From Plankton Electronics and Winter Modular, Zaps is a percussion-line synth voice designed for creating organic sequences that can mutate over time.
These are some of the things that can be done with it:
Sequence Preset Slots externally for changing percussion or synth lines
Add subtle randomness to any parameter for slightly changing sounds, or go wild for unpredicted surprises on every trigger
Morph sounds between Slots
Assign accent to any parameter for added expressiveness
Randomly generate full banks of sounds
Capture any randomly generated sound into a preset slot for further editing
Freeze/Revert the state of the module for careless editing during live performances
Live editing of a single or multiple Slots simultaneously for expressive tweaking
Generate melodic percussion or synth lines with the V/O tracked oscillators
Use CV-in control of any parameter or CV-out control for external modules (control FX-sends or automate external-synth parameters)
Description
Zaps is a percussion-line-synth voice designed for creating organic percussive sequences that can mutate over time.
It uses a combination of different techniques like controlled randomness, morphing, and storing (or locking) synth-voice parameters in externally sequencable CV-controlled slots.
The synth voice is a digitally-controlled-two-oscillator-FM and AM-analog engine with two envelopes and cross-modulation.
The synthesis board is an analog circuit with two VCOs, two envelopes, AM, FM, high-pass filters, and a two-channel mixer.
VCOs:
Triangle core VCOs with V/oct inputs and Fine and Coarse controls.
VCO 1 waves: Sine, Triangle, Sawtooth, and PWM.
VCO 2 waves: Sine, Triangle, Sawtooth, Square, and White Noise.
VCO2 has two separate wave outputs, one for the AM and the other for the FM and the Mixer-Channel 2.
Self-tuning: As the analog VCOs are digitally controlled, we are now capable of offering a self-tuning function. The VCO will track perfectly each note that is played around all the audible range. The units will come factory calibrated, but the self-tuning function will be available on the menu in case of necessary.
Synced start: the waves can be reseted at its zero point on each trigger to avoid audible “clicks” when using low frequencies and fast attack times.
ENVELOPES:
Two AHR (Attack, Hold, Release) digital super fast envelopes.
The hold time can be set internally or externally (Gate ON) for each envelope.
Envelopes can be switched from logarithmic to linear responses.
Each envelope can control the Pitch/Tone of the VCOs (Pitch Envelope), the amount of AM or FM (Envelope 1), the VCA for both channels (Envelope 2).
Retrigger function: each envelope has its independent retrigger parameters. From 0 to 15 steps and 3 modes of time distribution: lineal, logarithmic and exponential. A dedicated “time” fader controls the time between steps.
AM:
The amplitude modulation goes from VCO2 to VCO1.
It can be set in two ways: straight to VCO1 or through a VCA controlled by Envelope 1.
Through Zero FM:
The frequency modulation goes from VCO2 to VCO1 and from VCO1 to VCO2 (XFM).
FM can be set in two ways: straight to VCO1, or through a VCA controlled by Envelope 1.
MIXER:
Two-channel mixer for the two VCOs.
HIGH-PASS FILTER
There are two HPFs. HPF1 filters the mixer output. HPF2 filters the white noise.
DIGITAL CONTROL
STRUCTURE:
Each project contains twelve banks; each bank contains twelve slots; each slot contains a sound.
All projects are stored on an SD card.
RANDOM:
Randomize values on a per trigger basis
Independent random control for each synth parameter
Set ranges to any random value for controlled randomness
Relatively attenuate all parameter-random amounts with a single global random fader
Populate slots or banks with randomly generated sounds
FREEZE/REVERT :
Take a snapshot of the whole project, modify it and go back to the original state.
MORPH:
Parameter interpolation between two slots on a per trigger basis.
Control the balance between the two slots with one fader — crossfade style!
CV ASSIGN:
Any of the six CV-connectors can be configurable as both inputs or outputs and set to different ranges (0/10V, 0/8V, -5/5V, 0/5V).
CV-inputs can be internally attenuated
Control almost any synth parameter, value, or setting on a per trigger basis. For example, Accent, Slot Selection, Morph assignments, Next/Prev Slot, Random Slot, Oscillator-Wave Selection, any of the synth parameters (Pitch, Release, AM, FM, Global Random…) or any of the random parameters (Random Pitch, Random Filter, Random Hold…)
Output any parameter-CV values through any of the assignable I/Os
Alt-fader-CV output for controlling external parameters, like Send-FX for each slot.
CV-slot/Gate out — Useful for externally recording finger drumming!
ACCENT ASSIGN:
Add dynamics by assigning the accent input to control any one of the synth parameters
COPY:
Copy Slots (also between banks)
SNAPSHOT:
Take a snapshot of the last sound heard (flatten the values for further editing), including the effects of CV-in, Morph, and Random. Very useful for easily creating banks from scratch!
EDIT ALL:
Action over faders has an effect on the twelve Slots. Absolute and relative modes. Use hints: Live tweaking, homogenize, “tame” a Sound Bank, or modify all Slot parameters while sequencing the Slots via CV-input.
FILE SYSTEM:
Save, Load, Name, and Rename projects, banks, sounds and sort them into folders.
