Rossum Electro-Music TRIDENT User manual

TRIDENT
Multi-Synchronic Oscillator Ensemble
Thanks for purchasing (or otherwise acquiring) Trident. This guide will get you up and
running with a minimum of fuss. For lots more details, be sure to check out the full
owners manual at:
www.rossum-electro.com/support/documentation
What is this thing?
Trident is a 100% analog, triple oscillator
module that opens up a universe of
dynamic timbral textures.
At its most basic, Trident is three precision
VCOs, each sporting a unique variety
of control voltage inputs. And while
each VCO can be used independently if
desired, it’s when they’re combined into a
synchronous ensemble that the real sonic
magic happens.
That magic is what we call Zing
Modulation, where one or both of the 2
Mod Oscillators can modulate each of
the main Carrier Oscillator’s outputs in an
amount controlled by the Zing parameter.
When a Mod Oscillator’s Sync button
is on, the typical aharmonic sidetones
of ring modulation transform into
complex but purely harmonic overtone
spectra, which vary dramatically with
the frequency and waveshape of the
Mod Oscillators. Each change of a Mod
Oscillator’s parameter will have a dierent
eect on the timbre of each of the three
Carrier waveshape outputs.
Installation
While all Rossum Electro-Music modules
are protected against damage to the
module or your system from reverse
polarity, care should still be taken to
connect the power cable correctly.
Plug the 16-pin connector into the header
on the rear of the module such that the
red stripe on the cable (the -12V side) is
on the same end of the header as the
“Red Stripe (-12V)” text on the PCB.
Trident requires a maximum of 290mA of
+12V and 270mA of -12V.
We have included both M3 and M2.5 (for
vector rails) mounting screws. Use what
fits your system.
If rack rash is of concern to you, use the
included nylon washers when mounting
Trident in your case.
Make some noise!
Given Trident’s plethora of knobs and mod
inputs, experimentation is the order of the
day. To get you started:
>Monitor the triangle output of the
Carrier Oscillator.
>Turn up the Zing level of Mod 1 and
turn down the Zing level of Mod 2.
Ensure that Mod 1’s Sync and Track are
enabled.
>Vary Mod 1’s Frequency, Symmetry,
Zing settings, and waveform and listen
to their eect. Try modulating the
parameters with external signals (or
with the output of Mod 2).
>For dual Zing Modulation, turn up the
Zing on Mod 2 and vary its parameters
and waveform.
>Try disengaging Sync and/or Tracking
on each Mod Oscillator and listen to
their eects.
>Zing!

Functional Overview
www.rossum-electro.com
COARSE & FINE FREQUENCY
Controls an oscillator’s initial frequency
over a range of 20Hz to 20kHz.
Modulated ranges are from 0.01Hz to
25kHz.
1V/OCT INPUTS Calibrated 1 volt per
octave Frequency CV inputs (accurate
over 10 octaves).
EXPONENTIAL & LINEAR (Carrier
Oscillator only) FREQUENCY
MODULATION CV inputs into
attenuverters.
PULSE WIDTH & PW MODULATION
Sets the Carrier Oscillator’s initial pulse
width from 0% to 100% and modulates it
via the CV input through an attenuverter.
Note that at audio rates, 0% or 100% pulse
width results in no audio.
SYMMETRY & SYM
MODULATION
(Mod Oscillators)
Varies the duty cycle
of the triangle wave
output from sawtooth
to triangle back to time
reversed sawtooth, and
also varies the sawtooth
output to have an
upward or downward
kink in the middle. Sets
the pulse width when
the pulse waveform is
selected. Symmetry can
be modulated via the
CV input through an
attenuverter.
ZING LEVEL & ZING
MODULATION
(Mod Oscillators)
Sets the amount of a Mod Oscillator’s Zing
modulation of the Carrier Oscillator and
modulates it via the CV input through an
attenuverter.
PHASE & PHASE MODULATION
(Mod 2 Oscillator only) Varies the phase of
the Mod 2 Oscillator compared to the Carrier
when Mod 2 Sync is enabled. Modulates it via
the CV input through an attenuverter.
SYNC BUTTONS (Mod Oscillators)
When engaged (with the LED lit), syncs the
Mod Oscillator to the Carrier Oscillator’s
frequency.
TRACK BUTTONS (Mod Oscillators)
When engaged (with the LED lit), causes
the Mod Oscillator to track precisely the
Carrier Oscillator’s frequency.
CARRIER OSCILLATOR SYNC IN
Hard syncs the Carrier Oscillator to the
rising edge of an external source or to
either of the Mod Oscillators (by patching
their output to this input).
OUTPUTS The Carrier Oscillator provides
simultaneous triangle, sawtooth, and pulse
outputs. The Mod Oscillators each have a
single output with selectable waveforms.