Arturia Wurlitzer-V User manual

USER’S MANUAL
Version 1.0

Project management
Kevin Molcard Niccolò Comin
Product management
Glen Darcey Romain Dejoie Frédéric Brun
Programming
Niccolò Comin Kevin Molcard
Design
Shaun Ellwood (decoderde ign.com) Morgan Perrier
Sound design
Jean-Michel Blanchet
Charle Cap i IV
Richard Courtel
Jim Cowgill
Glen Darcey
Boele Gerke
Steve Ferlazzo
Kevin Lamb
Kat unori Ujiie
Paul Steinway
Manual
Sylvain Mi emer
Niccolò Comin
Tomoya Fukuchi
Glen Darcey
Antoine Back
Valentin Fe igny
S ecial thanks to: Ko h Dukai, Dougla Kraul, Sean Weitzmann, Hernan Vela co (Jacobo Abreo),
Alexandre Schmitz, Noritaka Ubukata.
1st edition, April 2012
© ARTURIA S.A. – 1999-2012 – All right re erved.
4 chemin de Malacher
38240 Meylan
FRANCE
http://www.arturia.com
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Table of contents
1 INTRODUCTION............................................................................................................. 5
1.1 The electric piano.......................................................................................................5
1.1.1 Terminology......................................................................................................................5
1.1.2 Origin.................................................................................................................................5
1.1.3 Technologie ....................................................................................................................5
1.1.4 Popularity..........................................................................................................................5
1.2 The Wurlitzer EP 200-A.................................................................................................7
1.2.1 Hi tory................................................................................................................................7
1.2.2 De cription........................................................................................................................8
1.2.3 Sound.................................................................................................................................9
1.2.4 Maintenance...................................................................................................................9
1.2.5 Di cography.....................................................................................................................9
1.3 Phy ical modeling ynthe i ....................................................................................10
1.3.1 Mu ic... and mathematic ..........................................................................................10
1.3.2 The puzzle.......................................................................................................................10
1.3.3 The revolution................................................................................................................10
2 INSTALLATION.............................................................................................................. 12
2.1 In tallation for Window (XP/VISTA/7)....................................................................12
2.2 In tallation for Mac OS X..........................................................................................13
3 AUTHORIZATION.......................................................................................................... 15
3.1 Regi tration................................................................................................................15
3.2 Licen e download....................................................................................................16
4 USER INTERFACE..........................................................................................................20
4.1 Menu bar....................................................................................................................20
4.1.1 Configuring audio and MIDI.......................................................................................20
4.1.2 Configuring knob mode..............................................................................................21
4.1.3 Configuring kin color...................................................................................................21
4.2 U e of Pre et and tool bar.....................................................................................22
4.2.1 Select a bank, type, pre et ........................................................................................22
4.2.2 Saving an u er pre et...................................................................................................23
4.2.3 Import / Export a bank of pre et ..............................................................................24
4.2.4 Open mode...................................................................................................................24
4.2.5 FX Panel..........................................................................................................................25
4.2.6 Output mode.................................................................................................................26
4.2.7 Variation option............................................................................................................27
4.2.8 Maximum Polyphony....................................................................................................27
4.2.9 Panic button..................................................................................................................28
4.2.10 CPU u age indicator....................................................................................................28
4.2.11 MIDI channel election................................................................................................29
4.2.12 MIDI control....................................................................................................................29
MIDI menu..............................................................................................................................29
A igning MIDI control .........................................................................................................30
Manage configuration .......................................................................................................31
Minimum and maximum bound ........................................................................................31
4.2.13 Virtual keyboard............................................................................................................32
4.2.14 U e of controller ...........................................................................................................32
Potentiometer ......................................................................................................................32
Switche ..................................................................................................................................33
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4.3 The real Wurlitzer EP 200-A interface ....................................................................33
4.4 The ba ic mode........................................................................................................34
4.5 The effect ..................................................................................................................34
4.5.1 SLOT 1: Wah-Wah/Auto-Wah/Volume pedal..........................................................37
Volume pedal........................................................................................................................37
Wah-Wah................................................................................................................................38
Auto-Wah...............................................................................................................................38
4.5.2 Flanger............................................................................................................................39
4.5.3 Pha er..............................................................................................................................39
4.5.4 Choru .............................................................................................................................40
4.5.5 Delay...............................................................................................................................41
4.5.6 Compre or....................................................................................................................41
4.5.7 Overdrive .......................................................................................................................42
4.5.8 Vocal Filter......................................................................................................................42
4.5.9 Pitch Shift Choru ...........................................................................................................43
4.5.10 Reverb (Direct output).................................................................................................44
4.5.11 Le lie peaker imulator...............................................................................................45
4.5.12 Guitar amp imulator...................................................................................................46
5 MODES OF OPERATION............................................................................................... 47
5.1 Standalone................................................................................................................47
5.1.1 Launch the application...............................................................................................47
5.1.2 Configuration of the in trument.................................................................................47
5.2 VST 2............................................................................................................................48
5.3 VST 3............................................................................................................................48
5.4 RTAS.............................................................................................................................48
5.5 AU................................................................................................................................48
5.6 64-bit compatibility...................................................................................................49
5.7 U e in Cuba e/Nuendo (VST).................................................................................49
5.7.1 In trument u e in VST mode........................................................................................49
5.7.2 Re can the plug-in directory in Cuba e...................................................................50
5.7.3 Saving of pre et ...........................................................................................................50
5.8 U ing in Pro Tool (RTAS)...........................................................................................50
5.8.1 Opening of the plug-in................................................................................................50
5.8.2 Saving the pre et .........................................................................................................51
5.8.3 Automation under Pro Tool .......................................................................................52
5.9 U ing in Logic, Mac OS X only (AU).......................................................................52
5.10 U ing in Ableton Live (AU and VST)........................................................................53
6 END USER LICENSE AGREEMENT.................................................................................54
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1 INTRODUCTION
1.1 The electric iano
1.1.1 Terminology
An electric piano i an electromechanical mu ical in trument. Sound are produced
mechanically and then turned into electrical ignal by u ing electronic pickup . Thi i quite
different from an electronic piano, which imulate the timbre of a piano (or other in trument )
u ing analog or digital circuitry.
1.1.2 Origin
The earlie t electric piano were invented in the late 1920 ; the 1929 German Neo-Bechstein
electric grand piano wa among the fir t. Probably, the earlie t model of electric piano wa the
Vivi-Tone Clavier created by the Gib on ound engineer and ma ter luthier Lloyd Loar. When the
in trument wa di covered in 1994, amazingly, the in trument wa till in perfect tune!
Neo-Bechstein Electric Grand Piano ViViTone Clavier
1.1.3 Technologies
Different method of tone production exi t among electric piano . They vary from one model to
another, the mo t common are: truck tring (Yamaha, Baldwin, Helpin till, Kawai), tuning-fork
(Fender Rhode , Hohner´ “Electra piano”), plucked reed (Hohner´ “Pianet” and “Cembalet”,
Weltmei ter clavi et) and truck reed (Wurlitzer, Denon Elepian). We cannot ay that one
method i better than another; each of the e technologie have their own tone and character.
1.1.4 Popularity
The goal at the beginning wa to provide a piano which did not detune, and could be ea ier to
tran port than a real piano. The electric piano tarted a a product to be more convenient but
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then acquired a mu ical identity of it own. Mu ician developed playing technique with their
in trument and created their own ound u ing a variety of effect like pha e hifter , delay and
tremolo to enhance the po ibilitie of the ound. The popularity of the electric piano reached it
height during the 70 ; many legendary band have u ed the e in trument like The Beatle , the
Door , Herbie Hancock, Chick Corea, Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, Ray Charle , Queen, Supertramp,
Elton John, etc.
The band SUPERTRAMP playin the Wurlitzer
Mo t electric piano player eem to be divided into two camp : Rhode Mark II or Wurlitzer EP
200-A. Tonally and attack-wi e the Wurlitzer eem to it more comfortably with an amplified
guitar-ba ed rock band a than doe the Rhode . It can even replace a rhythm guitar quite
ucce fully, wherea the Rhode i more of a olo in trument, uited to fu ion, acid jazz, other jazz
tyle , the truth i that both of them are real jewel !
Rhodes Mark II Wurlitzer EP 200-A
The e in trument were eventually replaced by ynthe izer or electronic piano capable of
piano-like ound without the di advantage of moving mechanical part . The e were al o lighter
and maller.
However, to our delight, electric piano are coming back into fa hion. Companie who went out
of bu ine year ago are back making new model again and the price of vintage u ed
in trument ha climbed o that the e are now out of reach of mo t people.
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1.2 The Wurlitzer EP 200-A
1.2.1 History
For many year the Wurlitzer EP 200-A wa a taple of the rock´n roller keyboard player ar enal.
The Wurlitzer electric piano wa fir t manufactured in the very early 60´ for dome tic u age in the
home environment. The Wurlitzer electric piano wa the fir t electric piano to be manufactured
and old. The ound and portability oon led to profe ional tage u e a the piano proved a
u eful tool for mu ician .
Originally conceived decade earlier by one B.F. Mei ner, who e idea of removing the ound
board of an ordinary acou tic piano and placing electromagnetic pickup on each tring (like
an electric guitar) met with ome ucce . He old thi concept to the Everett piano company,
who then produced the Orgatron. Thi utilized Mei ner´ individual pickup arrangement, but
in tead of triking a tring for a percu ive attack, Everett´ y tem incorporated air blowing over
flat reed for an “electric” organ / harmonium effect.
Or atron
Wurlitzer, the giant American Jukebox / Theatre Organ company, realized that thi concept
could be made into an effective amplified piano by triking a metal reed with a hammer, and
thu the Wurlitzer Electric Piano wa born.
The in trument entered production in 1954 a the EP-110, followed by the 111 and 112 of 1955,
and continued to be produced in variou form until about 1982 when production of the EP 200-
A cea ed.
The EP 200-A e tabli hed it elf a the mo t popular model among collector and player alike. It´
the late t of the reed-ba ed piano , the lighte t in weight, and probably ha the be t action and
ound amplification of all the model .
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Wurlitzer EP-200A
1.2.2 Description
The EP 200-A u ed a “bag of hot” genuine piano action with the hammer triking the flat reed
at around middle point, cau ing the reed to vibrate which wa then in turn converted to electric
energy by electro tatic pickup . It´ a 64-note in trument who e keyboard range wa from A an
octave above the lowe t note of a tandard 88-note piano to the C an octave below the top
note of an 88-note piano. The pla tic-body wa only available in black and avocado green. It
had an internal amplifier and two loud peaker facing the player. A tremolo effect wa
incorporated, and the audio output allowed to connect the Wurlitzer to a Guitar amp or a PA.
The production tarted in 1972.
Inside the Wurlitzer EP-200A
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Keyboard Range 64 note , A-13 thru C-76
Height (from floor to key with leg ) 28 5/8”
Height of case (le leg ) 7 1/8”
Height (from floor to top of ca e,
not including mu ic panel)
33”
Overall width 40”
Overall De th 18 9/16”
Weight (le leg and pedal) 56 lb
Legs Removable chrome plated teel leg , two of which
have leveling glide
Wurlitzer EP 200-A SPECIFICATIONS (from the ori inal manual)
1.2.3 ound
Compared with it rival, the Fender Rhode Mark II, the Wurlitzer EP 200-A ha a brighter, more
hollow ound. When played gently the ound can be quite weet and vibraphone-like ounding
very imilar to the Rhode ; while becoming more aggre ive with harder playing, producing a
characteri tic lightly overdriven tone u ually de cribed a a “bark”. In a pop or rock band
etting with guitar, ba and drum , the Wurlitzer ha a di tinctive and clear ound where a
Rhode tend to blend in. However it ha al o been u ed ucce fully in MOR ballad and even
country mu ic.
1.2.4 Maintenance
The Wurlitzer i an ab olute nightmare to tune. On the end of each reed i a lump of older,
removing ome make the note harper in pitch, while conver ely, adding more older flatten
the pitch. Ju t loo ening the reed and re-tightening it i enough to change the tuning. Should
you dare try removing ome of the older whil t the reed i till in the pickup a embly,
micro copic lead filing can cau e havoc, horting out between reed and pickup, and na ty
ound re ult when played. Al o, if the actual overall hape of the lump of older i altered too
radically, the timbre of the note may tart to change ! Each note ha it own exact reed ize
although it i po ible to tune up or down 2 emitone without adver ely affecting timbre or pitch.
1.2.5 Discography
It´ impo ible to li t all the record u ing the EP 200-A, but here i a ugge ted li t of famou
recording u ing thi fanta tic Wurlitzer.
The Archie – Sugar ugar
Beck – Where it At
Belle & Seba tian – The boy with the Arab trap
Bob Dylan – Til I fell in love with you
Chicago – Feelin tronger every day
Daft Punk – Digital love
The Door – Queen on the highway
Eel – Agony
Elton John – Lady Samantha
George Harri on – All tho e year ago
Jet – Bring it on back
John Lennon – How do you leep
Ju tice – Valentine
The Mar Volta – Inertiatic ESP
Marvin Gaye – I heard it through the grave pine
Mu e – Hate thi and I´ll love you
Neil young – The old laughing baby
Norah Jone – What am I to you
Panic at the Di co – Mad a rabbit
Paul McCartney – Ram oh
Pink Floyd – Money
Queen – You´re my be t friend
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Ray Charle – What´d I ay
Stereolab – Infinity girl
Stevie Wonder – Love having you around
Supertramp – The logical ong
Tori Amo – Pancake
Van Halen – And the cradle will rock...
Wilco – I am trying to break your heart
Today it i quite hard to get a hold of a Wurlitzer in good condition. They are adly not the mo t
frequently u ed keyboard in trument in the mu ic indu try and are quite rare the e day .
Fortunately the Wurlitzer V i here to give it a econd life, and allowing u the relief of tuning
trouble !
1.3 Physical modeling synthesis
There are variou method to create a ound in the world of ound ynthe i . Additive synthesis
(create timbre by adding ine wave together), Subtractive synthesis (in which partial of an
audio ignal are attenuated by a filter to alter the timbre of the ound), Sam le Playback (where
recording of the original ound played back), Granular synthesis (a ba ic ound ynthe i
method that operate on the micro ound time cale, ba ed on the ame principle a ampling)
and Physical modeling synthesis. Thi i a method in which the waveform of the ound to be
generated i computed by u ing a mathematical model, being a et of equation and
algorithm to imulate a phy ical ource of ound.
1.3.1 Music... and mathematics
A phy ical model con i t of the law of phy ic that govern the ound production, and will
typically have everal parameter , ome of which are con tant that de cribe the phy ical
material and dimen ion of the in trument, while other are time-dependent ection that
de cribe the player´ interaction with it, uch a plucking a tring, or covering tone-hole .
Thi idea i very old in the hi tory of ound ynthe i , but ha been limited to recent development
due to the computational complexity and peed of computer ..
1.3.2 The puzzle
To model the ound of a drum, there would be a formula for how triking the drumhead inject
energy into a two dimen ional membrane. The propertie of the triker ( tiffne , the velocity of
the hit, the material, and how the trike happen ) the membrane (ma den ity, tiffne , etc.), it
coupling with the re onance of the cylindrical body of the drum, and the condition at it
boundarie (a rigid termination to the drum´ body) would all have to be de cribed in the
formula to work out the generation of ound.
Similar tage to be modeled can be found in in trument uch a an acou tic guitar. A few year
ago, a French cienti t had made a complete modeling of all acou tic guitar parameter . The
calculation la ted three day to produce the ound !
The challenge in phy ical modeling ynthe i i to implify the algorithm and the computation to
get a model which can be u ed in real-time.
1.3.3 The revolution
There are everal method of Phy ical modeling ynthe i ; Karplu -Strong algorithm , digital
waveguide ynthe i , formant ynthe i … each one u ing a different paradigm to de cribe a
ound to mu ical de tination.
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The trong point i that phy ical modeling ynthe i come very clo e to the ound quality of real
in trument , u ing 1000 time le pace than the “ ampling” method. Imagine an electronic
in trument that i mall and portable, and can faithfully reproduce the cri p note of a Steinway
piano, the weet ound of a Stradivariu violin or the brilliant tone of a trumpet, there i no limit
with phy ical modeling ynthe i !
A lot of univer itie , and re earch center under tood the benefit of thi technology, and a
revolutionary “equation” ha been developed in the pre tigiou In titute of mathematic of
Toulou e to recreate piano and electric piano´ ound. Thi brand new phy ical model ha been
implemented in thi Wurlitzer V. The re ult i ju t magic, note are really played (“con tructed” in
real-time, like on a real Wurlitzer), the ound i alive, not tatic: it i not a imple recording, it i a
genuine in trument that re pond to the player´ interpretation. And it´ really light on the
computer, it doe not require huge data torage involving a whole collection of DVD´ , it load
ea ily into RAM, and in tallation i very fa t.
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2 INSTALLATION
Wurlitzer V work on computer equipped with window XP/VISTA/7 and MAC OS X 10.4 or later.
You can u e the tand-alone ver ion or u e Wurlitzer V a VST, Audio Unit or RTAS in trument .
2.1 Installation for Windows (XP/VISTA/7)
In ert the CD-ROM into the drive. Explore the content of the CD-ROM, double click on the icon
named Wurlitzer_V_Setup.exe, and follow the on- creen in truction .
Fir t, you can choo e the item( ) to in tall:
•Standalone a lication allow you to u e Wurlitzer V without any Digital Audio Work tation
(DAW).
•VST lug-in i the Steinberg tandard interface for plugin , i upported by a large number of
audio application .
•VST 3 lug-in i the new ver ion of VST, if you only u e a VST 3 compatible DAW, you don´t
have to in tall the previou ver ion of VST, o you can afely uncheck the previou “VST plug-
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in”.
•VST(3) lug-in (64 bits) are ver ion for the 64-bit window , and 64-bit DAW.
•RTAS lug-in i for Pro Tool , if you u e Pro Tool plea e check thi plug-in.
If any doubt, ju t elect all item , they do not require much di k pace.
Second, elect the VST hared folder. Mo t probably, it will be C:\Program
Files\Steinberg\VstPlugins\, but you can change to any other path of your choice.
The in tallation program now ha enough information to complete the in tallation. When the
in tallation proce i completed, plea e proceed to the authorization tep.
2.2 Installation for Mac OS X
In ert the CD-ROM into the drive. Explore the content of the CD-ROM, double click on the icon
named “Wurlitzer V.mpkg”. Ju t follow the on- creen in truction .
Fir t, read and accept the End U er Licen e Agreement.
Then, you can choo e the item( ) to in tall:
•Standalone a lication allow you to u e Wurlitzer V without any Digital Audio Work tation
(DAW).
•VST lug-in i the Steinberg tandard interface for plugin , i upported by a large number of
audio application .
•RTAS lug-in i for Pro Tool , if you u e Pro Tool plea e check thi plug-in.
•Audio Unit i the audio interface developed by Apple.
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If any doubt, ju t elect all item : they do not require much di k pace.
La t, when prompted enter the admini trator name and pa word of your computer in the
authentication window.
The in tallation program now ha enough information to complete the in tallation. When the
in tallation proce i completed, plea e proceed to authorization tep.
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3 AUTHORIZATION
Now that your Wurlitzer V ha been in talled, you have to regi ter and authorize your Plug-in.
It will be done in two tep : Registration, and then License download.
3.1 Registration
The fir t tep i to regi ter your oftware in order to obtain the activation code that will enable you
to actually u e the oftware.
You hould have the license serial number of your Wurlitzer V and the unlock code with you
(the e are an integral part of the oftware and are printed on a mall pla tic card).
Connect your computer to the internet, and go to thi web page:
http://www.arturia.com/login
•If you already have an Arturia account et up, imply log into:
•If you don´t have any Arturia account yet, plea e create one now:
Once you are logged into your account, you can regi ter your Wurlitzer V and obtain your
activation code.
Go to the “My Regi tered Product ” ection of you account and click on the “Add” button. In
the form that appear , elect “Wurlitzer V” from the drop down menu, and key in your plug-in
serial number and unlock code (a written on the regi tration card):
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After confirmation, there i a creen from which you can co y the eLicenser activation code. The
very ame information i ent to you by email a a backup.
3.2 License download
Now that you have retrieved the activation code, launch the eLicen er Control Center on your
computer. Thi application ha been automatically in talled on your computer along the
in tallation of your Wurlitzer V, it i acce ible there:
•Window : Start > Program > eLicen er > eLicen er Control Center
•Mac OS X: Finder > Application > eLicen er Control Center
The following creen hot have been taken on a computer running Mac OS X; however the
proce i identical on a machine running Window XP/Vi ta/7. The ame function apply, only
the graphical u er interface differ , and po ibly the language u ed. The e detail hould not
prevent you from under tanding the full proce .
In the eLicen er Control Center main window you hould ee a “SeL” (Soft-eLicen er) virtual
dongle in talled into your computer.
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In the eLicen er Control Center menu, click on the “Enter Activation Code” button, and enter the
code when prompted. Simply pa te in the 32-digit code you have ju t copied from your account
on the ARTURIA web ite:
Select the de tination for your licen e. Default de tination i the Soft-eLicen er virtual dongle, but
you can al o u e the USB-eLicen er hardware dongle if available:
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The eLicen er Control Center i now ready to download the licen e oftware that will allow you to
u e the Wurlitzer V.
To tran fer your licen e to another computer, or imply u e the Wurlitzer V on everal computer
(one in tance at a time), you will need:
•to u e an USB-eLicen er hardware dongle (the “Steinberg Key”, old eparately, and al o
u ed by many other oftware application ).
•in the eLicen er Control Center, to drag-and-drop your licen e from the Soft-eLicen er to
the USB-eLicen er.
Thi tran fer, which require a valid Internet connection, can be done both way :
•from Soft-eLicen er to USB-eLicen er.
•From USB-eLicen er to Soft-eLicen er.
Plea e check the eLicen er documentation in talled on your computer for any further technical
detail .
Click on Start, the progre bar hould advance until downloading i complete. A pop-up
window will confirm completion, ju t click “Close”.
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Now the main eLicen er Control Center window hould how your Wurlitzer V licen e in talled
and activated:
It´ now time to launch the Wurlitzer V.
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4 USER INTERFACE
In thi chapter we will talk about all the tool which will help you to interact with the Wurlitzer V.
We tried to make the u e of the Wurlitzer V a imple and fun a po ible.
4.1 Menu bar
The in trument ha a menu bar allowing the etting of MIDI event input routing, and the output of
the ound. You will al o find a etting for how the knob re pond, and the option for the kin
color. Thi menu i available in Standalone mode, but your computer will keep your etting when
u ing the Wurlitzer V with a ho t DAW.
4.1.1 Configuring audio and MIDI
Click on the Setu > Audio MIDI Settings menu:
Thi i the ame dialog box that appear when tarting the oftware for the fir t time. Here you
can:
•Select the audio interface
•Set the audio output port
•Set the buffer ize
•Set the ample rate
•Select one or everal active MIDI input port( )
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