Vxxy DCM8 User manual

DCM8 DIGITAL CHIPTUNE DRUM MACHINE
USER GUIDE
VERSION 1.0
20111122

INTRODUCTION
02
Welcome to the operating instructions for the DCM8 Digital chiptune drum machine.
This device has been developed to facilitate the construction of bleep based rhythms,
presenting a variety of micro music sounds in an easy to use package.
Notes for usage:
The DCM8 is rugged enough to withstand moderate studio use, but it has limits. Do not abuse!
Do not use solvents or chemical cleaners on the casing as it will stain, damage or remove the printed legend.
Do not apply any pressure to the LCD window at all! It is not touch sensitive and could be damaged!
Clean only with a soft cloth, possibly moistened only with water for removing ngerprints and dust.
The case is not dust proof or water resistant, please do not leave the unit in a dusty or smoke lled area, or in rain.
Hardware and software for this device has been tested extensively, however future updates may be required to resolve any
unforseen problems. Please check for support on issues at the home website, rmware updates may be available.
Sorry, no user bendable parts inside. Any modications made to hardware and circuitry will void warranty.
Contact [e-mail] for further information.
DESIGN AND CONCEPT VXXY
PROGRAMMING AND HARDWARE STEVE JONES
TESTING AND PRODUCTION PHIL JONES
http://vxxy.net
MADE BY CRONIC LTD.
UNIT 9, QUEENS YARD, LONDON, UK. E9 5EN.
http://cronic.co.uk
electronic instruments

FRONT PANEL
03
There are ve main modes which are selectable with the PATTERN / SONG, CHANNEL / USER PATCH and SHIFT buttons.
Pressing the PATTERN / SONG button toggles between selectable pattern playback, and pattern step edit mode.
Alternatively while holding SHIFT button down will toggle between song selection playback and song edit mode.
An LED next to the PATTERN / SONG button will be lit during editing modes, and top left of the LCD will indicate either
'P' or 'S' according to PATTERN or SONG mode. The current pattern or song index will be to the right of the mode letter.
Pressing CHANNEL / USER PATCH button while holding SHIFT will access the user patch generation mode.
The drum machine has eight selection buttons along the bottom centre of the front panel which are used for
instrument step editing, pattern selection, song selection and other functions.
Pressing any of the STEP buttons 1 to 8 while holding SHIFT will access a function or editable parameter. When within a function
the SHIFT button can be released and the function will be held, but pressing the SHIFT button once more will cancel.
RUN STOP - To start and stop the drum machine playback. Also functions as an 'OKAY' selection in some modes.
BANK / STEP - Changes the current bank of editable steps or patterns available on the eight step buttons.
UNDO / REDO - Upto eight levels of undo for each pattern (see UNDO section)
CHANNEL - During pattern edit selects which channel is accessed, ALT LED lights when accessing the second channel.
PARAM ADJUST - Multi function, adjust currently selected parameter, selects instrument during main pattern editing.
- Also acts as a pushable button for selecting and triggering sounds dependant on mode.
- Holding SHIFT while turning PARAM ADJUST speeds up the adjustment factor.
- Holding PARAM ADJUST and tapping RUN STOP will put the DCM8 into POWER SUSPEND.
- Tapping PARAM ADJUST during power suspend will awaken the DCM8.
VOLUME - Main sound output volume adjustment.

SHIFT FUNCTIONS
04
Pressing any of the STEP buttons 1 to 8 while holding SHIFT will access a function or editable parameter.
When within a function the SHIFT button can be released and the function will be held, but pressing the SHIFT button once
more will cancel.
The functions are labled as follows:
1. BPM - Use rotary encoder to adjust BPM speed
2. DAC - Use rotary encoder to select main DAC bit masking for sound output
3. LENGTH - Set pattern or song length (double press to alter timing scale)
4. PARAM - Set pattern parameters such as LFO
5. CLEAR - Clear current pattern or song (see clear copy paste section regarding multiple press)
6. COPY - Copy current pattern or song
7. PASTE - Paste current pattern or song
8. OPTION - Access sub options menu for assorted functions such as MIDI, preset adjustment etc.
LIVE EFFECT BUTTONS:
1. ALTERNATE BPM - toggles a dierent BPM playback speed (encoder changes alternate BPM)
2. ALTERNATE DAC - toggles a dierent DAC mask (encoder changes alternate DAC mask)
3. LOOP BEAT 4 - loops pattern for 4 steps without going onto next song position (SHIFT loops 8 steps)
4. LOOP BEAT 2 - loops pattern for 2 steps without going onto next song position
5. HOLD BEAT - holds the step position and repeats currently triggered instruments (SHIFT holds on step 0)
6. STUTTER - stutters audio output volume upon a half step resolution
7. ADVANCE PATTERN - moves song position forwards (or backwards if SHIFT is held) (song play mode only)
8. PATTERN HOLD - toggles holding of the current song position (keeps current pattern in play) (song play mode only)
NOTE: Live eect buttons are also available during PATTERN PLAY mode while holding down the SHIFT button.
DURING PATTERN MODE:
DURING SONG PLAY MODE:

PATTERN PLAYBACK & EDIT
05
There are a total of 64 patterns available to the user, which are grouped in eight banks of eight patterns.
Pressing the STEP buttons 1 to 8 select a pattern in the current bank, and pressing the BANK / STEP buttons
increases or decreases the current bank index.
The four LEDs above the BANK / STEP buttons indicate the current bank and for banks 5 to 8 the LEDs
surrounding the current index will half glow to indicate the higher banks.
UNDO / REDO are operative during playback mode and will aect changes last made during editing.
Pressing the CHANNEL / USER PATCH button ONLY during playback toggles LIVE pattern switching on and o.
This allows instant jumping between patterns as buttons are pressed in realtime.
Holding SHIFT during playback and pressing the step buttons access the LIVE eects.
Holding SHIFT while play is stopped accesses the SHIFT functions such as copy & paste.
Upon initial entry into pattern edit mode the encoder will change the currently selected instrument.
Pressing a STEP button will write the current instrument into the selected step if it is empty, or it will overwrite the last instrument
type on that step. Pressing the STEP button again will disable that trigger and leave the step empty.
Holding SHIFT button down while pressing a STEP button in instrument edit mode will 'pickup' the instrument in that slot,
changing the current instrument to the selection on that step.
Holding SHIFT button down while pressing the encoder will cycle through the step parameter editing modes: VOLUME, PITCH,
DECAY and back to instrument trigger. During the parameter editing modes the STEP buttons will select which step you wish to
adjust and will not set or erase sounds. The encoder can then be used to adjust the VOLUME, PITCH or DECAY parameter level.
UNDO / REDO will revert your last instrument trigger edits upto eight times, each pattern has its own undo list so repeatedly
pressing UNDO will not aect any other patterns outside the one you are editing.
PATTERN PLAYBACK MODE:
PATTERN EDIT MODE:
P=0:0 current pattern index (bank & step)
U:0 undo level
L16 pattern length in steps
SN scale normal (SH = half, SD = double)
LCD INFORMATION
P=0:0 current pattern index (bank & step)
U:0 undo level
I:001 instrument index
Elec.. instrument name
LCD INFORMATION

SONG PLAYBACK & EDIT
06
Pressing STEP buttons 1 to 8 will select which one of eight songs to play.
NOTE: You cannot change songs during playback, the step buttons perform various live eects (see live song eects section).
The current song position in which to place a pattern trigger is selectable with the encoder. Pressing the encoder will place the
pattern trigger or remove an existing one.
Use the STEP buttons and BANK / STEP buttons to select the pattern you wish to place.
Markers for song END, LOOP START and LOOP END can be placed at any song position index by holding SHIFT and pressing the
OPTION function to cycle END, LOOP START and LOOP END. Press the encoder button to set the marker. The song will loop to a
LOOP START marker when the LOOP END marker is hit, or playback can be made to stop with an END marker.
Initial BPM and DAC mask settings for each song can be adjusted via the OPTION function and cycling the button to the
required parameter. Extra markers for changing BPM and DAC mask can also be placed (although not both at the same song
position) by holding SHIFT and pressing either BPM or DAC function buttons, adjusting the value with the encoder and pressing
the encoder to set the marker.
Pressing PATTERN / SONG will return to PATTERN PLAYBACK mode unless SHIFT is held down in which case SONG PLAYBACK
mode will be selected.
SONG PLAYBACK MODE:
SONG EDIT MODE:
S>0:000
P-:-
B:120
D:FFC0
LCD INFORMATION
LCD INFORMATION
current song & position index
pattern at song position
current BPM
current DAC mask
current song & position index
pattern at song position
currently selected pattern
current BPM
current DAC mask
parameter setting (BPM or DAC)
song end
loop start =[ end=]
S>0:000
P-:-
P0:0>
B:120
D:FFC0
NO PARAM
END
[]

OPTIONS MENU
07
Three options available for the control of tempo and synchronisation to an external clock source.
Internal only - Disregard any incoming MIDI clock timing.
Internal / external - Use either internal or external clock according to which triggers playback rst.
External clock priority - Give priority to external clock if available, so even pressing RUN STOP will still use external clock.
Use the encoder to select which instrument to trigger upon an incoming note.
Any NOTE ON trigger sent to the drum machine will be displayed as NXT:xxx, the current being CUR:xxx, pressing the
encoder button will set the instrument to respond to the incoming NOTE ON trigger.
Press SHIFT button to save and exit MIDI mapping mode.
CLOCK SYNC:
MIDI MAPPING:
I:001 Elec. selected instrument
CUR:008 currently assigned note
NXT:000 incoming note
LCD INFORMATION
MIDI STATE:
Three options available for the control of tempo and synchronisation to an external clock source.
O - All o.
In only - Process incoming, no output.
Out only - Disregard incoming, send instrument triggers, clock and START / STOP.
In / Out - Process incoming and send instrument triggers, clock and START / STOP.
MIDI CHANNEL:
1 - 16 - Set input / output channel to respond to.

OPTIONS MENU (cont)
08
From here the initial setting parameters for each instrument when inset into pattern steps can be adjusted.
Pressing BANK / STEP buttons selects which instrument or parameter to select or alter.
1. Instrument selection
2. Volume
3. Pitch
4. Decay
Press the encoder to trigger the sound for previewing.
Press SHIFT to save the presets and exit.
Save patterns - saves pattern data only.
Save song - saves song data only.
Save user instruments - saves user instrument settings only.
Save all - saves all system settings for backup purposes.
NOTE: SYSEX dumps can only be loaded via internal BOOT MENU while the main system is not operating.
PRESET ADJUST:
SYSEX DUMP:
I-Elec selected instrument
V-16 base volume
P-128 adjustable pitch
D-128 adjustable decay
LCD INFORMATION

BOOT MENU
09
Hold down encoder button during initial two seconds of boot to enter boot menu.
Use encoder to select boot menu option.
FIRMWARE UPDATE - Awaits a special SYSEX send of a new rmware.
REBOOT - Reboots unit.
RESET SONG DATA - Resets all songs.
RESET USER INST - Resets all user instruments.
RESET ADJUSTMENT - Resets all instrument presets to default values.
RESET SYSTEM - Complete system reset, wipes all data and returns unit to factory settings.
DATA LOAD - Awaits incoming SYSEX of either pattern, song, user instrument or entire backup data.
Upon selecting a RESET option continue to hold down the encoder until the arrows ll the progress bar.
This is to prevent accidental erasure of data, which will occur at the end of ve seconds of continuous encoder pressing.
ACCESSING:
1. hold down encoder during boot
LCD INFORMATION
2. rotate encoder to select option
3. hold down encoder until ve arrows appear
to conrm action

USER INSTRUMENTS
10
There are 32 user creatable instrument patches with control over oscillator, noise, lter, volume, LFO and sequencing.
The synthesis model is simplistic and xed into the following format where a single oscillator and noise generator can be fed into
a digital lter, then a volume level is applied to the sound and then passed to the mixer via a DAC bit mask which allows
de-rezzing and distortion of the sound.
A timing period can also be applied to the patch and the ability to trigger another instrument is provided to allow chaining of
multiple sounds together for greater variety.
Upon entry into user instrument edit use the encoder to choose which instrument to edit, press encoder to preview sound and
RUN STOP to select for editing.
There are four banks of parameters selectable with the BANK / STEP buttons, and eight parameters per bank accessible via the
STEP buttons 1 to 8.
During editing of parameters the sound can be previewed by pressing the encoder down or pressing the start button.
Changes are not heard live during adjustment of the encoder and are only applied when the sound is triggered.
Edited sounds can be saved by selecting SAVE within the options menu on STEP button 8 in BANK 4.
Select slot to save to with encoder, press encoder to preview sound within that slot and press RUN STOP to save the sound.
Sounds can also be loaded from other slots for further editing by selecting LOAD within the options menu.
Alternatively if editing has led to sound confusion then the current sound can be reset with the RESET option.
To quit from user instrument edit mode either press the USER PATCH button or select QUIT from the option menu.
DESCRIPTION AND OPERATION:
LCD INFORMATION
U:00 selected user instrument index
OSCILLATOR parameter to edit
SQUARE parameter option
SYNTHESIS MODEL: