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RAGNARÖK

 

Manual

Page 7

Voice Selection Panels

The voice selection panels is where the original architecture of the hardware (and the 

underlying Chorosynth) is most visible, and specific for the sound character of 
RAGNARÖK. There are separate sections for the waveforms (square and pulse), 

interval tones and multi-voice option.

Square Wave & Pulse Wave

There are four octaves available for both square waves and pulse waves. You can mix 
both octaves and waves at will. Stacking the same octave for both square and pulse 

gives a different timbre than either one of those apart.

Interval

The interval octave buttons add an additional (square) voice for the selected octave, 
that is by default set to an interval of a 'fifth'. You can change the interval in the 

'settings' section with the 'int' knob. The interval can also be set to (close to) the base 
tuning, for additional chorus/phaser like effects.

Multi Voice

This is the most important section of the voices: it handles RAGNARÖK's 3-voice 

spread/detune option for all the square and pulse voices. By switching on an octave in 
this section, it will set both the square and pulse for that octave (if in use) to 3 

oscillators that are slightly detuned for a big chorus effect. The amount of detuning 
can be set in the settings section with the 'spr.' knob. This setting is patch dependent.

Summary of Contents for RAGNAROK

Page 1: ...örn Arlt Full Bucket Music http www fullbucket de music Hans Peter Willems CrimsonWarlock aka TechnoGremlin VST is a trademark of Steinberg Media Technologies GmbH Windows is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation The Audio Units logo is a trademark of Apple Computer Inc ...

Page 2: ...n Panels 7 Filter Envelope Volume Envelope Sections 8 Dynamic Filter Sections 10 Output Sections 12 Static 7 band Filter Section 13 Performance Section 14 Voices Sections 15 Patch Memory 16 Settings 18 Skinning support 20 INI File 21 Parameter List 23 Bitmap Reference List 24 Frequently Asked Questions 25 ...

Page 3: ...nal RAGNARÖK was purely monophonic modern software technology has made it possible to have a polyphonic version now This adds tremendously to the usefulness of the instrument History The hardware version of RAGNARÖK was build in the early eighties by Hans Peter and solely aimed at using on stage Hence the performance lead designation on the plugin instrument In those days Moog sounds where still i...

Page 4: ... had made so far To cut a long story short Björn indeed saw this project as a nice opportunity and the resulting collaboration delivered what you are now looking at DSP coding by Björn Arlt Full Bucket Music Synthesizer concept GUI design and User manual by Hans Peter Willems CrimsonWarlock aka TechnoGremlin Additional functional concepts by Björn Arlt Patch programming default bank by Hans Peter ...

Page 5: ...ter clockwise and only the noise signal when set fully clockwise In between you can mix both signals to the desired mix ratio Pitch Modulation This part of the oscillator section has the setting for modulating the oscillator pitch with an LFO low frequency oscillator Because the RAGNARÖK synth is aimed at performance play and much less or totally not depending on your view at experimental sounds a...

Page 6: ...ally using a mod wheel NOTE 1 As a side note the original RAGNARÖK did not have a mod wheel and this functionality was used as a substitute for that NOTE 2 The LFO signal is also available in the Filter section for Filter Cutoff modulation Both Speed and Ramp are affecting the Filter modulation when used there NOTE 3 When using the mod wheel options see Settings section the modulation will take th...

Page 7: ...f those apart Interval The interval octave buttons add an additional square voice for the selected octave that is by default set to an interval of a fifth You can change the interval in the settings section with the int knob The interval can also be set to close to the base tuning for additional chorus phaser like effects Multi Voice This is the most important section of the voices it handles RAGN...

Page 8: ...aximum level Decay is used for example for percussive and brass like sounds or anything that needs some sort of peak in the sound or volume NOTE This setting is obviously only doing something if sustain is set to less then 100 full right If sustain is set to full there is no level to decay to Sustain The sustain level is the level where the envelope will hold after the two previous stages when a n...

Page 9: ...ent release based on how long you hold a note Holding a note will give you the decay time releasing the note before the decay time is done will go to the release time AD mode This switches off the sustain level and gives you only the decay time When combined with a sustain level higher then zero this switch let you move quickly performance between a percussive or a sustained version of the sound T...

Page 10: ...al because the rotation spans only the somewhat horizontal top part of the rotation scale Addionally you can click on the scale part for any option and the knob will jump to that setting HP LP switch You can choose between a high pass filter and a low pass filter default Both filter types cater for completely different sounds especially in combination with the envelope generator Cutoff The cutoff ...

Page 11: ...high notes and accompanying low notes that you want to sound lower Modulation LFO This knob sets the amount of LFO modulation for the cutoff frequency You can use this for wah wah effects and more subtle spectral movement in a sound Envelope This knob sets the amount of envelope modulation for the cutoff frequency This knob has two directions you can set the envelope signal as normal or as inverte...

Page 12: ...selection NOTE There is only one overdrive that is shared by all voices This is similar to having an overdive effect on the output of the synthesizer The hardware version of RAGNARÖK was actually used in combination with an overdrive stomp box Volume This is just a final output level that sets the amount of signal that is coming out of the synthesizer With all the voice stacking filter options and...

Page 13: ... well The filter works and behaves as a normal graphic EQ The frequency response is flat when the sliders are at the mid position Above the mid position frequencies are boosted while below the mid position they are dampened NOTE Although there are no modulation options for the 7 band filter within RAGNARÖK all parameters of the synthesizer are externally automate able NOTE There is only one 7 band...

Page 14: ...epeated notes is set with the len knob in the settings section Host sets the repeat locked to the host tempo Same as repeat the length of the repeated notes is set with the len knob in the settings section Also the host sync can be set to several time signatures with the option in the settings popup menu button besides the len knob in the settings section NOTE The repeat and host sync options only...

Page 15: ...zer Using less voices means using less CPU for the synthesizer Setting this to 1 voice means the synthesizer behaves as a monophonic synthesizer which activates all the portamento legato and re trigger options in the performance section Voices amount can be set to several presets 1 monophonic 2 4 8 16 32 and 64 ...

Page 16: ...d the internal clipboard holds a copied patch Using this option will write the copied patch into the currently selected slot NOTE you get a confirmation warning asking if you are sure to overwrite the currently selected patch Load Program If your DAW does not support patch management you can use this option to load an individual patch in FXP format Save Program This option let you save the current...

Page 17: ...current Startup bank Check Online for Update When connected to the Internet this function will check if a newer version of the RAGNARÖK is available at fullbucket de Visit fullbucket de Open fullbucket de in your standard browser Init Button This button initializes the current patch position in the bank so you can start a new sound from scratch All synthesizer settings are set to a default positio...

Page 18: ... repeat function in the performance section This is equal to the time a key is pressed if you would repeat a note on a keyboard Int Interval This knob sets the note interval for the Interval voices in the voice selection panel Default interval is a fifth You can tune the interval back to center tuning and both above or under that for additional chorus like effects in addition to the Spread option ...

Page 19: ...od wheel has no effect If there is a certain amount of pitch modulation set the mod wheel modulates between zero and the set amount If there is a ramp time set the mod wheel again will modulate between zero and the set amount of pitch modulation However the mod wheel takes the ramp time into account meaning there is zero mod wheel influence at the start of the ramp time going up to the full pitch ...

Page 20: ...er needed The prohibition of changing the DLL from now on is meant to prevent from several hacked versions going around in any way or form which was prohibited anyway How does it work You simply put the edited graphics in any folder of your choosing so you know the patch to where they are stored Now by adding the specific path for any GUI graphics to the INI file see next section Ragnarök will loa...

Page 21: ...can be controlled by MIDI controllers or more precise Each MIDI controller except Modulation Wheel and Sustain Pedal can control one of RAGNARÖK s parameters The mapping is defined in the ragnarok ini for example like this MIDI Control General Purpose controllers CC7 4 Volume CC74 28 Filter Cutoff The syntax is straight forward CC controller number parameter ID Given the above example controller 7...

Page 22: ...or left out of the INI file completely The INI section should look like this Editor Bitmap_Back D alternate_skins myown 1 png Bitmap_Slider D alternate_skins myown 100 png Bitmap_Knob1 default Bitmap_Knob2 default Bitmap_Switch1 D alternate_skins myown 300 png Bitmap_Switch2 D alternate_skins myown 301 png Bitmap_Switch3 default Bitmap_Switch4 default Bitmap_Button1 default Bitmap_Button2 default ...

Page 23: ...sustain level 12 Square 2 on off 42 Filter Envelope release time 13 Pulse 16 on off 43 Amp Envelope mode AD ADSR 14 Pulse 8 on off 44 Amp Envelope attack time 15 Pulse 4 on off 45 Amp Envelope decay time 16 Pulse 2 on off 46 Amp Envelope sustain level 17 Interval 16 on off 47 Amp Envelope release time 18 Interval 8 on off 48 Overdrive 19 Interval 4 on off 49 EQ1 Gain 20 Interval 2 on off 50 EQ2 Ga...

Page 24: ...2 Small Settings knob Bitmap_Switch1 On off switch e g Portamento Legato Bitmap_Switch2 Toggle switch e g ADSR AD Mode Bitmap_Switch3 Three state switch Envelope Retrigger Mode Bitmap_Switch4 Four state switch Filter Poles Bitmap_Button1 Blue Octave switch Bitmap_Button2 Green Octave switch Bitmap_Button3 Pink Octave switch Bitmap_Button4 Yellow Octave switch Bitmap_Digits Digits font shown for Po...

Page 25: ...d if you really want to install the package because it comes from an unidentified developer me J Click OK and follow the installation instructions What is the plug in ID of the RAGNARÖK The ID is h p b o Why is there no saw and no triangle sine available The main component of the hardware RAGNARÖK was a DIY kit called Chorosynth This was specifically aimed a doing large lead sounds with three slig...

Page 26: ...und and the controls are already nicely spaced The GUI is certainly not crowded So taking it off to make space for something else didn t make much sense The choices made for the GUI and the logo are very much based on the original hardware knobs and switches are oriented very close to the original hardware faceplate and adding the patch management section simply created the place for the logo ...

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