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Partikl 3 User Guide

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Partikl Controller Unit: LFO

Controller LFO screenshot, small

Overview

This dialog lets you create a range of control-rate waveforms. The waveforms oscillate at a pitch that you dictate yourself. They are used for modulating the parameters of other effect units; they should only be run below (say) 50Hz or you'll get some odd effects.

The main controls in this unit are:

Freq: This controls the frequency of the LFO, in Hertz (Hz, cycles per second).

Amplitude: This controls the amplitude of the generated LFO waveform.

LFO Type List: Includes Sine, Saw left, Saw right, Triangle, Square, STS (Saw, Triangle, Square) and Random.

Change the LFO Type to dramatically change the sound of your LFO! This combo-box lets you select from a number of waveform types that form the basis of the LFO waveform that is generated.

  • Sine produces a smooth waveform with no other harmonics.
  • Saw Left and Saw Right produce waves that look like a saw-tooth close up. The either slope to the left or to the right, but sound identical (they are both provided, as combining these with other waveforms provide interesting effects due to their different phasing!).
  • Triangle sounds not quite as harsh as the saw-tooth but has more harmonics than the sine.
  • Square produces a 'square' looking wave and sounds rougher than either the sine or saw-tooth waves. With the square wave you have the option of specifying the ratio of the up portion of the wave to the down portion. At either extreme, the square wave becomes more like a pulse wave, giving a 'pulsing' sound at lower pitches.
  • STS is the very exciting STS wave which stands for 'Saw, Triangle, Square' because it is a hybrid between these three wave types. By varying the three parameters associated with it, the wave shape can be 'morphed' between the above three extremes. In effect, this waves covers all the preceding wave shapes, with the exception of the sine wave.
  • Random produces random values between Min and Max, also affected by the Amplitude.

BPM Sync: Default (non-tempo synched option) and various BPM values, e.g. BPM/4 which means generate the waveform selected in the above list at a tempo of the mix tempo (BPM)/4. This control allows for tempo-synched control of e.g. the Filter unit, for great effect.

Random Levels (Checkbox): When checked, creates random control values bounded between the settings of the Min and Mix knobs. If a BPM setting is chosen in the Freq List, then these values will change at that control rate for a "sample and hold" effect.

Use MIDI note (Checkbox): Applies the waveform each time a MIDI note is played.

Min: This defines the minimum value that the generated LFO waveform can have.

Max: This defines the maximum value that the generated LFO waveform can have.

Phase: useful for slow oscillators (e.g. 0.2 Hz) - determines the start point of the oscillator.

U/D: Only for the Square and STS wave types. Defines the ratio of "Up" to "Down" (or "On" to "Off") values (for STS waveforms, this is the ratio of u to d in the diagram below).

Sqr: Only for the STS wave type. Defines the "squareness" of the waveform (the ratio of s to u in the diagram below).

Slant: Only for the STS wave type. Defines the skew of the waveform (the ratio of a to a + b in the diagram below)

  • With the Up Down Ratio at 100.0%, the Squareness Ratio at 0.0% and the Slant Ratio at 50.0%, the shape is a triangle.
  • With the Up Down Ratio at 100.0%, the Squareness Ratio at 0.0% and the Slant Ratio at 0.0% or 100.0%, the shape is a Saw Right or Saw Left respectively.
  • Lastly, with the Up Down Ratio at 100.0%, the Squareness Ratio at 100.0% and the Slant Ratio at anything you please, the shape is a Square wave.

The STS Waveform and its ratios