Qu-Bit Electronix Surface User manual

Surface
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Contents
Description . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Specs..................................... 3
Marked Diagram . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
General Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
1.Trig .................................. 5
2.Choke................................. 5
3. Frequency . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
4.Model................................. 6
5. Strike . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
6.Tone ................................. 8
7.Decay................................. 8
8. Voices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
9. Outputs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Edit Functions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Stereo Output Modes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Dark Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Example Patches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Getting Started . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Strummed Guitar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Keyboard Tracking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Calibration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Updating Firmware . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Checking Firmware Version . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
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Description
Surface is a multi-timbral physical modeling voice capable of emulating the sonic qualities
of acoustic instruments or morphing into otherworldly synthetic textures. Physical models
contain plucked strings, prepared piano, and an assortment of melodic percussion, with up
to 8 voices of polyphony. Creating a sense of space is easy with the true stereo outputs
and their configurable spatialization modes.
Surface provides a unique take on physical modeling which blurs the line between emulation
and synthesis to create entirely new worlds of sound.
• Multi-timbral Physical Modeling Voice
• Various sound models: plucked strings, prepared piano, tuned percussion, and
waveguides
• 8 Voice Polyphony
• True stereo outputs with unique spatialization modes
Specs
Width: 10HP
Depth: 28mm
Power: +12V: 60mA, -12V: 60mA, +5V: 0mA
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Marked Diagram
4

General Overview
1. Trig
Triggers a new voice, depending on the number of active voices and the Voices setting this
will take over the oldest voice.
The LED for this will be indicated by the color of the active model.
2. Choke
Silence all voices by damping them.
The LED for this will be indicated by the color of the active model.
3. Frequency
Sets the pitch of the Root note of the active voice.
3a. Coarse
Quantized to semitones (5 octaves)
3b. Fine
Unquantized fine tune (+/- a perfect fourth from center.)
3c. V/Oct
1 volt per octave input for musical pitch tracking. Responds to +/-5V
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4. Model
Selects the model to be used for the next triggered voice.
The following models are mapped evenly across the knob from left to right:
• Pluck
• Bell
• E. Piano 1
• E. Piano 2
• Kick
• Snare
• Prepared Piano
CV responds to +/-5V.
Pluck
Plucked String Model
•Tone: Brightness, Filter Quality, and Cutoff
•Strike: Attack Strength
•LED Color: Purple
•Split Model Output Routing: Left
6

Bell
Modal Bar Model
•Tone: Controls ratios of the Bar to be struck. Morphs between Vibraphones and
Tablas.
•Strike: Mallet Weight and Material
•LED Color: Blue
•Split Model Output Routing: Left
Bell Types (in order across the Tone knob):
• Vibraphone
• Steel Drum
• Bayan Tabla
• Dahina Tabla
E. Piano 1
Rhodes-like Electric Piano Model
•Tone: Blend between two FM sources
•Strike: FM Index control for the secondary sound source (No effect when tone is all
the way down)
•LED Color: Cyan
•Split Model Output Routing: Left
E. Piano 2
Wurlitzer-like Electric Piano Model
•Tone: FM Index Control
•Strike: Attack Amplitude (Click sound silenced when all the way down)
•LED Color: Green
•Split Model Output Routing: Left
Kick
Sine Wave Based Kick Drum Model With Saturation
•Tone: Amount of Saturation applied
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•Strike: Attack time and Pitch Envelope amount (Slight audible attack time when all
the way down)
•LED Color: Yellow
•Split Model Output Routing: Right
Snare
Snare Drum Model
•Tone: Noise Amount
•Strike: Pitch Envelope Amount
•LED Color: Orange
•Split Model Output Routing: Right
Prepared Piano
Prepared Piano Model
•Tone: Detune/Space Amount
•Strike: Semirandom Rattle/Restrike Amount
•LED Color: Red
•Split Model Output Routing: Right
5. Strike
Unique parameter for each model that affects the attack characteristics of the model.
See Each model for details.
CV responds to +/-5V.
6. Tone
Unique parameter for each model that has a general effect on the sound of the model.
See Each model for details.
CV responds to +/-5V.
7. Decay
Controls the decay time of the given model.
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Generally in the range of 500 microseconds to 5 or 10 seconds (Pluck and Kick are on the
longer side).
CV responds to +/-5V.
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8. Voices
Sets the number of voices that can be active at a time.
Pressing the button will advance through each setting with the LED indicating the current
selection.
Number of Voices Color
1 Blue
2 Cyan
4 Green
8 Purple
9. Outputs
Stereo Outputs. See Stereo Settings below for details on how these can be configured.
Average 10Vpp depending on settings.
Edit Functions
Accessing the Extra Settings Menu is as easy as holding down the voices button for longer
than 1 second.
The Voices LED will begin to blink white while in this mode.
The mode can be exited immediately by pressing voices again, otherwise the mode will exit
automatically if no buttons have been pressed for 30 seconds.
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