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CONTENTS

•	What is Audio Architect?

•	System requirements

•	Quick Start

•	The Synthesis modules

•	Selecting a module

•	Setting the parameters

•	Connecting Modules

•	Viewing / deleting connections

•	Deleting Modules

•	The Menu Bar

•	Registering for your licensed  copy of Audio Architect


What is Audio Architect?

Audio Architect is a software package which transforms your PC into a modular synthesizer. The interface recreates a patchboard analog synthesizer, allowing you to design your own networks of synthesis modules, without the need for a rats nest of patchcords.

Audio Architect provides a system for modular synthesis that is clear and simple to use.

The system has the following features:

•	Friendly  object-oriented user interface

•	Detailed control of the analog sounds

•	Analog-style oscillators

•	Filters for subtractive synthesis

•	16 bit Sample player capable of pitch transposition, looping and reversing

•	Analog-style Sequencers, envelopes, Amplifiers, Delays

•	Demonstration networks (design sheets)

•	Windows .WAV file output

•	Multiple design sheet editing


System Requirements

Audio Architect is compatible with:

•	Windows 3.x (minimum 4MB RAM; 8MB recommended)

•	Winows 95

•	Windows NT 3.51 & 4.0

•	Any soundcard with minimum 16 bit waveform output


Quick Start

To listen to the output of Audio Architect, follow these simple steps

1.	Open one of the existing networks (.mae files) from the networks folder or design your own.

2.	Double click on the .WAV output module, which should be the last module in the network.

3.	A 'Save as' window will appear, save this as a .WAV file, for example 'output.WAV'.

4.	Click on the lightning icon to execute the network, (to be told when this has finished calculating, choose 'report time' in the modules menu)

5.	Open the .WAV file, which you have just saved in step 3, with your soundcard player  - and play.


The Modules

Below is a list of the synthesis modules which appear in the Toolbox of Audio Architect, please click on them for a fuller description.

• The Cursor	• The Sample Player
• Master	• The File Player
• Filter	• The Delay
• The Offset	• Wave Output
• The Oscillator	• The Control Mixer
• The Phase distortion Oscillator	• MIDI input interface
• The Low Frequency Oscillator	• Real Time Audio Output
• The ASDR Envelope	• Low Pass Filter
• The Mixer	• Band Pass Filter
• The Amplifier	• High Pass Filter
• The Sequencer


THE CURSOR:

Click on this whenever you wish to regain the normal selection cursor, either after being in Master selection mode, or when having selected a module from the module palette.


MASTER:

Audio Architect needs at least on module that can halt the computation when it is finished.  Typically this will be a sequencer which will terminate calculation when it has run out of notes to play.  This is achieved by setting the module to be a Master (which is indicated by giving it a red border).  If multiple modules are set to be Masters, then whichever finishes first will stop the Audio Architect.

If the 'calculate' button or menu item is selected, and no Master has been set, then Audio Architect will prompt for one.


THE FILTER:

The filter is a digital Finite Impulse Response filter with up to eight separate taps.

The coefficients may be set by user and modulated through eight control inputs.

An FIR filter does not behave like a conventional resonant low pass filter on an analog synthesizer, but can produce some very strange sounds.  Experiment with it.


THE OFFSET:

The Offset module adds a constant to a control signal.


THE OSCILLATOR:

This is based on a typical analog synthesizer style oscillator. The oscillator has inputs for pitch and detune (which is scaleable), and a single audio output. It has four waveforms (sine, saw, square, and noise) and can 'sync' to other oscillators. When one oscillator is synched to another, the slave will start its cycle afresh every time the master does. When used with the pitch modulation of the slave oscillator, this produces some extremely rich and aggressive sounds.


THE PHASE DISTORTION OSCILLATOR:

This oscillator is based upon the phase distortion synthesis method developed by Casio for their CZ family of synthesizers. It alters the relative playback speeds of the two halves of the oscillator cycle to produce an effect not dis-similar to FM synthesis. It was originally developed for very simple digital synthesizers with low cost microprocessors.


THE LOW FREQUENCY OSCILLATOR:

The LFO is similar to the standard oscillator but its output is a control signal, not an audio signal.  It has an additional input for the amplitude of the oscillator, and additional controls for how much this input affects the amplitude, and how much the frequency input affects the frequency.


THE ASDR ENVELOPE:

The envelope is a simple ASDR (Attack / Decay / Sustain / Release) linear envelope, controlled by four exponential sliders. These give attack, decay and release times from 0 to 10s (the zero is possible because of the digital nature of the envelope, but can cause to digital clicks).


THE MIXER:

The Audio Mixer allows up to four audio signals to be mixed, with user specified levels for each. It has the option to limit headroom to prevent the signal from clipping.


THE AMPLIFIER:

The amplifier scales an audio signal by control inputs.


THE SEQUENCER:

This module is based on the old analog riff based sequencers. It has three channels, each of which has sixteen values. The sequencer steps through the values at a user specified rate, outputting one value for each channel from the three control outputs, as well as a gate signal. Each channel may be looped over a different subrange of the sixteen values. This module is good for producing pulsing back loops, using one channel for notes, one channel for filter coefficients and one for volume, with loop  lengths set to different values.


THE SAMPLE PLAYER:

This plays 16 bit mono samples in the .wav format.  It behaves similarly to an oscillator, but should have a gate connection to cause the sound to retrigger when the note changes.  It can loop and reverse samples.


THE FILE PLAYER:

This reads a score file from disk and outputs three control signals: pitch, gate and volume.  The score file consists of three columns of numbers in a text file - the first is the note number, the second the duration and the third a volume.


THE DELAY:

This has user control feedback, and can have its delay time smoothly swept between user specified maximum and minimum times. This can be used for flanging and chorusing as well as for conventional delay. The delay time can be swept from a control input.


WAVE OUTPUT:

This module saves its input to disk as a 16 bit mono .wav file.  The filename of the saved file can be set by double clicking on it.


THE CONTROL MIXER:

The Control Mixer is similar to the audio mixer, but is used with control signals.  It has an additional invert control for each channel.


MIDI INPUT INTERFACE:

Not available in this version - allows the network to be played from a MIDI device such as a keyboard.


REAL TIME AUDIO OUTPUT:

Not available in this version - allows users to play their networks straight to the soundcard, rather than having to save it as a .wav file first.


LOW PASS FILTER:

Not available in this version - a filter with characteristics similar to a conventional resonant low pass filter found on analog synthesizers.


BAND PASS FILTER:

Not available in this version - a filter with characteristics similar to a conventional resonant band pass filter found on analog synthesizers.


HIGH PASS FILTER:

Not available in this version - a filter with characteristics similar to a conventional resonant high pass filter found on analog synthesizers.


Selecting a module

Make sure you can see the Toolbox, by clicking on the 'Edit' drop down box in the menu and ensuring that the 'View Toolbox' option is ticked. Click once on the desired module in the Toolbox (do not hold down), and then click where you wish to place the module on the design sheet.


Setting the parameters

Double click with the left mouse button over the selected module.  Depending on whether the module you are selecting has editable parameters, a dialogue box of controls will pop up.


Connecting Modules

To connect two modules together, place the cursor over the first module, hold the right mouse button down, drag to the next module and release. A dialogue box will appear for you to specify what kind of connection is being made.


Viewing / deleting connections

Double right click the mouse to view the connections of a certain module, this will list all connections to and from the module.  To remove a connection, select it and click on the 'remove' button.


Deleting Modules

Select a module by clicking on it, then press the delete key on the keyboard, or go to the 'Edit' menu and click on delete.


The Menu bar

Report Time

Informs user of when the computer has finished calculating the network.

Background Cycle

Selection of different background 'wallpaper' for the area behind the design sheet

Foreground Cycle

There are two different foregrounds for the design sheet

Set Rates

Audio signals need to be updated much more frequently than control signals.  Lower rates produce faster computation, but may adversely affect sound quality.  Set an audio rate of 44100 for CD quality sound. Very low control rates can cause audible quantising of pitch changes etc.…  The default rate for control signals is 441 Hz.

Arrange modules

This command snaps your network to a grid

Set grid size

Alter the grid size for the snap to grid option.


Registration

This is only an evaluation copy of Audio Architect. For a license please register for it within thirty days.

Your registration now will allow you to obtain the next release of Audio Architect (with MIDI  input and real time output) for only $133 / £80, instead of $290 / £175 for those that have not registered with The Karnataka Group

Send a payment of $50 or £30 to the following address, or call with a credit card payment,

The Karnataka Group

Blackfriars Foundry

156 Blackfriars Road

London SE1 8EN

United Kingdom

USA Sales: 1-800 856 6212

UK Sales: +44 171 721 7021

Fax: +44 171 721 7109