Motas Motas-6 User manual

User Guide
document version 1.31 (non-printed)
for screenreaders
for rmware version 0602011A
June 12, 2021

Contents
1Foreword ................................... 1
2Proper use and maintenance............................. 2
3Document conventions .............................. 3
4Introduction .................................. 4
5Top and rear panel ................................ 6
6Quick-start ................................... 7
7Control Overview ................................ 8
8Parameter pages................................. 9
8.1 Parameter page display overview ..........................10
9Modulation...................................12
9.1 Global Modulation Sources ............................13
9.2 Low-Frequency Oscillator (LFO) waveforms .......................15
9.3 Global Low-Frequency Oscillators (LFOx) ........................16
9.4 Dedicated Low-Frequency Oscillators (LFO) .......................18
9.5 Envelope Generators (EG) .............................19
9.6 Editing parameters with rotary knobs .........................21
10 Parameter pages - in depth .............................23
10.1 Master Pitch .................................23
10.2 Oscillator 1..................................23
10.3 Oscillator 2..................................25
10.4 Oscillator 3..................................26
User Guide v1.31 [FOR SCREENREADERS] page i

10.5 Mixer section .................................28
10.6 Low-pass lter 1 ................................29
10.7 High-pass lter ................................30
10.8 Low-pass lter 2 ................................30
10.9 Output stage .................................31
11 Patch summary .................................32
11.1 Parameter mapping ...............................32
12 Load, Save and Copy/Reset/Randomise .........................33
12.1 Load patch ..................................33
12.2 Save and erase patches ..............................33
12.3 Copy/Reset/Randomise .............................34
13 Vector morphing .................................36
14 Arpeggiator ..................................37
14.1 Main arpeggiator settings .............................37
14.2 More arpeggiator settings.............................37
14.3 Internal arpeggiator settings ............................38
15 Pattern sequencer ................................39
15.1 Control overview ................................39
15.2 Pattern edit mode ...............................39
15.3 Load/save/copy patterns .............................41
15.4 Sequence edit mode...............................41
15.5 Load/save sequences ..............................41
16 Monitor ....................................42
16.1 Volume level monitor ..............................42
16.2 MIDI in monitor ................................42
16.3 Oscilloscope .................................43
16.4 Spectrum analyser ...............................43
17 Setup.....................................45
17.1 Patch settings 1 ................................45
17.2 Patch settings 2 ................................45
17.3 Tempo settings ................................46
User Guide v1.31 [FOR SCREENREADERS] page ii

17.4 Advanced modulation ..............................46
17.5 Parameter mapping ...............................46
17.6 MIDI channels .................................47
17.7 Modulators..................................47
17.8 EG Triggers ..................................48
17.9 Morph/patch change ..............................48
17.10 CV/Gate inputs ................................49
17.11 CV/gate oset and scaling.............................49
17.12 Tuning ...................................50
17.13 SysEx data backup ...............................51
17.14 Param map control ...............................51
17.15 NRPN / SysEx/ THRU ..............................51
17.16 Poly chain ..................................52
17.17 System settings ................................52
17.18 Custom settings ................................52
17.19 Calibration ..................................52
17.20 Calibration values ...............................53
17.21 System status .................................53
17.22 Version info .................................53
AAudio and modulation routing ............................54
A.1 Audio signal routing ...............................54
A.2 Modulation controls per parameter page ........................54
BMIDI messages and implementation ..........................55
B.1 Real-time patch change recording ..........................55
B.2 MIDI Implementation Chart ............................55
B.3 MIDI SysEx messages ..............................55
CSpecications ..................................56
DEU Declaration of Conformity ............................57
User Guide v1.31 [FOR SCREENREADERS] page iii

1Foreword
Thank you for taking the time to read this user guide.
The MOTAS-6 synthesizer is the result of many years of development to create a great-sounding instrument with very com-
prehensive modulation capabilities and an easy to use and responsive interface.
To get the most out of this powerful synthesizer we recommend that you study this guide carefully whilst practising and
listening at the same time. You cannot beat hands-on experience!
Also, please check out the How To…Guide available from motas-synth.uk/downloads.html which contains further informa-
tion on techniques, capabilities and advanced topics.
We hope that you will enjoy using MOTAS-6 as you explore creating interesting new sounds.
For the latest news, rmware and user guide updates please visit motas-synth.uk. For technical support, general enquiries
or user feedback (gratefully received) please email [email protected].
Whilst every eort has been made to ensure that this guide is as accurate as possible Motas Electronics Limited will not
be liable for any erroneous information. This manual may be updated at any time without prior notice. Please check the
website for updates.
This guide or any portion of it may not be reproduced in any form without the manufacturer’s express consent.
User Guide v1.31 [FOR SCREENREADERS] page 1

2Proper use and maintenance
[WARNING!] Please read the following in-
structions carefully and keep them with the appa-
ratus. Do not operate the apparatus until you have
read and understood this section.
Proper use
• Only use a correctly specied power supply otherwise
damage may occur to the apparatus and/or other con-
nected equipment.
• Place the apparatus on a stable surface.
• Never use the apparatus under damp conditions. Do not
expose the apparatus to rain. Use the apparatus in en-
closed rooms only.
• Unplug the apparatus during lightning storms or when
unused for long periods of time.
• Never operate the apparatus or power supply with wet
hands and never place objects containing liquids on or
near the apparatus.
• Do not use the apparatus in extremely dusty or dirty en-
vironments.
• The rear left of the chassis gets very warm in normal use
– make sure that adequate ventilation is available. Do
not place the apparatus near heat sources such as radi-
ators.
• Make sure no foreign objects nd their way into the chas-
sis. If for some reason this should occur, switch the power
o, unplug the device and consult qualied service per-
sonnel.
• Do not expose the apparatus to direct sunlight as this
could damage the display and fade the surface nish.
• Do not expose the apparatus to extreme vibrations.
• Refer all servicing to qualied service personnel. Servic-
ing is required when the apparatus has been damaged
(or potentially has been damaged) e.g.power connections
damaged, liquid spilled or objects have fallen into the
apparatus, the apparatus has been exposed to rain or
moisture, apparatus does not operate normally or has
been dropped.
• The apparatus, used on its own or with ampliers, speak-
ers or headphones, can generate volume levels that may
do irreparable damage to your hearing.
• The apparatus is designed exclusively to produce low-
frequency audio signals for the purpose of generating
sound. Any other use is prohibited. Motas Electronics
Limited is not liable for damages due to incorrect use.
Maintenance
• Do not open the apparatus or remove the cover. Refer
all service and repair tasks to qualied personnel. The
interior of the chassis contains no components that re-
quire user maintenance.
• Use a soft cloth (e.g. a micro-bre cloth) or brush to
clean the device. Never use alcohol, cleaning solutions
or similar chemicals as they will likely damage the sur-
face nish of the chassis and/or the markings.
i
[INFO] The symbol below indicates that this
product must not be disposed of with your other
household waste. Instead, it is your responsibil-
ity to dispose of your waste equipment by hand-
ing it over to a designated collection point for the
recycling of waste electrical and electronic equip-
ment. The separate collection and recycling of
your waste equipment at the time of disposal will
help conserve natural resources and ensure that it
is recycled in a manner that protects human health
and the environment. For more information about
where you can drop o your waste for recycling,
please contact your Local Authority, or where you
purchased your product.
User Guide v1.31 [FOR SCREENREADERS] page 2

3Document conventions
You will nd many screenshots taken from
MOTAS-6 throughout this guide. An example is shown be-
low:
The following document formatting conventions are used:
•Link (blue text) is a weblink or a link to another part of
this document.
•1(number) refers to an item on the top panel of the
unit.
•A(letter) refers to an item on the rear panel of the unit.
• THIS or THIS shows text you may see on the display.
•[BUTTON-TEXT] or [BUTTON-EG ATTACK] refers to a push but-
ton on the top panel labelled with that text or symbol.
•[KNOB-TEXT] or [KNOB-LEVEL] refers to a rotary knob on the
top panel labelled with that text or symbol.
[TIP] Tip section highlighted with a ’lightbulb’
icon.
i
[INFO] Information section highlighted with
an ’i’ icon.
[ADVANCED-INFO] Advanced information
section highlighted with a ’gears’ icon. These may
be advanced patch tips or details of the inner work-
ings of MOTAS-6.
[WARNING!] Warning section highlighted
with a ’warning’ icon. It is important to ensure that
you read and understand these sections.
User Guide v1.31 [FOR SCREENREADERS] page 3

4Introduction
MOTAS-6 is a paraphonic vector-morphing synthesizer with
classic analogue subtractive synthesis and powerful digi-
tal control.
• Vector morphing between patches
• Fully analogue audio signal path
• Three analogue oscillators (VCOs) with freely mixable
waveforms:
–triangle (oscillators 1, 2 and 3)
–sawtooth (oscillators 1, 2 and 3)
–variable-width pulse (oscillators 1 & 3)
–square and sub-oscillator (oscillator 2)
• Oscillator hard-syncing (multiple options)
• Analogue phase modulation (oscillators 2 & 3)
• Analogue noise souce (white or pink)
• Internal audio feedback or external audio input
• 4 CV/gate inputs for analogue control
• Three independent analogue lters (VCFs) with exible
routing:
–Low-pass resonant lter (6-pole with selectable out-
puts and resonance character adjustment)
–Second low-pass resonant lter (4-pole)
–High-pass lter (2-pole)
• Multiple output distortion options
• Powerful modulation architecture:
–4 global LFOs (Low Frequency Oscillators)
–4 global EGs (Envelope Generators)
–33 parameter-local LFOs
–33 parameter-local EGs
–Four freely congurable global modulation sources
e.g. MIDI, CV/gate input or internal global LFOs/EGs
• 5 fast-access patches
• Copy/reset/randomise feature
• Full MIDI control and USB MIDI interface
• Oscilloscope and spectrum analyser
• Flexible arpeggiator
• Built-in pattern sequencer
• Non-volatile internal memory for saving 500 patches, 56
patterns, 16 sequences and user settings
• High-resolution OLED graphic display
• Compact high-quality tabletop case
Vector morphing
MOTAS-6 has a unique ’vector morphing’ feature. This al-
lows blending of the parameters for the active patch in a
2-D space from a set of 4 patches using the morph-x and
morph-y modulators (which can be freely assigned to any
MIDI controller or CV signal).
Analogue oscillators
MOTAS-6 has three analogue voltage-controlled oscillators
(VCOs) with various hard-sync, pulse-width and phase mod-
ulation options. These are true analogue oscillators and
not DCOs. The oscillators, analogue noise source (with
white/pink output option) and an internal feedback rout-
ing or external audio input all feed into a mixer before the
lters.
Analogue lters
MOTAS-6 has very powerful ltering capabilities. There is
a 6-pole voltage-controlled low-pass lter (VCF) with ad-
justable resonance to self-oscillation (with selectable 1, 2,
3, 4, 5 and 6-pole outputs), a 2-pole high-pass lter and a
second 4-pole low-pass lter with adjustable resonance to
self-oscillation.
The lters can be chained in parallel or in series and the
outputs are separately mixable giving huge sound-creation
potential. The nal audio output has a variety of clipping
distortion options.
Modulation
Each analogue-controlled parameter has its own dedicated
LFO and EG. In addition, each parameter has dedicated mod-
ulation amount settings from velocity, pitch, the global
modulation sources and the global LFOs and EGs. Secondary
’modulation of the modulators’ is also possible, for exam-
ple, a global modulation source can control the LFO fre-
quency. This allows very exible and powerful control of
the analogue sound.
Up to four global modulation sources can be freely dened
from incoming MIDI controller data and/or analogue sig-
nals on the CV/gate inputs.
[ADVANCED-INFO] The internal architec-
ture uses high-resolution digital signals for the
modulation allowing a total of 37 LFOs and 37 EGs.
User Guide v1.31 [FOR SCREENREADERS] page 4

There are 16 slots of advanced modulation. This powerful
feature allows complex chains of modulation from many
sources to be applied to a vast choice of destinations. There
is wide choice of ’functions’ available that are applied to up
to 2 sources for each destination, with adjustable modula-
tion depth for each slot.
User interface
Dedicated analogue rotary potentiometers are used to ac-
cess the basic analogue parameter pages and to allow fast
’tweaking’ in real-time. In addition MOTAS-6 uses a rotary
[ROTARY ENCODER] in combination with tactile push but-
tons [BUTTON-PUSH-1] for data entry and editing.
Display
MOTAS-6 has an OLED (organic light emitting diode) dis-
play with a fast update rate and wide viewing angle. The
display intensity can be adjusted.
External connections
MOTAS-6 has traditional MIDI input and MIDI output con-
nectors in addition to USB MIDI. USB MIDI allows faster
data transfer to and from a PC and MOTAS-6 is recognised
as a standard MIDI device (no special drivers should be needed).
There are four independent analogue CV/gate inputs to al-
low playing/modulation from external analogue sequencers,
controllers and modular synthesizers.
The main audio output is monophonic and in addition there
is a mono headphone output (on a stereo connector).
Other features
MOTAS-6 has a exible arpeggiator. There are global and
patch-specic arpeggiator settings. The play mode, oc-
tave range, pattern, note length and swing can be adjusted
and synced to MIDI, CV or internal clock. A special global
mode allows rapid patch changing as the arpeggiator plays.
The pattern sequencer allows 1-bar patterns to be entered
where each note in each pattern can be adjusted for pitch,
velocity, time, duration, micro-tune and patch change. Real-
time sound parameter changes can be recorded and edited
too. Patterns can be arranged into a 2-line simple sequence
with pattern repeat, transpose, time oset and patch set-
tings.
More than 500 sound patches can be saved to non-volatile
memory.
MOTAS-6 has 32 built-in microtuning scales and allows a
further 32 scales to be dened and stored using standard
MIDI bulk tuning commands.
There is a useful oscilloscope and spectrum analyser fea-
ture that allow the user to study the output signals on the
display.
Integration with external software
Free software including DAW plugin software is available
to download from www.motas-synth.uk/downloads.html.
This allows live control between MOTAS-6 and your com-
puter and patch/sequence archiving, rmware updating and
more.
Firmware updates
MOTAS-6 rmware updates are available from time-to-time
to add new features and make other improvements. These
can be downloaded and applied using the free software
provided from www.motas-synth.uk/downloads.html.
User Guide v1.31 [FOR SCREENREADERS] page 5

5Top and rear panel
copy
note velocity M1 M2 M3 M4
monitor
save load
arpeg. pattern
volume
setup
sequence
time duration m-tunevelocitypitch
lock
page
lock
value
modulation
envelope generator
lfo x lfo
a b c d e f
g h i j k l
m n o p q r
s t u
v w x
y z spc
23 4 1
pitch
master pitch
sub
pwm
mod
phase
mod
phase
oscillator 2
oscillator 1
oscillator 3
low-pass filter 1
low-pass filter 2
high-pass filter
output
mixer
5
pwm
pitch
pitch
notes params params-c mods
/
p/s
frequency frequency
patch
bk
del
1sound editing ’parameter’ knobs with LEDs [x 33]
2fast-access patch-change buttons [BUTTON-PUSH-1] with
LEDs [x 5]
3OLED display (monochrome yellow or white), main
volume knob and monitor button [BUTTON-PUSH-1]
4modulation settings / sequence control buttons [BUTTON-
PUSH-1] [x 18]
5[ROTARY ENCODER] and buttons [BUTTON-PUSH-1] [x 4]
for data entry /options†
6buttons [BUTTON-PUSH-1] to access other features [x 9]
†Panic combination: pressing the [ROTARY ENCODER]
and [BUTTON-DOWN] simultaneously will turn o all playing
notes and reset controllers. Useful if, for example, a con-
troller keyboard is unplugged leaving notes hanging.
The lettering at the top of the rear panel is printed upside
down so that the user can read the lettering when peering
over from the front of the unit.
Aheadphones out (2 channel mono)
[Stereo 6.35mm phone socket ]
Bmain audio out (mono)
[Mono 6.35mm phone socket ]
Cexternal audio input (leave unconnected for internal
feedback routing)
[Mono 6.35mm phone socket ]
DCV/gate inputs [Mono 3.5mm sockets x 4]
EMIDI out [5-pin DIN socket ]
FMIDI in [5-pin DIN socket ]
GUSB MIDI socket for connection to PC
[USB type-B ]
Hpower supply in
[2.1mm. 12V DC, 1A, centre positive ]
Jpower on/o push switch
[button in = power on ]
User Guide v1.31 [FOR SCREENREADERS] page 6

6Quick-start
1. Firstly ensure that the power button [POWER] is o
and the main volume control [VOLUME KNOB] is set
to minimum.
2. Plug a MIDI cable from your MIDI keyboard to the
MIDI IN connector [MIDI IN SOCKET]. Turn on your
MIDI keyboard and set it up to send MIDI notes as
you play.
Alternatively connect MOTAS-6 to your PC with a USB
cable – it should appear as a standard MIDI device
(once powered on). Use your sequencer or other soft-
ware to send note data.
Ensure the MOTAS-6 receive MIDI channel matches
the send channel number – for more info see 17.6.
3. Plug a mono audio patch cable from the main audio
out [MAIN AUDIO OUT] to your external amplica-
tion system. Set the gain level low initially, to avoid
any audio pops when MOTAS-6 is switched on. Al-
ternatively monitor on headphones [HEADPHONE
SOCKET].
4. Plug in the 12V DC power supply into connection [DC
POWER INPUT].
5. Turn on MOTAS-6 using the power button [POWER].
The display will show the start-up image.
6. Press [BUTTON-MONITOR] (in the 3group) and then
the right arrow button [BUTTON-RIGHT] . The display will
change and show MIDI diagnosics monitoring infor-
mation for the incoming MIDI data if everything is
working correctly. If you don’t see this check your
connections and external settings. For more infor-
mation on the MIDI monitoring see chapter 16.
7. Press [BUTTON-LOAD] (button in the 6group). and then
use the [ROTARY ENCODER] to scroll through the
available patches (in bank 0). As each patch is se-
lected the settings are loaded in and you should be
able to hear audio as you play. For more information
on loading sounds see chapter 12. Adjust the volume
level control [VOLUME KNOB] to a suitable listening
level.
User Guide v1.31 [FOR SCREENREADERS] page 7

7Control Overview
To access the settings (parameters) that determine the sound
you turn a rotary knob 1corresponding to the setting
that you want to change. Each rotary knob 1is associ-
ated with it’s own ’parameter page’. Normally the display
will then change to show the settings for the parameter
page associated with that knob.
For example, the gure above shows the parameter page
for the low-pass lter 1 cut-o frequency.
Turning a rotary knob 1normally has the side-eect of
also changing the oset value for that parameter page.
Use the ’value lock’ feature to prevent this. Press the
[BUTTON-VALUE LOCK] button to toggle ’value-lock’ on and
o. When ’locked’ the adjacent LED will ash. Conversely,
use the ’page-lock’ mode to allow rapid hands-on changes
of parameter basic osets such as sweeping lter cut-o,
changing oscillator mix levels etc. without changing the
active parameter page. Press the [BUTTON-PAGE LOCK] but-
ton to toggle ’page-lock’ on and o. When ’locked’ the ad-
jacent LED will ash.
Use the [ROTARY ENCODER] or [BUTTON-UP] or [BUTTON-
DOWN] buttons to change values. For faster data entry
when using the [ROTARY ENCODER] , push the [ROTARY
ENCODER] down at the same time as turning. You can
also press and hold [BUTTON-UP] or [BUTTON-DOWN] to rapidly
change a value. Hold down [BUTTON-VALUE LOCK] and use the
[ROTARY ENCODER] to edit values at the highest resolu-
tion possible.
In the case of any ’stuck’ notes e.g. if a MIDI keyboard is
unplugged whilst a note is ’on’, press and hold the [RO-
TARY ENCODER] wheel down and simultaneously press
[BUTTON-DOWN] to turn all notes o.
Adjust [BUTTON-VOLUME] to set the output volume level.
Patch parameter editing
The sound generated by MOTAS-6 is controlled by the set-
tings on 33 parameter ’pages’ – each parameter has its own
’page’ shown on the display. These are explained in de-
tail in chapter 10. To access a particular parameter page
turn the appropriate rotary knob 1. The active parame-
ter page is shown by the adjacent ashing LED.
Fast patch changing
MOTAS-6 has 5 patches (sound setups) in memory ready
for fast access. To change the active patch press a fast-
access patch 2buttons [1], [2], [3], [4] or [5]. The corre-
sponding fast-access patch 2LED will be lit. See chapter
11 for more details.
Load/save/copy
To load or save patches, patterns or sequences press [BUTTON-
LOAD] or [BUTTON-SAVE] . To copy patch settings, reset set-
tings or randomise parameter page settings press [BUTTON-
COPY] . See chapter 12 for more details.
Vector morphing
MOTAS-6 has a vector morphing feature to allow smooth
transition from the sound parameters of one patch to an-
other using external controllers. To access the vector mor-
phing feature press [BUTTON-RIGHT] whilst the patch overview
page is displayed. See chapter 13 for more details.
Arpeggiator
MOTAS-6 has a powerful arpeggiator feature – press [BUTTON-
ARPEG.] . See chapter 14 for more details.
Pattern sequence
MOTAS-6 has a pattern sequencer. Press [BUTTON-PATTERN]
to access the patterns and [BUTTON-SEQUENCE] to access the
sequencer. See chapter 15 for more details.
Monitor
To view signal level, the incoming MIDI signals and output
signals and access the oscilloscope and spectrum analyser
features use the ’monitor’ feature [BUTTON-MONITOR] . See
chapter 16 for more details.
Setup
To access various global settings and parameters (such as
MIDI receive channel, calibration and modulation sources)
press [BUTTON-SETUP] . See chapter 17 for more details.
Live patch editing
MOTAS-6 can send and receive MIDI NRPN messages to
allow external recording and full high-resolution control
of all patch settings. See chapter B.1 for more details of
NRPNs.
MOTAS-6 has a parameter mapping feature that can be
used to send and receive simple MIDI CCs to control up to
24 patch parameters. See section 17.5.
User Guide v1.31 [FOR SCREENREADERS] page 8

8Parameter pages
The sound generated by MOTAS-6 is controlled by the set-
tings on 33 parameter ’pages’ – each parameter has its own
’page’ shown on the display. These are listed below and
explained in detail in chapter 10. To access a particular pa-
rameter page turn the appropriate rotary knob 1. The
active parameter page is shown by the adjacent ashing
LED indicator.
[TIP] Use the ’value lock’ feature to allow
changing of the active parameter page without
changing the sound parameters. Press the [BUTTON-
VALUE LOCK] button to toggle ’value-lock’ on and
o. When ’locked’ the LED will ash next to the
[BUTTON-VALUE LOCK] button.
The listing below is a summary of each parameter page
starting from the top left of the front panel moving from
left-to-right and then down in rows.
Parameter page summary
•[KNOB-MASTER PITCH] page:
[KNOB-MASTER PITCH] pitch control applied
to all 3 oscillators
•[KNOB-OSCILLATOR 1] pages:
[KNOB-LEVEL] overall volume level
[KNOB-PITCH] pitch control and
hard sync. options
[KNOB-TRIANGLE] triangle waveform volume level
[KNOB-SAWTOOTH] sawtooth waveform volume level
[KNOB-PWM] pulse-width control
[KNOB-PWM] pulse waveform volume level
•[KNOB-OSCILLATOR 2] pages:
[KNOB-PHASE MOD] phase modulation level
[KNOB-LEVEL] overall volume level
[KNOB-PITCH] pitch control and
hard sync. options
[KNOB-TRIANGLE] triangle waveform
volume level
[KNOB-SAWTOOTH] sawtooth waveform
volume level
[KNOB-SQUARE] square waveform
volume level
[KNOB-SUB] sub-oscillator waveform
volume level
•[KNOB-OSCILLATOR 3] pages:
[KNOB-PHASE MOD] phase modulation level
[KNOB-LEVEL] overall volume level
[KNOB-PITCH] pitch control
[KNOB-TRIANGLE] triangle waveform
volume level
[KNOB-SAWTOOTH] sawtooth waveform
volume level
[KNOB-PWM] pulse-width control
[KNOB-PWM] pulse waveform
volume level
•[KNOB-MIXER] pages:
[KNOB-NOISE LEVEL] noise source volume level
and white/pink option
[KNOB-LEVEL] overall volume level from mixer
and boost option
[KNOB-EXTERNAL INPUT/FEEDBACK] feedback/external audio
input volume level
•[KNOB-LOW-PASS FILTER 1] pages:
[KNOB-LOW-PASS FILTER 1 FREQUENCY] cut-o frequency and
input routing options
[KNOB-RESONANCE] resonance amount and
character option
[KNOB-LEVEL] output volume level and
routing options
•[KNOB-HIGH-PASS FILTER] pages:
[KNOB-HIGH-PASS FILTER FREQUENCY] cut-o frequency and
input routing options
[KNOB-LEVEL] output volume level and
routing options
•[KNOB-LOW-PASS FILTER 2] pages:
[KNOB-LOW-PASS FILTER 1 FREQUENCY] cut-o frequency and
input routing options
[KNOB-RESONANCE] resonance amount
[KNOB-LEVEL] output volume level and
routing options
•[KNOB-OUTPUT] page:
[KNOB-LEVEL] output volume level and
clipping options
User Guide v1.31 [FOR SCREENREADERS] page 9

[TIP] Use the ’page-lock’ mode to allow rapid
hands-on changes of parameter basic osets such
as sweeping lter cut-o, changing oscillator mix
levels etc. without changing the active parameter
page. Press the [BUTTON-PAGE LOCK] button to toggle
’page-lock’ on and o. When ’locked’ the LED will
ash next to the [BUTTON-PAGE LOCK] button.
i
[INFO] If ’page-lock’ and ’value-lock’ are si-
multaneously enabled the rotary knobs then allow
live editing of other patch parameters. See section
9.6 and 17.5
8.1 Parameter page display overview
Although controlling the sound in MOTAS-6 may appear
to be rather daunting at rst given the number of param-
eter pages and the large number options on each page,
once you have mastered operation of one of the parame-
ter pages you will understand most of all the others as the
basic operations are common to all pages.
So let’s start by explaining operation of one of the parame-
ter pages. Start by reseting the current patch by pressing
[BUTTON-COPY] and selecting ’reset patch’. Then turn the
low-pass lter 1 cut-o control [KNOB-LOW-PASS FILTER 1 FRE-
QUENCY] to access that parameter page. You should now
see something similar on the display to that shown in the
gure below.
Page title
Each page has a ’destination’ i.e. what aspect of the syn-
thesizer it controls, and this is labelled at the top left of
the display. In this case it is
LPF-1FREQ - the cut-o frequency of low-pass lter 1.
Basic oset
Each parameter page has a basic oset level that can be
adjusted using the rotary knobs 1or [ROTARY ENCODER]
and [BUTTON-UP] up and [BUTTON-DOWN] down buttons 5.
All of the modulation sources (see chapter 9) add (or sub-
tract) from this oset to generate the nal level. The [RO-
TARY ENCODER] , [BUTTON-UP] and [BUTTON-DOWN] adjust
the basic oset for the active page only when the basic
oset is the active editable item (shown as ashing), oth-
erwise they will control other parameters. However, the
rotary knobs 1always control the basic oset for their pa-
rameter page (except when ’value-lock’ is enabled). Press
and hold [BUTTON-UP] or [BUTTON-DOWN] to continuously change
the oset in large steps. To reset the oset to its default
value (zero for levels, standard pitch for pitch pages) press
[BUTTON-UP] and [BUTTON-DOWN] simultaneously.
[TIP] Use the rotary knobs 1for smooth
ne control of the parameter page oset. Use the
[BUTTON-UP] and [BUTTON-DOWN] buttons to jump set
amounts in oset.
[TIP] Push the [ROTARY ENCODER] and turn
at the same time to change values in larger steps
for rapid sound adjustments.
Page options
Some parameter pages have additional options unique to
that page. Press [BUTTON-LEFT] or [BUTTON-RIGHT] to see and
change these options. Then press [BUTTON-UP] and [BUTTON-
DOWN] to select the options (if there is more than one op-
tion) and the [ROTARY ENCODER] to change the value.
Press [BUTTON-UP] and [BUTTON-DOWN] simultaneously to jump
to the rst option. Press [BUTTON-LEFT] or [BUTTON-RIGHT] again,
or press [BUTTON-LEFT] and [BUTTON-RIGHT] simultaneously to
return to the main parameter page.
You can only change the page option when the active item
is the basic oet (shown by ashing value at the bottom
right-hand of the display) otherwise [BUTTON-LEFT] and [BUTTON-
RIGHT] control other options (more on this later!).
User Guide v1.31 [FOR SCREENREADERS] page 10

In the screenshot example shown above the option for the
LPF-1 cut-o frequency page is the source of the audio in-
put to the lter. In this case this input is set to ’mix’.
Current values
At the far right of the main parameter display a horizontal
bar shows the current level of the destination signal in real
time. The current value is the sum of the basic oset for
the page with all the modulation signals (see chapter 9for
explanation of the modulation options).
If the controlling signal rises above the maximum of the
destination then an ’up’ arrow UP is shown instead of the
bar, and if the controlling signal falls below the minimum
a ’down’ arrow DOWN is shown instead of the bar.
The horizontal arrow next to the solid vertical bar shows
the current position of the rotary knob 1.
i
[INFO] When the parameter page displays
MODULATIONS NOT ACTIVE the current value will
follow the basic oset, since all the modulations
amounts are set to zero.
i
[INFO] The current value bar tries to follow
the parameter page value in real-time. However, if
the modulation is very fast this display will not be
able to ’keep-up’ and so you will only see a snap-
shot of the value at that point in time.
Active patch
MOTAS-6 has 5 fast-access patch slots. The current active
patch for editing is shown as a number in the bottom left
corner (patch 1 in this case). In addition a corresponding
fast-access patch 2LED will be brightly lit. When the arpeg-
giator or pattern sequencer changes the played patch the
LED for that patch will be dimly lit, whilst the patch for
editing will still be brightly lit. To change between then 5
patches press one of the fast-access patch 2buttons.
User Guide v1.31 [FOR SCREENREADERS] page 11

9Modulation
Modulation means changing parameter values from a mod-
ulation source. This could be a freely-changing modula-
tion with time, such as from a low-frequency oscillator (LFO)
that is not synchronised or modulation that is synchronised
to the start of a key press, such as from an envelope gen-
erator (EG) triggered by a note-on event.
Conventional analogue synthesizers typically have a small
number of LFOs and EGs (usually 1 or 2) that are used for
modulation. In some cases the modulation sources have
xed destinations (such as a dedicated EG for output level)
or can be set to only a limited number of destinations (such
as lter cut-o frequency or pitch).
MOTAS-6 is dierent – every parameter has its own dedi-
cated LFO and dedicated EG in addition to dedicated mod-
ulation amount settings from velocity, pitch, 4 global LFOs,
4 global EGs and 4 denable global modulation sources
(MIDI, CV or global LFOs/EGs)! This powerful architecture
allows complete freedom to modulate and control almost
every aspect of the sound generation. You can freely set
the modulation for every parameter separately if desired
or have coupled modulation between parameters using the
global modulation sources, if you wish.
Each parameter page allows you to set the levels and rout-
ings of the various parameters that determine the sound,
but things get a lot more interesting once some modu-
lation is used. Modulation allows creation of interesting
sounds that change in character over time.
i
[INFO] Perhaps the most common ’modu-
lation’ used in synthesizing sounds (and often not
really considered as modulation) is simply applying
an envelope modulation to the output signal level.
With this ’modulation’ the volume increases once a
key is pressed and decays away once the key is re-
leased. Without this modulation a constant sound
volume would be heard whether or not a key was
pressed, which would be used for a ’drone’ sound
patch.
[ADVANCED-INFO] In addtion there is the
advanced modulation feature that interacts across
all of the parameter pages. This powerful feature
allows complex chains of modulation from many
sources to be applied to a vast choice of destina-
tions. See section 17.4 and the How To…Guide for
more details.
Each and every parameter page has dedicated modulation
control amounts from 9 sources:
NOTE MIDI/CV note-on value
VELOCITY/ACCENT MIDI/CV note velocity
M1 global modulation M1
M2 global modulation M2
M3 global modulation M3
M4 global modulation M4
GLOBAL LFO-X choice of global LFO x = 1–4
LOCAL-LFO dedicated LFO for
each parameter page
EG choice of global EG x = 1 – 4, or
dedicated EG
The modulation amount can be zero (for no modulation),
positive or negative. The actual modulation signal applied
to the parameter page value is the product (i.e. multiplica-
tion) of the modulation amount and the modulation source
signal at that point in time. All of the modulation signals
are added together with the parameter page basic oset
value to give the resulting value for the parameter page
value.
i
[INFO] The modulations can be set to either
a ’bipolar’ or ’unipolar’ response (except for the
LFOs which are xed in ’bipolar’ reponse). Bipo-
lar means that when the source is at its mid-value
the modulation eect will be zero whilst in unipo-
lar mode the eect is zero when the source is also
at its zero value.
User Guide v1.31 [FOR SCREENREADERS] page 12

i
[INFO] The modulation amount dis-
played shows the modulation peak-to-peak max-
imum change. For example, if the modulation
amount for LFO on the oscillator 1 pitch parame-
ter page is set to 12.00s then the modulation of the
pitch will vary over 12 semitones (1 octave) as the
LFO waveform cycles from it’s minimum to maxi-
mum values.
9.1 Global Modulation Sources
There are 6 MIDI / CV / Global modulation sources avail-
able on each parameter page: MIDI note-on value (or CV
pitch), MIDI velocity (or CV velocity) and 4 globally assigned
modulation sources (from MIDI input, CV input or global
EGs/LFOs).
The interface for all these modulations is the same. Each
source has it’s own icon on the display running along the
second row.
Each modulation source has two amount settings. The rst
(primary) sets the amount of the modulation signal to add
or subtract to the parameter page basic oset e.g if set on
the parameter page LPF-1FREQ it would directly increase
or decrease the cut-o frequency of low-pass lter 1 as
the modulation signal increases or decreases.
It is also possible to modulate the modulations. This is
where the secondary destination and secondary amount
is used.
From a patch parameter page press the modulation but-
ton desired (i.e.[BUTTON-NOTE] ,[BUTTON-VELOCITY] ,[BUTTON-M1]
,[BUTTON-M2] ,[BUTTON-M3] or [BUTTON-M4] ). The modulation
icon ashes to show it is in edit mode (i.e. one of NOTE ,
VELOCITY/ACCENT , M1 , M2 , M3 or M4 ashes). Now
turn the rotary encoder 5or push the up [BUTTON-UP] or
down [BUTTON-DOWN] buttons - the amount of this modu-
lation source applied to the parameter page (the primary
destination) is shown as a small vertical bar on the left-
hand side above the modulation icon. Set positive values
to increase the parameter page basic oset with increas-
ing modulation signal or set negative values to decrease
the parameter page basic oset with increasing modula-
tion signal.
Press and hold [BUTTON-UP] or [BUTTON-DOWN] to continu-
ously change the primary modulation amount in large steps.
Press [BUTTON-UP] and [BUTTON-DOWN] simultaneously to re-
set the primary and secondary modulation amounts to zero.
i
[INFO] Positive modulation amounts are
shown by a solid bar whilst negative amounts are
shown with a hollow bar.
Modulator secondary options
Now, with the modulation still in edit mode, press [BUTTON-
LEFT] or [BUTTON-RIGHT] to access the secondary options. The
display show 3 choices: the secondary destination for this
modulator, the amount of modulation to this destination
and the choice between unipolar or bipolar operation. Use
the [BUTTON-UP] and [BUTTON-DOWN] buttons to choose which
parameter to edit and the [ROTARY ENCODER] to change
the values.
The secondary destination can be set to one of the follow-
ing nine options:
MLFOX LEVEL
selected global LFO 1–4 level
NLFO FREQ
dedicated LFO frequency
OLFO LEVEL
dedicated LFO level
PEG TIME
dedicated EG time (aects the attack, decay and
release times simultaneously)
QEG ATTACK
dedicated EG attack time
REG DECAY
dedicated EG decay time
SEG SUSTAIN
dedicated EG sustain level
TEG RELEASE
dedicated EG release time
UEG LEVEL
EG level
User Guide v1.31 [FOR SCREENREADERS] page 13

Response
BIPOLAR – in this mode when the modulation signal is at
its mid-way value there is zero modulation eect.
UNIPOLAR – in this mode when the modulation signal is at
zero the modulation eect is also zero.
i
[INFO] The page overview icon for the mod-
ulator will change depending whether the modula-
tor is in unipolar or bipolar mode.
Press [BUTTON-UP] and [BUTTON-DOWN] simultaneously to al-
ways jump to the rst option.
Press [BUTTON-LEFT] or [BUTTON-RIGHT] again, or press [BUTTON-
LEFT] and [BUTTON-RIGHT] simultaneously to return to the
main parameter page display.
On the main parameter page the amount of secondary mod-
ulation is shown as a small vertical bar on the right-hand
side (next to the bar for the the primary destination). The
secondary modulation destination is shown as a number
as listed above.
Details of each modulation source is given in the subsec-
tions below.
[TIP] On the MASTER PITCH parameter page
set a secondary destination of LFO amount (and
set an appropriate secondary level amount) for a
global modulation source which is assigned to the
MIDI modulation wheel. Now the MIDI modulation
wheel will control the depth of vibrato eect of
the LFO.
[TIP] On the OUTPUT parameter page set a
secondary destination of EG TIME and a negative
secondary level amount for the note modulation
source. Set the output page to use the unique EG.
Now higher pitch notes will have an EG envelope
which processes faster such as is common for real-
world stringed instruments.
Note pitch modulation
On row 2 of the display, starting at the left-hand side is
shown the note modulation setting, indicated by the NOTE
symbol. This controls how much the MIDI note-on signals
or CV pitch voltage aect the page’s destination (which in
the example shown is the LPF-1 cut-o frequency) or how
note-on signals aect other modulations for this page (if
the secondary destination is used).
The higher the incoming MIDI note-on pitch or CV pitch
voltage the higher the modulation signal.
i
[INFO] The note pitch modulation signal is
derived from the ’latest’ (i.e. most recent) note
currently being played, including the eects of
portamento, but excluding pitch-bend signals.
Velocity modulation
To the right of the note modulation setting is shown the
velocity modulation setting indicated by the VELOCITY/AC-
CENT symbol. This section controls how note velocity sig-
nals aect the page’s destination and levels or setttings
of other modulators for this page, in exactly the same way
as for the note-on modulation.
The velocity is the source of this modulation signal. The
harder the key is struck (on a touch sensitive MIDI keyboard)
the higher this signal.
Modulation sources M1, M2, M3 and M4
Each of these separate modulation sources can be assigned
to various MIDI controls e.g. modulation wheel, pitch bend
User Guide v1.31 [FOR SCREENREADERS] page 14

or from the analogue CV/gate signal inputs or even global
LFOs or EGs. The source is stored with the patch but can be
overridden by a global modulation source setting. See sec-
tion 17.7 for how to setup these global modulation sources.
[TIP] Set the global modulation sources M1
– M4 to LFO1– LFO4 to allow modulation from 5
separate LFOs on each parameter page i.e. from 1
dedicated and 4 global LFOs!
9.2 Low-Frequency Oscillator (LFO) waveforms
Both the global and dedicated LFOs (unique to each pa-
rameter page) have a wide choice of 55 waveforms. The
rst 33 waveforms are:
SIN sine SIN
SIN-90 sine phase-shifted by
90 degrees SIN-90
TRI triangle TRI
TRI-90 triangle phase-shifted by
90 degrees TRI-90
SQUARE square SQUARE
PULSE1 pulse short PULSE1
PULSE2 pulse medium PULSE2
PULSE3 pulse long PULSE3
RAMP ramp wave RAMP
RAMP-90 ramp phase-shifted by
90 degrees RAMP90
RAMP-HOLD ramp-hold RMPHLD
3-STEP 3-step 3-STEP
4-STEP 4-step 4-STEP
RANDOM sample-and-hold S+H
NOISER sampled noise NOISE
RANDOM-TRIANGLE random triangle RANTRI
PULSE-R pulse short reverse PLSE1R
PULSE-R2 pulse medium reverse PLSE2R
PULSE-R3 pulse long reverse PLSE3R
RAMP-R ramp-hold reverse RMPH-R
BOUNCE pulsed wave speeding up BOUNCE
BOING pulsed wave speeding up variant BOING
RETARDATION pulsed wave slowing down RETARD
SIN-DEC damped sine SINDEC
SIN-INV damped sine reversed SININV
BURST very fast burst BURST
BURST2 fast burst BURST2
SIN+2 sine + sine at twice frequency SIN+2
SIN+3 sine + sine at three-times frequency SIN+3
SIN-TRI half sin and half triangle combo SINTRI
TRI/2 half triangle, half constant combo TRI/2
BEAT modulated sine BEAT
BEAT2 modulated sine variation BEAT2
The next 17 waveforms are primarily aimed at pitch modu-
lation of the oscillators to play tuned notes (but of course
you don’t have to do that!). They give the intended pitch
with an LFO amount set to 12.00s
User Guide v1.31 [FOR SCREENREADERS] page 15