Future Retro Revolution Owner Manual - Manual (Page 33)

PLAYING VOLTAGE CONTROLLED SYNTHESIZERS
The Revolution provides a CV (control voltage) output, along with a Gate output for playing pre-
MIDI and modular synthesizers. The CV the Revolution generates is the most widely used 1 volt
per octave standard. The Gate signal the Revolution generates is a positive polarity type gate ranging
from 0 volts (note off) to +12 volts (note on). This standard was used on the early Roland, Arp, and
Sequential Circuits analog synthesizers, and is still used by today’s modular synthesizer companies to
control their devices.
As a general rule, always turn the power off for devices when making connections.
For this setup, first connect the CV OUT of the Revolution to the CV INPUT of the external analog
device using a 1/4” mono cable. You will also need to connect the GATE OUT of the Revolution to “
the GATE INPUT of the external device using another 1/4” mono cable.
Most analog synthesizers will automatically use these external signals to control their circuits once
they are plugged into the unit. If your device requires you to setup parameters in that module to use
these external control signals, do that now.
Start playback of the Revolution’s sequencer and you should hear the notes programmed into the
sequencer playing the external module. You’re free to select and edit different patterns within the
Revolution as you normally would. Accents programmed into the sequencer will have no affect on
the external analog sound module. Notes that are programmed to glide in the sequencer will cause the
CV output to slew which will sound just like a note gliding in the Revolution’s analog sound section.
You can also sync the Revolution’s playback to an external MIDI clock while playing the external
analog module.
Notice that if you set the Revolution’s MIDI mode to EXTernal, as you would to play the
Revolution’s sound section with an external MIDI keyboard or sequencer, you can then convert these
external MIDI messages into the appropriate CV/Gate signals needed to control the connected analog
module. This is similar to what a standalone MIDI to CV converter does.
CV OUT GATE OUT GATE IN CV IN
ANALOG SYNTHESIZER
MIDI MODES 31