ARP ODYSSEY User manual

Odyssey Owner's Manual

Introduction
Ws3come to the ARP Odyssey, the ultimate iriuEic^ trip.
The ARP Ctdyssey brings polyphonic electronic music to
tbs perfofraing artist-r&ck, pop, soul^ jazz, of
avgjtt-garde, It incrludes such state-of-the-art fims as
phase -locked aseiHatorsi, di^gital ring modulator, sample &
hold cLfcuits, and most of the functions of acomplete
studio synthi^siser,
With its ease gf operation and high reliability, youf ARP
Odyssey can produce sn enormous variety of sounds in
live perforinance. Everything frcm thund&f and h-ghtciing
to gong, fuzz guitar, and feedback disLortion is at your
fing^niips with the Odyssey's shder controls and patch
switches. The Odyssey^s foot pedal and foot switch add to
your expfessive control. lEs two-voice, 37 -note keyboard
has anine-octave range. The Odyssey is compatible, and
can be interfaced with all other ARP synthesizers. And, of
course, the famous ARP filters and oscillators give you
drift-free accuracy for professionaJ.' quality reoordirtgs.
ssey OwnersManual

Contents
Gening Stifttd ._.4
Exttnul Ampliruir wi SpcakR' ^..5
What Kind of Amp Wofhi Best S
Let's Qe^in 6
How yoiw Odyisey WorNi 7
Scaad Soufcn .10
Experuum 1.LottiUe^ to Wawfofsit 11
£Kp«rimein 2, PuIm V/id!h Modulation 14
ExperinKnt 5. PhiisQ Synchronization IS
Exporimont 4, NoJSfl ,.17
Experiment 5. Ff«iu*ncy ModuUtbn 1
7
Modifitrj 19
Ejcp4riixtent: 1. RJn^ htodvlacKHi 20
Expwimeni 2. TU VCA 21
Exptdnwnt 3. Th« Hi^jh Pas Filur 22
ExpeiimeaE A, Tht VCF 22
Controlkfs. ,....,.. 25
Keyboard siid Pedals 29
ADSR and AR Envalopo GonBj-aior 30
Sample and Hold 35
Low Fivqutncy Oi^ilbtoct 36
Pitdi Bend Control ..,.,.,, 36
Exiefiial Ai«Jio Input. ..^.37
InterfA« Jflcki 37
Panel Conlrol Dtiiertptjon Chflrt 39, 40
Hintiori Using Your Odyi$ey .^ .41
Initint Odyscy 42
P*idi« ,._.43-54
SpKiltcatioas , , 5S, 56
Giva Your Odyuty iLittla Brother Back Com
Copyright 1976 by ARP Instnuneati, Inc.
320 Needbam StrHt
Nflwton, Massjchuioits
Second Edition
Firn PrimiaQ .
.
Mjrch, 1976

The Odysey b^loTigs to tho class of Variable synttiDsiscrs.
Avariable svnlhedzer, as opposed to a Preset synthesiaer,
allows you to shape every aspect of asound, from the
attack and decay to tha harmonic struciurc. Your
Odyssay is equipped with rantrols that will let you
precisaly shape each and every parameter of the sound
you are creating.
Synthesizers create sounds electronically in much the
same fashion that any naturaE sound is created
acoustically. There are definite Q[ementsof sound which,
when put together in diffeient combinatioiis, will
predsely repraduce anything from aclarinet to a
jadthammer, The Odyssey is atnusical instrunwnt
comprised of anumber of different electronic circuits;
each one is designed to control an element of sound.
This manual is an operational guide for the Odyssey,
but it should atso give you aworking knowladge of
electronic jnusic functions.
Checklist:
«Fill out your warranty card and send \k in.
•Save the crarton (It can be used to protect your Odyssey
until you get a carrying case),
*Place the Odyssey on asuitable pUying surface (Don't
worry about ventilation: it won't get hot).

EXTERNAL AMPLIFIER AND SPEAKER WHAT KIND OF AMP WORKS BEST?
The Odysse/, Jike alt electronic musjeal instniments,
i& designed to be connected to an amplifier artd
IcHid speaker system. This external equipment (amplifier
and l-oudsp&aker} niay be aguitar amplifier, P.A. system,
an electronic organ^ recording console, or even ahigh
fidelity or stereo system. Two outputs ar$ provided on the
reat panel of the synthcsizer-a phono fack labeled "Low'
'
and asma^lef phono jatk labeled "High." Use the outputs
in the following manner:
*If you are planning to plug your synthesiser
into aguitar amplifier, use the synthesiser's
"Low" output. Astandard (juitar oaicd can be
used for this connection.
«If you're using the synthesizer with an Organ Or
ahi-fi amplifier, use the output marked "High.''
An input jack is already available On most organ
models. In the event your organ is Sacking this
input, it will only take aserviceman afew
moments to install one. Ask him to vn.ts the
jacks so the volume of the synthesiser can he
controlled by the expression pedal of the organ.
The whole idsa of asyniheazer is to give you the
capability to ^pe and oontrol every aspect of amusical
S3und using the synthesizer's controls. Therefore the ideal
amplification system for synthesizers should introduce SS
little distortion or coloration as possible, for this reamn,
P.A, systems usualJy produce the cleanest ssund with
^nthesisers. Likewise a bass guiter amplifier is probably
the worst kind of amplification for synthesizers because
ba^ guitar amps usuaUy have poor high frequency
response. Some lead guitar amps alio have alot of
distortion and coloration. If you play your synthesizer
through such an amp, your sounds will tend to be
characteristic of the amplifier rather than the synthesizer.
Sometimes, however, the combination of the synthesizer
and an amplifier with agreat deal of its own coloration
will produce just the sound you might be looking for.
Also, don't be afraid to use accessory devices, sych as
phasers, fu£z-wow pedals, equalizers and so forth with
your Odyssey. You can get interesting results. "Hie
Odyssey can also be used as an accessory deviM for other
electronic musical instruments through use of the external
audio input Jack.

Let's Begin
By now your curiosity ts probably beginning lo eicert
itself, d.nd you may wish to start playing immadiateiy.
In this ease, simply tum to pisge 39, iraad tha bri&f dsserip-
tion of the control functions, and than sat up any of the
patches darling on page 43. V/hile thase patctias provida
some basic ideas of the vast potential that lies v/ithin the
Odyssey, you'U ultimateiy discover an ever greater
number of new and exciting sounds and effecrts on your
own,
if you prefer to systematioaUy examine each control of
your Odyssey before playing, continue on to the
information which folEovfs.

HOW YOUR ODYSSEY WORKS
Generally speaking, all the sEeclronic circuits in your
Odyssey perform one of thiee ba-sic funCEions:
LSfgnal sources: lh« "raw" lonea ot noise which will
ultimatfrly be shaped into musical sounds;.
2. Signal Modifiers: the "raw" K>unds ate passed through
signal modifiers where the timbre (or tons quality) 15
changed to produce the desirsd sound, and
Z. ConLrollers; devjoes which detemtme the op^rfttng
characteristics of the signaJ sources and the signal
modifiers. For instance, the keyboard is acontrollef
which produces a voltage to leH the oscillator what
pitch lo create. Sinrulajrly, the ADSR envelope
genarator creates an attack and decay signal that
controls the Voltage Controlled Filter fVCF) so that
the final musical sound has an attack and decay.
the sound of these vibrationsL The body of the violin is
actually atnechanical filter and corresponds to the
Voltage Controlled Filter (VCF) on the Odyssey. It is the
characteristic resonances of the body that give the violin
its distinctive tone quality. The fingerboard, like the
keyboard on your Odyssey, determines the pitch of the
sound. The movemanl of the bow, like the ADSR
Envelope Generator, determines the attack and decay
characteristics of the sound,
Interconnecting the various functions shown in Figure A
is known as creating a"patch." The block diagram
illustrated in Figure Ais, of course, a violin patch.
Similarly, it is possible to diagram any patch that you may
play on the Odyssey. Actually, this visual representatton
of apatch permits you to better understand what
functions of the synthesizer are being employed and how
each function coniributes to the finished sound.
Alt mechanical instruments work in asimilar vny. A
violin, for instance, has avibraiin^g string which would he
aagnaS souTce. The vibrating string corresponds to the
Oscillator in your Odyssey. The vibrations from the string
are transmitted to the body of the viohn which modifies

1
IS FIGURE A. GOIV DRAWN
ACROSS 5TPBNC
CAUSING
V[ERAriONS
1-~L
comtrol pitch
by pressing
THE 3TR3WG
AGAINST THE
FINGER eOARD
BODY OF THE
VIOLIH ACTS
AS AF1L1TH/
RESONATOR
(Modifzer)
MOV]t:0
F3WGER3 BACK
AND FORTH
PRODUCES
ViBRATO
:Co;; crolLL'ii
OUTPUT
-VIOLIN
SOUND
ZL
UKAV.'LNn FJOW
ACROSS Tire
STRINGS SHAPES
ATTACK AND
DECAY
(Con(ioli!6fl
OSCILLATOR
WAVEFORMS
AND NOISE
(Signal Souros]
j~[:
Voltage
COWTROI-LE^D
fCLTRR
LFO
PRODUCES
VIBRATO
(Co rj;rol]i?i i
OUTPUT
-VIOLIN
SOUHD

FIGURE B.
The figure above is sblock dit^ram of all the functions
and iiriternaE eonnections in your Odyssey, As w& proceed
with our discusuion on the Odyssey's functions, you will
be abl^ to see ajtactly how th& different functions
interact.