User Manual
Saturation Knob
Intro
Overview: Saturation Knob for Modular
Parameters
Inputs
Outputs
The Saturation Knob module in use
Extended Features
Saturation Knob is a modeled output distortion that can be used anywhere you need some grit. Use it to fatten up bass lines, add some harmonics and shimmer to vocals, or simply destroy your drum loop.
The three modes, Keep High, Neutral and Keep Low, give you three kinds of distortion characters. If you want to squash a drum loop, but at the same time keep the bass drum fairly intact, you can for example use the Keep Low mode. Vice versa you can use the Keep High mode to keep the hi-hats intact but distort the lower end of the bass-drum and snare.
Overview: Saturation Knob for Modular
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- Saturation knob
- Saturation type
- Saturation CV input
- Left and right inputs
- Left and right outputs
Saturation knob
This knob is THE actual saturation knob from which the plugin got its name. It controls the saturation amount, clipping the waveform and ear pleasingly squishing as saturation is increased. When set fully anticlockwise no saturation takes place and turning the knob obviously increase saturation.
Saturation Type
This switch decides the balance of the saturation:
Keep Low – Saturation is applied on the high end of the signal fed through.
Neutral – All frequencies are equally distorted.
Keep High – Saturation is applied on the low end of the signal fed through.
Saturation CV input
This input is external CV control of the Saturation amount. CV input here will be added to the amount set by the saturation knob.
Left input
Left of the stereo inputs, insert your signal to distort here. This input is normalized to both stereo outputs if no signal is inserted into the right input.
Right input
Right of the stereo inputs, insert your signal to distort here.
Left input
Left of stereo outputs, this output is a mono mix of both stereo inputs distorted through the Saturation Knob module if no other signal is inserted into the right output.
Right input
Right of the stereo outputs.
The Saturation Knob module in use
Using the Saturation Knob module in the feedback line of the A-108 VCF or in a delayed feedback line to create gritty cool echoes is highly recommended.
The Saturation knob mode can also be used as a crude waveshaper for waves that lack a rich harmonic register such as sine and triangle waveforms. Use offsets and/or CV-mixers to control the asymmetry of the clipping.
Use case 2 (continued).
The saturation becomes more pronounced if the input signal contains a lot of uneven harmonics. Try for instance to patch two sine-oscillators through an audio mixer and then into the Saturation Knob module, and then set their relative pitches to an uneven frequency relationship (for example 65.4hz and 177.6hz, a ratio of 2.71). Now, when the saturation is increased, inharmonic sidebands appear as a very harsh pronounced distortion in the audible signal. When changing the second oscillator frequency so that the relative pitch relationship is even (for example 65.4hz and 98,1hz, a ratio of 1.5) the sidebands created by the distortion have a harmonic relationship and sound much more pleasing. This is the same principle on which “power chord” theory with electric guitars is built.
A whole range of added control can be accessed with Extended Features. Please see the separate "Extended Features" manual for more information.