Synthino XM User manual
SynthinoXM
™
Polyphonic
MIDISynthesizer
Features:
● 5notepolyphonyforsuperbplayability
● 12waveforms,noisegenerator,5drumsamples(kick,snare,hihat,tom,clap)
● 12bitaudioat25KHzoutputrate
● 4voices,eachwithindependentwaveformandADSRenvelopesettings
● lowpassfilterwithcutofffrequencyandresonancecontrols
● 2independentlowfrequencyoscillators(LFOs):pitchandfilter
● selectablewaveformforLFOs
● 1Vppaudiooutputvoltagewithenoughcurrenttodriveheadphones
● volumecontrol
● MIDIoverstandard5pinDINcableorUSB
● MIDIoverUSBworkswithDAWsoftwareonMacandWindowscomputersas
wellasiOSandAndroiddevices
● arpeggiatormodewith4patterns:up,down,updown,random
● 4builtinarpeggiatorchordsoruseMIDItospecifyupto16notes
● arpeggiatorpitchtranspositioncontrol
● 16stepliveperformance"groovebox"sequencer
● pitchfinetuningadjustment
● programmable/upgradableoverUSB
GettingStarted
PoweringtheSynthinoXM
TheSynthinoXMcanbepoweredby9VbatteryorbyUSBpowerusingaUSBcablewitha
“mini”connector.Onlyconnectonepowersourceatatime.
Whenpoweringwitha9Vbattery,the¼”audiojackservesasapowerswitch.Thedevice
canbeturnedoffbyremovingtheaudioplug,andturnedonbyinsertingtheaudioplug.
WhenpoweringwithUSB,thedeviceispoweredwheneverUSBpowerisconnected.When
usingUSBpower,ensurethatthecontactsonthe9Vbatteryconnectorarenottouchingany
electricalconnectionsonthecircuitboards.
AudioOutput
TheSynthinoXMaudiooutputis¼”mono
.Donot
connecta¼”stereoplug,asthiswill
causeexcessivenoiseintheoutputsignal.Onlyusea¼”monoplugtoconnectyour
equipment,suchasanamplifier.TheSynthinoXMcomeswitha¼”monoto3.5mmstereo
adapterwhichcanbeusedwithheadphonesortoconnecttootherequipment.
VolumeControl
TheoutputvolumeiscontrolledusingthesmallthumbwheelontherightsideoftheSynthino
XM.Clockwise(pullingtowardyou)ishighervolume,counterclockwiseislowervolume.
ModeSelection
TheSynthinoXMhas3modes:synthesizer,arpeggiator,andgroovebox.WhenSynthinoXM
ispoweredon,alltheLEDsblink,promptingyoutoselectamodebypressingoneofthe
buttons(13).Thedetailsofeachmodearedescribedinfollowingsections.
SystemReset
TheSynthinoXMcanberesetbyholdingdownbutton4fortwoseconds.TheLEDswillthen
blink,promptingyoutochooseamodeasdescribedabove.
UserInterface
UnderstandingVoices,MIDIChannelsandPolyphony
Whenusingsynthesizermode,theSynthinoXMcontrolsletyoudefine4differentvoices.
Eachvoicecanhaveitsownenvelopeandwaveform,allowingyoutoplay4completely
differentsoundinginstrumentsatthesametime.Avoiceisdefinedbythesetofparameters
thatmakeaparticularsoundorinstrument.Specifically,avoiceisdefinedbyawaveformand
theADSR(attack,decay,sustain,release)envelopeparameters.Thevoiceselectpotlets
youspecifywhichvoicethatthewaveformandenvelopecontrolsarechanging.
TheincomingMIDIchannelismappedtooneofthe4voices.Channels14mapdirectlyto
voices14.HigherMIDIchannels“wrap”naturally,sonotesonchannel5usevoice1,notes
onchannel6usevoice2,etc.
TheSynthinoXMispolyphonicandcanplayupto5notesatthesametime,regardlessof
voiceorMIDIchannel.Asanexample,youmightbeplayingyourkeyboardcontrolleron
channel1andcanplayupto5notessimultaneously,allplayedwithvoice1parameters.Or
youmightbeusingsequencersoftwareonyourcomputerplaying4differenttrackson
differentMIDIchannels,andthe5simultaneousnotesarespreadacrossthosechannels,
playingdifferentvoices.
SecondaryFunctionsonPotsandButtons
Insomemodes,potsandbuttonsmayhavesecondaryfunctionslabeledas"fn:".These
functionsareenabled/disabledbytappingbutton4.Whensecondaryfunctionsareenabled,
theLEDunderbutton4flashesandtheparticularpotorbuttonnowcontrolstheparameter
labeledas“fn:”.
Example
:Insynthesizermode,pot8(rightmostpotinsecondrow)controlsthefiltercutoff
frequency,buthasthesecondaryfunctionofcontrollingthefilterresonance.Tapbutton4to
enablethesecondaryfunctions.TheLEDonbutton4nowflashes.Usepot8tocontrolthe
filterresonance.Nowdisablesecondaryfunctionsbytappingbutton4again.TheLEDstops
flashingandpot8nowcontrolsfiltercutoffagain.
WaveformsandSamples
Inallmodes,thewaveformpotletsyouselectfrom12waveforms,thenoisegenerator,and5
drumsamples.Inorderfromlowestpotpositiontohighest:
1. sine
2. triangle
3. sawtooth
4. square
5. piano
6. electricpiano
7. electricorgan
8. cello
9. violin
10. oboe
11. flute
12. electricbass
13. noisegenerator
14. kickdrum
15. snaredrum
16. hihat
17. tom
18. clap
Mode1:Synthesizer
SynthesizermodeallowsyoutoplaytheSynthinoXMwithaMIDIcontrollerconnectedtothe
MIDIjackorfromyourfavoriteDAW(digitalaudioworkstation)softwarewithMIDIoverUSB.
Youcanalsoplaythesynthesizerinstandalonemodeusingthe3notebuttons.Explore
differentsoundsbychangingthewaveform,controllingthenoteenvelopeparameters(ADSR
attack,decay,sustain,release),modulatingthepitchandfilterwithindependentLFOsfor
each,andadjustingthelowpassfilter.
Eachofthe4independentvoiceshasitsownwaveform/sampleandADSRenvelope
parameters.Thewaveformpotletsyouchoosefromwaveforms112,noisegenerator,and5
drumsamples.
Toaccesssecondarypotfunctionsdenotedby“fn:”,tapthefntogglebutton.Holdfntoggle
fortwosecondstoresetdevice.
Usevoiceselectpottochoosewhichvoicethecontrolsarechanging.LEDindicateswhich
voiceyouselected.Voices14areassociatedwithMIDIchannels14.HigherMIDIchannel
numbersmaptovoices14bywrapping.e.g.notesonchannel5usevoice1,noteson
channel6usevoice2,etc.
MIDIchannel10reservedforpercussionsoundsintheMIDIspecification.Incomingnoteson
channel10aremappedtodrumsampleswithvariousspeed/durationtoemulateasmany
percussioninstrumentsaspossible.Sincechannel10mapstovoice2controls,youmayuse
thevoice2releaseparametertospecifythedurationofthedrumsampleafteritisreleased.
Buttons13canbeusedtoplaynotesinstandalonemode.Usebuttonpitchtochangethe
pitchofapressedbutton.Notesareplayedusingthecurrentlyselectedvoiceparameters.
Thedigitallowpassfilterisglobalandfiltersallvoicesatthesametime.Usefiltercutoffand
filterresonancetochangeitsbehavior.
Therearetwoindependentlowfrequencyoscillators(LFOs),oneforpitchandoneforfilter
cutofffrequency.UsetheLFOrateanddepthparameterstocontroleachLFO.Disablean
LFObysettingitsratetothelowestsetting.ThefilterLFOcausesthecutofffrequencyto
modulatearoundthecurrent
filtercutoffsetting.Ifyoudon’thearmuchmodulation,change
thefiltercutoffparametertoalowervalue.
TheLFOraterangesfrom0to20Hzonlowerhalfofthepotrange,thenfrom20420Hzon
theupperhalfofthepotrange.Thisletsyouexploresomeveryhighfrequencyoscillation,
creatingstrangeFMsynthesiseffectsandaliasing.
TheLFOwaveformparameterselectsfrom5waveformsthattheLFOsuseformodulation.
Selectionsaresine,square,rampdown,rampup,andastrangewaveformthatiskindofa
combinationofasquareandrampup.
Mode2:Arpeggiator
ThearpeggiatorletsyouplaypredefinedarpeggiosorsetyourownarpeggionoteswithMIDI.
start/stop:Startandstopthearpeggiator
pattern:CyclethroughthearpeggiopatternsUP,DOWN,UPDOWN,RANDOM
chord/MIDI:Cyclethroughfour4notearpeggiochordsmajor,minor,M7,m7.Ifyouhavea
MIDIcontrollerconnected,playedMIDInotesetstherootnoteofthearpeggio.The5th
“chord”isMIDIinputmode.Inthismode,thearpeggiatorcreatesanarpeggiofromthenotes
youplayonthecontroller.ItdoesnotmatterwhichMIDIchannelisused.
transpose:Transposethecurrentarpeggioupordown
BPM:Setarpeggiatorspeedintherangeof20to300beatsperminute.(IfMIDIclockpulses
arebeingreceivedbythedevice,thiscontrolwillhavenoeffect.)
timedivision:ChangethenotelengthrelativetotherateinBPM.Cyclethroughvalues
quarternotes,eighthnotes,sixteenthnotes,32ndnotes.Thedefaultissixteenthnotes.
notelength:Changelengthofeachnoteinarpeggio.Thisallowsyoutohaveveryshort
staccatonotesorlongnoteswithnobreakbetweenthem.
Mode3:GrooveboxLiveSequencer
GrooveboxmodeisthemostsophisticatedfeatureoftheSynthinoXM.Itisa"live"16step
sequencerwhichallowsyoutolaydown4differenttracksbyplayingaMIDIcontroller.For
simplicitythismodedoesnothavesecondaryfunctionsonthecontrols.
Whenthesequencerisrunning,anyMIDInoteordrumsampleyouplaywillberecordedto
thecurrenttrackandrepeatedasthesequencerruns.Youcansimplyplaydifferentnotesto
recordoverwhatiscurrentlyrecordedonthethetrack.Eachtrackhasindependentenvelope
(attack,release)andvolume.Eachnotecanhaveadifferentwaveform,evenonthesame
track.Thewaveformrecordedisthewaveformthatwasselectedwhenthenotewasplayed.
UsingMIDIchannel10isagreatwaytolaydownadrumtrack,sincechannel10MIDInotes
aremappedtovariouspercussionsamples(i.e.thewaveformsettingisignored).
start/stop:Startandstopsequencer
trackselect:Choosewhichtrackyouareediting.TheLEDindicatingtrack14willblink
momentarilywhenyouchangetracks.Trythisfirstwiththesequencerstopped.Theincoming
MIDIchannelnumberdoesnotmatter(exceptinthespecialcaseofchannel10drum
samples).
cleartrack:Clearthecurrenttrack
preview:Taptoenable/disablepreview.Whenenabled,youcanplaynoteswithoutrecording
themtocurrenttrack.TheLEDunderthebuttonindicatesthatpreviewisenabled.
trackvolume:controlvolumeofcurrenttrack
BPM:Setsequencerspeedintherangeof20to300beatsperminute.(IfMIDIclockpulses
arebeingreceivedbythedevice,thiscontrolwillhavenoeffect.)
transpose:transposenotesup/down(drumsamplesarenottransposed).Transpostionis
relativetothepositionofthisknobwhenthenotewasrecorded.
metronome:enable/disablethemetronome.Thereare3modes:OFF,quarternotes(every
4thsequencerstep),sixteenthnotes(everysequencerstep).
SavingandLoadingPatches/Sequences
Whenusinganymodeyoumaysaveandloadyourpatchsettingssothatyoudon’thaveto
setupallofyourparametersagain.Also,ifyouareusinggrooveboxmodeyoumaysave
yourentiresequencetomemory.Thereare4slotsinEEPROMmemoryforyoutosaveyour
patchsettingsandsequence.
PatchsettingsincludetheADSRenvelopeparametersandwaveformsettingforeach
channel.Italsoincludesthefiltercutoffsetting,filterresonancesetting,andtheLFO
waveformsetting.
Wheningrooveboxmode,thecurrentsequenceisalsosaved.
SavingaPatch/Sequence
Holddownbutton1andbutton4fortwosecondstoinitiatetheresetprocedure.Whenbutton
1isheldduringreset,theSynthinoXMwillallowyoutosavethecurrentpatch+sequencein
oneofthe4memoryslots.Youwillhearashortbeep.Whilestillholdingdown
button1,turn
thepotjustabovebutton1toselectoneofthe4memoryslotstosavein.Theselected
memoryslotwillbeindicatedbyoneofthe4LEDs.Whenyouhaveselectedthememoryslot,
releasebutton1.TheLEDwillblinkwhilethedataissavedtomemory.Thismaytakeafew
secondswhenanentiresequenceissaved(wheningrooveboxmode).Aftersavingis
completeyouwillhearashortbeep.Nowall4LEDswillblink(justaswithanormalreset)
promptingyoutochoosewhichmodetoenter.Thepatch+sequenceyoujustsavedwillbe
loadedafteryouchoosethemode.
LoadingaPatch/Sequence
Holddownbutton2atstartuporwhileholdingdownbutton4toreset.Whenbutton2isheld
duringstartuporreset,theSynthinoXMwillallowyoutoreadasetofpatchsettingsanda
sequencefromoneofthe4memoryslots.Whilestillholdingdown
button2,turnthepotjust
abovebutton1toselectoneofthe4memoryslotstoloadfrom.Theselectedmemoryslot
willbeindicatedbyoneofthe4LEDs.Whenyouhaveselectedthememoryslot,release
button2.Nowall4LEDswillblink(justaswithanormalreset)promptingyoutochoose
whichmodetoenter.Ifthereisnothingsavedattheselectedmemoryslot,youwillheartwo
shortlowbeeps.
MIDIMessages
TheSynthinoXMrespondstoawidevarietyofMIDImessagestocontrolitsbehaviorand
variousparameters.MIDIprogramchangemessageswithvalues118canbeusedtoselect
thewaveform/sample.MIDIpitchbendmessageswillbendthenotesonachannelupto2
semitonesup/down.
ThearpeggiatorandgrooveboxmodeBPMratemaybecontrolledwithMIDIclockpulses.If
theSynthinoXMdetectsMIDIclockpulses,theywillbeusedtosettherateandtheBPMpot
willbeignoreduntilMIDIclockpulsesstoparriving.MIDIstartandstopmessageswillstart
andstopthearpeggiatorandsequencer.TheMIDIsystemresetmessagewillresetthe
device.
ControlChangeMap
CC#
MIDIName
SynthinoXMParameter
73
attacktime
attacktime
75
decaytime
decaytime
79
sustainvolume
sustainvolume
72
releasetime
releasetime
70
soundvariation
waveform
76
vibratorate
pitchLFOrate
1
modulationdepth
pitchLFOdepth
12
effectcontrol1
LFOwaveform
13
effectcontrol2
filterLFOrate
91
effectsdepth1
filterLFOdepth
71
timbre
filterresonance
74
brightness
filtercutofffrequency
16
generalpurpose1
arp/grooveboxBPM(alternativetoMIDIclock)
17
generalpurpose2
arpeggiatornotelength
18
generalpurpose3
arp/grooveboxtranspose
7
channelvolume
grooveboxtrackvolume
123
allnotesoff
allnotesoff
FinetuningProcedure
TofinetunethepitchoftheSynthinoXM,holddownbutton4whenpoweringonthedevice,
andkeepholdingitdown.YouwillheartwobeepsandthenanA4note(440Hz).Turnthepot
justabovebutton4toadjustthepitchofA4tomatchyourotherinstruments.Whenyou
releasebutton4,SynthinoXMwillrememberthistuningevenwhenpoweredoff.
HardwareTestProcedure
Ifyoubelievethatoneofyourpotsorbuttonsisnotfunctioning,performthisprocedure.
Disconnectpowerandsetallthepotpositionstozero.Holddownbutton1whilepoweringon
thedevice.Youwillhearalowbeepwhileholdingthebutton.Presseachbuttontoensure
thatthetonesoundsandtheLEDbelowthebuttonilluminates.Totestthepots,holddowna
buttonandthen,onebyone,turneachpotupandthendownagain.Thepitchofthetone
shouldvaryasyouincreasethepots.
FactoryResetProcedure
ToerasethecontentsoftheEEPROM(savedpatches,sequences,finetuningsettings),hold
downbothbuttons1and2whenpoweristurnedon.YouwillseeLED1blinkwhiletheentire
memoryisbeingerased.
TroubleshootingGuide
Idon’thearanysound.
Checkthevolumethumbwheelontherightside.Turnitclockwise(towardyou)toincreasevolume.
Checktoseethatthefiltercutofffrequencyisnotsettozero.
EnsurethatyourMIDIcontrollerissendingontherightchannel.
Ifusingthegrooveboxsequencer,makesurethetrackvolumeisnotsettozeroonthecurrent
track.
ThewaveformandenvelopecontrolsarenotchangingthesoundI’mplayingonmy
controller.
Thevoiceselectpotcontrolswhichvoicethecontrolsaffect.Turnthevoiceselectpottochoose
voice14asindicatedbytheLEDs.EnsurethatyourMIDIcontrollerissendingonthechannelthat
correspondstotheselectedvoice.
ThefilterLFOdoesnothavemucheffect.
ThefilterLFOmodulatesaroundthecurrentcutoffsetting.Ifthisissettoohighortoolow,youwill
nothearmuchmodulation.Adjustthefiltercutoff.
Ifyoucannotsolveyourproblembyreadingthismanualorinthesupportforumonsynthino.com,
pleaseemail[email protected]forassistance.
UpdatingtheSynthinoXMFirmware
WindowsPC
DownloadtheFliptoolfromAtmel.
FordrivernavigatetoFlipFolder.
Watchthisvideotutorial.
MacOSX
DownloadtheDFUProgrammerUtilitydiskimage.
Itcontainsafolderdfuprogrammer0.6.2whichcontainsthecommandlineutility
dfuprogrammer.
Touploadafirmwarehexfile(e.g.‘synthino_xm.hex’)totheSynthinoXMdevice,performthis
procedure.Holddownbutton3thenconnectUSBbetweenyourMacandtheSynthinoXM.
Youmaynowreleasebutton3.TheSynthinoXMisinprogrammingmodeandiswaitingfor
newfirmwarefromyourMac.RunthiscommandfromtheTerminalapplicationonyourMac:
dfuprogrammeratxmega128a4uflasherasefirstsynthino_xm.hex
Afterafewsecondsyoushouldseearesponselikethis:
Validating...
117148bytesused(89.38%)
NowdisconnectandreconnectpowertotheSynthinoXM.Itwillnowberunningthenew
firmware.
Manualversionv1.0
©2015MichaelKrumpus
“Synthino”and“SynthinoXM”aretrademarksofnootropicdesign,LLC.
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