INSTRUMENTS / GENERATORS

Groove Machine Synth

Groove Machine Synth is a multitimbral hybrid synthesizer & FX channel from Groove Machine.

Options & Controls

Click the MIDI/EQ button (showing SYNTH below) in the lower left of the screen to toggle between SYNTH and MIDI/EQ panels.

  • MIDI - From the top section you can set various MIDI controller input to a selected range of Groove Machine targets. Select the target using the DESTINATION drop-down menu box.
    • VELOCITY - Assign keyboard velocity to control a range of targets in Groove Machine. The VELOCITY TO LEVEL switch enables the basic velocity to volume relationship.
    • MODULATION - Assign the mod wheel to a range of targets in Groove Machine.
    • AFTERTOUCH - Assign aftertouch to a range of targets in Groove Machine. Aftertouch is pressure applied to keys/pads after being played, this feature may not be supported on your MIDI controller.
    • PITCH BEND - Set the Pitch Bend wheel to bend-range relationship.
  • EQUALIZER - The 5 band equalizer is post-FX and covers the range of center frequencies of 60 Hz, 220 Hz, 1500 Hz, 8000 Hz and 12000 Hz respectively. ENABLE - Activates the EQ.

Synth Panel

The synthesizer is a hybrid additive, FM (Frequency Modulation) & RM (Ring Modulation) design.

  • Oscillator section - There are 3 independent oscillators.
    • WAVESHAPE - Click to select from predefined shapes or load waveforms from .wav files or the library. You can also drop waveforms on each of the 3 oscillators.
    • PITCH - Pitch change in semitones.
    • FINE - Pitch change in cents.
  • MODULATION - Select from one of:
    • 1 SYNC - OSC1 will be synced by the frequency defined by AMOUNT fader.
    • 2 to 1 FM - Oscillator 2 is linked to Oscillator 1 in a Frequency Modulation relationship.
    • 2 to 1 RM - Oscillator 2 is linked to Oscillator 1 in a Ring Modulation relationship.
    • AMOUNT - Sync, FM or RM amount.
  • MIX
    • OSC 2 - Mix for Oscillator 1 & 2.
    • INV - Invert the phase of Oscillator 2.
    • OSC 3 - Mix for Oscillator (1+2) & 3.
    • NOISE - Mix between all oscillators and white noise source.
  • PHASE
    • OSC 2 - Oscillator 2 phase.
    • RETRIG - Oscillator 2 phase retriggering.
    • UNISONO - Unison phase.
  • UNISONO - Multiple detuned voices are generated per note for a chorus-like effect.
    • VOICES - Choose between 1 and 16.
    • STEREO - Stereo spread of voices.
    • DETUNE - Detuning of voices.
  • KEYBOARD
    • OCTAVE - Octave for all Oscillators.
    • MONO VOICE - Monophonic mode with portamento.

Articulation

  • FILTER
    • CUTOFF - Channel global filter cutoff frequency.
    • RES - Resonance.
    • KBD - Keyboard scaling. The filter cutoff will track up and down with the note played. Higher notes having a higher cutoff frequency etc.
    • TYPE - Switch between LP (Low Pass), BP (Band Pass) & HP (HighPass).
  • ENVELOPE
    • ATK - Attack time.
    • DEC - Decay time.
    • AMNT - Amount of envelope applied. Envelope scaling.
    • INVERT - Invert the phase of the envelope.
    • DEST - Target parameter for envelope modulation.
    • EG1 / EG2 - There are two envelopes available, switch between them here.
  • LFO - Low Frequency Modulation is used as a source to rhythmically or otherwise vary synthesis parameters.
    • RATE - LFO Speed.
    • SYNC - Synchronize the LFO period to NONE (free running), BEATs or BARs.
    • AMNT - LFO modulation amount.
    • RETRIG - Retriggering restarts the LFO phase on each note. Leave off for a free-running LFO effect.
    • DEST - LFO destination. Select the target to be modulated by the LFO.
    • INVERT - Inverts the LFO waveform.
    • SHAPE - LFO waveform shape. NOTE: The Sine (top shape) is bipolar, generating both +1 and -1 values at opposing peaks. The remainder of the shapes (Triangle, Saw & Square) are uni-polar producing values between 0 and 1.
    • LFO 1 / LFO 2 - There are two LFO sources available, choose the LFO to be edited here.
  • LVL EG - Envelope Generator Level. The envelope is used to shape the volume contour of the sound of each note played.
    • Amplitude - Overall gain.
    • ATTACK - Attack time, low if faster.
    • DECAY - Decay time, low is faster.
    • SUSTAIN - Sustain level. Volume for the duration of the held note.
    • RELEASE - Release time, low is faster. Try increasing this a little if notes 'click' when released.
  • CHANNEL
    • OUTPUT - Global Channel volume.
    • PAN - Global Channel panning (position in the Left to Right stereo field).
    • PITCH - Global Channel pitch (semitones).
    • FREQ SLIDE - Slide time for portamento style effects. Activate with the switch below the knob.

Effects

There are 10 performance oriented effects:

  • GLUE - Click this switch to permanently enable the selected effect. Momentary activation can be gained by clicking in the X/Y panel.
  • Effects - There are 10 effects these include:
    • DIST - Distortion. X - Distortion amount. Y - Low pass filter cutoff frequency.
    • CRSH - Bit crusher. X - Sample-rate reduction amount. Y - Low pass filter cutoff frequency.
    • FLNG - Flanging. X - Depth. Y - Feedback.
    • PHSR - Phasing. X - Depth. Y - Feedback.
    • LPF - Low pass filtering. X - Low pass filter cutoff frequency. Y - Resonance amount.
    • HPF - High pass filtering. X - High pass filter cutoff frequency. Y - Resonance amount
    • ECHO - Delay/Echo. X - Feedback amount (echo strength) Y - Echo filtering.
    • RVRB - Reverberation. X - Feedback. Y - Wet level (reverb amount).
    • PAN - Panning. X - Left/Right pan position. Y - Binaural effect level. Up/Down.
    • TRNC - Trance effect. X - Release time. Y - Drop level. Use this effect to induce side-chain style pumping.
  • LFO
    • LFO Multiplier - Select a multiplication factor for the LFO.
    • AMOUNT - LFO multiplier, from 0 to 100% (top).
    • SYNC - LFO can be synced to the Bar or Beat.
    • SHAPE - LFO waveform shape.
    • Arm X / Y - Each effect has a pair of unique performance parameters.

Plugin Credits:

Code: Maxx Claster

Presets: Toby Emerson, Arlo G (nucleon).