Native Instruments Scarbee Mark 1 User manual

USER MANUAL

The information in this document is subject to change without notice and does not represent a
commitment on the part of Native Instruments GmbH. The software described by this document is
subject to a License Agreement and may not be copied to other media. No part of this publication
may be copied, reproduced or otherwise transmitted or recorded, for any purpose, without prior
written permission by Native Instruments GmbH, hereinafter referred to as Native Instruments.
Manual written by: Thomas Hansen Skarbye
Edited by: Patryk Korman
Document Version: 1.0 (02/2010)
Product Version: 1.0 (02/2010)
Special thanks to the Beta Test Team, who were invaluable not just in tracking down bugs, but in
making this a better product.

Germany
Native Instruments GmbH
Schlesische Str. 28
D-10997 Berlin
Germany
[e-mail]
www.native-instruments.de
USA
Native Instruments North America, Inc.
5631 Hollywood Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90028
USA
[e-mail]
www.native-instruments.com
© Native Instruments GmbH, 2010. All rights reserved.

Scarbee Mark I - User Manual – IV
Table Of Content
1 Introduction......................................................................................................................5
1.1 Restoration.............................................................................................................6
1.2 TheMarkI“Feel”....................................................................................................6
2 TheInstrument.................................................................................................................8
2.1 Programs................................................................................................................8
2.2 Controls..................................................................................................................8
2.2.1 Original Noise adjustment .................................................................. 8
2.2.2 Effects ............................................................................................ 9
2.2.3 Tone Control ..................................................................................... 9
2.2.4 Reverb ...........................................................................................10
2.2.5 Delay .............................................................................................10
2.2.6 Pan ................................................................................................11
2.2.7 Auto-Wah ........................................................................................11
2.2.8 Compressor .....................................................................................12
2.2.9 Chorus ...........................................................................................12
2.2.10 Distortion ........................................................................................13
2.2.11 Phaser ............................................................................................13
2.2.12 Amp ...............................................................................................13
3 Credits........................................................................................................................... 14

Scarbee Mark I - User Manual – 5
1 Introduction
Scarbee sample libraries are hailed around the world for capturing not only the classic tone of
these vintage instruments, but also their feel. Sampled, mapped, and programmed with great
love and slavish attention to detail, the Scarbee MARK I presents a classic electro-mechanical
instrument in its ultimate form.
MARK I is the sound of a hot-rodded, wonderful electric piano from the 70s! It has expression
and dynamics ranging from warm and mellow to bright and barking, but can also produce a
dulcet bell-like tone, which is very suited for jazz, funk and R&B.
How much detail is there in the instrument?
To start with, all samples are full length and un-looped. Each of the 73 keys of the original
instrument was sampled at 12 different velocities ranging from 0 to -26 dB, but this is only
half the story. In order to capture that magical feel of really playing the original instrument,
we also recorded release samples for each of the 12 velocities at the exact same level as the
corresponding sustain samples. The release tone—a sound created when a damper bounces
against the tine as a key is released—is an intrinsic element of what musicians recognize as
SPRACHE IN Paragraph-Style “05 - STANDARD Fließtext” passend einstellen

Scarbee Mark I - User Manual – 6
the original sound. In this new edition from Native Instruments, we have added the Horizontal
Release Technology to the MARK I, whereby release samples are chosen from the wave pool
depending on how long a key has been held, which allows a staccato played note to create a
different release tone to a note sustained for a longer period.
1.1 Restoration
In order to guarantee that the keyboard was as close to, or even better than its condition in
1976, an exhaustive process of refurbishment was undertaken prior to the recording process.
All rubber hammer tips were replaced using glue, a Dremel and a scalpel. Damper felts were
replaced and different sizes were used as directed by the manual. Hammers, keys and harp
were modied for optimal response/action and we also shimmed the bass and treble side to
improve it further. The rubber grommets on the tone bars were replaced to improve sustain.
Bad sounding tines were replaced and the new tines were carefully selected for ideal timbre
and sustain. Tone-bars, dampers, tines and pickups were also carefully adjusted to provide a
perfectly balanced sound. The tweaking and tuning took almost nine months! Thomas Hansen
Skarbye’s wife Anne ran the restauration, and fortunately she just loves doing stuff like this!
During the whole programming phase we even used a proprietary system of sampling in or-
der to ensure that the sound, action and feel of the original were mirrored and maintained.
We went through this kind of trouble because a key element in recreating the experience of
playing the real electric piano is accurately capturing the response dynamics. As a result of
this effort, the action and feel of the Scarbee MARK I exactly duplicates that of a well “hot
rodded” instrument.
1.2 The Mark I “Feel”
Why is the feel so important? If you are a composer or a piano player, you will be able to
answer this question for yourself. The original classic electric piano we sampled is one of a
select few instruments which can honestly claim to be a writers primary compositional work-
horse. They’re not just a medium for committing already rm ideas to a recording medium,

Scarbee Mark I - User Manual – 7
but an inspirational tool—an instrument which works in a synergistic way with the composer
to generate fresh new musical ideas. We believe that this inspirational quality is largely the
result of a combination of the basic timbral range of the original electric piano and its very
organic dynamic response. We dare to say that the Scarbee MARK I has, for the rst time,
captured that same tone and feel—the soul of this classic keyboard. The MARK I is an in-
strument you really look forward to sit down at and to just play.

Scarbee Mark I - User Manual – 8
2 The Instrument
2.1 Programs
There are two programs to choose from: the standard “Scarbee MARK I” and the “Scarbee
MARK I - Stretched Tuned.” In stretched tuning, two notes an octave apart are tuned slightly
further apart to compensate for an acoustic phenomenon where you perceive the octave as
being out of tune.
2.2 Controls
2.2.1 Original Noise adjustment
For the MARK I, we recorded the original noise before we removed the noise from the samples
using sophisticated noise-reduction. We made certain that samples were not degraded in
quality after the removing the noise, not even the highest frequencies.
The default setting is the exact original level of noise. Noise will play along with other samples
when you hit a key and since the noise sample is mapped to 1-note polyphony, you always
get the same amount of noise, no matter if you play 1 or 30 keys. Feel the magic when turn-
ing down noise to zero!!
• InstrumentNoiseLevel: move the knob to set the level of the hum & hiss noise. Original
recording level of the noise is middle position.

Scarbee Mark I - User Manual – 9
• InstrumentNoiserelease: move the knob to set the release time of the noise. Default
setting is middle. If you want the noise to be present the whole time in a song or live,
you can turn the knob beyond the middle position.
2.2.2 Effects
In this new edition released by Native Instruments, we have included some cool effects to
make the sound even greater!
• FXType: switches between Send and Insert effect pages
• EffectPreset: selects between ten FX presets. It is possible to save ve user presets.
2.2.3 Tone Control
Most owners of the original keyboard record their instrument by connecting to the socket on
the front panel and set the Bass Boost knob to middle position (actually a bass cut!)—this
is what we call the “Classic” sound. We decided to record directly from the harp, bypassing
the passive tone control on the front panel, in order to capture the full frequency range of the
instrument and minimize unwanted noise. Thus, we needed to create the “Classic” sound by
simulating the behavior of the passive tone control with use of the EQ. The precise calcula-
tion was done by italian frequency wizard Thomas Serani.
Since the passive tone controls on the real instrument dampens a lot of the high frequencies,
you may want to reduce the “sparkle” for that dull old school sound. Feel free to make other
EQ settings that suit your own taste!

Scarbee Mark I - User Manual – 10
• Bass: Boosts or cuts the level of the lower frequencies. Set the knob to middle position
(actually a bass cut!) like on original instrument for the Classic sound.
• Treble: Boosts or cuts the level of the higher frequencies. Set the knob a little to the left
to get the old school vibe of the original tone control.
2.2.4 Reverb
• Size: Determines the room size by setting the length of the reverb. Higher values simulate
larger rooms, lower values smaller rooms.
• Level: sets the level of the reverb
2.2.5 Delay
• Time: Determines the interval in milliseconds between hearing the straight signal and the
rst delay of the delayed signal. This parameter can be synchronized to an external MIDI
clock. Click on the arrow to select the time value from the menu.