Chase Bliss Audio Thermae User manual

Tempo
Steps
Making a Sequence
Stacking
Regenerating
Pitch
Table of Contents
2
4
6
14
16
32
34
36
38
40
42
44
46
48
50
Overview
Getting Started
Controls
Time Shifting 101
Sequencing
Ideas
Step Mode
Ideas
Analog Delay
Modulation
Customize
Ramping
Ideas
External Control
Bye
6
10
12
18
20
22
24
28
30
Knobs
Toggles
Footswitches
Power req: 9VDC Center Negative ~180 mA

Overview
With Thermae, we wanted to see how far we
could take these chips. We put them under
digital control, then started asking them to do
the impossible:
To use delay times far beyond their capabilities.
To undergo shape-shifting modulation.
To make melodies.
All the things you normally associate with
analog delay. Just kidding.
It can do normal analog delay too though.
We’re going to go pretty deep in this manual,
but don’t feel like you need to go there with us.
Thermae was designed to be fun and intuitive.
Hands-on. We’re just going to lay it all out there,
and you decide what you need.
Let’s see.
03
02
Thermae is analog delay
taken to its extreme.
We should talk about technology briefly. It will
be worth it.
Analog delays use bucket-brigade chips (BBDs)
to achieve their effect. They create echoes by
re-recording the same sound over and over,
and the truth is they’re pretty bad at it. That’s
their secret.
Each “copy” becomes a little more distorted,
and loses a little bit more detail. It’s perfect.
They melt into the background, dissolving in the
most natural sounding way.

Getting Started
It would make sense to start from a basic delay,
but we’re not going to do that. You’re probably
here for all the weirder things Thermae can do,
so let’s get right into it.
These settings will give you a musical sequence.
As soon as you turn on the pedal the sequence
will begin. Try playing one simple note and see
what Thermae does with it.
LPF
INT 1
REGEN
INT 2
MIX
GLIDE
05
04
To change the rhythm, adjust
the note toggles.
To change the melody, adjust
the INT 1 and INT 2 knobs.
To change the speed of the
sequence, tap in a new tempo.
Notice all the different textures and patterns you
can cook up. We’ll get into what’s happening
here on pg. 16.
But first, controls.
TAP/HOLD
INT 1/2

Controls - Knobs
Sets the balance between your clean
and delayed signal. If ramping is
engaged (pg. 44), the function of this
knob will change. It now controls the
speed of the movement.
MIX (RAMP)
A
Controls - Knobs
MIX REGENLPF
A B C
Blend, filter, repeat.
BLPF
Resonant low-pass filter. Set all the way
clockwise for brighter repeats that let
the noise and artifacts pour through, or
roll counter-clockwise to mellow out the
highs. You will also notice a resonant
bump right at the cutoff frequency, a bit of
emphasis. This knob is highly interactive
with the REGEN control, which can make
the pedal self-oscillate or increase the
number of repeats.
CREGEN
Sets the number of echoes. The more
regeneration, the more your signal
will devolve into a beautiful, smeary,
tape-saturated blur. If positioned carefully
it can repeat seemingly forever, or turn up
a touch more to descend into self-
oscillating madness. The REGEN setting
also has an important effect on the type of
pitch shifting you get (pg. 28).
07
06

D E F
GLIDE INT 2INT 1
Each of the INTERVAL knobs controls a
different step in the sequence, and sets the
amount of time shifting that will occur.
Rotate counter-clockwise to slow the
delay time and pitch shift downwards,
rotate clockwise to increase the delay
time and pitch shift upwards. Setting
either knob to noon will cause the
sequence to bypass that step (setting
both to noon will turn Thermae into a
classic analog delay).
If the MODULATION dip switch is on
(pg. 40), the function of these knobs
changes to set the SPEED and DEPTH of
the movement.
Activates a portamento effect as you
move from one step to the next. Set to
minimum for immediate shifts, or turn up
for increasingly long slides. At higher
settings there may not be enough time
for the pitch glide to complete its journey,
resulting in a bendy soup that never quite
reaches the intended destination before
being redirected elsewhere.
GLIDE
D
Controls - Knobs
INT 1 (SPEED)
EFINT 2 (DEPTH)
Bend and shift.
09
08

STEP LENGTH / SUBDIVISION
These three toggles work together to set
the rhythm of the sequence. Each one
maps to a different step and controls how
long Thermae will hold there.
Controls - Toggles
The left and right positions each store a
preset, while the middle position is live
(current settings). To save to the right
slot, hold the right footswitch for 3
seconds, then add the left footswitch for
another 3 seconds. Do the same for the
left slot, but start by holding down the left
footswitch. The middle LED will blink to
indicate success.
PRESETS
A
B
Save, subdivide, step.
11
10
Quarter note: The sequence will stay on this step for
exactly one pulse of the tap tempo.
Dotted eighth note: Splits the difference between the
and options. The dotted eighth setting is useful for
adding some swing or crookedness to the rhythm.
Eighth note: The sequence will stay on this step for half of
the tap tempo.
If both intervals are turned off (you are using Thermae like
an analog delay), the left-most toggle will function like a
simple tap tempo subdivision switch.
If the MODULATION dip switch is on, the toggles below
INT 1 and INT 2 will control the behavior and shape of the
movement (pg. 40).
A1A2
B
A3

Engage, tap, oscillate.
BYPASS
BA
Activates the pedal.
Controls - Footswitches
BYPASS
Slow the speed of the sequence by half by
holding both footswitches until the tap
LED turns green. Hold both again to exit.
SLOWDOWN MODE
A
Tapping this switch sets the base tempo.
Always honors the last two stomps.
TAP TEMPO
B
Tapping this switch moves to the next step
in the sequence.
STEP
B
Holding the left footswitch introduces a
momentary blast of self-oscillation, as if
the REGEN knob were completely clockwise.
RUNAWAY OSCILLATION
SEQUENCER MODE
STEP MODE
B
A
B
HOLD
To change the tempo in STEP mode, hold
both footswitches until the tap LED turns
green. Now you can tap in a new tempo.
Hold both again to exit.
TAP SHORTCUT
A
B
HOLD
HOLD
13
12
ON
OFF
STEP
ON
OFF
STEP

These changes in playback speed have multiple
simultaneous effects. If you’re pitch shifting
downwards, what you’re really doing is slowing
down the delay time. This means the repeats
will also become more spaced out, and the
quality of the echoes will be more gritty and
noisy. Inversely, pitching upwards will produce
more clear, tightly packed echoes.
It’s like a sequence with built-in variance. Each
step has its own character, delay time, and
pitch, all changing at once.
Thanks time shifting!
Time Shifting 101
Thermae creates melodies
by changing delay time.
It’s a unique approach that changes the pitch,
texture, and sense of space all at once.
Here’s why it happens:
15
14
Most analog delays work this way, but Thermae’s
secret is that it changes the delay time in precise
amounts that end up producing harmonic, pitch
shifting intervals.
In order to create
echoes, sound is
recorded to a BBD chip.
When the delay time is
changed, that sound is
slowed down or sped
up along with it.

Thermae makes it possible to generate melodies
quickly and intuitively, using only a few simple
controls. No music theory required. We’ve given
you lots of possibilities but limited the range so
that any combination will sound pleasing.
But because it’s all based on time shifting,
you might experience some things you
weren’t expecting.
We’re going to peel back the layers bit-by-bit
and probably go deeper than most of you need.
We’ll warn you before we head for the bottom.
Plug in and follow along.
Sequencing
16

The first thing to explore is tempo.
In the case of Thermae, the tempo of the
sequence comes from the delay time. You set it
with the tap tempo footswitch.
Try tapping in a couple different speeds and
seeing what happens.
Notice how the character of the echoes
changes as well as the speed – faster
sequences are cleaner, while slower sequences
are more degraded.
SLOWDOWN MODE
Thermae has a trick to give you some flexibility:
This makes it possible to tap in a faster, cleaner
delay time, but still sequence at a casual pace.
It’s also a great way to really listen to what the
sequencer is doing and learn its ways.
Sequencing - Tempo
-1 Oct-1 Oct
REGENINT 1 INT 2
19
18
Hold down both footswitches for 3
seconds and Thermae’s sequencer will
start to run at half speed (indicated by
the tap LED turning green).
SYNC UP
If you need precise timing, you might want to
consider syncing Thermae to MIDI clock to get
things just right and avoid tempo drift over time.
See pg. 48 for more on MIDI and external control.

Once Thermae sequences through its two
intervals, it always returns to the delay time set
by tap tempo. This is the base step. The base step
is always on, and just like INT 1 and INT 2 its
duration is set by a note division switch.
If your intervals shift the pitch downwards, this
means that returning to the base step will shift
the pitch back up. In this way, all sequences will
have some mix of both up and down shifting.
It also means that having both of Thermae’s
intervals on will result in a 3-step sequence.
Thermae’s sequencer is pretty straightforward.
It progresses from one step to the next, changing
the delay time as it goes based on the settings
of the INT 1 and INT 2 knobs.
But there is one helpful thing to know about:
The invisible interval.
Example time.
Tap in a nice slow tempo, play a note, and listen
to what happens.
We used both of the intervals to shift downwards,
but there was some upwards pitch shifting
going on as well. This is because of that invisible
interval: not pitch shifted.
We’ll call this the “base step” going forward.
Sequencing - Steps
21
20
-1 Oct
-1 Oct
REGENINT 1 INT 2
BASE
+2 Oct
-1 Oct
-1 Oct
INT 1 INT 2 BASE
+2 Oct
-1 Oct
-1 Oct
INT 1 INT 2
(Because each of the intervals descend 1 octave, Thermae must
shift back up 2 octaves on the base step)

Making a Sequence
It can be helpful to start with a 2-step sequence.
With the second interval turned off we are
simply alternating between the base step, and
interval 1. Nice and neat. 2-step sequences are
ideal if you want to keep things symmetrical
and straightforward.
Try out some interval settings and the feeling
they produce, and notice how extreme shifts up
or down will also create an extreme shift in the
opposite direction as they return to the base
step (pg. 20).
Okay, we’ve graduated to 3-steps.
This is where you’ll find a lot of Thermae’s
nuance and intrigue. The odd sequence length
naturally brings out a distinct feel.
It’s a fast way to end up somewhere new.
Now is a good time to really go wild with those
step length toggles. Notice what a difference
they make, even if the intervals in the sequence
don’t change.
23
22
REGENINT 1 INT 2
-1 Oct
OFF
REGENINT 1 INT 2
+4th
-5th
Octave Up Octave Down
(BASE)
BASE INT 1 INT 2 BASE

Sequencing - Stacking
Try out this setting:
Notice that both intervals have the same
setting, but not the same sound. This is because
the second interval is relative to the first.
If the first interval has already taken us one fifth
down, the second interval will take us another
fifth down.
In this case, this means Thermae will have to go
an octave and 3rd up to get back to the base
step, an interval you couldn’t get otherwise.
You can use this stacked interval effect to shift
higher and lower than would otherwise be
possible, and really explore the limits of
Thermae’s BBD chips.
Once Thermae returns to the base step we reset
and start over again.
25
24
REGENINT 1 INT 2
-5th-5th
BASE
+1 Oct
& 3rd
-5th
-5th
INT 1 INT 2 BASE
-5th
-5th
INT 1 INT 2
+1 Oct
& 3rd

Intermission / Caution
26
Okay, time for that warning we mentioned earlier.
We’re headed into the depths now.
The time shifting enigma.
Treat this section more like a reference than
essential information.
A little mystery is nice sometimes, and your
ears know what they like.
It’s all music.
But if you want to know how Thermae really
ticks, well, here we go.

Sequencing - Regenerating
You might have noticed we’ve been keeping
REGEN all the way down in these examples, and
there’s a good reason. If REGEN is turned up, it
means the same note will be pitch shifted
multiple times and go to some unexpected places.
Try playing a single, sustained note in this setting:
Now try it again with REGEN turned up:
There’s a lot more going on in that second setting,
layers of different pitches and some dissonance.
The note is shifted up a 4th by the first interval,
then fed back through the delay and shifted
another 4th by the second. The higher the
REGEN setting, the more times a single note will
be shifted.
This regenerating effect also means you will get
harmonies within the echo itself, as older notes
will have shifted more than newer ones.
If achieving very tight and harmonious
sequences is your goal it’s best to turn REGEN
down completely, but higher settings can be
great for finding some more rich and complex
sequences. Experiment!
29
28
REGENINT 1 INT 2
+4th +4th
REGEN
INT 1 INT 2
+4th +4th

Sequencing - Pitch
Okay, last one.
This is maybe the best encapsulation of how
time shifting is different from traditional
pitch shifting.
A great way to test this is to activate STEP mode
(more on this soon, pg. 34).
Play some notes, then press the tap switch to
step to the next interval. Notice how all the older
notes are pitch shifted, but any new notes you
play are not.
Only the notes played before Thermae moves to
a new step are shifted.
Once those older notes fade away, you just have
a normal analog delay (with a new delay time).
This creates a unique sensation where older
notes will be like modified harmonies - sped up
or slowed down - while newer notes will echo
just as you played them until Thermae moves to
the next step.
That’s it. All of Thermae’s secrets are now yours.
There are some sequencing ideas on the next
spread to start putting all this to use.
31
30
REGENINT 1 INT 2
-1 Oct -1 Oct
STEP
Tap switch to step to the next interval.

Sequencing Ideas
33
32
SLANTED SEQUENCE
A guaranteed way to get an
interesting sequence is to use a
different length for each step.
Because the sequence itself will be
so complex, you might want to start
by feeding it with a simple input
source, like some sparse, steady
chords. Let Thermae do the work.
FRIENDLY 5THS
This might be Thermae’s most
mellow and agreeable setting
for sequencing. The fifth tends to
fit in nicely with whatever you’re
playing, and the jumps in pitch
aren’t too extreme. Nice fifths,
good fifths.
OFFINT 1 -5th INT 1 REGEN
BIRDFEEDER
This is a playful and easy-to-use
three-step sequence. Turn up
REGEN for an ascending chorus of
tweets and chirps. Complex, yet
versatile and harmonious.
+1 OctINT 1 -1 Oct INT 1 REGEN
CALL & RESPONSE
This setting alternates between
pitch shifting and atmospheric
noise. You’ll first be greeted by
textural abstractions of what you
played as the sequence descends,
followed by a sped-up refrain. Play
a phrase, wait for Thermae to
respond, repeat.
-1 octINT 1 -1 Oct INT 1 REGEN

Step Mode
35
34
STEP mode allows you to hit pause and explore
Thermae at your own pace.
You can think of it as manual sequencing. The
intervals still work just like they would with the
sequencer running, but you decide when you
move to the next step. You advance by tapping
the left footswitch.
One use of STEP mode is to treat it like an
analog delay with some special abilities:
Another reason to use STEP mode is to separate
the sequence speed from the delay time. You
could tap in short, quick echoes, but slowly
advance the sequence in time with a kick drum,
for example.
STEP mode is also useful for ensuring your
sequences won’t drift in a band context and
makes it possible to play songs with odd,
ever-changing time signatures.
Push and pull the BBD chips to
otherwise impossible delay
times and stay there as long as
you like.
Use each step like a sub-preset
with its own distinct but related
delay time.
Tap through the steps when the
occasion calls for momentary
flourishes of time shifting.

HACKERTRONICS
Find the spot right before Thermae
oscillates and enjoy a unique
form of looping delay. If you get it
just right, your notes will never
fade or oscillate, just distort
gently into the background. The
interesting part is setting the
intervals to shift downwards,
allowing you to slow and extend the
loop when you’re ready, eventually
descending into some angular,
stretched-out computer looping.
-1 OctINT 1 -1 Oct INT 2 REGEN
Step Mode Ideas
37
36
RUNNING WATER
By getting the BBD chips running at a
faster delay time than makes sense,
you can squeeze out a number of
sound effects. Sometimes they
sound like birds or computers, other
times like a soothing stream. You
may need to tweak the interval
settings based on the speed of
your tap tempo, but the key is
shifting upwards. Also be mindful
that lower LPF settings will filter
these sounds out.
+1 OctINT 1 +1 Oct INT 2 LPF
DECIMATOR
This setting is what you get when
you shift two octaves down on the
first interval, then two octaves down
again on the next: A churning mass
of analog degradation and noise.
Remember that this can be used
sparingly. Leave Thermae at the
base step for normal analog delay,
but tap down into the degradation
to end a song, for example.
-2 OctINT 1 -2 Oct INT 2
BONUS
Crank the GLIDE knob to create a melting effect
as you transition between steps. This works
especially well with settings such as Decimator
and Hackertronics.