Novation KS Rack, User Manual

Page 1: ...hones and Audio Input Section 26 Effects Section 27 Arpeggiator Section 28 Hypersync Section 29 Part Edit Section 31 Display and Data Entry Section 32 Mode and Keypad Section 33 Advanced Features 34 O...

Page 2: ...per cussive timbres A four section noise source completes the waveform engine External Audio Input The Mixer allows an external audio signal to be combined with the Oscillators and processed through t...

Page 3: ...e Mode where the machine is four Part multi timbral up to four different sounds can be played simultaneously Program Mode is selected by pressing the PROG button The LED above the button lights to con...

Page 4: ...grams or Drum Maps are available for playing simultaneously A bank of 100 Performances is available The first 50 performances have been preset at the factory and showcase the various layering keyboard...

Page 5: ...t percussion sound within the same Drum Map The keyboard notes used to trigger a sound depend on the Program s program number within the Drum Map For example Drum Map Program 500 is always triggered b...

Page 6: ...o turn memory protect OFF Exit Menu Mode either by pressing the MENUS button again or by press ing the PROG button the LED above the MENUS button extinguishes indicating that Menu Mode is no longer ac...

Page 7: ...the MIDI channel page in the Menu Use the PERF PROG DATA to set the MIDI channel to the same number for each part used for the layer While Parts are layered together it is possible to dynamically swit...

Page 8: ...edit the character locat ed at the cursor To complete the saving procedure press the WRITE button again This saves the edited Performance to memory display flashes PERFOR MANCE SAVED and once it has b...

Page 9: ...pitch the instruments would still sound distinctly differ ent This is because the harmonics present in a piano sound are different to those found in a harpsichord sound Volume Volume which is referred...

Page 10: ...the waveform becomes more and more rectangular more even harmonics are introduced and the waveform changes its character becoming more nasal sounding The width of the pulse waveform often known as Pul...

Page 11: ...ter is set completely open and no frequencies are removed from the raw Oscillator waveforms In practice there is a gradual reduction in the volume of the harmonics above the cut off point How quickly...

Page 12: ...tays at full volume until the key is released at which point the volume level falls instantly to zero A Piano quickly attains full volume when a key is pressed and gradually falls back down to zero af...

Page 13: ...ards shaping the final sound Where an Envelope is used to control a one off modulation which occurs during the lifetime of a single note LFOs modulate by using a cyclic repeating wave pattern As discu...

Page 14: ...f these front panel controls which of course determine the current sound or patch may then be stored in memory locations in the machine which can be recalled at any time Summary An Analogue synthesize...

Page 15: ...the same MIDI network simply by connect ing a cable from the second instrument s MIDI Thru to the third instru ment s MIDI In and so on Some non Novation instruments may not have a MIDI Thru socket f...

Page 16: ...if it were received on a synthesizer set to respond on MIDI channel 2 Some MIDI messages do not include any MIDI channel information defined in them Some examples of these are MIDI CLOCK MESSAGES Thes...

Page 17: ...e KS Rackto supply MIDI information to control other Parts in a Performance or other external MIDI equipment such as a sampler In Performance Mode each of the four Parts can be played simultane ously...

Page 18: ...obs and the MODULATION and NOISE RING EXT buttons 3 Filter Section Contains the controls associated with the Filter These include the FRE QUENCY RESONANCE OVERDRIVE MOD ENV DEPTH and LFO 2 DEPTH knobs...

Page 19: ...he display Subsequenct presses of either button will move the cursor one step left or right to select the next Program Once the cursor is positioned over a Program number it is possible to select a ne...

Page 20: ...c is also held in each part along with the program num ber This additional information may be edited by pressing the Menu button under the part level knob See page 54 for more information on these par...

Page 21: ...ne of the pages of the Filter Menu Filter Q norm 13 MENU 49 Once any of the Menus have been selected the PERF PROG PAGE buttons to the left of the display are be used to navigate forwards and backward...

Page 22: ...square waveform using the WAVEFORM button in the Oscillators section Notice how the timbre changes to a more woody sound Select POSI TION using the PW SELECT button Rotate the PWM DEPTH PW POSITION k...

Page 23: ...sition no modulation is applied Turning the knobs clockwise introduces positive modulation the mixer levels become louder Turning the knobs anticlock wise introduces negative modulation the mixer leve...

Page 24: ...n movement or change in the filter Cut off frequency such as in Acid bass lines and other very edgy sounds OVERDRIVE Knob This knob controls how much the filter is overdriven When used in large amount...

Page 25: ...With a postive modulation amount this LFO waveform fades out the modulation With a negative modulation amount this LFO waveform fades in the modulation Curved Sawtooth Similar to a standard sawtooth...

Page 26: ...decay times move this control towards maximum SUSTAIN Slider Sets the level at which the envelope remains following the Decay phase only while a key is being held on a controller keyboard or there is...

Page 27: ...nds have a very gritty dirty quality to them This is especially effective when applied to aggressive lead sounds The Distortion Effect also exaggerates any low level harmonics present within the sound...

Page 28: ...he Effect currently selected for edit ing by the SELECT buttons In most cases it will control the Effect s level but there are exceptions All possibilities are detailed in the above table Arpeggiator...

Page 29: ...plate is applied when the knob is at non zero At the fully counterclockwise position the Hypersync Menu will de activate and the normal Progam Mode or Performance Mode display will be activated When n...

Page 30: ...fferent destination memory if required Any of the sixteen available Hypersync Template memories can be select ed Press the SAVE HYPER button again to proceed The display shows Name Hypersync 01 Syncop...

Page 31: ...ndividual part may by auditioned If a Performance is configured multi timbrally parts are set to use differ ent MIDI channels the keyboard will only play the part currently selected by the EDIT button...

Page 32: ...Map at any time Once in a Drum Map holding this button down and pressing a key on the keyboard will selected the Drum sound for editing on the front panel Using this button is equivalent to selecting...

Page 33: ...m Mode will be selected if currently in Program Mode or Performance Mode if currently in Performance Mode From a Menu Program Mode may be also be selected at any time by pressing the PROG button or Pe...

Page 34: ...ols the amount of tuning drift for the Oscillators Setting a modest value 10 for example will cause each Oscillator to slowly drift fractionally out of tune Classic Analogue Synthesizers were known to...

Page 35: ...of the frequency modulation is taking place with respect to time Adding this envelope constructs the basic FM building block as shown in the nex illustration It can be seen that the output waveform b...

Page 36: ...r 2 s pitch using the OCTAVE button and the SEMITONE and DETUNE knobs Adjusting the AD Envelope Attack and Decay Times Changing the AD Envelope attack and decay times which is used as the FM modulatio...

Page 37: ...nob is turned fully anticlockwise there is no change to the filter Cut off frequency With clockwise movement there will be an increasing amount of modulation The filter will be opened more as higher n...

Page 38: ...agine an LFO assigned to modulate an Oscillator s pitch while a key of middle C is played on the keyboard When Unipolar is set to OFF the pitch would be modulated between a note some interval below mi...

Page 39: ...ossible to set the triggering mode for a third hidden Envelope termed the AD Envelope This Envelope has only Attack and Decay stages and is only used for FM synthesis or for modulating the level of Os...

Page 40: ...ugh The Filter Setting this function to OFF feeds the external audio signal into the Mixer and Filter section In order to hear the filtered signal repeatedly press the NOISE RING EXT button in the Mix...

Page 41: ...ck produces infinite echoes Stereo Width Menu Page 3 This sets the Stereo spread between the long and short Delay times With a width setting of zero both delays appear in the middle of the stereo fiel...

Page 42: ...m a small room to a large hall Turn the PERF PROG DATA knob to experiment with different types of Reverb noting how different rooms affect the acoustic properties of the sound Decay Time Menu Page 2 T...

Page 43: ...noticeable effect Moderate amounts are recommended Note The dedicated Chorus LFO should not be confused with the two LFOs available on the front panel Mod Centre Menu Page 4 The Stereo Chorus can act...

Page 44: ...le below Level Compensation Menu Page 1 If distortion is added to a sound it will tend to get louder In order to con tain or compress the sound back to a level which is consistent with other programs...

Page 45: ...and anticlockwise to decrease the rate Note The dedicated EQ LFO should not be confused with the two LFOs available on the front panel LFO Sync Initial Position Menu Page 4 As well as being able to sy...

Page 46: ...ing used more frequently in modern Pop and Dance music typically to produce distinctive robot voice type effects Activating The Vocoder This is done by using the EFFECTS LEVEL knob found in the Effect...

Page 47: ...or best results ensure that LFO 1 is using a Triangle waveform This will give a smooth traditional vibrato effect Opening or Closing the Filter using the Modulation Wheel Menu Page 6 The filter Cut of...

Page 48: ...ill open the Cutoff FREQUENCY will increase as Aftertouch data is applied Greater values will open increase the Cutoff FREQUENCY as Aftertouch data is received At a setting of 0 Aftertouch messages wi...

Page 49: ...e normal way If a single Sound or Performance is received via Sysex it is important to realise that it is only Program PerformanceEdit Buffer which has been changed The newly received Program or Perfo...

Page 50: ...the tempo rate of the arpeggiator and to provide a time base for synchronization to other musical timings This clock may be derived internally or received from an external device that is able to send...

Page 51: ...such as CD players Turntables Mixing desks or other line level equipment set the Input Sensitivity Range to LINE _____Input sense LIN Set this to MIC for low level devices such as Guitars or Microphon...

Page 52: ...lete one whole cycle of its waveform To synchronize an LFO alter this value until the desired musical timing is displayed See the synchronization table given above for the LFO Delay synchronization fo...

Page 53: ...eight types of mode available Up The arpeggio starts at the lowest note played and sweeps up through the notes until it reaches the highest note It then starts at the bottom again and repeats the sequ...

Page 54: ...time is very short clockwise and the gate time is long Keysync Menu Page 6 When activated the arpeggio pattern will re start whenever a new note is played on the keyboard Arp Note Destination Menu Pag...

Page 55: ...ity sen sitive way In the Inverse position the response is inverse to the normal velocity curve Louder sounds are produced by playing softly rather than hard This feature allows a velocity cross fade...

Page 56: ...ata value of zero As well as determining which Program or Performance bank the Program Change Message will select from the value of the Bank Select Message also determines whether Program Mode will be...

Page 57: ...t data Control Change 1 3 5 10 1 3 5 10 See Controller NRPN 12 37 40 65 12 37 40 65 tables for full details 67 85 87 89 67 85 87 89 91 95 98 100 92 95 98 100 102 112 114 119 102 112 114 127 Program 0...

Page 58: ...nc Leader 171 Hard Lead Classic Sync 122 Arpeggio MONO Dance 172 Arpeggio Pooch 123 Dance Trancer 173 Pad Glider 124 Pad Home Front 174 Pad KLM 125 EP Clav Fine Tines 175 Motion Rise up 126 Strings Sy...

Page 59: ...ice 272 Arpeggio OctaBass 223 Dance Circus of Humans 273 Dance Swallow It 224 Soft Lead PP3 274 Arpeggio Arp Fantasy 225 Arpeggio Round In Circles 275 EP Clav Light Finger 226 Pad Flush 276 Bass ResoB...

Page 60: ...ker 101 102 Trance 600 140 114 Mix Filler 116 116 115 Synced Flys Nest 175 202 116 Africa 174 269 Oh808oh 600 100 117 SuperSync 171 171 118 How Long 208 286 284 119 Cheeba Diva 145 274 120 Free Ease 2...

Page 61: ...Tom High Crash Cymbal Crash Cymbal 2 Ride Cymbal Crash Cymbal 3 909 Tom Low Tambourine 909 Tom L Mid Cow Bell 909 Tom Mid Ride Cymbal 2 909 Tom H Mid 909 Tom High 808 Clap 2 808 Tom Low 808 Tom Mid 80...

Page 62: ...1 expression msb EXPRESSION PEDAL 12 effect control 1 msb NON SYNC PAN RATE 13 effect control 2 msb SYNC PAN RATE 0 34 non sync 32Triplet 12bars 14 undefined msb VOCODER STEREO WIDTH common 15 undefin...

Page 63: ...C LFO2 SPEED 0 34 non sync 32Triplet 12bars 85 undefined LFO2 DELAY GRADUAL ONSET TIME ONE SHOT MODE DELAY 86 undefined may be used in future software releases 87 undefined ARPEGGIATOR SYNC SETTING 0...

Page 64: ...M 0 31 54 LFO2 WAVEFORM 0 31 55 LFO1 UNIPOLAR 0 centre zero 1 all positive 56 LFO2 UNIPOLAR 0 centre zero 1 all positive 57 LFO1 KEYSYNC START PHASE 0 357 degrees 58 LFO2 KEYSYNC START PHASE 0 357 deg...

Page 65: ...FO 1 2 DELAY MONO MULTI MODE bit 0 lfo1 delay multi 1 on bit 1 lfo2 delay multi 1 on 5 LFO 1 2 KEYSYNC LOCK ONE SHOT bit 0 lfo1 one shot mode 1 on bit 1 lfo1 keysync 1 on bit 2 lfo1 lock 0 independent...

Page 66: ...d Vi byte values and the data block content SYSEX DATA DUMP MESSAGES PROGRAM MODE CURRENT SOUND DUMP When received in program mode this will be the active sound It is not stored in flash In performanc...

Page 67: ...rent receive channel 02h MESSAGE TYPE current performance dump 00h CONTROL BYTE transmitted 0 received don t care Vv SOFTWARE VERSION Vi VERSION INCREMENT 00h PERFORMANCE BANK transmitted 0 received d...

Page 68: ...40h MESSAGE TYPE current program dump request 00h CONTROL BYTE don t care Vv SOFTWARE VERSION don t care Vi VERSION INCREMENT don t care 00h PROGRAM BANK don t care 00h PROGRAM NUMBER don t care F7h E...

Page 69: ...256 bytes byte parameter 0 UNISON VOICE TYPE FILTER TYPE see packed parameter 2 1 UNISON DETUNE 2 INDIVIDUAL OSCILLATOR RANDOM DETUNE VCO DRIFT 3 PORTAMENTO TIME 4 PREGLIDE SEMITONES 12 12 0 preglide...

Page 70: ...SE 71 not used set to 0 72 NON SYNC LFO1 SPEED 73 SYNC LFO1 SPEED 0 34 non sync 32Triplet 12bars 74 LFO1 DELAY GRADUAL ONSET TIME ONE SHOT MODE DELAY 75 NON SYNC LFO2 SPEED 76 SYNC LFO2 SPEED 0 34 non...

Page 71: ...MOD 142 OSC2 LFO2 LEVEL MOD 143 OSC3 A D ENV LEVEL MOD 144 NOISE LFO1 LEVEL MOD 145 RING1 2 LFO1 LEVEL MOD 146 AUDIO INPUT LFO1 LEVEL MOD 147 OSC123 WAVEFORM KEYSYNC PHASE 0 357 degrees 148 NOISE TYP...

Page 72: ...NUMBER 2 POWER UP PROGRAM MODE PROGRAM BANK 1 8 3 POWER UP PROGRAM MODE PROGRAM NUMBER 0 99 banks 1 4 0 49 banks 5 8 4 POWER UP MODE 0 program 1 performance 5 MEMORY PROTECT 0 protected 1 not protect...

Page 73: ...Canada Ceci ne s applique qu aux produits distribues dans Canada Other Standards Rest of World This product complies with the radio frequency interference requirements of the Council Directive 89 336...

Page 74: ...27 Velocity 0 127 Overdrive 0 127 Q normalise 0 127 Comprehensive Aftertouch Breath and Pitch Mod Wheel control of both static filter freq and modulation of filter freq Amplifier Modulation Envelopes...

Page 75: ...8 41 50 52 Feedback 41 Sync Time 52 Wheel Level 41 DELAY Knob 18 25 Delay Time 41 Demonstration 8 DETUNE Knob 18 23 36 55 Display 18 32 49 Display Contrast 49 Distortion 27 28 44 51 Level Compensation...

Page 76: ...MIDI 2 15 17 31 48 49 50 54 55 56 57 Aftertouch 16 48 49 57 Bank Select 16 56 Breath Control 21 48 Channels 7 15 16 31 50 54 55 56 Clock 16 25 28 50 52 57 Connections 15 17 Controllers 2 15 16 55 57 6...

Page 77: ...gram Mode 3 6 8 19 21 30 31 32 33 49 51 55 56 Programs 2 3 5 6 8 20 30 32 39 49 Comparing 32 Dumping 49 Editing 5 20 Exporting 8 21 Saving 6 30 32 33 Selecting 3 4 19 33 56 Pulse Width 10 PW SELECT Bu...

Page 78: ...nce Type 46 Stereo Width 46 Volume 9 12 26 47 54 VOLUME Knob 18 26 WAVEFORM Knob LFO Section 18 25 WAVEFORM Knob Oscillator Section 18 22 Waveforms 9 10 11 22 23 25 34 35 38 Cross Fade 25 Curved Sawto...