LFO Section

There are four Low Frequency Oscillators (LFOs). They do not create any sound on their own but are used to automate and drive the values of other controls in the synth.

For example, if you drag the icon in the LFO tab to the filter cutoff knob, the cutoff will be controlled by the LFO, causing its value to rise and fall according to the LFO speed and shape.

Modes

The mode control determines how the LFO behaves, switching between one of four modes (described in more detail below):

  1. Basic Shapes LFO
  2. Bezier Curve LFO
  3. Pattern LFO
  4. Sample and Hold LFO

Rate knob

All LFO types use the same rate knob. This can be set to BPM sync if desired. Click the small value screen for more options. You can choose to allow triplet or dotted times, or restrict the times to three chosen options. This is useful when modulating the rate, where you can have it switch between 8ths and 16ths for instance without using other values.

Basic Shapes LFO

  • Shape A or B selectors — choose Sine, Saw, Square or Triangle
  • A / B amount knob — lets you choose a blend of shape A or B to create new combination shapes
  • Center Knob — warps the middle of the curve left or right
  • Presets Button — choose an LFO preset to replace all the current values
  • Preset Save Button — save the current LFO settings as your own preset

Bezier Curve LFO

In this LFO, you can create custom shapes by dragging handles on the screen.

  • Double click to add a new point
  • Drag the hollow mid point handles to alter the curve shape between two points
  • Swing Knob — adjusts every 2nd grid line forwards or backwards in time
  • Grid combo box — choose how many grid lines appear on the screen
  • Snap Enable Button — when enabled, points draged near a grid line will snap on to the line
  • Rand button — randomly adjusts the Y values of the current set of points
  • Presets Button — choose an LFO preset to replace all the current values
  • Preset Save Button — save the current LFO settings as your own preset

Pattern LFO

In Pattern Mode, the Screen is divided into a number of slots.

Select the slots by clicking on them. Shift and Ctrl Click will select additional slots.

Below the screen is another small screen representing a selected slot.

You can drag the handles in the small screen to adjust any selected slots.

The slots on the main screen can also be dragged at the start, end, or center to adjust these values.

If the slots are too small to adjust using the large screen, you can use the small screen.

Left and Right arrows on the keyboard will also cycle between slots.

  • 2 Button — splits the selected slots into two equal parts
  • 3 Button — splits the selected slots into three equal parts
  • Merge Button — merges selected slots
  • X button — sets the values in the selected slots to zero
  • Paint mode button — when active, the currently selected shape will be pasted onto any slot you select
  • Link Button — when active, adjusting the start or end of a slot also adjusts the value of the slot next to it, creating a continuous curve
  • Rand button — randomly changes the values of all selected slots
  • Presets Button — choose an LFO preset to replace all the current values
  • Preset Save Button — save the current LFO settings as your own preset

Sample and Hold LFO

Sample and Hold creates random shapes. At an interval determined by the rate, a random value is set. If very slow LFO values are chosen, it might seem like this LFO is not doing anything! Try setting to 1/16th to see how it works.

  • Steps knob — determines how many values in the y axis the randomizer gets to choose from. If there are only two steps, the values will be minimum and maximum only.
  • Smooth knob — when values other than zero are chosen, the line will gradually move to the next chosen value rather than jumping
  • Presets Button — choose an LFO preset to replace all the current values
  • Preset Save Button — save the current LFO settings as your own preset
  • Rand driver switch — when enabled, the next value will be randomly selected. Unless a specific mod source has been chosen instead, this switch will be on.
  • Mod drop area — you can drop a modulation onto this area to make it the driver for the LFO instead of random. Try dragging the icon from another LFO tab to this dropper. The Sample and Hold LFO will use the values of the second LFO to set the y values on the axis, while still using the rate, steps, and smooth values of the Sample and Hold LFO.
Authored on 24 Oct 2022. Last updated 3 May 7:35:24 am.

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