User Manual

19
VOLTAGE CONTROLLED FILTER (VCF) (Continued)
VCF DECAY
The VCF Envelope Generator is dedicated to modulating the Cutoff Frequency
of the Filter. The Decay time of this EG is set using the VCF DECAY knob. This
value may also be affected by the Sequencer VELOCITY 1-8 knobs. These
Velocity levels are connected to the Velocity inputs of the Envelope Generators,
providing an additional source of voltage control to both the Amplitude and
Decay Time of the VCF EG.
IMPORTANT NOTE: If the VCF EG AMOUNT knob is at center position, no Filter
modulation will occur, and the VCF DECAY knob will appear to have no function.
7 O’CLOCK (MINIMUM)
The Decay is almost immediate and its effect on the Filter is minimal. This is good for adding a gentle
tap, click, or pop to the beginning of a sound.
10 O’CLOCK
This setting is useful for creating a sharp slap or crack to the initial attack of a sound.
12 O’CLOCK
This setting creates a more natural sweep of the Filter and is useful for allowing the decay of kick
drums, toms, and other sounds to ring through naturally.
PAST 12 O’CLOCK
These settings cause the Filter to remain open for an extended period of time and are ideal for crafting
aggressive or long-tailed sounds.
TIP: Turning the RESONANCE knob to the right will exaggerate any modulation of the Filter’s Cutoff
Frequency. This is useful for adding more motion or “squawk” to a sound.
NOTE: VCF Decay times range from 10ms to 10 seconds. How much of that effect can be heard is
dependant on the VCF EG AMOUNT settings.
VCF EG AMOUNT
This knob determines how much effect the VCF Envelope Generator will have
on the Cutoff Frequency of the Filter. All AMOUNT knobs on DFAM are bipolar,
meaning that they have both positive (+) and negative (–) values available.
CENTER POSITION
No Envelope is applied to the Filter’s Cutoff Frequency.
(+) AMOUNT
As the VCF EG AMOUNT knob is rotated to the right of center, more Envelope
Modulation is applied to the Filter’s Cutoff Frequency. This causes the Filter Cutoff Frequency to be
increased, regardless of the VCF switch setting.
Positive VCF EG AMOUNT settings result in larger jumps or spikes in timbre as each note is played,
creating sounds that may be perceived as more articulate, dynamic, or aggressive.
NOTE: The VCF DECAY knob determines how quickly the change in timbre returns to its original value
over time.