Aethereal

v1.2.1

Ambient Vector Synthesizer

Table of Contents
Introduction Wave Oscillator Sections TransMixer ilter Sections !elay Section Modulation Se"uencer Modulation #nvelo$es Modulation Vector Vector %ontrol &anel Mod'heel(&itchbend )niversal %ontrols

Introduction
Aethereal is an ambient vector synth *or creatin+ evolvin+ atmos$heres and textures. Aethereal comes e"ui$t 'ith over 1,, built in sam$led sounds such as synth tones- atmos$heres- vocal $ads and sound .. The sounds can be loaded into *our 'ave oscillators 'hich can be mixed bet'een usin+ a so$histicated /0Way TransMixer- either manually- 'ith auto0modulation or in a set transition *rom one sound to the next. The Auto0Modulation section can also control the Multi0Vector- 'hich uses three .(1 &osition &oints to modulate various $arameters. #ach $oint can be assi+ned to t'o di**erent $arameters 'hich are then controlled in the vector +rid by movin+ the &osition &oint u$(do'n 2 le*t(ri+ht. To add to the modulation o$tions is a 130ste$ mod se"uencer- 'hich can modulate thin+s li4e the *ilter and $itch. All o* this alon+ 'ith t'o multi0sta+e *ilters- a dual delay- three modulation envelo$es and assi+nable mod'heel and $itchbender ma4e Aethereal a very *lexible and ex$ressive ambient synthesizer 'ith many $ossibilities. Over 1,, built in sounds our 'ave oscillators 'ith inde$endant am$ envelo$es5 the oscillators are divided into t'o sections that can be routed to se$erate audio out$ut channels /0Way TransMixer *or ma4in+ set transitions *rom one sound to another5 can also be used *or manual or automatic mixin+ Multi0Vector *or modulatin+ various $arameters in an .(1 $ath 6modulation e"uivelnt o* 7 8 Os5 2 dedicated to the /0Way TransMixer9 130Ste$ Modulation Se"uencer 0 or se"uenced modulation o* $itch and *ilters T'o *ilter sections- each 'ith inde$endant envelo$es- inverters- +ain com$ensation 2 multi$le sta+es 610/9 Three modulation envelo$es !ual Stereo !elay section Assi+nable $itchbend and mod'heel 3/ $resets

Note: The *ree'are version o* Aethereal has only t'o voice $oly$hony and is limited to only one audio out$ut. &urchase the *ull version to +et the bene*its o* *ull $oly$hony and multi$le out$uts.

Wave Oscillator Sections

Aethereal consists o* *our 'ave oscillators- s$lit into t'o dual oscillator sections. There are a total o* *our 'aves that are mixed to+ether to create the overall sound. #ach 'ave oscillator allo's you to choose *rom 127 di**erent sounds such as oscillator tones- vocal $ads- ambient noiseatmos$heres- and various sound .. To select a 'ave- :ust clic4 the ;'ave; dro$do'n list to select the sound you 'ant to use. #ach 'ave oscillator has it;s o'n am$ envelo$e section. Ad:ustin+ the se$arate attac4 and release controls *or each 'ave- allo's *or di**erent *ade ins and outs *or each sound as 'ell as inde$endent velocity and level settin+s. #ach 'ave section also has inde$endent control o* $itch settin+s such as octave ran+e- *ine tunin+ and $itch dri*tin+. When ad:ustin+ the $itch dri*tin+ control- the 'ave;s $itch becomes unstable- creatin+ a sound similar to that o* analo+ue synthesizers. #ach 'ave has an out$ut indicator that li+hts u$ 'hen that section is ma4in+ a sound. This can be convenient 'hen determinin+ 'here the sound is comin+ *rom. The louder the si+nal- the bri+hter the indicator- i* there is no sound out$ut- the indicator remains dar4. 1ou can also turn each 'ave sound on(o** 'ith the oran+e activation s'itches beneath the 'ave selectors. In the u$$er ri+ht0hand corner o* each dual oscillator section is a ;multi$le out$ut; o$tion. The out$ut o* Aethereal;s t'o dual oscillator sections can be assi+ned to se$arate out$uts *or addin+ $lu+in e**ects a*ter'ard- similar to that o* a drum machine 'ith multi$le outs. The s$lit si+nal 'ill travel *rom the oscillator section- into the *ilter section belo' it- $assin+ throu+h the delay and *inally into the out$ut.

TransMixer
The TransMixer allo's you to set transition times *rom one 'ave oscillator to the next. The transitions are $oly$honic- meanin+ each time you hit a ne' 4ey- the same transition is layered over the other notes. 6<ote0 #ven thou+h the transition is audibly $oly$honic- the vetor 'ill only sho' the $osition $oint travelin+ once- ho'ever you can rely on the out$ut analyzers *or visual re*erence o* 'hat sound is bein+ $layed at 'hat $oint.9 See the detailed ex$laination o* each o* the controls belo' to learn more about usin+ the TransMixer this 'ay. The lar+e s"uare . and 1 buttons are the main activation s'itches *or enablin+ transition mixin+. When . is s'itched on- the 'aves 'ill be mixed in a transition *rom le*t to ri+ht- or vice versa- de$endin+ on Start(#nd times- and the transition;s #nd &oint settin+. When 1 is s'itched on- the transition 'ill also +o u$ and do'n. Set the sliders on the to$ and ri+ht side o* the vector to de*ine the endin+ o* the transition. or exam$le i* the sliders are set all the 'ay le*t and all the 'ay do'n- this is 'here the transition 'ill end u$- in the bottom le*t corner. The start and end controls ad:ust the time it ta4es to travel *rom the center- to the start o* the transition 6a'ay *rom the end $oint9. A short start time 'ill essentially set the $oint at the be+innin+ o* the transition as soon as a 4ey is $ressed. Whereas a lon+ start time 'ill slo'ly brin+ the $oint to the be+innin+ o* the transition- much li4e the attac4 time o* an envelo$e. The ;#nd; control ad:usts the time it ta4es *or the $oint to travel *rom the start- to the *inal destination o* the transition- set by the sliders mentioned above. =et'een each o* these controls are ;>elease; times. This ad:usts the time it ta4es *or the $osition $oint to travel bac4 to the center a*ter a note is released. Another 'ay to use the TransMixer is as a manual vector mixer. Sim$ly dra+ the $osition $oint around the vector +rid to mix the 'aves. Alternatively- vector mixin+ can be set to auto0$ilot by activatin+ the .(1 mixer in the Vector Control Panel on the bottom le*t o* the ?)I.

Filter Sections
#ach oscillator section is lin4ed to it;s o'n *ilter section com$lete 'ith envelo$e- velocity and 4ey trac4in+. The *ilter can be set to 8o'&ass68&9- @i+h&ass6@&9- =and&ass6=&9 or =and>e:ect6=.9. The t'o oran+e s'itches indicate i* an oscillator is $assin+ throu+h the *ilter 6activated9- or by$assin+ the *ilter 6deactivated9. The *ilter;s envelo$e level can be ad:usted 'ith the bi+ level 4nob to the ri+ht. %lic4in+ the s'itch belo' it 'ill invert the envelo$e- *li$$in+ the A!S> settin+s to $roduce unex$ected results. #ach *ilter also has it;s o'n out$ut indicator- li4e the ones *ound in the oscillator section- *or indicatin+ 'hich section is currently out$uttin+ sound. The louder the out$ut- the bri+hter the indicator. I* there is no sound out$ut- the indicator remains dar4.

ela! Section
The delay section can be activated via the lar+e oran+e s'itch. This turns the delay on or o**. Once activated- the si+nal is sent into the delay and s$lit into le*t and ri+ht channels. #ach channel has it;s o'n delay rate- 'hich is tem$o synced *or creatin+ se$arate rhythmic delays that can be $anned se$arately *rom the center to 'iden the out$ut sound. The t'o channels each have a level control *or ad:ustin+ the volume o* the delayed out$ut. The ;*eed; 4nob controls the overall *eedbac4 o* both channels. Turnin+ the ;dam$; control u$ 'ill a$$ly a lo'cut *ilterin+ to the *eedbac4.

Modulation Se"uencer
Aethereal has a 130ste$ modulation se"uencer *or added modulation o* the $itch and *ilter- it can be used *or drastic or subtle e**ects *or +ivin+ more movement to the sound. Activate the se"uencer 'ith the oran+e s'itch in the to$ le*t corner. When a note is $ressed- the indicators 'ill run- sho'in+ the current $osition o* the se"uence. The direction can be reversed by s'itchin+ the arro' button in the to$ ri+ht. To ad:ust the number o* ste$s- clic4 on the number box ali+ned 'ith the se"uence indicators. To create a modulation se"uence- sim$ly dra+ your mouse across the em$ty box to ad:ust the 13 modulation levels. These can also be ad:usted one at a time by movin+ the bar u$ or do'n. The se"uencer 'ill be modulatin+ the $arameter selected in the ;tar+et; box. The ;rate; box directly beneath it 'ill set the s$eed o* the se"uence- 'hich is b$m synced. The three 4nobs at the bottom control the se"uence de$th or overall level o* modulation- the +lidin+ amount bet'een ste$s- and the amount o* random $robability a$$lied to the se"uence.

Modulation #nvelo$es
This section consists o* three extra envelo$es *or addin+ more modulation to $arameters such as $itch- *ilter and even $arameters in the Auto0Modulation %ontrol &anel. To dis$lay the editin+ $anel o* any o* the three envelo$es- select one o* the numbered s'itches. 1ou;ll 4no' 'hich envelo$e is bein+ dis$layed by the lit u$ blue s'itch. To turn the envelo$e on or o**- clic4 the s'itch directly beneath that envelo$e;s $anel s'itch. It 'ill li+ht u$ oran+e- meanin+ the envelo$e is no' active.

Modulation Vector
The Modulation Vector uses three &osition &oints to modulate various $arameters. #ach $oint can be assi+ned to t'o di**erent $arameters 'hich are then controlled in the vector +rid by movin+ them u$(do'n 2 le*t(ri+ht. The o$tions beneath the vector +rid are dis$layed accordin+ to the Auto0 Modulation %ontrol &anel to the le*t. The >etri++er s'itch- 'hen activated- 'ill reset the auto0modulation $ath on each note. The dro$do'n box next to it contains o$tions *or manual vector control. When set to ;Sna$;- the $osition $oint 'ill sna$ bac4 to the center 'hen let +o. When set to ; ree;- the $osition $oint 'ill remain in $lace 'hen let +o.

Vector Control Panel

This section consists o* a multi0control $anel *or editin+ the settin+s o* the three Vectors. The Vector %ontrollers 'or4 :ust li4e an 8 O 'ith the added bene*it o* allo'in+ you to see 'hat;s ta4in+ $lace durin+ the modulation. The Vector %ontrol &anel dis$lays the editin+ $anels *or controllin+ the three vectors- as 'ell as a control $anel *or the TransMixer. To dis$lay a $articular control $anel- select one o* the numbered s'itches. 1ou;ll 4no' 'hich control $anel is bein+ dis$layed by the lit u$ blue s'itch. Activate ;auto0$ilot; modulation by s'itchin+ on the lar+e . and 1 buttons. . 'ill cause the vector $oint to move le*t(ri+ht- 'hile 1 'ill cause the vector $oint to move u$(do'n. The level o* modulation *or each can be controlled 'ith the ;8evel; 4nobs beneath each activation s'itch. To s$eci*y 'hich $arameter is to be modulated by . or 1- select one *rom the ;Tar+et; dro$do'n box. 1ou can also choose the =&M synced rate o* modulation- as 'ell as the modulation sha$e *or each. The 4nobs to the ri+ht 'ill sli+htly o**set the .(1 $ath- *ully le*t reverses the $ath *rom *ully ri+ht. The invert s'itches 'ill invert the modulation5 *or exam$le- i* 1 modulates the $itch as u$Ahi+h(do'nAlo'- this 'ill invert it to ma4e u$Alo'(do'nAhi+h. This o$tion *unctions di**erently *or the ;Mixer; $anel- the s'itches are labeled ;>ev; *or reverse5 activation 'ill com$letly reverse the .(1 $ath o* the TransMixer;s vector.

Mod%heel&Pitchbend
Aethereal;s Mod'heel and &itchbender are both very *lexible and add a bit o* extra control over various $arameters. =oth can be assi+ned to control a number o* $arameters by clic4in+ on the corres$ondin+ dro$do'n box. The Mod'heel ran+e can be ad:usted by the slider to the ri+ht. The &itchbender uses de*ined note ran+es- *or exam$le i* set to *our- the $itch bend ran+e 'ill move *our notes u$ or *our notes do'n.

'niversal Controls
These controls are universal and control Aethereal;s main $arameters. $reservin+ c$u. MonoB Sets the synth into mono mode 8e+atoB While in mono mode- this 'ill turn o** the retri++erin+ o* notes5 notes +lide into each other de$endin+ on $ortamento time. &ortamento TimeB The time it ta4es *or the $itch to +lide *rom one note to the next. VolumeB Ad:usts the overall volume 6This control i+nores $atch chan+e- so is universal *or all $atches. &anB &ans the overall si+nal *rom le*t to ri+ht Analyzer ActivationB Turns all visual analyzers on(o**5 can be use*ull *or

Credits
Aetheral 'as develo$ed by &sychic Modulation 'ith Synth#dit Than(s to the follo%in) for use of thier sa*$les in this VSTi: 8es &roductions Cvon 0 %%%+les$roductions,von+co* %laire itch 0 %%%+fitchsounds+co* Than(s to the follo%in) for use of thier *odules in this VSTi: !avid @au$t 0 %%%+dehau$t+co* Chris Kerry - www.chriskerry.f9.co.uk !an Worall VST &lu+in Technolo+y by Steinber+

Su$$ort Infor*ation
@ome$a+eB %%%+$s!chic*odulation+co* Visit the o**icial DV> su$$ort *orumB htt$:&&%%%+(vraudio+co*&foru*&vie%foru*+$h$-f./0 #mailB su$$ortE$sychicmodulation.com