Audiothingies MicroMonsta 2 User manual

MicroMonsta 2
User manual
2.1

Table of contents
Table of contents............................................................................................................................. 2
Introduction..................................................................................................................................... 4
Overview...............................................................................................................................................................4
New in firmware v2.0............................................................................................................................................5
Front panel.............................................................................................................................................................6
Rear anel..............................................................................................................................................................7
ower considerations.............................................................................................................................................7
Using MicroMonsta 2.....................................................................................................................8
Currently edited program.......................................................................................................................................8
Navigating pages...................................................................................................................................................8
Editing parameters.................................................................................................................................................8
Encoders................................................................................................................................................................................................. 8
Knobs..................................................................................................................................................................................................... 8
Modes............................................................................................................................................. 9
Monotimbral..........................................................................................................................................................9
Bitimbral................................................................................................................................................................9
Combi....................................................................................................................................................................9
resets........................................................................................................................................... 10
Load a preset........................................................................................................................................................10
Save a preset........................................................................................................................................................10
Load a combi (combi mode only)........................................................................................................................11
Save a combi (combi mode only).........................................................................................................................11
Quick Load..........................................................................................................................................................12
In Monotimbral or Bitimbral mode...................................................................................................................................................... 12
In Combi mode..................................................................................................................................................................................... 12
Synthesis overview.......................................................................................................................13
Editing a sound.............................................................................................................................14
Quick edit............................................................................................................................................................14
OSC | Oscillators.................................................................................................................................................14
Available oscillators algorithms...........................................................................................................................................................15
FM-able algorithms (exclusive to OSC 1)............................................................................................................................................15
Wavetables (exclusive to OSC2 and OSC3).........................................................................................................................................15
Main waveforms graphical representation............................................................................................................................................16
MIXER................................................................................................................................................................16
FILTER................................................................................................................................................................17
Filter types........................................................................................................................................................................................... 17
DRIVE.................................................................................................................................................................18
ENV | Envelope...................................................................................................................................................18
LFO | Low frequency oscillator...........................................................................................................................19
Bipolar LFO waveforms....................................................................................................................................................................... 19
Unipolar LFO waveforms.....................................................................................................................................................................20
LFO modes...........................................................................................................................................................................................21
MATRIX | Modulation matrix + Operators (lag + mult)......................................................................................22
Modulation matrix................................................................................................................................................................................ 22
Lag operator......................................................................................................................................................................................... 22
Audiothingies MicroMonsta 2 user manual v2.1 2

Mult operator........................................................................................................................................................................................23
Modulation sources.............................................................................................................................................................................. 24
Modulation destinations.......................................................................................................................................................................24
AR | Arpeggiator................................................................................................................................................25
Arp pattern........................................................................................................................................................................................... 25
FX | Effects..........................................................................................................................................................26
IFX parameters.....................................................................................................................................................................................26
Delay parameters.................................................................................................................................................................................. 26
Reverb parameters................................................................................................................................................................................ 26
VOICE | Voice parameters...................................................................................................................................27
ROGRAM | rogram parameters.......................................................................................................................29
COMBI | Combi parameters................................................................................................................................30
SYSTEM | System parameters......................................................................................................31
Configuration pages............................................................................................................................................................................. 31
MIDI settings....................................................................................................................................................................................... 31
FQM pots global assignments..............................................................................................................................................................32
Quick edit menu encoder assignments..................................................................................................................................................32
UTILITY....................................................................................................................................... 33
Dump currently edited program...........................................................................................................................33
Dump several programs.......................................................................................................................................33
Receive several programs....................................................................................................................................33
MIDI............................................................................................................................................. 34
Control Change support.......................................................................................................................................34
NR N support......................................................................................................................................................35
Microtuning.........................................................................................................................................................35
Bulk Tuning Dump format...................................................................................................................................................................35
Limitations........................................................................................................................................................................................... 35
M E.....................................................................................................................................................................36
Factory reset.................................................................................................................................. 37
Specifications................................................................................................................................ 37
Audio................................................................................................................................................................................................... 37
MIDI.................................................................................................................................................................................................... 37
ower................................................................................................................................................................................................... 37
General................................................................................................................................................................................................. 37
Audiothingies MicroMonsta 2 user manual v2.1 3

Introduction
Overview
MicroMonsta 2 is a dual polyphonic synthesizer featuring :
•2 x 6 voices of polyphony
•3 oscillators, 1 multimode filter, 3 envelopes, 3 LFOs, 10 modulation slots and 2 operators per
voice (lag and mult)
•12 « analog » oscillator types + 4 FM-able oscillators for OSC1
•12 « analog » oscillator types + 8 multisampled wavetables for OSC2 and OSC3 (FM source)
•8 filter types with FM
•er voice and per oscillator detuning options for analog character
•Deep modulation matrix
•Delay + reverb
MicroMonsta 2 can be used in 3 different ways :
•Monotimbral : As a 12-voice polyphonic synthesizer
•Bitimbral : As 2 different 6-voice polyphonic synthesizer (on 2 different MIDI channels)
•In combi mode, where you can stack, split or mult the 2 programs
You get 300 programs slots + 100 combi slots to save your sound creations.
The 100 combi slots also save their 2 sound programs in separate program slots (so you get 300 + 2 x 100
= 500 program slots in total).
Audiothingies MicroMonsta 2 user manual v2.1 4

New in firmware v2.1
•Deeper FM
•Filter character
•1 additional mult operator
•Chorus and EQ per program
•Delay tempo sync
•Arp pattern (16 steps)
•M E mode
•And lots of other small things that will be covered in this manual
Audiothingies MicroMonsta 2 user manual v2.1 5

Front panel
You get :
•2x16 characters LCD screen, white on black
•3 assignable pots for live edits
•1 volume pot
•4 edit encoders
•9 pushbuttons with their associated LEDs
•2 No/Yes pushbuttons
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Rear Panel
On the rear panel :
•USB B port for power and USB MIDI
•3.5mm stereo jack MIDI input (MIDI A Standard)
•3.5mm stereo output (line out / headphones out)
Power considerations
MicroMonsta 2 is powered via its USB B port. Several options are thus available :
•It can be powered with any USB power supply capable of outputting 500mA @ 5V DC (any
modern USB power supply should meet these specifications, and you probably have half a dozen
of those in your drawers)
•It can be powered via a USB port on a computer
A drawback of this method is that a ground loop can be created which can cause hum in the audio
output. To avoid such a ground loop :
◦Use a USB isolator between the computer and MicroMonsta 2
◦Use a stereo line level DI with ground lift switch between MicroMonsta 2 and the mixer
•It can be powered with a USB power bank for extra mobile use
Audiothingies MicroMonsta 2 user manual v2.1 7

Using icro onsta 2
Currently edited program
MicroMonsta 2 can play up to 2 sounds at the same time – loaded into rograms A and B.
Only 1 rogram can be edited at a time, and it can be selected by pressing its corresponding A or B button
(B button will be disabled in monotimbral mode).
Currently edited program always has its LED lit as an all time indication.
Navigating pages
Synthesis parameters are mapped across different sections accessed by pressing a button on the front
panel.
When a section has several pages, you access them by successively pressing the same button several
times. When you are on the last page, it returns to the first one.
For example, pressing OSC several times will make you travel the following pages: OSC1 > OSC2 >
OSC3 > OSC1 > OSC2 etc.
Some sections (the ones labelled in orange) are accessed by long-pressing the corresponding button. For
example long-pressing OSC will take you to the Mixer page.
Some pages can have sub-pages accessed by turning encoder 1 (all the orange labelled sections for
example)
All this may seem complicated while reading, it is however quite fluent once you have the gear in front of
you.
Editing parameters
Encoders
The LCD screen provides up to 4 parameters to edit at the same time.
Use encoders 1-4 to change their corresponding parameter value.
Knobs
The 3 knobs F, Q and M are factory mapped to (respectively) filter frequency, resonance and mod knob
(accessible in the mod matrix).
They can be remapped either globally or per preset to any synthesis parameter.
Audiothingies MicroMonsta 2 user manual v2.1 8

odes
MicroMonsta 2 can be globally set to 3 different modes that can be changed anytime in SYSTEM menu.
They affect the number of available sounds MicroMonsta 2 can play at the same time and the way it
responds to incoming MIDI signals
onotimbral
In monotimbral mode, you can play 1 sound at the same time, with 12-voice polyphony.
Sending a MIDI bank change / program change on MicroMonsta 2 MIDI channel will change the
currently selected program.
Bitimbral
In bitimbral mode, you can play 2 sounds at the same time on 2 different MIDI channels, each sound
having 6 voices polyphony.
rogram A is accessed on main MIDI channel (the one set in SYSTEM menu), while rogram B is
accessed on main MIDI channel + 1.
By sending a MIDI bank change / program change on one of those 2 MIDI channels, you can change the
preset loaded in rogram A or B.
This mode is ideal when used with an external sequencer.
Combi
In combi mode, you can combine up to 2 different programs in 4 different ways
•only A : same as monotimbral mode
•stack AB : 2 sounds played at the same time on the same MIDI channel
•split AB : 2 sounds at the same time on the same MIDI channel, but the keyboard is split
•mult AB : 2 sounds at the same time on 2 different MIDI channels (same as bitimbral mode)
By sending a MIDI program change in combi mode, you load an entire combi containing the combi
parameters AND both programs A and B.
In combi mode, it is not possible to change rogram A or B independantly by sending a program change
message.
Audiothingies MicroMonsta 2 user manual v2.1 9

Presets
Load a preset
To load a preset into rogram A or B, double Tap A or B button
A:StarDust LOAD
[lead] P065
•Use encoder 4 to select a preset to load into program slot
ress Yes to confirm, or press No to return to the previously edited sound.
Save a preset
To Save rogram A or B into a preset slot, hold A or B button
[S]tarDust SAVE
BybyePgm P054
1. Selects a character to edit
2. Edit character
3. Generate a random name
4. Selects the destination preset slot
ress Yes to confirm, No to cancel the save operation
Audiothingies MicroMonsta 2 user manual v2.1 10