it.
Push Buttons
Push buttons trigger an action and then go back to their inactive state. These buttons open
menus or le dialogs.
9
Padshop
Plug-in Functions Section
Value Fields
You can enter or edit values in the available value elds using your keyboard or mouse. To enter
key ranges or the root key, for example, you can use an external MIDI keyboard.
To set a value, you have the following possibilities:
● Double-click in a value eld, enter a new value, and press Enter.
If the entered value exceeds the parameter range, it is automatically set to the maximum
or the minimum value, respectively.
● Click in the value eld and drag up or down.
● Position the mouse over a value eld and use the mouse wheel.
● Click the up/down triangles next to the eld.
● To set the parameter to its default value, Ctrl/Cmd-click the value eld.
● To use a fader to adjust the value, Alt-click a value eld.
● To enter musical values, such as key ranges or the root key, with your MIDI keyboard,
double-click the value eld, press a key on your MIDI keyboard, and press Return.
● To navigate to the next parameter, press Tab. To jump backwards to the previous
parameter, press Shift-Tab.
If no parameter is selected inside the focused view, pressing Tab always jumps to the rst
parameter.
Presets
Throughout Padshop, you can nd controls for section and module presets. These presets store
and recall the setup of specic components, such as the effects on the FX page, for example.
●
To save a preset, click Save .
NOTE
You cannot overwrite factory presets. If you want to save changes made to a factory
preset, save the preset under a new name or in a new location.
● To load a preset, click the arrow icon and select a preset from the list.
● To delete a preset, click Delete .
NOTE
Factory presets cannot be deleted.
Plug-in Functions Section
The plug-in functions section allows you to switch between the different pages and layers, apply
global settings and functions, and get further information about the plug-in.
Plug-in Logo
To get information regarding the version and build number of the plug-in, click the
plug-in logo. This opens the About box. To close the About box, click it or press Esc
on your computer keyboard.
Program Loader
● To load a program, click the program loader and select a program.
10
Padshop
Plug-in Functions Section
● To load the previous or next program, use the left and right arrow buttons.
● To save the current program, click Save.
Import/Export Presets
● Import Presets allows you to import a preset.
● Export Preset allows to export a preset with its samples to the specied
● Batch Export Presets allows you to export multiple presets with their samples
● If Allow Any Preset Location is activated, you can save and load presets from
destination folder. The referenced samples are copied into a subfolder of the
destination folder, maintaining any existing folder structure.
from a source folder to a destination folder. This makes it easier to exchange
presets between systems, for example. All presets are copied from the source
to the destination folder. The referenced samples are copied into a subfolder
of the destination folder, maintaining any existing folder structure.
specied folders using standard le dialogs instead of Padshop’s preset
browser.
This allows you to manage presets and samples in a common parent folder,
which can be necessary if you collaborate on presets with others, on different
systems.
Layer Buttons
Allow you to switch between layer A and layer B and to activate the layers.
● To select a layer, click its Show Layer button.
● To activate a layer, click Layer On/Off in the top right of the Show Layer
button.
Page Buttons
Allow you to switch between the Synth, Arp, and FX pages for the selected layer.
Functions
Click the Functions button next to the page buttons to open the Functions pop-up
menu.
● Copy Layer allows you to copy your current layer settings.
The arpeggiator and effect settings of the layer are also included, except for
the global reverb effect which is not part of a layer.
● Paste to Layer allows you to paste the copied settings to the other layer.
NOTE
You can also copy layers between programs or even between different plug-in
instances.
● Init Layer
Resets the current layer to its default settings.
Switch Off All Arpeggiators
If this button is activated, both arpeggiators are bypassed.
11
Padshop
Plug-in Functions Section
Lock Arpeggiators
If this button is activated, both arpeggiators are locked so that loading another
program will not affect the arpeggiator settings. This way, you can try out different
sounds with specic arpeggios.
Options
Click the Options button to open the Options pop-up menu.
● Show Tooltips
● Show Value Tooltips
● If Polyphonic Key Mode is activated, multiple note-on messages for the same
● If High DPI Mode is activated, the plug-in uses high-resolution bitmaps when
Activates and deactivates the tooltips.
Activates additional value tooltips for controls that do not have a value eld.
The value tooltips are shown when you use the control.
note can be active at the same time. This allows you to trigger the same note
several times, with different parameter values, and end each note event
separately.
it is displayed with a scaling of 150 % and higher on a high-resolution monitor,
such as 4K (UHD), 5K, etc. This allows for sharper images on high-resolution
displays.
● Reset MIDI Controller to Factory Default
● Save MIDI Controller as Default
Steinberg Logo
Click the Steinberg logo to open a pop-up menu with links to Steinberg web pages
containing information on software updates, troubleshooting, etc.
Importing Presets
To import a preset, drag it from the File Explorer/macOS Finder to the waveform display or click
Import/Export Presets in the plug-in functions section and select Import Preset from the popup menu.
NOTE
Windows systems currently only support scaling factors that are multiples of
100. For example, if you use a scaling factor of 150 %, in Padshop, the scaling
factor used is 200 %.
High DPI Mode may not be compatible with some combinations of software
and hardware. If you experience display issues with your setup, you can
deactivate High DPI Mode.
If High DPI Mode is deactivated, the native monitor resolution is used.
Restores the factory MIDI controller assignments.
Saves the current MIDI controller assignments as default. If you add a new
instance of the plug-in, the new default settings are used.
12
Padshop
Keyboard
Exporting Presets
By exporting presets together with their used samples, you can transfer presets between
different computers more easily.
PROCEDURE
1. Click Import/Export Presets in the plug-in functions section and select Export Preset
from the pop-up menu.
2. In the dialog, specify where you want to save the preset and click Save.
RESULT
In this location, a “Samples” folder is created in which the samples that are used in the preset are
saved.
NOTE
Keyboard
● If you export multiple presets to the same location, they share the “Samples” folder.
● If a sample with the same name as an exported sample is already present in the “Samples”
folder, a number is added to the le name on export and the sample references are
updated automatically.
The section in the lower left of the window contains the keyboard and the wheel controls.
Wheel Controls
To the left of the internal keyboard, the pitchbend wheel and the modulation wheel are located.
Previewing Notes Using the Keyboard
● To preview a note, click the corresponding key on the keyboard.
The vertical position where you click a key denes the velocity that is used to trigger the
note. Click the lower part of a key to use the highest velocity, and the upper part to use the
lowest velocity.
● To play a key and all following keys at the same velocity, for as long as you keep the mouse
button pressed, hold down Ctrl/Cmd and click the key on the keyboard.
● To play each note 10 times at increasing velocities between 1 and 127, hold down Ctrl/
Cmd-Alt and click a key.
13
Padshop
Layer Section
Layer Section
The Layer section in the lower right of the window allows you to mix the two layers.
● Use the Layer A/B Mix fader to adjust the relative levels of the layers in the nal mix.
Synth Page
On the Synth page, you can nd the parameters for the oscillators, the envelopes, the LFOs, the
modulation matrix, and the step modulator.
●
To show the Synth page for a layer, activate its Show Synth Page button.
The form and the color of the symbol on the page button indicate which oscillator type is used
for the layer.
Voice Section
The Voice section contains the voice settings. For example, it allows you to choose between
monophonic and polyphonic playback or to specify how notes are triggered.
Mono
Retrigger
Polyphony
Glide
Activates monophonic playback.
This option is only available in Mono mode. If Retrigger is activated, a note that was
stolen by another note is retriggered if you still hold the stolen note when you
release the new one.
This way, you can play trills by holding one note and quickly and repeatedly pressing
and releasing another note, for example.
If Mono mode is deactivated, you can use this parameter to specify how many notes
can be played simultaneously.
Allows you to bend the pitch between notes that follow each other. You achieve the
best results in Mono mode.
Fingered
Activate this parameter to glide the pitch only between notes that are played legato.
Glide Time
Sets the glide time, that is, the time it takes to bend the pitch from one note to the
next.
14
Padshop
Synth Page
Pitchbend Up/Pitchbend Down
Determines the range for the modulation that is applied when you move the
pitchbend wheel.
Key Range
Allows you to specify the key range for each layer. This allows you to create split
sounds, where specic keyboard regions only play a specic layer.
You can also set one layer to the full range while the other adds a tonal component
within a dened key range.
Voice Mode
Determines which notes are stolen during playback and whether new notes are
triggered when the Polyphony setting is exceeded.
● Last – New notes have playback priority over the notes that were played
before them.
If you exceed the maximum number of notes, the notes that were played rst
are stolen in chronological order (First in/First out) and the new notes are
triggered.
● First – Older notes have playback priority over newer notes.
If you exceed the maximum number of notes while older notes are still being
held, no notes are stolen. New notes are only triggered if a free voice is
available.
● Low – Low notes have playback priority over higher notes.
If you exceed the maximum number of notes by playing a lower note than the
ones that are held, the highest note is stolen and the new note is triggered.
If you exceed the maximum number of notes by playing a higher note than
the ones that are held, no note is stolen and no new note is triggered.
● High – High notes have playback priority over lower notes.
If you exceed the maximum number of notes by playing a higher note than
the ones that are held, the lowest note is stolen and the new note is triggered.
If you exceed the maximum number of notes by playing a lower note than the
ones that are held, no note is stolen and no new note is triggered.
Trigger Mode
Main Section
The Main section allows you to set up the global tuning and volume for Padshop.
Tune
Volume
Denes the trigger behavior for new notes.
● Normal triggers a new note when the previous note gets stolen.
● Resume retriggers the envelope, but resumes at the level of the stolen note.
The pitch is set to the new note.
● If Legato is selected, the envelope keeps running and the pitch is set to the
new note.
Adjusts the main tuning of the plug-in.
Adjusts the main volume of the plug-in.
15
Padshop
Synth Page
Oscillator Section
In this section, you can select the oscillator type that you want to use and make settings for the
oscillator.
You can choose between a grain oscillator and a spectral oscillator to create the sounds.
● To switch between the two oscillator types, click Switch Oscillator Type.
Loading Samples
You can load samples from your hard disk to use them in Padshop.
Loading a sample makes it available for use in the oscillator.
If you want to be able to select this sample from the sample selector in Padshop, you must
import it rst.
●
To load a sample, click Sample Functions in the top right of the display and select Load
Sample from the pop-up menu.
You can also load samples using drag and drop:
● Drag a sample from the MediaBay of your Steinberg DAW to the waveform display.
NOTE
You can only load samples from VST Sound containers that are shown in the MediaBay of
your Steinberg DAW. Samples from the HALion or HALion Sonic MediaBay cannot be
loaded.
● Drag one or more selected audio events from a project of your Steinberg DAW to the
waveform display.
● Drag a slice from the Sample Editor of your Steinberg DAW to the waveform display.
● Drag a sample from the File Explorer/macOS Finder to the waveform display.
NOTE
If Import Sample When Dropping is activated on the Sample Functions pop-up menu, samples
are imported rather than loaded.
RELATED LINKS
Importing Samples on page 16
Importing Samples
If you import a sample into Padshop, it is loaded in the oscillator and becomes available on the
sample selectors.
You can import samples using one of the following methods:
● Click Sample Functions in the top right of the display and select Import Sample from the
pop-up menu.
You can also import samples using drag and drop.
16
Loading...