Strymon NIGHTSKY User manual

QUICK START GUIDE

SPEED
Adjusts the rate of modulation
from 0.06Hz (16 second sweep)
to 12Hz (0.08 second sweep).
DEPTH
Adjusts the amount of
modulation. Modulation is off at
the fully minimum position.*
*For env, modulation is off at
noon. Sensitivity increases as
the knob is rotated away from
center. Rotate left for negative
envelope response or right for
positive.
TARGET
Selects the process that modulation is applied.
verb: modulates the delay lines within the
regenerating reverb core.
pitch: modulates the size (process rate) of the reverb
core.
filter: modulates the HIGH CUT tone control position.
SHAPE
Selects the modulating waveform.
triangle: rises and falls evenly.
square: jumps between two fixed values.
ramp: rises gradually and falls abruptly.
saw: falls gradually and rises abruptly.
random: jumps between random values.
env: modulation value responds to playing dynamics
(sensitivity set by DEPTH), and returns at a rate set
by SPEED.
MOD
Varies a selectable target parameter according to the selected waveform.

LENGTH
Adjusts the reverb decay time from less than one second
to nearly infinite sustain. At long decay settings, decay
time may be impacted by the TONE settings.
DECAY
Selects the reverb architecture and sets the tail characteristics.
SIZE / PITCH
Increases the size of the reverb core to create a larger “space” for reflections as the knob is
turned clockwise which also allows for pitch variations during adjustment.
The pitch range is 2.5 octaves with QUANTIZE set to smooth and two octaves with
QUANTIZE set to half step or scale.
TEXTURE
Selects one of three different reverb types.
sparse: granular-sounding reverb that can
create interesting effects with staccato
inputs, or produce a clean reverb with
sustained inputs.
dense: plate-like reverb with a fast response
and dense reflections that can venture into
ambient territory at high decay times.
diffuse: slow-building, atmospheric wash
that excels at ambient, swell, and even
reverse-like textures.
QUANTIZE
Selects the response and range of the SIZE/
PITCH knob.
smooth: SIZE/PITCH varies smoothly and
continuously over a 2.5 octave pitch range.
half step*: The SIZE/PITCH is quantized into
half-step intervals over a two octave range.
scale*: The SIZE/PITCH is quantized into
selectable scales over a two octave range.
*NOTE
Range is as follows:
12 o’clock = middle of range.
Minimum = one octave up.
Maximum = one octave down.

LOW CUT
Removes low end content both at the output
and in the regenerating core portion of the
reverb as the knob is turned clockwise.
HIGH CUT
Removes high frequency content from the
reverb with characteristics determined by the
FILTER switch selection.
TONE & MIX
Applies filtering equalization to the high and low frequency portions of the reverb.
MIX
Sets the output level of the dry and reverberated signals.
REVERB: sets the output level of the reverberated signal.
DRY: sets the output level of the unprocessed signal.
FILTER
Selects the response of the HIGH CUT knob.
regen: removes high frequencies from the
regenerating core, creating a reverb that
gets darker as it decays.
low pass: applies a synth-style peaking low-
pass filter to the reverb output to selectively
shape the frequency content.

SHIMMER (button)
Selects the type of shimmer effect.
input: shimmer effect is applied to the input
of the reverb core and does not regenerate.
regen*: shimmer effect is applied within the
reverb core and the effect is regenerative.
GLIMMER
Creates a harmonically enhanced spectrum
from the reverb output.
high: higher frequency harmonics are
highlighted creating a washy, dreamy top
end.
low: lower frequency harmonics are
highlighted that add mysterious and synth-
like textures.
LED off: Glimmer is disabled.
DRIVE
Adds saturated overdriven harmonics to the
reverb.
pre: applies drive to the signal before the
reverb core.
post: applies drive after the reverb tank,
allowing the reverb tail to dynamically go into
and out of saturation as the reverb decays.
LED off: Drive is disabled.
VOICE
Adds pitch, harmonics, and distortion to the reverberated signal.
*NOTE
Smaller SIZE/PITCH settings and higher
DECAY settings will result in more
intense pitch regeneration.
INTERVAL
Selects the pitch interval of the shimmer
effect from a number of musically useful and
interesting intervals. See user manual for
additional details.
SHIMMER (knob)
Sets the amount of the shimmer effect.
Shimmer effect is off when set to minimum.

FOOTSWITCHES & PRESET BUTTONS
ON
Turns the effect ON or OFF.
morph: press and hold sweeps between the current sound and a set of “morph”
knob settings.
See user manual for details on programming morph setting.
INFINITE
Holds the input to the reverb
tank while also allowing new
audio to be processed by the
reverb on top of the “frozen”
audio.
Press and hold switches into
sequence mode.
FAVORITE
Toggles between the active onboard preset and the
current state of the knobs and switches. GREEN LED
indicates that the preset is engaged.
save favorite: Press and hold until the FAVORITE LED
blinks BLUE. To save in the current preset location, press
FAVORITE once again. To save in a new preset location,
press one of the 8 preset buttons and press FAVORITE
once again to save.
Press the same preset button twice before pressing the
FAVORITE footswitch again to save to a different preset
bank.
PRESET BUTTONS 1-8
Selects the corresponding preset and enables FAVORITE footswitch if not already enabled.
Press a lit PRESET BUTTON to switch between two banks. GREEN LED indicates presets 1-8,
AMBER indicates presets 9-16.

REAR CONTROLS AND CONNECTIONS
INPUTS
Stereo high impedance ultra low-noise
discrete Class A JFET preamp inputs.
Use LEFT IN for mono input.
OUTPUTS
Low impedance stereo outputs. Use
LEFT OUT for mono output. See user
manual for additional details.
USB
Use for connecting to a computer
for controlling via MIDI and updating
firmware.
MIDI IN / OUT
Full featured MIDI input and output
supporting MIDI CCs, program changes,
etc. See user manual for additional
details.

REAR CONTROLS AND CONNECTIONS
EXP
Can be set to work in one of the following
modes. See user manual for additional
details.
Expression Pedal Mode: Allows continuous
control over knobs with expression pedal.
MIDI Mode: Access to three presets using
MultiSwitch Plus or 300 presets via MIDI.
Preset Up/Down Mode: Scroll through
the 16 onboard presets and engage or
bypass the preset you have selected with
MultiSwitch Plus.
MOD/TONE/VOICE Bypass Mode: Engage
or bypass the individual sections of
NightSky with MultiSwitch Plus.
INPUT MODE
Use INST for guitars or instruments with lower output.
Setting to LINE adds 10dB of clean headroom for use with synthesizers, or
when placing NightSky in the effects loop of an amplifier or mixer, or for
guitar rigs with high output levels if more clean headroom is desired.
9VDC
Use the included power supply
or an adapter with the following
rating: 9VDC center negative.
300mA minimum.

SEQUENCE MODE
Varies the Size/Pitch parameter as programmed at regular or stepped time intervals.
Press and hold INFINITE (sequence) to enter Sequence mode. The ON LED will turn RED.
Use the presets 1-8 to set independent SIZE/PITCH settings for up to 8 steps to be played
in sequence.
Press a PRESET BUTTON to enable/disable the step for the sequence.
Press and hold a PRESET BUTTON button and turn the SIZE/PITCH knob to set the value
for each step.
Press turns step ON or OFF.
Press, hold, and turn SIZE/PITCH - adjusts pitch of the step and
automatically enables step if not already enabled.
sequence step:
Advances the sequence
to the next step on each
press. If a sequence is
playing, pressing the step
footswitch once will stop
the sequence from playing
and return to the first step.
sequence tap:
Sets the rate of the
sequencer through
two taps. Resets the
sequencer to Step 1on
single tap.
infinite:
Holds the input to
the reverb core in the
same manner as in
normal mode. Press
and hold switches out
of sequence mode.

>> Download the complete manual at strymon.net/support/nightsky <<
SIGNAL FLOW
This diagram shows the complete routing of audio through NightSky.
Keep in mind that DRIVE, FILTER, and SHIMMER can be located in only
one of the shown locations.
GLIMMER INPUT
SHIMMER
REGEN
SHIMMER
INFINITE LOW CUT
FILTER
REGEN
FILTER
LOWPASS
FILTER
OUTPUT
DELAY
NETWORK
INPUT
DIFFUSION
PRE
DELAY
PRE
DRIVE
POST
DRIVE
DRY SIGNAL DRY GAIN
REVERB GAIN
VARIABLE PROCESSING RATE
FACTORY RESET
Press and hold the ON footswitch while powering on the
unit. Sweep the LENGTH knob from left to right twice. The
FAVORITE LED will turn AMBER when full left and RED when
full right. All three LEDs will flash RED when the unit resets.
NOTE: This will replace all presets with the factory defaults.
REV A