Intellijel Plonk User manual

Plonk Manual v1.01
Plonk
Physical Modeling Percussion Synthesizer

Plonk Manual v1.01
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Overview
Features
Installation
Before Your Start
Installing Your Module
Quick Start
Front Panel
Controls
Inputs and Outputs
Parameter Menus
Pitch Parameters
Octave
Quantize
Exciter Parameters
Mallet / Noise Mix
Mallet Stiffness
Noise Density
Noise Lowpass Cutoff
Noise Lowpass Q
Noise Highpass Cutoff
Noise Highpass Q
Noise Attack
Noise Decay
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Plonk Manual v1.01
Noise Envelope Type
Object Parameters
Resonator Type
Resonator Decay
Resonator Low Cut
Resonator Position
Resonator Tone
Resonator Inharmonicity
Resonator Pitch Envelope Amount
Resonator Pitch Envelope Time
Polyphony
VAR X and Y Destinations
MOD Destinations
Choke Resonator / Noise / Both
Preset Step
Randomize
Morph
CONFIG Settings
Gain
VEL Mode
Init Preset
Send Presets
Loading and Saving Presets
Preset Overview
Loading
Saving
Preset Transfer
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Plonk Manual v1.01
Downloading Presets to a Computer
Uploading Presets from a Computer
Calibration
Technical Specifications
Firmware Changelog
1.0 (July 20, 2017)
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Plonk Manual v1.01
Overview
Plonk uses a technique known as physical modelling to synthesize, with great realism, the way
in which sound is produced by acoustic instruments. The Plonk module is itself focused primarily
on creating percussive sounds — both pitched and un-pitched; natural and unnatural;
acoustic-sounding or totally electronic.
Plonk does this by breaking sound creation into two distinct elements — the exciter   and the
resonator  . The exciter is a mathematical model of the device used to strike a particular surface.
Plonk, because it’s percussion oriented, has two types of exciters: one modelled on a mallet,
and the other providing a noise source. The resonator is a virtualization of the object being
struck, which vibrates, resonates and creates the body of a sound. Plonk offers several types of
resonators: beam; marimba; drumhead; membrane; plate; and string.
Plonk provides numerous parameters that let you shape, mold and design both the exciter and
the resonator, thus enabling you to synthesize the sound of striking or scraping almost any type
of object — real or imagined. In this way, Plonk can accurately model the sounds of kicks,
snares, toms, cymbals, claps, tablas, congas and all manner of traditional percussion
instruments. It can also model pitched percussive instruments, like vibes, marimbas, and even
bass or guitar-like tones. Of course, it also excels at modelling instruments that heretofore never
existed.
Best of all, the sounds created by Plonk are not static — any sound you design can respond
dynamically to velocity, as well as four different modulation inputs. This means the sound of
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Plonk Manual v1.01
Plonk can change completely from note-to-note (or strike-to-strike). Because of this, Plonk is
actually a duophonic (2-voice) module, which lets the sound of one note decay naturally when a
second note (possibly employing an entirely different set of modelling values) is struck. Thus,
hitting a new note does not choke the sound of the previously struck note (unless you want it to,
of course)!
Plonk stores up to 128 patches in its internal memory, and ships with many presets
programmed by professional sound designers and composers. You may overwrite these
patches if you wish, and banks of patches may be transferred via MIDI System Exclusive over
Plonk’s built-in mini-USB port to facilitate offline storage by programs or websites that support
this capability.
Plonk was developed in cooperation with Montreal-based Applied Acoustics Systems —
physical modelling pioneers, and the creators of Tassman, Lounge Lizard, String Studio, Ultra
Analog, Chromaphone and numerous other plugins. It is with great pleasure that Intellijel brings
the potential of this physical modelling technology to a hands-on, CV-laden device capable of
the sort of dynamic control and sonic exploration that modular synthesists demand.
Features
●Two-voice polyphonic.
●128 preset slots.
●Presets transferrable over embedded USB-MIDI interface.
●48 kHz processing rate.
●Firmware updatable via USB
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Plonk Manual v1.01
Installation
Intellijel Eurorack modules are designed to be used with a Eurorack-compatible case and power
supply.
Before Your Start
Before installing a new module in your case you must ensure your case’s power supply has
sufficient available capacity to power the module:
● Sum up the specified +12V current draw for all modules, including the new one. Do the
same for the -12 V and +5V current draw. The current draw will be specified in the
manufacturer's technical specifications for each module.
● Compare each of the sums to specifications for your case’s power supply.
● Only proceed with installation if none of the values exceeds the power supply’s
specifications. Otherwise you must remove modules to free up capacity or upgrade your
power supply.
You will also need to ensure you have enough free space (hp)  as well as free power headers in
your case to fit the new module.
You can use a tool like ModularGrid to assist in your planning. Failure to adequately power your
modules may result in damage to your modules or power supply. If you are unsure, please
contact us before proceeding.
Installing Your Module
When installing or removing a module from your case always turn off the power to the case and
disconnect the power cable. Failure to do so may result in serious injury or equipment damage.
Ensure the 10-pin connector on the power cable is connected correctly to the module before
proceeding. The red stripe on the cable must line up with the -12V pins on the module’s power
connector. The pins are indicated with the label -12V, a white stripe next to the connector, the
words “red stripe”, or some combination of those indicators.
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Plonk Manual v1.01
Most modules will come with the cable already connected but it is good to double check the
orientation. Be aware that some modules may have headers that serve other purposes so
ensure the cable is connected to the right one.
The other end of the cable, with a 16-pin connector, connects to the power bus board of your
Eurorack case. Ensure the red stripe on the cable lines up with the -12V pins on the bus board.
On Intellijel power supplies the pins are labelled with the label “-12V” and a thick white stripe:
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Plonk Manual v1.01
If you are using another manufacturer’s power supply, check their documentation for
instructions.
Once connected, the cabling between the module and power supply should resemble the
picture below:
Before reconnecting power and turning on your modular system, double check that the ribbon
cable is fully seated on both ends and that all the pins are correctly aligned. If the pins are
misaligned in any direction or the ribbon is backwards you can cause damage to your module,
power supply, or other modules.
After you have confirmed all the connections, you can reconnect the power cable and turn on
your modular system. You should immediately check that all your modules have powered on
and are functioning correctly. If you notice any anomalies, turn your system off right away and
check your cabling again for mistakes.
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Plonk Manual v1.01
Quick Start
Make some noise:
1. When you start up your Eurorack system with Plonk the very first time it will load the
default patch.
2. Connect the jack labelled OUT to your system’s audio output.
3. Set the PITCH, X, and Y knobs to the 12 o’clock position. Set the DECAY knob fully
clockwise.
4. Push the big red TRIGGER button. You should hear a sound!
5. Experiment by turning the X and Y knobs to see how the sound changes.
6. Push the LOAD button to enter the preset loading menu. Turn the ENCODER to select
another preset. You can click the TRIGGER at any time to preview a preset. Click the
ENCODER to load it.
Use a sequencer:
1. Connect the gate output of your sequencer to the TRIG input of the Plonk.
2. Connect the pitch output of your sequencer to the PITCH input of the Plonk.
3. Run the sequencer, you should hear the Plonk make noise.
4. If your sequencer has a secondary CV output, connect it to the VEL input for velocity
control.
Switch between sounds:
1. Connect a sequencer track, LFO, or other voltage output into the MOD input.
2. Change the voltage as Plonk is being triggered. You’ll hear it switch between kick, snare,
and hi-hat sounds depending on the voltage at the input. This is because the default
preset (1) uses Preset Step mode on the MOD input to shift between different preset
sounds. Presets 1, 5, 9 and 13 are called kits because they use this feature.
Load another preset:
1. Click the LOAD button and turn the ENCODER to scroll through the list of factory
presets. You can use the red trigger button or the TRIG input to preview presets as you
browse. When you find one you like, click the ENCODER to load it.
Now that you’ve played with some of the factory sounds, check out the Exciter Parameters and
Object Parameters sections to learn how to make your own!
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Plonk Manual v1.01
Front Panel
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Plonk Manual v1.01
Controls
1. DISPLAY - Used to display the parameters and settings menus. To conserve screen
lifetime there is a screensaver which activates after 15 minutes and blanks the screen.
Pushing any button or turning the encoder will turn the screen back on and reset the
timer. The two LEDs change brightness to reflect the amplitude of the two voices’ audio
signals.
2. ENCODER - Used to navigate the various parameter and settings menus. The encoder’s
function is context-dependant and is described in the sections where it is used.
3. PITCH Knob - Tunes the base pitch of the module. The function of the knob is further
controlled by the PITCH Button nearby. The root of the configured base octave is
played when this knob is at the 12 o’clock position and 0 V are applied at the PITCH
input.
4. PITCH Button - Accesses the PITCH menu that is used to control the PITCH Knob
behaviour. See the PITCH Parameters section for more details.
5. TRIGGER Button - Manually triggers the exciter. Useful for previewing sounds or
hand-operated sequencing.
6. DECAY Knob - Scales the overall sound decay time by scaling both the noise envelope
decay and the resonator decay times. When the knob is fully clockwise the decay times
are at 100% of their programmed values.
7. X Knob - Bipolar control for manually modulating the VAR X destination.
8. Y Knob - Bipolar control for manually modulating the VAR Y destination.
9. LOAD Button - Accesses the LOAD menu which is used for loading presets from the
onboard flash memory. See the Loading and Saving Presets section for more details.
10. SAVE Button - Access the SAVE menu which is used for saving presets to the onboard
flash memory. See the section Loading and Saving Presets section for more details.
11. EXCITER Button - Accesses the EXCITER parameters menu. While in this menu, turn
the ENCODER to scroll through the available parameters and view their settings.
Clicking the ENCODER or EXCITER button a second time will move the cursor to the
current parameter’s value. The value can then be edited by turning the ENCODER. Click
the ENCODER or EXCITER button to return to scrolling through parameters. More
details about the parameters are in the Exciter Parameters section.
12. OBJECT Button - Accesses the OBJECT parameters menu. While in this menu, turn
the ENCODER to scroll through the available parameters and view their settings.
Clicking the ENCODER or OBJECT button a second time will move the cursor to the
current parameter’s value. The value can then be edited by turning the ENCODER. Click
the ENCODER or OBJECT button to return to scrolling through parameters. More details
about the parameters are in the Object Parameters section.
13. MOD Button - Accesses the MOD assignment menu. This is described in more detail in
the MOD Destinations section.
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14. CONFIG Button - Accesses the CONFIG menu.
15. X Button - Accesses the VAR X assignment screen. This is described in more detail in
the VAR X and Y Destinations section.
16. Y Button - Accesses the VAR Y assignment menu. This menu behaves the same as the
VAR X menu, but for the Y input.
Inputs and Outputs
A. X - CV offset for the VAR X destination. The accompanying attenuverter can be used to
scale and flip the incoming voltage. Range of ±5 V. See the VAR X and Y Destinations
section for more details.
B. MOD - CV input for the MOD destination modulation. The accompanying attenuverter
can be used to scale and flip the incoming voltage. Range of ±5 V. If the selected
destination is triggered by a gate then any voltage above 1.5 V is sufficient.
C. DECAY - CV offset for the DECAY control. The accompanying attenuverter can be used
to scale and flip the incoming voltage. Range of ±5 V.
D. Y - CV offset for the VAR Y destination. Behaves the same as the X input, but for VAR
Y.
E. PITCH - 1 V/octave pitch input. Summed with the position of the PITCH knob. Range of
±5 V. The pitch is updated only while the TRIG input is high.
F. TRIG - Triggers the exciter in response to a gate. The gate must have a duration of at
least one millisecond to be detected by the module. If the preset’s noise envelope is set
to AHR, the envelope remains in the hold stage for the duration of the gate.
G. VEL - Velocity input. Range of +5 V and normalled to +5 V. Controls the velocity or
volume of the sound, depending on the VEL Mode setting in the CONFIG menu. See the
VEL Mode section for more details.
H. OUT - Mono audio output.
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Parameter Menus
Pitch Parameters
The PITCH parameters are accessed via the black button near the PITCH knob and can be
used to alter the pitch behaviour. Pressing the ENCODER or PITCH button toggles between
selecting parameters and editing parameter values.
Octave
Sets the base octave. The root note of the base octave is played when the PITCH knob is at the
12 o’clock position and 0 V are applied at the PITCH input.
Quantize
When the quantize setting is disabled the PITCH knob can be used to continuously sweep the
base pitch by ±2 octaves from the selected octave’s root note. When enabled, the quantize
setting causes the PITCH knob to step through notes of the chromatic scale.
Exciter Parameters
Plonk sounds can use two exciters: a mallet and noise. The mallet is a momentary impulse
while the noise is white noise that can be shaped by a lowpass filter, highpass filter, and
amplitude envelope. The filters are applied in series so together they can be used as a
bandpass filter. Each sound can use either one or both of the exciters, depending on the mix
setting.
Mallet / Noise Mix
The “Mix” parameter controls the level balance between the mallet and noise exciters. When set
to 100:0, only the mallet excites the resonator. When set to 0:100, only the noise excites the
resonator. Intermediate values are a blend between the two.
Mallet Stiffness
Adjusts the stiffness or firmness of the mallet. A stiffer mallet results in a snappier, shorter,
crisper attack envelope. A mallet that’s softer (lower stiffness value) creates a rounder, more
full-bodied attack sound. Tap your desk with the sharpened end of a pencil and make note of
the sound it makes. Then tap your desk with the pencil’s eraser. Even though the same surface
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(resonator) is being used, notice that the resulting sounds are dramatically different. That’s the
sonic characteristic controlled by the Mallet Stiffness parameter.
Noise Density
Controls the rate at which the random noise is generated. At lower values, individual clicks can
be heard, which can sound like particles hitting the surface of the resonator. Increasing the
density will increases the number of clicks generated in a given interval of time until the output
becomes continuous white noise.
With appropriate envelope and filter settings, a noise density between 50 and 100 can be good
for bowed sounds or snares.
Noise Lowpass Cutoff
Sets the cutoff frequency of the lowpass filter applied to the white noise exciter.
Noise Lowpass Q
Sets the resonance of the lowpass filter.
Noise Highpass Cutoff
Sets the cutoff frequency of the highpass filter applied to the white noise exciter. Try to keep this
value below that of the Noise Lowpass Cutoff.
Noise Highpass Q
Sets the resonance of the highpass filter.
Noise Attack
Sets the duration of the attack stage of the noise amplitude envelope.
Noise Decay
Sets the duration of the decay stage of the noise amplitude envelope.
Noise Envelope Type
Sets the type of noise envelope used.
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In AR mode the envelope simply goes through the attack and release stages. This is suitable for
most percussive sounds.
In AHR mode an additional hold stage is added which keeps the envelope high for as long a
gate is applied at the TRIG input. This is useful for articulated sounds such as sustained
basses, effects, or dynamic percussion sounds such as open high hats where you want to vary
the length of the sound.
Object Parameters
The resonator parameters menu is accessed by pushing the OBJECT button.
In Plonk, sounds are produced by feeding the output of the Exciter into an acoustic object model
called a resonator.
Mathematically, a complex sound can be decomposed into elementary components called
partials  . The relative frequencies of the partials are specific to the type of object: the partials of a
string will follow the ideal harmonic series, while those of a drumhead will be bunched closer
together.
The material of the resonator will have an effect on the relative decay of the partials, while the
position at which it is excited will have an effect on the relative amplitude of the partials.
The resonator section also includes an embedded envelope generator that can be used to
change the pitch during sound playback. The envelope is a simple linear envelope triggered
each time the exciter is triggered.
Resonator Type
Selects from one of the six resonator types:
●String – a plain string. Good for plucked or bowed sounds.
●Beam – a rectangular beam with constant cross-section. Good for bells, chimes, claves,
woodblocks and other small percussions.
●Marimba – a beam with variable cross-section, producing more harmonic overtones.
Good for chromatic percussions like marimbas and vibraphones.
●Drumhead – circular membrane. Good for various drum sounds.
●Membrane – rectangular membrane. Good for various drum sounds. More dissonant
than the drumhead resonator.
●Plate – rectangular plate. Good for cymbals, gongs, bells and other metallic or wooden
percussions.
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Plonk Manual v1.01
Resonator Decay
Sets the resonator decay time. This affects all partials equally.
Resonator Low Cut
Attenuates the lower partials when clearer or brighter sounds are desired. Set to 0 to hear the
full spectrum of the resonator.
Resonator Position
Controls where the exciter signal is applied on the resonator. This affects the relative amplitude
of the partials. Varies from the edge (0) to the middle of the object (127).
When the resonator is excited in the middle, many of its partials are completely attenuated,
resulting in a hollower sound. This is especially obvious for the string which loses all of its even
harmonics and sounds like a filtered analog square wave.
Resonator Tone
Changes the relative decay of the partials. Perceptually, this parameter affects the object’s
material. Depending on the resonator type, lower values may evoke wood, nylon or plastic,
while higher values may evoke metal or glass.
Resonator Inharmonicity
Changes the frequency ratio of the partials relative to the root frequency. The range of this
parameter is bipolar, from -64 to +63. Negative values will bring the partials closer together,
while positive values will spread them.
Large inharmonicity values have a major impact on the timbre of the resonator: a string with a
large negative or positive inharmonicity value will not sound like a string anymore.
Resonator Pitch Envelope Amount
Sets the amount that the internal pitch envelope affects the resonator pitch. The range of this
parameter is bipolar, from -64 (-1 octave) to +63 (+1 octave).
Resonator Pitch Envelope Time
Sets the length of time it takes for the internal pitch envelope to reach its final value.
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Plonk Manual v1.01
Polyphony
Sets the polyphony of the resonator, either 1 or 2.
If polyphony is set to 1 and a trigger is received while a sound is decaying, the first sound will be
choked before the new one begins.
If polyphony is set to 2 and a trigger is received while a sound is decaying, the first sound will
continue to ring out. Any modulation being applied will be locked at its last value. The new
sound will be assigned to the other voice and all modulation will affect this sound only. If both
voices are in use and a trigger is received, the new sound will be assigned to the oldest playing
voice.
VAR X and Y Destinations
Pressing either of the dedicated X or Y buttons will enter the modulation destination selection
screen for the X and Y knobs and CV inputs. Turn the ENCODER to select a new destination
and then click to confirm. The modulation knob and CV input is then summed with the value of
the selected exciter or object parameter.
Once in the modulation destination selection screen you can push the X or Y button a second
time to set the DEPTH of the respective control. The DEPTH allows you to configure how much
the full range of the modulation offsets the selected parameter. The options are LOW (±16),
MEDIUM (±32), HIGH (±64) and FULL (±128).
MOD Destinations
Pressing the MOD button will enter the modulation destination selection screen for the MOD
input. Turn the ENCODER to select a new destination and then click to confirm.
There are two types of MOD destinations, those that simply modulate an exciter or object
parameter, and those with special functions. The modulations work just like those for the X and
Y input except that they do not have a dedicated knob on the panel. The special functions are
described below.
Once in the MOD destination selection screen you can push MOD button a second time to set
the DEPTH of modulation. The DEPTH allows you to configure how much the full range of the
modulation offsets the selected parameter. The options are LOW (±16), MEDIUM (±32), HIGH
(±64) and FULL (±128). Note that the menu is only accessible for destinations which affect
exciter or object parameters.
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Plonk Manual v1.01
Choke Resonator / Noise / Both
The three choke destinations can be used to immediately choke either the resonator, noise
exciter, or both. When a gate is detected at the MOD input a fast envelope will quickly bring
down the level. This is useful for designing sounds that have a very long resonator or noise
decay but then being able to cut them off with another gate source, for example open hihats or
drones.
Preset Step
Preset selection mode is indicated by the “Preset Step” destination. This destination has two
additional parameters that are accessed by clicking the ENCODER. The display will indicate Pst
A  :B   where A   and B   are numbers that indicate the first and last preset controlled by the selection.
Now whenever Plonk receives a trigger it will read the voltage on the MOD input and switch to a
new preset before making a sound. A voltage of 0 V will select the first preset A   and a voltage of
+ or - 5 V will select the last preset B  . Any voltage in between 0 - 5 will select another preset in
the range, proportional to the amount of voltage applied.
Selecting a preset in this way is subject to the following conditions:
● All exciter and object parameters will be replaced with those of the selected preset. If the
current preset (the one with the mod destination set to Preset Step) is within the range,
its parameters will be used.
● The EXCITER and OBJECT buttons still edit the parameters of only the current preset.
● The X, Y, and VEL settings from the current preset are retained.
● The GAIN is controlled by the selected preset.
● When switching presets, the effect is polyphonic so the previous sound is allowed to ring
out.
Randomize
When you set the Mod Destination to “Randomize,” a trigger received on Plonk’s MOD input will
instantly randomize every Exciter and Object parameter (with the exception of polyphony).
TIP:   Sending   a   trigger   to   the   MOD   input   is   not   the   only   way   to   randomize   a   patch.   You   can   also
do   it   manually   by   setting   the   Mod   Destination   to   “Randomize,”   then   pressing   the   encoder   knob.
Each   time   you   press   the   encoder   knob   a   new   random   patch   is   generated   —   perfect   for   those
times   when   you   need   a   little   serendipitous   inspiration.
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Plonk Manual v1.01
Morph
With Mod Destination set to “Morph,” Plonk uses the MOD input CV to morph between the
Exciter and Object settings of the current preset and a destination preset you select with the
encoder knob. Specifically:
1. On the Mod Destination screen, rotate the encoder to select “Morph,” then click the
encoder. A number will appear to the right of the word, “Morph.”
2. Click the encoder again to highlight the number.
3. Rotate the encoder to select the patch number you want to Morph into, then press the
encoder again. Now, any CV received at the MOD input will morph between the values
of the currently loaded preset and the one you just selected in the Mod Destination
menu.
NOTE:   Plonk   does   not   morph   between   resonator   types.   So   the   loaded   preset’s   resonator   type
(String,   Beam,   Marimba,   etc.)   is   used   regardless   of   the   resonator   type   assigned   to   the
destination   preset.   However,   all   other   resonator   and   exciter   parameters   do   morph.
CONFIG Settings
Gain
Adjusts the overall gain of the current patch from -20 dB to +12 dB. This can be used to account
for variances in volume of different patches due to their synthesis parameters.
VEL Mode
Sets the behaviour of the VEL input. There are three settings:
●accent - This is the default setting. In this mode the note played will be accented
whenever a gate signal is present at the VEL input. If no cable is plugged into the input,
all notes will be accented.
● dynamics - In this mode the strength of the exciter is proportional to the voltage at the
VEL input. This is useful for directly articulating the strength of the notes with the velocity
output of a MIDI-CV converter or a sequencer track.
● volume - In this mode the voltage at the VEL input directly controls the final output level
of the synthesizer. This is best suited for volume effects like tremolo, fade-in/fade-out,
and other envelope effects.
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