INSTRUMENTS / GENERATORS

DirectWave - Zone Tab

Zone Tab Properties

The Zone Tab contains filters, envelopes, effects and the modulation matrix. It is possible for every sample loaded into DW to have a unique set of Zone Tab controls, a single set applied to all samples or some combination of the two.

NOTE: Make sure the 'EDIT/AUTOMATION' (Current Selection or Global) control is set to 'Current Selection' if you want changes to affect only the currently selected Zone (sample) or 'Global' for all Zones (samples).

Main

These options control the main sample (Zone) playback settings.

• Pitch Tune - Adjusts the pitch.
• Gain - Allows the user to map samples in both pitch and velocity space.
• Panning - Pans the sample left (-50) or right (+50).
• Post Gain - Volume control for the individual sample.

Time Stretch

These options control sample time-stretching and pitch-shifting playback functions. When the Time (Timestretching) mode is engaged the sample will be pitch-shifted using a granualization method. This maintains the samples temporal properties as pitch is changed, as opposed to changing speed with the standard method. The Timestretching algorithm can only be pushed so far before artifacts are audible.

• Time (switch) - When selected, the Zone will be played using time stretching system.
• Sync (switch) - When selected, the time stretching time will be expressed in ticks (1/4 beat).
• Amount (Amt) - Time stretching length expressed in % of the original sample length or in number of ticks (1/4 beat, with sync enabled).
• Grain - Length of each time stretching grain.
• Smooth 'smoothing window' - Amount of smoothing between each time stretching grain.
• Type - Reserved, not yet used.

Trigger

Trigger controls allow sample (Zone) playback randomization. The primary purpose is to recreate natural sounding instruments by using multiple sample Zones for a specific velocity range, assigning them to a 'Trigger Group' and randomly triggering Zones from Trigger Groups according to the following settings.

• Group - Zone Trigger Group. Samples in the same Trigger Group will be randomized. Up to 99 trigger groups can be set. Randomization will be according to the Type control.

  To assign more than one Trigger Group -

  • 1. Select 'Current Selection' from the EDIT/AUTOMATION control (lower right on the Zone Tab)
  • 2. Select the Zone to be assigned from the Zone Window above the Zone Tab by clicking on it.
  • 3. Set the Trigger Group using the Group control.
• Type - Randomization type. Type is not available if no Group is selected.
  • Normal - No velocity layer randomization.
  • Cycle - Each Layer in the velocity group will be played, in turn.
  • Random - Layers are played at random from the velocity group.
  • Avoid previous - Layers are played at random from the velocity group, with the restriction that the same Layer will never be played twice in a row. Random selection can sometimes cause a singe Layer to be played repeatedly, defeating the purpose. This random option can help to avoid obvious identical hits with repeated fast playing of a key.
• Frequency - Randomization frequency controls how often a Zone from a Trigger Group is played. Settings vary from 100% (always) to 0% (never). In other words, 'Frequency' allows you to determine the probability that a Zone (sample) from the selected Trigger Group will play. A useful application of this control is to add in key-clacking, string buzzes and other incidental mechanical noises that instruments make, at random to selected velocity ranges. This control is not available if there are no velocity groups.
• Overlap - Amount of velocity overlap required for Zones to Group-randomize. At 0%, touching Zones will randomize with no need to overlap. This control is not available if there are no velocity groups.

Filter 1 & Filter 2

There are two variable state filters that can be configured in parallel () or series ().

• Frequency - Sets the cut-off frequency for the lowpass/bandpass/highpass filters.
• Emphasis - Boosts a frequency band near the cut-off level to create a sound "sharpening" effect.
• Shape - Applies hardclip limiting (distortion) on the filter output.

• Type - Selects the filter type.

• Off - The filter is bypassed with no effect.
• Lowpass - Frequencies below the 'Frequency cut-off' are passed.
• Highpass - Frequencies above the 'Frequency cut-off' are passed.
• Bandpass- Allows a narrow band of frequencies to pass.
• Notch - Subtracts a small band of frequencies.
• Allpass - Alters the phase of the signal.

AMP, ENV1 & ENV2 Envelopes

There is one dedicated Amplitude envelope and two freely assignable Envelopes.

• Attack (A) - Sets the envelope Attack speed (down is fast, up is slow).
• Decay (D) - Sets the envelope Decay speed (down is fast, up is slow).
• Sustain /s - Sets the envelope Sustain time (down is short, up is long).
• Release (R) - Sets the envelope Release speed (down is fast, up is slow).

LFO1 & LFO2

• Rate - Low Frequency Oscillator speed.
• Sync - Syncs the sample LFO start to the note-on event.
• Attack - Sets the attack length of the LFO modulation (from instant through to 10 seconds delay).
• Phase - Changes the phase of the waveform (Free Run appears when the knob is fully clockwise and allows the LFO to run independently of note start events).
• Waveform - LFO wave shape, 8 are available.
• Sine - Sine wave.
• Abs Sine - Positive sine wave.
• Triangle - Triangle wave.
• Square - Square wave.
• Saw - Saw wave.
• Inv Saw - Inverted Saw wave.
• Random - Random wave (noise).
• LP Random - Low Pass Random.

Modulation Matrix 1 to 4

There are 4 banks of 4 modulation pairings, the first bank is defaulted to set the basic note control parameters, banks 2 - 4 are empty. The Mod Matrix allows the user to freely assign one variable to modulate another (LFO 1 modulating filter cut-off frequency for example).

• To set a modulation mapping - select the Modulation Source in the top field, the Modulation Target in the lower field and the Modulation Amount with the knob to the right (-100% fully left to +100% fully right).

Effects

There are 4 effects and 3 sends from where FX may be added to the samples. Each has a switch to the right of the label that activates it. Ringmod, Decimator, Quantizer and Phaser, are able to be applied with unique instances on a sample-by-sample basis, while Delay, Chorus and Reverb are shared amongst all voices.

Ring Modulation

• Rate - Full Left = stopped, Full right = 100% fast modulation.
• Mix - Full Left = 0%, Full right = 100% Chorus FX mix.

Decimator

• Step - Full Left = Minimum decimation, Full right = Maximum decimation.
• Mix - Full Left = 0%, Full right = 100% full FX mix.

Quantizer

• Bits - Full Left = More bits, Full right = less bits.
• Mix - Full Left = 0%, Full right = 100% Chorus FX mix.

Phaser

• Frequency - Phaser frequency.
• Mix - Full Left = 0%, Full right = 100% Chorus FX mix.

Send

The Delay, Chorus and Reverb FX settings reside on the Program Tab, they are disabled by default. The default level for the sends is 50% (-12 dB). The reason some FX are on the Zone tab and some on the Program tab, is that Delay, Chorus and Reverb are CPU hungry FX and can't be applied on a voice-by-voice basis so are considered global FX, shared among all voices. To adjust the relative dry/wet mix, use dry = Post Gain, Wet = Sends (below).

• Delay - Full Left = 0%, Full right = 100% Delay FX mix.
• Chorus - Full Left = 0%, Full right = 100% Chorus FX mix.
• Reverb - Full Left = 0%, Full right = 100% reverb FX mix.

Edit/Automation

Use this switch to decide if the changes on the Zone Tab affect only the currently selected sample (Zone) OR all samples.

• Current - Applies the settings only to the currently selected Zone.
• Global - Applies settings to all Zones. Careful! this will overwrite 'current' settings previously entered for any Zones.