Operation Manual

BV512 VOCODER
214
Automation
All parameters on the front panel can be automated in the standard manner. The indi-
vidual band levels (the bars in the lower display) will be edited on separate lanes in the
sequencer. Note:
D As with the other effect devices, you have to manually create a se-
quencer track for the BV512.
D Although the band level adjustments can be edited individually, they are
treated as one automatable parameter on the device panel.
This means that if any single band level control is automated, there will be a frame
around the whole lower display on the device panel. [Ctrl]-clicking (Mac) or right-
clicking (Win) in the lower display and selecting “Clear Automation” will remove
the automation for all bands. Similarly, selecting “Edit Automation” will open the
sequencer with lanes for all band levels shown.
The frame indicates that one or more band level controls are automated.
Tips and tricks
Choosing a carrier sound
As always, which carrier sound to choose is a matter of taste and musical context.
However, here are a few guidelines to help you get a good result:
• The carrier sound should preferably have a lot of harmonic content (brightness) -
dark or muffled sounds will not “give the vocoder much to work with”.
• Often, you want the carrier sound to sustain at an even level (i.e. it shouldn’t “die
out” when you hold a chord). Similarly, you most often want a reasonably fast at-
tack (although not with a distinct, sharp click or edge).
• You may want a sound that is rather static over time, without drastic envelope con-
trol of filter cutoff for example.
• If you want to play vocoded chords, the carrier sound must of course be poly-
phonic.
Here are some hands-on suggestions for carrier sounds:
D A simple Subtractor pad based on a sawtooth waveform.
You could simply start with the initial patch (as set up when you create a new Sub-
tractor device). Open the filter, turn off envelope modulation of the cutoff fre-
quency and raise the Amp Envelope Sustain.
If you want a classic, rich chorus-like sound, use two detuned oscillators - or better
still, add a UN-16 Unison device as an insert effect between the Subtractor and
the vocoder!
A simple but effective carrier sound setup.
D A similar fat carrier sound can be obtained using a Malström device with
a patch based on the “Sawtooth*16” graintable.
With the Malström you can get a stereo carrier signal with no extra devices: simply
select the “Sawtooth*16” graintable for both oscillators, detune the oscillators
slightly with the Cent controls and raise the Spread parameter to the desired ste-
reo width. No filter routings are necessary.