User`s manual

mcdsp.com
Page 23
Chrome Tone
User’s Manual
Wah Section
Using the Chrome Tone as a Wah, the wah-effect can be created in one of three ways: 1) move the frequency control
itself (manual wah); 2) modulate the frequency control from a base setting with the Dynamic section (enveloped wah);
or 3) modulate the frequency control from a base setting with the Auto section (auto wah). These three techniques can
be extended to any of the other lter types in the Wah conguration.
The Q, or resonance, control, provides emphasis at the selected frequency, or at the currently modulated frequency.
This can create lter effects commonly associated with synthesizers. The selections, bandpass, low pass, and high pass
all come in 1/2/3 modes, corresponding to 12/24/36 dB per octave slopes. The intensity of the resonance increases with
steeper lter slopes.
Other unique lter modes combine the wah effect with low or high pass ltering in series with it, and experimental
lter types.
A Closer Look at the Chrome Tone Tremolo
The Tremolo effect is the modulation of the
volume (gain) of a signal path. This effect
is common in guitar and keyboards, and a
variety of other instruments. The beating,
or volume movements can add life to an
otherwise dull performance.
The Chrome Tone Tremolo uses the same
Dynamic and Auto sections found in the
Wah conguration to modulate the gain in
its tremolo circuit. For a detailed description
of the Dynamic and Auto sections, refer to
the ‘Closer Look at the Chrome Tone Wah’ portion of this manual.
Tremolo Section
The Chrome Tone Tremolo section has only two controls to adjust the Tremolo effect.
• Mix - the amount of dry (unaffected) signal and wet (tremolo’d) signal.
• Range - the overall modulation range from both the Dynamic and Auto sections.
While the modulation of simply volume does not seem like much of an effect at all, Chrome Tone can take the basic
tremolo effect to new levels of sophistication.
Using the Dynamic section, a new signal envelope can be created (sample accurate by the way), allowing the Tremolo
conguration to act as a transient design effect. Fast drum hits can be slowly ramped up, or echoed away with a beat
synced MIDI input signal.
The Auto section can not only produce periodic volume modulation, but using the Spread control, new stereophonic
effects can be created.
Guitar players are very used to a tremolo with a slewed rate control - one that slowly increased or decreases speed,
usually over a 2x range. Chrome Tone’s Tremolo conguration can realize such affects using MIDI input data and the
Dynamic section’s Mod control to change the LFO rate value over time. Even better, the actual audio can be used to
change the LFO rate - an example of Chrome Tone as a ‘performance effect’.