MARTINIC Lem Echo Music User manual

Lem Echo Music
User Manual
English (US)
Version 1.0.1

Table of Contents
Introduction 3
History 3
Features 3
CAUTION! 4
Free Trial 4
Installation 4
System Requirements 4
Windows Installation 5
Mac Installation 6
Loading LEM Echo Music 8
How it Works 8
Using the controls 9
Shift and Double-click 10
Delay Controls 10
On/Off 10
Delay Selectors 10
Echo and Repeat 11
Volume 11
Bass and Treble 12
Volume Record (Vol.Rec.) 12
Settings 12
Master Volume 12
Panning 13
Reverb 13
Tape 13
Stereo 13
End-User License Agreement 14
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Introduction
Thank you for purchasing or trying Martinic LEM Echo Music.
The LEM Echo Music plugin recreates the nostalgic tones of the vintage Italian tape delay
effect from LEM.
History
In 1959, Matteo Galanti introduced the GEM (Galanti Egidio Mondaino) instrument brand,
by developing and building the first electric organ made in Italy. Over the next ten years the
company would branch out into audio effects, which were housed under a subdivision of
the brand, LEM (Electro Music Laboratory).
The LEM Echo Music hardware was one of the earliest pieces of studio equipment that was
birthed from the Laboratory, and was first used on a commercial music recording in the
1967 Italian hit La Pelle Nera, by Nino Ferrer.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9xsDNSMdnHo
Features
Martinic LEM Echo Music simulates the classic sound of a vintage tape delay unit. The
Echo Music’s effect was created by recording to a single reel of tape which then moved
past magnetic playheads placed at different positions (times) relative to each other, playing
back multiple copies of the original signal.
The playhead positions (and therefore the delay times) are fixed, so the Echo Music does
not sync to a DAW’s host tempo.
The imperfections of the original machine’s mechanical design have been recreated, so
you get all the wonderful wow, flutter, and degradation that makes the effect so unique.
There are additional features on the plugin including tape saturation level, stereo mode with
pan controls, and reverb, which weren’t present on the original machine.
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CAUTION!
High values of feedback (the Repeat control) can cause extreme feedback loops. We
recommend that you use the LEM Echo Music plugin with a limiter activated on your
master channel to prevent damage to your playback equipment and to your hearing.
Free Trial
Before purchasing a license you are allowed to try LEM Echo Music free of charge for up to
30 days for testing purposes and in non-published work.
When LEM Echo Music runs in demo mode, you will see Trial Version in the top right-
hand corner of the interface, and once every minute white noise is added to the output
signal.
Installation
System Requirements
LEM Echo Music is available as a VST 2.4 or AU (Audio Units) effect plugin, which means
it needs to run inside VST or AU hosting software, e.g. Ableton Live, Cubase, GarageBand,
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Logic Pro, REAPER, Studio One, etc.
Although LEM Echo Music should be able to run at any sample rate the host provides, a
rate of at least 44.1 kHz is recommended.
LEM Echo Music is designed to run on Windows 7 or newer, or Mac OS X 10.9
(Mavericks) or newer.
Windows Installation
To install LEM Echo Music on Windows download the Windows 32/64-bit VST installer,
and save it on your computer (e.g. in your Downloads folder).
Navigate to this folder, locate the installer and double-click on it, and then click on the Next
button to start the installation process. Carefully read the license, and then click on the I
Agree button to continue.
Next select which versions of the plugin you want to install, optionally select License Key if
you have purchased a license, and click on the Next button.
Optionally change the install location, and again click on the Next button. Then select your
VST2 32-bit and/or 64-bit plugin folder, and optionally select your license key file (if you
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have purchased a license), confirming each selection by clicking on the Next button.
Now wait for the installation to complete (this should take only a few seconds), click on the
Close button, and you are ready.
Mac Installation
To install LEM Echo Music on Mac OS X or macOS download the Mac 64-bit VST/AU
installer disk image (DMG), and save it on your computer (e.g. in your Downloads folder).
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If you have purchased a license, then you should copy your license key file to the same
folder in which you have saved the installer disk image (DMG), so it can be installed along
with the plugin(s).
Navigate to the folder in which you have saved the installer, locate the installer disk image
(DMG) and double-click on it, and then double-click on the LEM Echo Music Installer.pkg
icon. Click on the Continue button to confirm that the installation package will run a
program, and then click on Continue (in the bottom right corner of the installation window)
to start the installation process.
Carefully read the license, click on the Continue button, and then click on Agree. Next
select which versions of the plugin you want to install (it is recommended that you install
both the VST2 and AU versions, just to be sure), optionally select License Key if you have
purchased a license, and click on the Continue button. Optionally change the install
location, and then click on the Install button.
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Now wait for the installation to complete (this should take only a few seconds), click on the
Close button, and you are ready.
Loading LEM Echo Music
Launch your host, and create an audio track or load a project to which you want to add
LEM Echo Music. Please refer to the documentation of your hosting software on how to do
this.
Note: Most hosts will list LEM Echo Music as Martinic LEM Echo Music, but some may
list it as LEM Echo Music or LEMEchoMusic.
LEM Echo Music is primarily meant to be used as an “insert” effect, which is also the way in
which it was originally used. However, it can also be used as a “bus” effect.
How it Works
The LEM Echo Music offers a combination of three delay lines over two channels. The
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delay lines are fixed to particular speeds and do not sync with your host tempo; each delay
line (1, 2 and 3) can be switched on or off, and all three can be run at the same time.
The delay properties include Echo (dry/wet), and Repeat (feedback). These are common
to both channels.
By default, the two channels are set to control left and right sides of the stereo signal, but
this can be customized in the Settings screen. Each channel has its own input volume (Vol
Rec) output Volume, and EQ controls for Bass and Treble emphasis/de-emphasis. The
delay times remain the same for each channel.
On the Settings page, there are additional controls including Reverb and Tape saturation.
Using the controls
You can adjust controls by dragging them up/down using the mouse, or you can use the
mouse wheel while holding the Ctrl key down. You can also right-click on a knob to enter a
value using the computer keyboard.
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Shift and Double-click
Holding Shift and dragging a knob on either side of the unit will control the corresponding
knob on the opposite channel at the same time.
Double-clicking a knob or fader will reset it to its default value.
Delay Controls
On/Off
The tape delay effect can be turned on by pushing in the On button, and you will notice the
bottom right of the VU meter light up when you do.
Delay Selectors
With the On button pushed in, you can apply the playheads by pushing in the numbered
buttons in the Effects section. 1 is a short delay (80ms), 2 is medium (210ms) and 3 is long
(330ms). Each delay time is fully fixed and non-syncable to host tempo, just like the original
unit.
You can choose to use one delay by pushing it in and leaving the others, or combine them
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for a more chaotic effect by switching on multiple buttons at once.
Echo and Repeat
The Echo knob controls how much of the echo is applied to the sound, like a dry/wet
control. Higher values result in a more intense effect, while lower values will be more
subtle.
The Repeat knob acts much like a feedback control to extend the number of delays you
hear. Feedback works by routing the delayed output signal back into the input to create a
“feedback loop”. Higher values on the Repeat knob will extend the delay multiple times,
while lower values will only add a few, or even one echo.
DANGER: High values of Repeat can cause extreme feedback loops. We recommend that
you use the LEM Echo Music plugin with a limiter activated on your master channel to
prevent damage to your payback equipment and to your hearing.
Tip: Manipulating the Repeat control during playback will change the unit’s
properties in real time, resulting in the pitch of the echoes being lowered or raised,
emulating a waveform on a tape being played back at different speeds.
Volume
The Volume slider controls the level of the signal coming out of each channel, after the
delay processing. Its default setting of 10 represents unity gain, and it can be lowered all
the way to -inf dB.
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Bass and Treble
Bass and Treble knobs can be adjusted to shape the tone of both the left and right
channels. These are overall tone shaping controls that will apply to both the input and
output signal.
Volume Record (Vol.Rec.)
The Vol Rec knob acts like an input gain control, sending the dry signal into the delay at
lower or higher levels. You can disable the delay effect entirely for a channel by reducing
its Vol.Rec. to 0.
Settings
In the Settings tab you will find five extra controls which were not present on the original
tape echo hardware, alongside the same controls from the FX section, albeit fully digitally
represented. Any changes you make to the original controls in the Settings tab will be
represented on the FX interface, and vice versa.
Master Volume
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In the centre is a Master volume control, ranging from -36dB to +24dB. This is an overall
output control, so if you have created a nice balance between the two channels, adjusting
the Master knob will preserve this balance, and alter the volume of everything in unison.
Panning
Both channels of the LEM Echo Music have a Pan knob. By default, the left channel is set
to -10.00 (left), and the right channel is set to +10.00 (right), but these can be decreased,
reversed, or anything in between using the Pan controls.
Setting a channel’s Pan control to 0 will center its signal.
Reverb
The Reverb knob adds a classic spring reverb to the plugin, which is applied pre-delay.
When combined with the echo effect, this will create an even more lush and enveloping
sound.
Tape
Recording sound on to tape, at a high enough volume level, overloads the tape’s
capabilities. This leads to an overdrive effect known as “tape saturation” which produces a
characteristic distorted yet warm tone. The Tape knob allows you to control the amount of
tape saturation that is applied to the echoes. If there is no delay applied using the plugin,
the Tape control will not affect your signal.
Stereo
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The Stereo button applies to the tape delay specifically – switching it on (black square) will
put the effect in stereo, while switching it off makes it mono.
As mentioned before, this also affects the Volume Record controls for each channel of the
mixer. In stereo mode, raising the Vol Rec levels on the left and right will emphasize the
tape delay effect for each side. With the stereo button switched off, the effect will intensify
in mono.
End-User License Agreement
This software is not freeware. You should purchase a license via www.martinic.com to use
this software.
Before purchasing a license you are allowed to try this software free of charge for up to 30
days for testing purposes and in non-published work.
One license purchase permits you to use this software concurrently on up to two
computers.
If you have purchased a license you are entitled to free updates until the next major version
number. Note that there is no guarantee that this software will be maintained indefinitely.
License transfers are not permitted.
Redistribution of this software without the express permission from its authors is not
permitted.
This software is provided “as is”, without warranty of any kind, express or implied, including
but not limited to the warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose and non-
infringement. In no event shall the authors or copyright holders or anyone distributing the
software be liable for any claim, damages or other liability, whether in an action of contract,
tort or otherwise, arising from, out of or in connection with the software or the use or other
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dealings in the software.
LEM Echo Music
v1.0.1
www.martinic.com/products/lem-echo-music
© 2019 - 2021
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