Dark Time Owners Manual DOEPFER MUSIKELEKTRONIK GmbH
DOEPFER Dark Time Owners Manual Content: Safety Instructions……………………………………4 1. Introduction 3.2. Synchronization and remote control………………………...16 3.2.1. MIDI-Interface.………………16 3.2.2. MIDI-Clock…………………...17 3.2.3. Analog-Interface…………….18 3.2.4. Dark Time as simple MIDI-Clock to Sync Interface……………………...20 3.3. Firmware-Update……………21 1.1. Preface………………………………….5 1.2. Preparations……………………………6 1.2.1. Setup………………………….6 1.2.2. Connections………………….6 2. Function Overview…………………………….8 3.
Safety Instructions Please follow the instructions for use of the instrument carefully because this will guarantee proper operation of the instrument. Due to the fact that these instructions touch on Product Liability, it is absolutely imperative that they be read carefully. Any claim for defect will be rejected if one or more of the items has not been observed. Disregard of the instructions can void the two years covered by warranty.
DOEPFER Dark time Introduction 1. Introduction 1.1. Preface Doepfer thanks you! First of all we would like to thank you for having purchased Doepfer Dark Time! We really appreciate your choice and promise you an extraordinary support throughout, including useful information, easy service, and innovative product development. May your Dark Time be an important source of creative power for ages to come. What time is it? Dark Time is a sequencer in the tradition of an analog step sequencer.
DOEPFER Dark time Introduction 1.2. Getting started When lifting DarkTime out of its box for the first time, please make sure that everything is in its right place. You will find the following component parts in the box: • • • • wall-wart (12V AC / 400mA) USB cable (A-B type) two A-100 patch cables this owners´ manual You will also need: A suitable sound generation device with MIDI- and/or CV/gate connectors (e.g. Doepfer Dark Energy synthesizer).
Introduction Dark time DOEPFER If so desired, please also connect Dark Time’s MIDI-in socket with the MIDI-out socket of e.g. a suitably equipped computer or drum machine in order to synchronize both machines via MIDI clock. Please refer to chapter 3.1.4. ”Tempo and Timing” on page 13, and chapter 3.2. ”Synchronization and remote control of Dark Time” on page 16. • CV/Gate: You only need to connect at least Gate 1 out and CV1 out jacks to run Dark Time with a CV/Gatebased synthesizer.
DOEPFER Dark time Overview 2. Function overview Dark Time’s layout is in line with classic analog sequencers. It gives you direct access to all sequencer stages and their crucial parameters. Almost all functions to control the sequence with (like direction, transpose etc.) are also directly accessible to the user. So Dark Time can be very easily tweaked and interacted with ”live” and on-the-fly. Forget about confusing menus and tiny displays.
Overview Dark time DOEPFER Analog Interface – St/St Out: – St/St In: Provides +5V Trigger when sequence is stopped Starts/stopps sequence when +5V trigger is received Power Supply (12V AC, 500 mA) – Reset Out: – Reset In: Provides +5V Trigger when sequence is resetted Resets sequence when +5V trigger is received – Clk Out: – Clk In: Provides internal clock-signal Receives external analogue clock-signal – Gate 1 Out: – Gate 2 Out: Provides gate-signals of steps 1 – 8 (+5V) Provides gate-signals of
Dark time DOEPFER Functions 3. Functions In this section we will explore all functions of Dark Time in detail. We will also have a closer look at the way the functions interact, and finally we will briefly deal with the MIDI and analog interfacing section. 3.1. The Controls 3.1.1. Step Input Panel The step input panel is used to program a sequence into Dark Time. That means notes, their respective pitches and rests as well as points where the sequence circle starts and ends can be determined here.
Functions Dark time DOEPFER ”Jump” position other than the previously selected ones, these steps will become the new start and end points. If you set steps to ”Jump” within the previously selected range, they will not affect the sequence in any way. Confusing, eh? Not really, go ahead, and with a little practice you will see how useful this little feature is: 3 4 5 6 7 8 DOEPFER Cont Cont. 4 6 4 2 Stop 6 7 3 8 2 9 1 0 10 Skip Stop On Cont.
DOEPFER Dark time Functions 3.1.3. Sequence Control The sequence control functions allow control over the previously programmed sequence. They determine or alter pitch and / or the playback order of the step registers. • Transpose With these switches you can transpose both registers of the sequence up or down by one octave. The switch on the left addresses steps 1 – 8, the switch on the right addresses steps 9 – 16.
DOEPFER Functions Dark time 3.1.4. Tempo / Timing The following controls give access to tempo and timing of the sequence. You will find a shuffle function and the option to program individual gate time settings for the upper register. • Sync switch The sync switch determines the clock source for Dark Time’s tempo control. Set to ”Internal”, Dark Time will internally generate a clock signal of its own.
Clock-divider note-value Functions Dark time DOEPFER Number of lighted Step-LEDs • 1/2 2 1/4. 3 1/4 4 1/8. 5 1/8 6 1/16. 7 1/4T 8 1/16 9 1/8T 10 1/32 11 1/16T 12 1/64 13 1/128 14 Pulswidth-control / Function-key Pulswidth: This control determines the duration of gate signals, generated by all active steps resp. their note values. Turned fully counter-clockwise, the single steps will appear as short pulses.
Functions Dark time DOEPFER 3.1.5. Individual gate length for steps 1 to 8: As you already know, the Pulsewidth control sets the gate time. This setting affects all steps by the same factor. Now you will learn how to program individual gate time settings for each of the steps 1 to 8 (upper register). This function is enabled by the ”Custom” setting of the Link switch. • Set the Link switch to ”Custom” position.
Functions Dark time DOEPFER 3.2. Synchronization and remote control of Dark Time Dark Time offers a bunch of useful interfacing options to communicate with external gear. You are not only restricted to playing MIDI and/or CV/gate-based synthesizers connected to Dark Time, you may also synchronize it to other external instruments and even remote-control some of its functions. This will be achieved through the MIDI and analog interfaces of Dark Time.
Functions Dark time DOEPFER Selecting the MIDI channel: The default setting is MIDI channel 1 for both registers. • To change the setting of the MIDI channel for the upper step register, please – press and hold the ”Function” and ”Start/Stop” keys simultaneously. – Select the desired MIDI channel by turning the Clock control. The number of step LEDs lit up will indicate the channel-number (1 - 16).
Dark time DOEPFER Functions 3.2.3. Analog Interface Of course, Dark Time allows interaction with non-MIDIed equipment. It will perfectly fit into an analog setup. The necessary connections can be made via the rear analog interface panel of Dark Time. It sports twelve 1/8” sockets with in- and outputs. CV/gate outputs: Let’s have a closer look at the connectors, shown in the figure below. Here, both step registers send out control voltages and gate signals individually.
Functions Dark time DOEPFER Clock connectors: To synchronize two instruments in the analog domain – e.g. Dark Time and a non-MIDIed vintage drum machine – a clock signal is needed. A clock signal is a pulse wave, its frequency (pulses per time) determines the tempo of the synchronized device. When active, Dark Time will generate such a clock signal and make it available at the Clk Out socket. • Dark Time as master: Connect Dark Time’s Clk-Out socket to the clock-in socket of the ”slave” device (e.g.
DOEPFER Dark time Functions Start/Stop and Reset sockets: Each time Dark Time is started, stopped or the reset function is performed, the corresponding output socket (St/St Out or Reset Out) will send a short voltage pulse of +5V. There are many uses for these signals, especially in combination with a modular synthesizer system, e.g. the Doepfer A-100. You can trigger envelope generators in time when Dark Time starts, stops or resets (e.g.
Functions Dark time DOEPFER MIDI Drummaschine / Sequenzer o.ä. Drummaschine / Analog-Sequenzer / Modular-Synthesizer Dark Time SLAVE MASTER Clock-Signal MIDI-Clock Clk Out Start/Stop/Reset Signal St/St, Reset Out Sync: Midi/USB Drummaschine / Analog-Sequenzer / Modular-Synthesizer MIDI Drummaschine / Sequenzer o.ä. Dark Time SLAVE MASTER Clock-Signal MIDI-Clock Clk In Start/Stop/Reset Signal St/St, Reset In Sync: External 3.3.
DOEPFER Dark time Nuts and bolds of sequencing 4. The Nuts and Bolts of analog Sequencing In case step sequencers – or sequencers in general – are new to you, please read this section thoroughly. You will learn about the nuts and bolts of these machines that will help you to grasp Dark Time’s nasty (well, sort of…) little secrets fully.
DOEPFER Dark time Nuts and bolds of sequencing 4.2.1. Squeezing more music out of eight notes When working with a step sequencer, it would be a wise move to get rid of old-fashioned ways of songwriting and all theory of melody and harmony first. The step sequencer is made for tactile and sensual experience and hands-on experimentation. What might seem to be quite abstract and technical at first sight will soon become very special qualities in their own right – far removed from traditional keys and notes.
Dark time DOEPFER Nuts and bolds of sequencing 4.2.2. Programming melodies into the step sequencer Of course it is possible to enter tonal melodies into a step sequencer like Dark Time – you should simply bear some conceptual differences in mind when it comes to using a sequencer vs. a traditional keyboard. For the time being we would like to have a closer look at some fundamentals of programming melodies into a step sequencer. Let’s keep Dark Time’s specifications in mind for this.
DOEPFER Dark time Nuts and bolds of sequencing Let’s come back to the programming of tonal patterns again. Using a continuously variable control, labeled ”1-10”, would not seem to be the best tool for determining musical pitch. That is because it would not exactly resemble a specific pitch or note. Dark Time’s function named ”quantize” is a handy little helper. Set to ”on”, the step controls won’t be continuously variable anymore. The range of control voltages will be ”sliced” into semitones.
DOEPFER Dark time Adendum 5. Appendix Service and terms of warranty. Concerning service and warranty conditions, please refer to our terms of business. You will find our terms of business at: www.doepfer.de Doepfer Musikelektronic GmbH Geigerstr.
Dark Time DOEPFER MUSIKELEKTRONIK GmbH
