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  • General


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    GSMD Electronic Music Studios Wiki contains information regarding equipment, facilities and services. 

    For technical enquiries not addressed here please contact Seth Scott directly at seth.scott-deuchar@gsmd.ac.uk, or for urgent enquiries (daytime only) call 07772 665740. To report a non-urgent technical fault use the EMS Fault Form.



    The standard Lorem Ipsum passage, used since the 1500s
    "Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum."

    Section 1.10.32 of "de Finibus Bonorum et Malorum", written by Cicero in 45 BC
    "Sed ut perspiciatis unde omnis iste natus error sit voluptatem accusantium doloremque laudantium, totam rem aperiam, eaque ipsa quae ab illo inventore veritatis et quasi architecto beatae vitae dicta sunt explicabo. Nemo enim ipsam voluptatem quia voluptas sit aspernatur aut odit aut fugit, sed quia consequuntur magni dolores eos qui ratione voluptatem sequi nesciunt. Neque porro quisquam est, qui dolorem ipsum quia dolor sit amet, consectetur, adipisci velit, sed quia non numquam eius modi tempora incidunt ut labore et dolore magnam aliquam quaerat voluptatem. Ut enim ad minima veniam, quis nostrum exercitationem ullam corporis suscipit laboriosam, nisi ut aliquid ex ea commodi consequatur? Quis autem vel eum iure reprehenderit qui in ea voluptate velit esse quam nihil molestiae consequatur, vel illum qui dolorem eum fugiat quo voluptas nulla pariatur?"

    1914 translation by H. Rackham
    "But I must explain to you how all this mistaken idea of denouncing pleasure and praising pain was born and I will give you a complete account of the system, and expound the actual teachings of the great explorer of the truth, the master-builder of human happiness. No one rejects, dislikes, or avoids pleasure itself, because it is pleasure, but because those who do not know how to pursue pleasure rationally encounter consequences that are extremely painful. Nor again is there anyone who loves or pursues or desires to obtain pain of itself, because it is pain, but because occasionally circumstances occur in which toil and pain can procure him some great pleasure. To take a trivial example, which of us ever undertakes laborious physical exercise, except to obtain some advantage from it? But who has any right to find fault with a man who chooses to enjoy a pleasure that has no annoying consequences, or one who avoids a pain that produces no resultant pleasure?"

    Section 1.10.33 of "de Finibus Bonorum et Malorum", written by Cicero in 45 BC
    "At vero eos et accusamus et iusto odio dignissimos ducimus qui blanditiis praesentium voluptatum deleniti atque corrupti quos dolores et quas molestias excepturi sint occaecati cupiditate non provident, similique sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollitia animi, id est laborum et dolorum fuga. Et harum quidem rerum facilis est et expedita distinctio. Nam libero tempore, cum soluta nobis est eligendi optio cumque nihil impedit quo minus id quod maxime placeat facere possimus, omnis voluptas assumenda est, omnis dolor repellendus. Temporibus autem quibusdam et aut officiis debitis aut rerum necessitatibus saepe eveniet ut et voluptates repudiandae sint et molestiae non recusandae. Itaque earum rerum hic tenetur a sapiente delectus, ut aut reiciendis voluptatibus maiores alias consequatur aut perferendis doloribus asperiores repellat."

    1914 translation by H. Rackham
    "On the other hand, we denounce with righteous indignation and dislike men who are so beguiled and demoralized by the charms of pleasure of the moment, so blinded by desire, that they cannot foresee the pain and trouble that are bound to ensue; and equal blame belongs to those who fail in their duty through weakness of will, which is the same as saying through shrinking from toil and pain. These cases are perfectly simple and easy to distinguish. In a free hour, when our power of choice is untrammelled and when nothing prevents our being able to do what we like best, every pleasure is to be welcomed and every pain avoided. But in certain circumstances and owing to the claims of duty or the obligations of business it will frequently occur that pleasures have to be repudiated and annoyances accepted. The wise man therefore always holds in these matters to this principle of selection: he rejects pleasures to secure other greater pleasures, or else he endures pains to avoid worse pains."

    The real content lives here.

  • B4 (anchors not working)

    Equipment

     Contents



    Thunderbolt

    Introduction
    Connection to the studio including the Apple Display, Focusrite Clarett 8Pre Audio Interface, and Unitor AMT8 MIDI Interface is via Thunderbolt. All of these peripherals are supported by one thunderbolt connector, accessible via the Belkin desktop hub.  

    Hub
    The Belkin Thunderbolt 2 Express Dock is a digital hub for Thunderbolt, USB, and HDMI devices. The Apple Thunderbolt Display and  Focusrite Clarett 8Pre Audio Interface are connected permanently to this dock via the yellow marked Thunderbolt cable and yellow marked Thunderbolt Port. The orange marked Thunderbolt port can connect either to the rack-mounted Mac Mini, or to an external Thunderbolt compatible device, like a laptop. 

    Note: Belkin Thunderbolt 2 Express Dock supports Apple devices only. Thunderbolt-compatible Windows devices are not supported.



    Studio Computer

    General Information

     Mac Mini (Late 2014)  
     OS  macOS Sierra (10.12.6)
     Processor  3 GHz Intel Core i7
     Memory  16 GB 1600 MHz DDR3
     Internal Storage  256GB PCIe-based Flash Storage
     Graphics  Intel Iris 1536 MB
     Processor Name  Intel Core i7
     Processor Speed  3GHz
     Total no. of Cores  2

    The studio Mac Mini is stored in the right-hand bay of the Sonnet RackMac Mini, which is mounted in the left-hand rack unit, just below the patch bays. The 'On' button is on the right hand side of the front panel. Connect the Mac Mini to the Belkin Thunderbolt 2 Express Dock via the orange-marked white Thunderbolt cable.  

    The Admin user is 'ems' - the password is also 'ems'. Students are welcome to install additional software, drivers, plugins etc.., but please don't uninstall anything or update the operating system without first asking permission. Some software developers are quicker at adapting to macOS updates than others.

    Please do not store project files, audio or video locally on the internal SSD. There is very little space available, and this must be kept free to enable users to record and playback directly to and from the internal drive. The easiest way to stay on top of this is to store your files on the desktop whilst you work, then to move them to your own disk, the Staff+Student Drive and/or the EMS File Server once you're finished. Any files left on the Desktop will be moved to the 'Desktop Tidy' folder on the Staff+Student Drive, and any files left elsewhere and improperly labelled will be deleted. For more information about  file storage, see the dedicated storage section of this document.

    Software 
    The following software is owned by the department, and is installed for use on the studio Mac Mini. Note: software installed by students, or for which we don't hold a valid licence is not listed here.

     Application  Version
     Ableton Live 9  9.7.4
     Ableton Live 8  8.2.1
     Arduino IDE  1.6.7
     Cubase  7.0.7
     Equator  1.11
     Euphonix EuControl  3.3
     Focusrite Control  1.0.2
     Garageband  10.2.0
     iLok Licence Manager  3.1.7
     iZotope Ozone  6.1
     Logic Pro X  10.4.1
     Max  7.3.5
     Melodyne  3.2
     Pro Tools  12.3.0
     Reaper (+ ReaMote)  5.80 (64-bit)
     ROLI Dashboard  3.1.5
     Soundhack  1.1
     Spear  0.7.4

    3rd Party Plugins  Format
     Focusrite Red 2 EQ  AU, AAX, VST
     Focusrite Red 3 Compressor  AU, AAX, VST
     iZotope Insight  AU, AAX, VST 
     iZotope Meter Tap  AU, AAX, VST
     Michael Norris Soundmagic Spectral  AU
     Native Instruments Komplete 8  AU, AAX*, VST
     Softube Saturation Knob  AU, AAX, VST
     Softube TSAR-1R Reverb  AU, AAX, VST
     Softube Tube Delay  AU, AAX, VST
     Spitfire Symphonic Strings Ensembles**  

    *Note: Battery 3 is 32-bit RTAS only, and thus not compatible with Pro Tools 12.

    **Note: The samples are stored on the Staff+Student Drive in the 'Audio' folder. This is not the Kontakt Player compatible pack, so requires a full version of Kontakt 5 to run. You cannot add the entire library to Kontakt as you can with the full version, but instead you'll need to load files manually. This can be done via the ‘Files’ browser, at the top left hand side of Kontakt, or by simply dragging the instrument files over the Kontakt window to load them.   

    Storage
    Please do not store project files, audio or video locally on the internal SSD. There is very little space available, and this must be kept free to enable users to record and playback directly to and from the internal drive. The easiest way to stay on top of this is to store your files on the desktop whilst you work, and to move them to your own disk, the Staff+Student Drive and/or the EMS File Server once you're finished. Any files left on the Desktop will be moved to the 'Desktop Tidy' folder on the Staff+Student Drive, and any files left elsewhere and/or labelled ambiguously will be deleted.

    The Staff+Student Drive is a 4TB Hard Disk Drive, connected permanently to the studio Mac Mini via Thunderbolt. It is has a Hard Drive speed of 7200RPM, and a data transfer rate of 20 Gbit/s. Navigate to the correct area of the drive using the 'Student' and 'Staff' aliases on the Mac Mini desktop. Here you can create a personal folder to store / backup up to 100gb of data per student. Please note that the department is not responsible for data loss; any data stored on the Staff+Student Drive must also be backed up elsewhere. Student folders will be moved to their new location over the summer vacation: eg. folders in the 3rd Year area will be moved to the 4th year before the start of the new academic year. Please do not eject the Staff+Student drive. 

    The EMS File Server is accessible via the studio Mac Mini as well as the eight iMac workstations in B9. Its storage structure is similar to that of the Staff+Student Drive, however it is also used by composition, elective, and junior school students. You can create a personal folder in the area of your year group, and store / backup up to 25gb of data. Again please note that the department is not responsible for data loss; any data stored on the EMS File Server must also be backed up elsewhere. Student folders will be moved to their new location over the summer vacation: eg. folders in the 3rd Year area will be moved to the 4th year before the start of the new academic year.  


    To access the EMS File Server, run the 'studentfiles login' app on the Desktop of the studio Mac Mini. This will log you in to the 'studentfiles' partition of the 'emsfileserver' drive, which you can find under the 'Shared' subheading in the finder window sidebar. 








    Audio Interface

    Focusrite Control
    Focusrite Control is the software control interface for Focusrite Audio Interfaces, including the Clarett 8Pre. It is used to set the internal routing and recording parameters of the hardware device, as well as input settings. You must install Focusrite Control before connecting to the Clarett 8Pre.

    Note:  The desktop Scarlett 6i6 interface is 1st Gen, so must be configured using Scarlett Mix Control as opposed to Focusrite Control.  

    There is a known bug in older versions of OSX where the Focusrite Thunderbolt device isn't recognised unless Focusrite Control is open. If this affects your laptop run Focusrite Control in the background. 

    Incorrect settings within Focusrite Control can cause major problems with audio input and output. If you're having issues with audio playback, check that none of the output routings are set to 'Custom Mix'. Output 1-2 should be set to 'Playback 1-2', Output 3-4 to 'Playback 3-4' and so on. Check also that the clock source is set to 'Internal' and that there is no sample rate discrepancy between the interface and your software or any external hardware. See included screenshots for reference.  


    Focusrite Clarett 8Pre 
    The Focusrite Clarett 8Pre is an 18x20 Thunderbolt Audio Interface, equipped with 24-bit, 192kHz converters, capable of a round-trip latency of 1.67ms. It has eight built in Mic/Line preamps, the first two of which are mounted on the front panel, and double as instrument level inputs. The remaining six analogue inputs are accessible via the patch bay; the normalled connections are from 'Booth Tie Lines' 11-16.

    Input and output gain can be adjusted using the row of dials on the front panel, or via Focusrite Control, as can 48v Phantom Power.  Air Mode can be switched on and off for each channel via Focusrite Control.

    Basic MIDI I/O) is available via the ports on the rear panel. The Yamaha Clavinova is connected permanently, so can be used to input MIDI data with no need for extra peripherals. The MIDI output is unused.
       

    Audio Inputs:

     1-2  Analogue  Switchable Mic/Line/Instrument  Front  
     3-8  Analogue  Switchable Mic/Line  Rear  See 'Focusrite Clarett Inputs' on patch bay
     9-12  Digital  S/PDIF  Rear  Unused
     13-20*  Digital  ADAT  Rear  Connected to Focusrite ISA 828 Channels 1-8

    *8 audio inputs via ADAT available at 44.1/48 kHz, four at 88.2/96 kHz or two at 176.4/192 kHz (as per SMUX protocol).


    Audio Outputs:

     1-2  Analogue  Line Level  Rear  Hardwired to Mackie Big Knob 'DAW Input'
     3-10  Analogue  Line Level  Rear  See 'Focusrite Clarett Outputs' on patch bay
     11-12  Digital  S/PDIF  Rear  Unused
     13-20  Digital  ADAT  Rear  Unused



    Focusrite Scarlett 6i6

    The Focusrite Scarlett 6i6 (first gen) is a 6x6 USB 2.0 Audio Interface, equipped with 24bit 96Khz converters. It has two built in Mic/Line/Instrument pre-amps accessible via Combi XLR sockets on the front panel, and two further line amps accessible via 1/4" TRS Jacks on the rear. The final two (digital) inputs are via S/PDIF. There are four analogue outputs on 1/4" TRS Jacks at the rear, which are mirrored by two separate stereo headphone outputs on the front panel.   

    Note: The Focusrite Scarlett 6i6 is not bus powered, and must be powered via 12v DC adapter.


    Audio Inputs:

     1-2  Analogue  Switchable Mic/Line/Instrument  Front  XLR Combi
     3-4  Analogue  Line  Rear  1/4" TRS Jack
     5-6  Digital  S/PDIF  Rear  RCA


    Audio Outputs:

     1-4  Analogue  Line Level  Rear  1/4" TRS Jack
     5-6  Digital  S/PDIF  Rear  RCA


    Focusrite ISA 828 Preamplifier
    The  ISA 828 is an eight-channel microphone preamplifier, used to amplify microphone, line-level, or instrument sources. Microphones and line-level sources for all eight inputs are connected via the patch bay (normalled connections from 'Booth Tie Lines' 1-8), whilst instruments must be plugged directly into the front panel (inputs 1-4 only). The front panel also features level controls and other settings such as phantom power and impedance for each of the eight analogue inputs. LED metering is provided on each channel. Note: It is a known fault on this unit that the LED meters are intermittent - don't be alarmed if there is no visual indication of your input signal. 

    The ISA 828 amplifiers are of a much higher quality than those installed in the Focusrite Clarett 8Pre. They reproduce frequencies more accurately, have a greater signal to noise ratio, and are able to capture accurately frequencies beyond the range of human hearing (+-3dB over 110kHz). It is recommended that you use these preamplifiers for recording. 

    The eight analogue outputs are accessible via the patch bay, however the ISA 828 is also equipped with high quality analogue-digital converters, allowing us to transmit 8 channels of digital audio to a computer or recording device via ADAT. As detailed in the above description, channels 1-8 of the ISA 828 are routed to input channels 13-20 of the Focusrite Clarett 8Pre. In most situations you will want to record the output of the ISA 828 using the ADAT inputs (ch. 13-20) of the Focusrite Clarett 8Pre. Unless you're clear in your reasoning for using the analogue outputs via the patch bay, use the digital connection instead. 

    Before monitoring the input signal in your DAW, ensure that the sample rate selected on the right hand side of the front panel matches the sample rate selected in your audio preferences and in Focusrite Control. Ensure also that both the 'Lock' and 'Word Clock' LEDs are illuminated. Non-identical sample rates may result in the ISA 828 transmitting eight-channels of pure white noise @ 0dB - This could do serious damage to the monitoring equipment (and your hearing!)  



    Unitor AMT8 MIDI Interface
    The  Unitor AMT8 is an 8x8 MIDI interface. The first in/out pair is mounted on the front panel, and the remaining seven pairs are mounted on the rear of the unit. The Unitor AMT8 connects via USB to the Belkin Thunderbolt 2 Express Dock, thus can be used alongside either the studio Mac Mini or an external Thunderbolt device (eg. laptop). Should you need more than one in/out pair, contact Seth for access to the rear of the unit.

    Unitor AMT8 is compatible with OSX / macOS and Windows XP only.
    Behringer Powerplay Pro-XL Headphone Amplifier
    The Behringer Powerplay Pro-XL is a 4-Channel Headphone Amplifier. In its current configuration a stereo input is routed to all four channels, the outputs of which are duplicated, allowing the user to connect up to eight pairs of headphones (controllable in pairs).

    The stereo input is accessible via the patch bay; its normalled connection is the 'Phones Out' output on the Mackie Big Knob. The eight outputs are accessible individually via the patch bay and have normalled connections to 'Booth Jacks' 1-8. Thus without any need for patching, the Behringer Powerplay Pro-XL amplifies the signal it receives from the Mackie Big Knob, and outputs the amplified signal to jack sockets 1-8 in the recording booth.

    Controls mounted on the front panel allow the user to set the input and output gain, as well as muting the left / right channels, and adjusting the EQ. It is also possible to connect individual inputs to each of the four channels by connecting a 1/4" TRS Jack to the Aux In. This allows, for example, individual headphone mixes to be created for a group of recording musicians, though this does require some complex hardware/software routing. For further information contact Seth.   

    Monitoring 

    Mackie Big Knob
    The  Mackie Big Knob is a signal routing matrix and monitor controller. It is integral to the signal flow of the B4 Studio. It is used to control playback volume, connect multiple audio signals and speaker systems, create monitor submixes, and to communicate or 'talkback' to recording musicians. 

    The centrepiece of the Mackie Big Knob is the Volume dial. This controls the volume of the selected input source being sent to the selected monitor outputs. Note: this only affects the signal sent to Monitors A, B, and C and does not affect the volume of the signal being sent to 'Phones / Studio Outs'.  

    Beneath the Volume dial are three master output controls. The Mono button creates a mono sum from the left and right channels, which is output from both left and right outputs. The Mute button mutes Monitors A, B and C, and the Dim button lowers the volume by 20dB. Note: as above, these three controls affect the signal sent to Monitors A, B and C only. The 'Phones' and 'Studio Outs' are not affected.

    To the left of the Volume dial is the Input Source Select. Here you select which signal(s) you want to listen to. LED lights show which sources are selected. DAW Mix is accessible via the  patch bay and takes as its normalled input Outputs 1-2 of the  Focusrite Clarett 8Pre, therefore this input is labelled 'Focusrite Clarett'. 2-Track A is connected semi-permanently to Outputs 1-2 of the Focusrite Scarlett 6i6, 2-Track B is connected permanently to a minijack cable and Phono is unused. To the left of Input Source Select is an Input Volume Meter. This displays the level of the (combined) input signal(s) before it is either boosted or attenuated by the Volume dial.

    To the right of the Volume dial are the Monitor Select controls. Monitor Output A is connected permanently to the stereo pair of Quested VS3208 monitors. Monitor Output B is connected to the patch bay ('Big Knob Monitor B') to allow for more routing options. Most often the Monitor Output B is routed to the front stereo pair of Genelec 8020s, hence the output is labelled 'Genelec 2.1'. Monitor Output C is currently unused. 

    Below the Volume dial and to the right are the Talkback Controls. Use the Level potentiometer to set the volume of the microphone, then push and hold the To Phones / Studio Button and speak in to the microphone grille on the front panel. This microphone signal is then mixed with the selected Input Sources (DAW Mix, 2-Track A etc..) and sent to the Phones and Studio outputs. Both are accessible via the patch bay, and the Phones of the Behringer Powerplay Pro-XL Headphone Amplifier. 

    Note: If the talkback function is not working as expected, first double check that the talkback microphone Level potentiometer is set to at least half-gain, and that the headphone amplifier Input and Channel Outputs are turned up. If there is still no talkback signal, ensure that the Phones/Studio Outs Source button (pictured) is set in the 'Input Source(s)' (pushed out) position. 

    The level of each stereo input and output is set independently via pads and trim knobs mounted on the rear of the unit. Please do not adjust them. The trim knobs should all be set at unity gain (12-o-clock), and the pads should all remain set in their -10dB or 'pushed out' position. If your input signal is not loud enough, troubleshoot the playback device to ascertain why. Compensating for low input levels via the trim knobs or pads will raise the noise floor and cause distortion, which may cause damage to other studio equipment.  

     
        
    Quested VS3208
    The VS3208 is a 3-way active speaker. The bass drivers are 2 proprietary 200mm (8") units housed in their own individual driver chambers, as are the 75mm (3") mid-range softdome and the 28mm (1.125") softdome tweeter. 

    The 400w amplifiers are mounted on the wall to the 
     as you enter B4. The power switches can be found on the front of the amplifiers, along with gain trim and roll off options (not to be adjusted under any circumstances). The amplifiers are connected to the mains in the B4 control room itself, at the socket labelled 'Speakers'. This socket should remain switched off until after the  studio Mac Mini has booted up, or an external Thunderbolt device is connected and synchronised. This socket (plus optionally the Quested amplifiers themselves) must be switched off before the studio Mac Mini is powered down, or an external Thunderbolt device is disconnected. tl;dr switch the speakers on last, and switch them off first!

    Note: the Quested monitors have no built in overload protection, so improper use will cause irreparable damage to the individual speaker drivers. The most common damage is to the tweeters; we get through on average two sets every year. The speakers are fantastic, and you're encouraged to use them as regularly as possible, but please do treat them with the proper respect. Remember the last on / first off rule, and if you're unsure what might come out of your outputs (eg. when using Max/MSP) use the Genelec system instead. 

    If you notice that a mono signal is not balanced between the two speakers, it is likely that one of the drivers has blown. Please report this immediately using the fault form.   

    Full specs:

    • Drivers Bass: 2 x 200 mm (8") cone driver
    • Mid: 1 x 75 mm (3" soft dome)
    • HF: 1 x 28mm (1.125") soft dome tweeter
    • Maximum SPL 117dB
    • Frequency Response 42Hz - 20kHz /-2 dB
    • Sensitivity 90.5 dB at 1W at 1m
    • Impedance 10 kohm. Electronically balanced, RF filtered
    • Maximum 4dBu for 100dB SPL at 1m: Max input level for clip > 16dBu at 5kHz
    • Minimum -14dBu for 100 dB SPL at 1m: Max. input level for clip >-2dBu at 5kHz
    • LF output power 230W rms continuous*
    • Mid output power 110W rms continuous*
    • HF output power 100W rms continuous*
    • T.H.D. < 0.03% at levels up to 1 dB below clip, 20Hz - 20kHz. typ 0.005% at 20W rms 1kHz
    • Hum Noise > -100 dB referred to clip

    Genelec 8020 / 7050
    The Genelec 8020b is an active two-way speaker. Five Genelec 8020s are paired with a  Genelec 7050b subwoofer, and arranged in a 5.1 configuration. The six inputs can be accessed via the  patch bay, with normalled connections from the  Focusrite Clarett 8Pre Outputs 3-8, as follows:

     'Focusrite Clarett Output'  'Genelec 5.1 Input'  Location
    3  1  Front Left
    4  2  Front Right
    5  3  Rear Left
    6  4  Rear Right
    7  5  Center
    8  6  Sub


    When routing audio direct from the Focusrite Clarett 8Pre to the Genelec 8020s (i.e. not thru the Mackie Big Knob), make sure that the 'Monitor Control' setting in the 'Device Settings' tab of  Focusrite Control is set to 'All' (see picture). Use the black 'Monitor' dial on the front panel of the Focusrite Clarett 8Pre to control your volume level across all outputs. You will need to ensure this is set correctly when working in 5.1, as the Mackie Big Knob can't be used to control the volume of more than two channels. 

    To use the Genelec 8020s as a 5.1 monitoring system, just configure your DAW to match the table above, such that Front L = Output 3, Front R = Output 4, Center = Output 7 etc.., and set Focusrite Control 'Monitor Controls' to 'All' as described above.  

    To use Genelecs 1+2 (Front Left and Front Right) as an alternative stereo pair to the Quested VS3208s, patch 'Big Knob Monitor B' L + R, to 'Genelec 5.1 Inputs' 1+2 (see patching diagram), and select Monitor Output B on the Mackie Big Knob.

    Note: You do not need to send a dedicated 'Low Frequency Energy' signal to the Genelec 7050b subwoofer. Genelec 5.1 Inputs 1-5 all pass through the subwoofer, where a crossover splits the signal for you. A mono sum of all bass frequencies plays through the subwoofer, and the remainder of each signal is routed to its designated 'top' speaker.   

    8020b Specs:
    • Maximum sound pressure level: 95 dB
    • Frequency response: 66 Hz - 20 kHz (± 2.5 dB), 65 Hz - 21 kHz (-3 dB)
    • Crossover frequency: 3.0 kHz
    • Driver dimension: Bass 4 in + Treble 3/4 in metal dome + DCW™
    • Amplifier power: Bass 20 W + Treble 20 W
    • Dimensions: H x W x D 242 x 151 x 142 mm with Iso-Pod™
    • Weight: 3.7 kg (8.1 lb)
    • Connectors: 1 x XLR analog in




    7050b Specs:
    • Maximum sound pressure level: 100 dB.
    • Frequency response: 25 Hz - 85 Hz (-6 dB) / LFE 25 Hz - 120 Hz (-6 dB)
    • Crossover Frequency: 85 or 120 Hz selectable (120 Hz selected in B4)
    • Driver dimension: 8 inch
    • Amplifier power: 70 W.
    • Dimensions: H 410 x W 350 x D 319 mm, 16 1/8 x 13 3/4 x 12 9/16 inch.
    • Weight: 18 kg / 39.6 lb.
    • Connectors: 5.1 XLR analog inputs, 5 x XLR analog outputs    




    Microphones

    AKG C1000 S

     Type:  Small Diaphragm Condensor
     Supply Voltage:  48v
     Polar Pattern(s):  Cardioid, Hypercardioid (via plastic adapter)
     Pad:   N/A
     HPF:  N/A
     Connector:  XLR3M
     Frequency Range:  50Hz-20kHz
     Mount:  Universal clip
     Use for:  spot Mic (wind, strings, percussion OH, piano), live sound, off-site / field recording,
     live sound, live processing
     Don't use for:  hand held, low amplitude sound
     Notes:  Rugged condensor mic, less likely to sustain damage than 414, TLM103.
     Directional, not prone to feedback. Note: On/off switch

    AKG C414 XLII

     Type:  Large Diaphragm Multi-Pattern Condensor
     Supply Voltage:  48v
     Polar Pattern(s):  Omnidirectional, Wide Cardioid, Cardioid, Hypercardioid, Figure of Eight
     Pad:   -6; -12; -18 dB
     HPF:  160; 80; 40 Hz
     Connector:  XLR3M
     Frequency Range:  20Hz-20kHz
     Mount:  Shockmount in flight case
     Use for:  Spot mic (wind, strings, percussion OH, piano, guitar), stereo recording, low
     amplitude source, ambience / room mic, ensemble recording, vocals, percussion  overhead 
     Don't use for:  Off-site recordings, v. high amplitude (drums / guitar amp close mic), hand held
     Notes:  Low self noise, switchable polar pattern, gain pad and bass cut. Flat frequency
     response, with slight boost @ 3kHz. Front marked by gold grille

    Note: Please ensure that the matched stereo pair are kept together in their double flight case, and that the single microphone is stored separately in its own case. If in doubt check the labelling on microphone body: the single microphone is labelled C414B, whereas the pair are both labelled C414.   

    AKG D112


     Type:  Dynamic
     Supply Voltage:  N/A
     Polar Pattern(s):  Cardioid
     Pad:   N/A
     HPF:  N/A
     Connector:  XLR3M
     Frequency Range:  20Hz-17kHz
     Mount:  Dedicated clip in box
     Use for:  Kick drum, toms, bass
     Don't use for:  Low amplitude sound, high frequency content
     Notes:  Rugged dynamic mic, large diaphragm, excellent response below 100Hz. Can  handle v. high sound pressure levels without distortion.






    Neumann TLM103

     Type:  Large Diaphragm Condensor
     Supply Voltage:  48v
     Polar Pattern(s):  Cardioid
     Pad:   N/A
     HPF:  N/A
     Connector:  XLR3M
     Frequency Range:  20Hz-20kHz
     Mount:  Swivel mount in Wooden Box
     Use for:  Singers, voiceover, low amplitude sounds, foley/SFX,
    spot Mic (wind, strings, percussion OH, piano)
     Don't use for:  Off-site recordings, v. high amplitude (drums / guitar amp close mic), hand held
     Notes:  Extremely low self noise, good for quiet sounds. Front marked by red Neumann  logo. 






    Rode NT4

    Type:  Stereo X/Y Condensor
     Supply Voltage:  48v
     Polar Pattern(s):  Cardioid
     Pad:   N/A
     HPF:  N/A
     Connector:  XLR5M
     Frequency Range:  20Hz-20kHz
     Mount:  Dedicated clip in case
     Use for:  Stereo recordings, room / ambience, piano, choir, drum / percussion overhead
     Don't use for:  Instrumental spot/close mic, very high amplitude 
     Notes:  Matched stereo X/Y array, minimises phase issues for stereo recordings, v. quick to set   up. Note: On/Off switch + requires 5-pin XLR - 2 x 3-pin XLR cable (in case)





    Shure SM57 / SM58

    SM57

    Type:  Dynamic
     Supply Voltage:  N/A
     Polar Pattern(s):  Cardioid
     Pad:   N/A
     HPF:  N/A
     Connector:  XLR3M
     Frequency Range:  40Hz-15kHz
     Mount:  Universal clip
     Use for:  Live sound, drums close mic, electric guitar, high amplitude sound, live processing,
     off-site recording, experimental recording techniques
     Don't use for:  Low amplitude sound, very high frequency content 
     Notes:  Very rugged, difficult to damage, excellent off-axis rejection so low risk of feedback in live sound environment. Slight HF boost, and better LF extension compared to SM58.


    SM58

    Type:  Dynamic
     Supply Voltage:  N/A
     Polar Pattern(s):  Cardioid
     Pad:   N/A
     HPF:  N/A
     Connector:  XLR3M
     Frequency Range:  50Hz-15kHz
     Mount:  Universal clip
     Use for:  Live sound, (live) vocals, drums close mic, electric guitar, high amplitude sound, live processing, off-site recording, experimental recording techniques
     Don't use for:  Low amplitude sound, very high frequency content 
     Notes:  Very rugged, difficult to damage, excellent off-axis rejection so low risk of feedback in live sound environment.


    Instruments

    Seaboard RISE 49
    The ROLI Seaboard RISE 49 is a keyboard-style MIDI controller. The flexible silicone Keywave playing surface affords the performer a greater degree of expressive control than a conventional mechanical keyboard, as well as allowing extensive MIDI parameter control on a per-note basis. Polyphonic pitch-bend and aftertouch allow the performer to bend the pitch or change the pressure of multiple notes simultaneously and independently from one another. The control surface can be played like a conventional keyboard, a polyphonic Ondes Martenot-style ribbon controller, a percussive pad controller, or a microtonal musical interface. 


    ROLI describe the real-time control and modulation of sound afforded by the RISE in terms of five dimensions of touch:

    • Strike: The velocity and force with which a finger makes contact with a keywave.
    • Press: The pressure and continuous touch applied to the keywave after the initial strike. Known as “aftertouch” in traditional synth terminology.
    • Glide: Horizontal movements from side to side on a keywave or along the ribbons located above and below the keywaves. This typically controls pitch and allows smooth movements from one pitch to another. It also lets you bend notes and add vibrato by moving your finger.
    • Slide: Vertical movements up and down the Y-axis of a keywave.
    • Lift: The release velocity or speed with which your finger lifts off from a keywave.

    ROLI Dashboard

    ROLI Dashboard is a stand-alone application that allows you to modify and customise the settings of the Seaboard Rise. You will need to configure the RISE before use and if the instrument does not function as expected, ROLI Dashboard is the first place to troubleshoot. The upper panel of the software window is a visualiser grid, which displays touch location and pressure data. The middle panel allows you to customise the dynamic response for each 'dimension of touch'. Changing these parameters affect each 'dimension' differently, so some experimentation is recommended, but generally speaking the higher the parameter setting, the more expressive the instrument becomes. For example, with the Glide curve at its maximum the keywave surface is maximally sensitive to sideways movements, and even minute movements will bend pitch like vibrato on a string instrument. A lesser setting will auto-correct pitch, pulling notes towards the nearest semitone at a rate controllable by the fader position, and at its minimum setting, sideways movements will not bend pitch. Further information about these settings can be found in the ROLI Dashboard Manual. 

    The lower panel of ROLI Dashboard contains the MIDI Settings. You can assign MIDI CCs to three Touch Faders (Glide, Slide, and Press) and the XY Touchpad. You can also edit the pedal and select custom channel ranges and behaviour to optimise the RISE with third-party hardware and software synths. Here you can also select the channel mode and range, and turn MPE on and off.

    MPE (Multi-dimensional polyphonic expression) is a protocol for using standard MIDI messages to communicate with and enable the operation of multi-dimensional instruments like the Seaboard RISE. MPE enables these instruments to control multiple parameters–such as pitch and pressure on a per-note basis (i.e. a gesture you perform on one note affects only that note, not all of the others along with it). This is achieved by using multiple MIDI channels, transmitting notes and CC data on a note-per-channel basis. MPE functionality is implemented directly in to ROLI's standalone synth Equator, but to use the RISE with your DAW or other standalone software may require some additional setup. See ROLI's list of MPE-compatible Synths, DAWs and instruments here.
    • OSX / Windows Installer is stored on the B4 Studio Computer 'Staff+Student Drive' under Students > Files > ROLI Installers
    Equator

    Equator is ROLI’s purpose-built software synthesizer and sound engine. It is optimised for the 'five dimensions of touch' afforded by the RISE, and is designed specifically for use with ROLI hardware. It is a hybrid subtractive / sample-based / FM synthesiser, with comprehensive modulation mapping options. It works as a stand-alone virtual instrument in both OSX and Windows, and as an AU or VST plug-in for use with all popular DAWs.

    Equator works in the same way as most subtractive soft-synth, so the main window should display familiar structures and concepts. If not, try going back over the concepts of subtractive synthesis. 

    Routing modulation is extremely simple: 
    • Click on a parameter in the 'Modulation Panel' (eg. Slide). Its border will turn yellow.
    • Locate the parameter that you want to modulate (eg. Filter 1 Cutoff)
    • Move the dial for the selected parameter (eg. Filter 1 Cutoff) up and down to set the desired amount of modulation.  
    • Click again on the parameter in the 'Modulation Panel' (eg. Slide) to exit modulation routing. Its border will turn grey again. 


    Getting Started:

    If using your own computer, first you will need to install ROLI Dashboard and ROLI Equator. Installers can be found on the B4 Studio Computer 'Staff+Student Drive' under Students > Files > ROLI Installers. Once you have installed the software contact Seth to arrange an appointment to authorise it; we need to login with our departmental credentials. The B4 Studio Computer and B9 iMacs have the necessary software already installed and authorised.   
      
    Connect the Seaboard RISE via USB and switch it on via the circular power button in the bottom left corner of the front panel. Push once to turn the unit on, and push and hold to turn it off. The power button also doubles as a mode select button; press once to change mode. In Expression Mode the three touch faders control the dynamics of Slide, Glide and Press. When expression mode is active the icon at the top of each fader is illuminated. Press the Power/Mode button once to change to MIDI mode. In this mode the faders transmit MIDI CC Messages. This will become clear once you open ROLI Dashboard. 

    Open ROLI Dashboard and check that you have visual feedback when you touch the keywave surface. If not double check the Seaboard is connected and powered on, and if this doesn't solve the issue, restart the software. Next set the 'five dimensions of touch' parameters to their maximum setting. Finally set 'Channel Mode' to 'Multi', 'MPE' On, and 'Range' from 2 to 16. 

    Open Equator and select a preset via the text box at the top of the window. You should now be able to play the synthesiser using the keywave surface. If you don't hear any sound, first check that the master volume setting (top right) is turned up. Next open the menu (top right), select 'Audio Settings' and check that your output device is set as you intend, with the correct sample rate and buffer size. Finally check that the MIDI settings match those set in


    Roland Juno-6
    The Roland Juno-6 is a 61-Key, 6-Voice Polyphonic Synthesizer first released in 1982. It uses one DCO (digitally controlled oscillator) per voice to generate sound, each providing sawtooth and square/pulse waveforms as a sound source, in addition to white noise and a square-wave suboscillator pitched one octave beneath the key played. The filters, envelope generators and amplifiers are all voltage controlled, analogue designs. The filter is a 24dB/octave Low Pass design with resonance, and is capable of self-oscillation.

    Extra features include an octave transpose switch (next to pitch bend), an arpeggiator, and two chorus modes (both of which can be used simultaneously). Note: the LFO Trigger button does not work, so ensure that the LFO Trig Mode is set to manual.  

    The rear panel features a tuning dial, a volume level switch, pedal, CV and clock inputs, as well as the main stereo output and headphone output. Note: the Juno-6 must be used with un-balanced jack cables as balanced cables cause hum.  

    The easiest way to record the output is to connect two jack 1/4" Unbalanced jack cables from the main output to Inputs 1+2 on the front panel of the Focusrite Clarett 8Pre or  Focusrite Scarlett 6i6.

    Note: The Roland Juno-6 is nearly 40 years old. Please treat it with the due care and attention, and make sure you switch it off after use. The analogue circuitry runs hot, and there is no internal cooling system to protect the components from heat damage.

    Yamaha CLP-545 Clavinova
    The  Yamaha CLP-545 is a fully weighted, 88-key digital keyboard. The keyboard features an internal sample-based sound engine capable of 256-note polyphony, and can be used also as a MIDI controller keyboard. The Clavinova's MIDI output is connected permanently to the MIDI input of the Focusrite Clarett 8Pre, allowing the user to input MIDI data with the Clavinova without the need for additional setup. If you need to use the Clavinova to input MIDI to an external device not connected to the Focusrite Clarett 8Pre, download the CLP-545 USB-MIDI Drivers, and connect to the Clavinova with a USB A-B cable.     








    Roland System-100m
    The Roland System-100m is an analogue semi-modular synthesizer, first manufactured in 1979. The department owns two units, both of which contain five modules, plus a keyboard interface and jack multiples. Unit 1 is kept in B4 and is available to use, and Unit 2 is also available upon request.

    Unit 1 comprises the following five modules:
    • 110 - VCO/VCF/VCA
    • 110 - VCO/VCF/VCA
    • 140 - Dual Envelope Generator / LFO
    • 131 - Output Mixer / Tuning Oscillator / Headphone Amplifier
    • 132 - Dual CV / Audio Mixer and Voltage Processor
    Unit 2 comprises the following five modules:
    • 110 - VCO/VCF/VCA
    • 110 - VCO/VCF/VCA
    • 165 - Dual Portamento Controller / Slew Limiter 
    • 140 - Dual Envelope Generator / LFO
    • 150 - Ring Mod / Noise / S&H / LFO (note: S&H internal clock non-functional) 
    If you're not familiar with the concept of modular synthesis, do take a minute to read the wikipedia page. It gives a clear, format agnostic introduction to the key concepts. 

    The Roland System-100m is in fact a semi-modular synthesizer, as there are various internal or 'normalled' connections within and between certain modules. These internal connections are detailed by arrows indicating the signal path and, where necessary, by bordered text beside the relevant patch points. For example on module 110, an arrow marks the internal connection from the VCO Output to VCF Input 1, and the bordered text [VCF] next to  VCA Input 1, shows that the VCF Output is normalled to this input.  





    Important Notes:
    • The System-100m is a rare and valuable musical instrument. Please take care when using it, ensure that it is switched off and stored safely when not in use, and minimise the risk of accidents by keeping it away from food and drink.
    • Note that the Keyboard input on the horizontal panel at the bottom of the enclosure is not a MIDI input. The connector is 6-pin DIN and should be connected to the Roland 181 49-Key keyboard controller only. Do not attempt to connect a 5-Pin MIDI cable as this may damage the socket. 
    • VCOs accept the 1v/Oct standard as a control voltage. All other CV inputs accept +/-5v. Gate triggers should be a +5-15v (positive) pulse, and must be minimum 20ms long. If you're unsure about what this means, please seek clarification before using external equipment to control the System-100m. If you're not using external equipment (CV sequencer, Eurorack modules, DC-Coupled Interface), don't worry - you can't break anything by patching unconventionally!   

    Modules:
    The following descriptions are taken from the 1984 sales brochure, and have been amended/expanded upon where necessary. 


    110 - VCO/VCF/VCA
    This module contains the three main synthesizer elements, and when combined with a Model 140 module, provides all that is needed for the production of one synthesizer voice. This arrangement is particularly convenient in a computer controlled system where the generation of each voice in a composition can be assigned primarily to one module. The connections for signal flow from the VCO, through the VCF to the VCA are made internally to save patching time. Another internal connection allows a single envelope generator input to control both the VCF and VCA. All internal connections are made with switching jacks so that they can be broken by inserting a jack plug in to the relevant socket (much like the main studio patch bay.) 







    140 - Dual Envelope Generator / LFO
    The 140-module and the 110 module provide the minimum basic elements necessary to produce a single synthesizer voice. Two voices can be provided with the added use of modules 112,121, and 130. ADSR's can be triggered from the keyboard's gate or gate + trigger, from an external gate, or manually with the front panel pushbutton. Both envelope generators provide inverted and normal outputs. Voltage controlled low frequency oscillator (LFO) has a built-in delay for delayed vibrato effects. KYBD TRIG switch allows phase locking of LFO output to keyboard trigger pulse.








    131 - Output Mixer
    The 131-module is a stereo mixer with panning on each channel. The mixer can be used in four track recording or to coordinate multiple synthesizer outputs. Also included is a stereo headphone output with separate level control and a tuning or test oscillator with a switchable frequency of 220Hz, 440Hz or 880Hz. The left and right stereo outputs, as well as the separate mono output can be accessed on both mini-jacks and 1/4" jacks for connection to other parts of the synthesizer or to other studio equipment. Each output includes a red LED clip meter.








    132 - Dual CV/Audio Mixer & Voltage Processor
    The 132-module consists of two four-channel mixers with simultaneous inverted and non-inverted outputs. They can be used for summing control voltages and/or for mixing audio signals. Both include positive and negative voltage sources, on channels 3 and 4 respectively.The module also includes a separate variable positive and negative voltage source on the right hand side.










    165 - Dual Portamento Controller
    This module consists of two independent controllers. Each has a CV input and CV output, and a portamento on/off switch with green LED indicator. There is a slider for adjusting the the portamento time (2 ms to 5s) and a portamento modulation CV input. Also included is a MPX input (and red LED indicator) for switching the portamento on/off from an MC8 or MC4 MicroComposer, with a slider for setting the initial depth.










    150 - Ring Mod/Noise/S&H/LFO
    The 150-module has four sections. The sample and hold section has two sliders, one for the internal clock rate (which unfortunately doesn't work on this unit) and the other to set a lag time (like portamento). A three way switch allows you to select a signal to be sampled: either an external input, LFO or noise generator. There is an external clock input (5-15v), which must be used in place of the non-functional internal clock (if unsure connect a square wave LFO). The S&H signal is outputted via a single jack. The noise generator has four outputs: two linked white noise and two linked pink noise outputs. The Ring Modulator has no controls. Its inputs are connected internally to the noise generator and the LFO but they can be overridden by connecting a signal to the jack input. There is a single RM output. The LFO is identical to the 140 module. 







    Roland TD30K V-Drums
    The  Roland TD30K is a five-piece electronic drum kit, based around the TD30 sound module. The kit consists of 3 x PDX100 toms, PD125BK snare, KD120 kick drum, 3 x multi-trigger cymbals and a hi-hat top and bottom cymbal pad. Everything can be mounted directly on to the black MDS12V frame, except the kick drum which is a freestanding pad, and the hi-hats which are mounted on a standard hi-hat stand. 

    The V-Drums are stored in the plastic box outside the B4 booth, along with a cardboard box of drum hardware, and the frame. The TD30 sound module is stored in the B4 booth cupboard, on the built-in wooden shelving unit. Setting up the kit for the first time can take around half an hour, but will get quicker over time. 
    • First unfold the frame into a rough semi-circle around the drum-stool, ensuring that every mounting arm can be reached from the central seating position. 
    • Attach the pads to the appropriate mounts - if you haven't set up an acoustic drum kit before, you might want to enlist some help. 
    • Set up the hi-hat stand as you would with real cymbals, attaching the bottom pad to the stand and the top pad to the clamp. 
    • Attach a standard kick pedal to the free-standing kick-drum pad.   
    • Attach the TD30 sound module to the left-most mounting point on the frame (see above image).
    • Locate the loom of jack cables that runs through the frame, and attach each labelled plug to its matching socket on the TD30 sound module.
    • Attach the other end of each jack cable to its relevant socket on each pad. Note that some pads have multiple trigger outputs, and thus should connect to multiple cables. 
    • Power up TD30 sound module, connect headphones or a speaker, ensure that the group faders are all at an equal level, and turn up the master volume.
    • Press the Kit button, and use the + and - buttons to audition different sounds.
    See the TD30 Quickstart and Turbostart guides for more information about getting started.

    The TD30 can be used as a MIDI device via USB. Drivers are required for both Windows and MacOS.

    Eurorack Modular Synthesizer
    Eurorack is a  modular synthesizer format consisting of various mechanical and electrical standards which allow different modules to fit in the same case and communicate between themselves. Audio and control signals are exchanged between modules via 3.5mm mono jack cables, the electrical characteristics of which can be split roughly into three categories:
    • Audio signals - typically a maximum of 10V peak-to-peak (i.e. between -5V and +5V)
    • Control voltages - either unipolar or bipolar. Bipolar control voltages are typically 5V peak-to-peak (i.e. from -2.5V to +2.5V), unipolar voltages between 0V and 8V. The V/Octave scale is used for pitch information, where 1V/Oct is most common.
    • Trigger, Gate or Clock signals - digital (i.e. on/off) 0V-5V pulses typically used for timing and event signalling

    Important:
    • There is a 3.5mm black jack cable which connects the synthesizer to the computer for recording or monitoring (there is no 'master output' but you can connect this jack to any audio signal output). The connection is made via an active DI box, which is connected to Input 1 of the Focusrite Clarett 8Pre Audio Interface. This DI box requires 48v power, and the 20dB pad must be enabled.    
    • The power buttons for both enclosures are at the rear. The power supplies are fairly primitive and offer little protection so please ensure that they are not left on when not in use, and never attempt to access the power supply electronics. 
    • Please monitor the live output through the Genelec 8020s only (instructions here). The output signal may be unpredictable, and an overloaded signal will damage the Quested VS3208 system. 
    • Note that unlike the Roland System-100M, the System 500 modules do not have a wired signal path or normalled connections. For example, to create a basic subtractive synthesis signal flow you must connect the output of the VCO to the input of the VCF, and the output of the VCF to the input of the VCA.   
    Currently the department's Eurorack System consists of 5 modules, all made by Roland and designed specifically to be used in conjunction with one another:

    512 - Dual VCO
    A single module consisting of two voltage controlled oscillators. Each independent VCO produces frequencies across a wide range with 1V/octave tracking and dedicated pulse, triangle, and saw wave outputs. Variable pulse width is available via panel control or CV modulation. Each oscillator’s frequency can also be synchronized to the other in weak or strong modes. Note that when control voltage is sent to one of the two KEY inputs, it controls the pitch of both oscillators. To control the pitch of each oscillator independently, send a seperate CV to each KEY input, or simply insert a patch cable in to the KEY jack to break the normalled connection. 

    521 - Dual VCF
    This module features two separate low pass filters for modifying the timbre of audio sources. Each filter has its own dedicated controls for frequency cutoff, resonance, and a fixed high pass filter with two switchable cutoff points. Audio and CV input mixers on each channel allow the blending of multiple audio signals and modulation sources.

    530 - Dual VCA 
    This module features two independent voltage controlled amplifiers for controlling the amplitude of audio signals. Each VCA has three sliders for an audio input mixer, three sliders to mix CV inputs, and a selector switch for linear or exponential response modes.

    540 - Dual Envelope Generator and LFO 
    This multi-purpose modulation source features two independent ADSR (attack, decay, sustain, release) envelope sections that produce variable voltages for controlling other Eurorack format synthesizer modules such as oscillators, filters, and VCAs. Each section can be triggered externally (via a trigger or gate signal), internally (by switching to cycle mode), or manually (by pushing the red buttons). There dedicated output jacks for each envelope, as well as an inverted output. Additionally, the 540 includes a voltage controlled LFO with 5 waveform outputs. Front panel controls adjust both frequency and delay time of the LFO start. Delay and reset can be triggered from either envelope 1 or 2.

    572 - Phase Shifter, Delay and LFO
    A time-based, multi-effects module. The 572 includes a five-stage phase shifter, analog audio delay, a control voltage gate delay, and an LFO. The phase shifter has panel controls for frequency shift and resonance amount. Similarly, the audio delay has independent knob control of delay time (maximum ~50ms) and resonance (or feedback) for short, chorus-like modulation delays. Both the phase shifter and delay can be modulated by the 572’s internal LFO or external CV signals and feature wet/dry effects mix controllable via the front panel or with CV. The LFO section has a knob for controlling frequency and features both normal and inverted output jacks. The gate delay has knobs to control threshold, delay time, and gate time for modifying incoming gate signals from other modules.

    Roland's Sound Patch Examples act as a decent quickstart guide, providing a practical way to learn about the functionality of each module. Download the pdf here.

    A second Eurorack case and power supply containing an Expert Sleepers ES-3 module is currently on loan:

    Expert Sleepers ES-3 -     Lightpipe/CV Interface
    This module converts eight channels of ADAT Lightpipe input to DC coupled outputs on 3.5mm jacks, acting as an interface between software and CV controllable equipment. The outputs can be used as CVs (control voltages), for example with Max/MSP or plugins like Expert Sleepers Silent Way, and can also be used as audio outputs (i.e. to send audio signals from computer to a modular synthesizer for processing).

    You'll find a quickstart guide to using the ES-3 with Max MSP on the desktop of the studio computer or download it  here.







    Misc
    Patch Bay
    A patch bay is a passive routing device that allows you to access easily the inputs and outputs of other audio hardware. Typically hardware interfaces, preamps and signal processors have their controls and meters positioned on the front of the device, so the input and output sockets must be mounted to the rear panel. When the hardware is mounted in a rack, as is the case in B4, it can be difficult to access these connectors directly. The solution is to connect every input and every output to a patch bay, so that we can access them all from the front panel (see diagram). Once we can see and access the inputs and outputs of every piece of equipment in the studio in one place, it's much easier to make connections (or 'patch') between them.  

    Note that the patch bays in B4 use a bantam plug and socket, not standard 1/4" jacks. Please ensure that you use only bantam patch cables with the patch bay, and that you don't use those cables for anything else. 

        



    Normalled Connections
    The patch bays in B4 have what are called normalled connections. Normalling is an internal wiring pattern that creates a path from one piece of equipment to another without the need for a patch cable. Conventionally the top row of each patch bay is patched internally or normalled to the bottom row. For example in the image here, patch points A1 and B1 are connected internally, as are A2 and B2, A3 and B3 and so on. If, for example, at the rear of the patch bay we had the outputs from a microphone preamplifier connected to Row A and the inputs for an audio interface connected to Row B, the preamp outputs will be routed directly to the interface inputs without the need to connect them with a patch cable. Inserting a patch cable into any given patch point will break its normalled connection with the patch point directly above or below it. So if, for example, you wanted to route the preamp output at patch point A1 to the input of a compressor at patch point B5, you would connect a patch cable between those two points. This would break the normalled connections, ensuring that the preamp output at A1 is not sent directly to the interface input at B1, and that the compressor input at B5 does not receive audio from the patch point directly above it.    

    B4 has been designed to capitalise on these normalled connections, minimising the need to use patch cables at all! For example, Channels 1-8 on the wall box in the booth are wired to patch points 1-8 on the top row of the topmost patch bay. On the bottom row of the patch bay, channels 1-8 are connected to the inputs of the Focusrite ISA 828 preamplifier. When you plug a microphone in to channel 1 on the wall box in the booth, its signal is routed automatically to channel 1 of the Focusrite ISA 828 preamplifier. Similarly, the outputs from the Behringer Powerplay Pro-XL Headphone Amplifier have been wired to the patch points above the 8 jack sockets on the wall box in the booth, so there is an internal connection between the two locations. In fact you can record up to 8 channels of discrete audio from the booth, with full headphone monitoring and talkback without having to use a single patch cable.

    See the Patching Diagrams page for examples of specific patching configurations.   
       

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