This section covers making patches. In tonal patches, the pitch, gate and expression voltages can be provided by a midi-CV interface. Complete patches These are complete Fenix sounds that you can use as a starting-point to create your own sounds.
Classic Mini
Connections:
Keyboard CV out -> VCO1, VCO2, VCO3, VCF3 (all CV1 in)
Keyboard gate out -> EG2 gate in
VCO1 sine out -> VCF3 audio in 1
VCO2 square out -> VCF3 audio in 2
VCO3 saw out -> VCF3 audio in 3
EG2 accent curve -> VCF3 CV2 in
VCF3 24dB out -> VCA audio in
EG2 AR curve -> VCA control in
VCA out -> out
Settings VCF3:
Audio inputs: 2 oclock
Frequency: 12 oclock
Resonance: 7 oclock
CV2: 2 oclock
Settings EG2:
Attack: 7 oclock
Release: 8 oclock
Accent: 9 oclock
Tune the VCO’s to: VCO2 & 3 Fundamental, VCO1 Octave + 7 semitones.
Use the velocity out of the Midi-CV interface to control the accent-curve of EG2.
Set the audio input controls of the VCF to max for an overdrive sound.
Syrinx 1
This is a complex patch using 27 patch cords.
Connections:
Keyboard CV out -> VCO1, VCO2, VCF1, VCF2, VCF3 (all CV1 in)
Keyboard gate out -> EG1 gate in
Mod wheel (from midi interface) -> VCO1 CV2 in
LFO2 triangle -> VCO1 PWM in
LFO3 sine -> VCO2 PWM in
VCO1 square out -> Mix2A in
VCO1 saw out -> Ring2A in
VCO2 square out -> Mix2B in
VCO2 saw out -> Ring2B in
Mix2 out -> VCF1, VCF2, VCF3 (all audio in)
VCO sub1 out -> VCF3 Audio 2 in
Ring2 out -> VCF3 Audio 3 in
VCF1 Bandpass out -> Mix1 A in
VCF2 Bandpass out -> Mix1 B in
VCF3 24dB out -> Mix1 CV1 in
Mix1 out -> VCA1 audio in
EG1 accent curve -> VCF1, VCF2, VCF3 (all CV2 in)
EG1 ADSR curve -> VCA1 control in
VCA1 out -> out
Settings
VCO1: Set the sync-control to hard.
Tune VCO1 1-2 octaves above VCO2.
Set frequency of VCF1 to 2 oclock, high resonance.
Set frequency of VCF2 to 3 oclock, high resonance.
Set frequency of VCF3 to 12 oclock, no resonance.
Set VCF1&2 CV2 to 12 or 1 oclock.
Set VCF1&2 CV2 to 3 oclock.
Use the level-controls of Mix1 and of VCF3 to mix the sound-sources.
Try inverting the sound of VCF2 by setting the Mix1B control counter-clockwise for other filter characteristics.
For a different Syrinx-type sound:
Set VCO1 CV2 control fully counter-clockwise (off).
Set the VCO1 sync-control to off.
Tune the VCOs to unison.
Bass sound
This one-VCO sound provides a lot of low-end by adding a sine-wave to the filtered sawtooth.
Connections
Keyboard CV out -> VCO1, VCF1
Keyboard gate out -> EG1, EG2
VCO1 saw out -> VCF1 audio in
VCF1 bandpass out -> VCA1 audio in
EG1 ADSR curve -> VCA1 control in
EG1 decay curve -> VCF1 CV2 in
VCA1 out -> Mix3 in A
VCO1 sine out -> VCA2 audio in
EG2 (AR) curve -> VCA2 control in
VCA2 out -> Mix3 in B
Mix3 out -> out
This sound uses only one oscillator. The two outputs of the VCO (saw and sine) form two components of the sound: The sine provides the bottom end of the spectrum, and the filtered saw provides harmonics. You can use a bandpass or highpass filter and high resonance without losing the low end: The sinewave provides the fundamental.
Effects
Stereo sound 1
An easy way to make a stereo sound is to use the two outputs of VCF3. This can also be used for processing external sounds.
Connections
EG out -> VCA1, VCA2 control in
sound -> VCF3 audio in
VCF3 24dB out -> VCA1 -> Left out
VCF3 12dB out -> VCA2 -> Right out
The two outputs of the VCF are slightly out of phase causing stereo effect. he Fenix filters are low-noise, so you could exchange VCA and VCF to liberate a VCA for another purpose. The patch changes to:
EG out -> VCA1 control in
sound -> VCA1 -> VCF3 audio in
VCF3 24dB out -> Left out
VCF3 12dB out -> Right out
Stereo sound 2
Making a sound pan from left to right, controlled by an LFO requires a few VCAs: This, too can be used for panning external sounds.
sound -> VCA1 -> Left out
sound -> VCA2 -> Right out
LFO1 triangle out -> VCA1 control in
LFO1 triangle out -> CV mix 1 in
CV mix 1 out -> VCA2 control in
<The VCAs have a control voltage range of 0-8 volts. LFO1 triangle out has that range, and is fed directly to the VCA1.
For VCA2, the LFO-signal is inverted by setting the CV2 control counter-clockwise. The signal is now from -8 to 0 volts, so we use the offset-control to bring the range to 0-8 volts.
Variation:
You can use an envelope generator instead of LFO1 to make each note sweep from left to right.
SOUNDEFFECTS
ADD-ON
The patches below are not complete sound setups but rather illustrate some techniques you may be able to use with your own sounds.
CPR as distortion
If you feed any audio signal through the CPR, you’ll get a very harsh distortion. Whenever the input voltage is above zero volt, the output is 10 Volts. When the input is negative, the output is zero. Be sure to remove any offset by high pass filtering or subtracting a voltage before auditioning the output. Also, this is a very high audio level. The Fenix doesn’t much care about overloads like this, but most audio processors, mixers and amps do. Please attenuate!
Sample & Hold as distortion
You can use a VCO as clock for the S&H module. Any audio-signal applied to the S&H input will be chopped into samples in tune with the clock-VCO. You may have to amplify the audio signal before feeding it into the S&H.
Modules used:
VCO square out -> S&H clock in
External audio signal -> Input amp -> S&H sample in
S&H out -> VCF or other processing -> audio out
Sub-audio filtering
Portamento:
The portamento module can be used as a filter for sub-audio signals like LFO, gates, envelopes or noise. Increasing the portamento time filters out more of the spikes and sudden changes in the signal. This makes it similar to turning down the frequency control in a VCF.
Slew Limiter:
Can also act like a sub-audio filter. Keep in mind that you may get CV offset if the rise and fall controls are not set to the same setting.
Complex VCO sync
This shows a way of syncing VCOs.
Modules used:
VCO1 Sync in, sine and square out, VCO2 Saw out, VCA, Comparator and LFO
VCO2 saw out -> VCA audio in
VCO1 square out -> comparator in
LFO triangle out -> VCO1 PWM
comparator out -> VCA CV in
VCA out -> VCO1 Sync in (set sync level to hard)
VCO1 sine out -> rest of patch
The comparator turns the square-wave into a logic-signal that switches between 0 and 8 Volts at audio-rate. If you amplify and offset the VCO square you get the same result.
The VCA is between the sync-source and the VCO1 Sync in.
Normally, this would be a hard sync, but the signal is chopped by the VCA. Whenever the square is low, the VCA closes, and VCO1 does not get synched.
By changing the pulsewidth (PWM) you can determine the sync level.
Note: You use the VCO2 only as sync pulse generator; you don’t listen to its outputs.
Double VCO Sync
You can sync VCO-1 with the two other VCO’s.
Modules used:
VCO-1 Sync in, sine out, VCO-2 Saw out, VCO-3 Saw out.
VCO-2 saw out -> Mix-1 in A
VCO-3 saw out -> Mix-1 in B
Mix-1 out -> VCO-1 Sync in (set sync level to medium).
A neat noise
Submitted by Jim Johnson <jamos@technotoys.com>
For a good source of metallic noise, patch the output of the digital noise source to both inputs of ring modulator 1, and use the AC coupled output of the ring modulator. The voltage at the AM input will vary the tone from highly metallic (with a pronounced pitch) to a more random noise.
Here’s a hi-hat I’ve built from that:
Patch:
Digital Noise -> Ring Mod 1 inputs X and Y
Ring Mod 1 AC Out -> VCA 1 in
Variable DC voltage -> Ring Mod 1 AM (from Mikado)
VLF noise -> S/H in
SH/Out -> Digital Noise CV2
Env1 out -> VCA1 CV
Trigger -> Env1 Gate & S/H Trigger
CV Mix 1 Out -> EG1 A/D and R CV inputs
Comparator Out -> CV Mix 1 +/- input
Settings: (per clock face)
Digital Noise: Clock = 11:45, CV2 = 7:50
Ring Mod Offset ~ 2 v
EG 1: Attack = 7:00
Peak = 7:00
Decay = 11:00
Sustain = 7:00
Release = 10:00
The comparator button opens the high hat; this could be done from a sequencer gate instead.ipit ultrices.