User Manual

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LP Stage II User’s Manual - Glossary
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Sound – Audible vibrations of air pressure. For electronic sounds such as those produced by a synthesizer,
loudspeakers are used translate the electrical vibrations into the changes in air pressure which we perceive
as sound.
Subtractive synthesis – A method of creating tones using harmonically rich (bright) source material, and then
removing (or in some cases emphasizing) various frequency components to create the desired sound.
Synthesis – The generation of sound by electronic means, where the programmer or performer has the ability to
change the pitch, volume, timbre and articulation.
Timbre – Pronounced ‘tamber’, it refers to the quality of a sound by its overtones. An unprocessed sawtooth
wave has a bright timbre, while a triangle wave has a mellow timbre.
Tremolo – Technically a form of low frequency amplitude modulation, tremolo is a smooth audible pulsing of
volume. In synthesizers, tremolo is produced when a 5-6Hz LFO triangle or sine wave signal is applied to a
voltage controlled amplier.
Waveform – The shape of an oscillator’s vibration. This determines its timbre. Commonly used waveforms
in subtractive synthesis are sawtooth, triangle, square, or rectangular. Different waveforms have different
timbres. A sawtooth has the greatest number of harmonics, and sounds bright and buzzy. A square wave
has only odd harmonics, and sounds bright, but hollow, like a clarinet. A rectangular wave can vary in shape,
but typically has a bright but thin sound, and a triangle wave’s harmonics are so low in amplitude that it
sounds muted and utelike.
VCA – Short for Voltage Controlled Amplier, a VCA is an amplier circuit where the gain is a function of the
control voltage. In the Little Phatty, the VCA is paired with the Volume ADSR envelope generator to specify
the articulation of a sound. Another CV source for the VCA in the Little Phatty is the Volume CV Input.
VCF – Short for Voltage Controlled Filter, a VCF is a lter circuit where the lter cutoff frequency is a function of
the control voltage. A VCF is used to control the timbre of a sound. In the Little Phatty, the VCF is paired
with the Filter ADSR envelope generator for dynamic control. Other CV sources for the VCF include the
Keyboard Amount, Modulation Matrix and Filter CV Input.
VCO – Short for Voltage Controlled Oscillator, a VCO is an oscillator circuit where the oscillator frequency is
a function of the control voltage. In the Little Phatty, the VCO is primarily controlled from the keyboard.
Other CV sources for the VCO include the Modulation Matrix, and Pitch CV Input.
Vibrato – Technically a very low frequency modulation, vibrato is a smooth, mild pitch warble. In synthesizers,
vibrato is produced when a 5-6Hz LFO triangle or sine wave signal is applied to a voltage controlled
oscillator, causing the pitch to deviate slightly above and below the base frequency.