Analogue Solutions Oberkorn sequencer - Manual (Page 8)

Oberkorn User Manual
8 Output Type | Analogue Solutions
OUTPUT TYPE
CVS
There are two main ‘standards’ (and I use this term loosely) for pitch CV.
V/Oct means Volts Per Octave. This means that a VCO’s pitch will go up one octave for
each volt added to the CV input. 0V (say) would be C, so 1V would be C one octave higher.
This is typically used by;
(old synth’s) Roland, Moog, ARP, SCI
(new synth’s) just about everyone – Analogue Solutions, Analogue Systems, Doepfer, etc.
Hz/V means Hertz Per Volt. This means that to go up one octave you must double the
voltage. So (say) C is 3V, then to go up one octave the CV must be 6V.
This was typically used by the old Korg synth’s (like the MS series), though if I remember
rightly, the monopoly was an exception.
Hz/V is not so flexible as V/Oct. The problems arise when trying to mix Hz/V signals to
change pitch.
Oberkorn outputs a varying voltage on the CV outputs. I am often asked whether its output is
V/Oct, or Hz/V. This question does not really make any sense as such. Oberkorn simple puts
out the voltage that you set on the control. But for pitch control it will ‘feel’ better using V/Oct
synths, which the majority of synths use.
Hz/V and V/Oct only applies to the pitch control of oscillators. For controlling parameters
such as filter cut-off V/Oct or Hz/V does not apply. These ‘standards’ only apply to pitch
control. Parameters such as cut-off just want a varying linear voltage. Once again there is no
standard, but typical ranges are 0-5v, 0-12v, and sometimes bipolar like -12 to +12V.
The range Oberkorn puts out is usually fine for most synth’s.
GATES
The Oberkorn puts out a positive gate signal. Gate off is 0V, Gate on is 10V. Oberkorn’s
gate signal is strong enough to trigger just about all analogue synth’s, envelopes, and strong
enough to clock most other analogue sequencers.
There is a complication (isn’t there always?!).
Old Moog and Korg synths typically used a type of Gate called S-Trig. Though I won’t go into
full details, let’s just say that it is a sort of inverted gate signal. Not inverted in polarity, but in
state.
So normally a gate might be 0v for off, and, say, 5v for on.