PARAMETER LIST
MAIN
MIDI channel (Chn) - [001-016]
This is the MIDI channel for DROID-3. It will only respond to data received on this channel. It can be set from 1 to 16. When the unit is turned on it always receives MIDI data on channel 1.
Step (Stp) - [000-007|default=000]
Every time this parameter it is increased, it halves the output resolution of envelope 2 and DCO 2. When it is set to e.g. 6, the resolution (which is normally 8 bits) will be mere 2 bits creating a very "dirty" and digital sound for DCO 2. Also envelope 2 will output in large steps making e.g. a pitch slide sound very unsmooth and arcade-like.
Arpeggio time (Arp) - [000-255] - matrix controllable
The arpeggio is an automated sequencer which is activated when more than one note is held down (and the time is set to a value other than 0). It replays the notes one by one in a certain tempo depending on the time setting (this parameter) and how many notes that are held down. The more notes, the faster it plays, so that all the notes are always played within the same amount of time. Its buffer can hold up to four notes and it plays them in the order they were received over MIDI.
The arpeggio has 255 times. 001 is the longest/slowest and at 000 it is turned off. At approximately 150 the speed is so high that you can no longer hear the different notes and above that it resembles some kind of frequency modulation (FM).
Ordinary arpeggios will use accordingly more time to play all the notes in a chord for each new note added - so that e.g. 2 notes take half the time to play than would 4 notes. However, as mentioned above, with DROID-3, the cycle/chord-time (set by this parameter) stays the same, even though you add extra notes. E.g. when you hold down 2 notes the arpeggio plays each note two times as long as if you hold down 4 notes. Thus it will complete the cycle in the same amount of time.
BITS
Bits (FEKKTTLS) - [00000000-11111111]
This menu is different from all the other menus. It has only one parameter which consists of eight bits representing eight different modes (see below). When a bit is set to 1 it turns on the mode it represents. When set to 0 the mode is turned off. These bits can not be accessed individually - they act as a byte (values from 0-255) represented in the binary mumbering system. This means you have to keep rotating the dial until the desired pattern of bits appears.
| Bit 1 (S) | = | Sync slave mode for DCO 1 |
| Bit 2 (L) | = | Legato mode for both envelopes |
| Bit 3 (T) | = | Retrig DCO 1's waveform each time a note is played |
| Bit 4 (T) | = | Retrig DCO 2's waveform each time a note is played |
| Bit 5 (K) | = | Key follow for DCO 1 |
| Bit 6 (K) | = | Key follow for DCO 2 |
| Bit 7 (E) | = | Envelope 1 loop - with fade in and retrig |
| Bit 8 (F) | = | Envelope 2 loop - free run |
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• Sync slave mode for DCO 1
When this bit is set, DCO 1's waveform will restart/retrig every time DCO 2's waveform crosses the center of the output. Note that it is only the waveform, not the envelope, that is restarted.
Normally oscillator synchronization like this would just retrig the slave DCO every time the master waveform of the DCO restarted. That way only the pitch of the master DCO would have an influence on the slave DCO. With DROID-3, however, both the waveform and the pitch of DCO 2 will affect DCO 1. For instance, when DCO 1 is in sync mode, you will be able to hear square pulse width modulation on DCO 2 just by listening to DCO 1.
• Legato mode for both envelopes
When this bit is set, the envelopes will not restart when new notes are played, if they are played overlapping each other (legato). Only when all the notes are inactive will the envelopes restart the next time a new one is played. NB: When envelope 2 is in loop/free run mode (bit 8 set to 1) this envelope will never restart no matter what.
• Key follow
When this bit is set, the notes played with the corresponding DCO will, as a basis, have the correct pitch proportions of a regular piano all over the note range. When this bit is turned off the pitch will stay the same all over the keyboard (unless the Frequency parameter is controlled by the KF or KF2 matrix controller).
• Envelope 1 loop - with fade in and retrig
When this bit is set and a note is played, the envelope will function normally until it reaches the Sustain point. Instead of just staying there, it will loop back to the Level point with the speed set in the Release parameter. Then it will continue to Sustain again with the speed set in the Decay parameter, then back to the Level point and so forth. When the note is released the envelope will proceed to the Release point, as usual, using the speed set in the Release parameter.
• Envelope 2 loop - free run
When this bit is set, envelope 2 will loop like envelope 1 as described above, only it will keep looping, no matter what, and never proceed to the Release point (or Attack point for that matter).
DCO
Waveform (Wav) - [000-063] - matrix controllable
This parameter sets the waveform of the corresponding DCO. Each DCO has 7 waveforms (8 includning the silent one):
| | 0 = Saw-tooth up |
| | 1 = Saw-tooth down |
| | 2 = Square |
| | 3 = Triangle |
| | 4 = White noise (pitch independent) |
| | 5 = Sample & hold random |
| | 6 = Digital (tiny sample-loop) |
| | 7 = Silence |
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Contrary to DCO 2, the waveforms of DCO 1 is antialiased and they sound a little smoother.
When the offset (parameter described below) is other than 128 and the amplitude is big enough the waveforms will distort. In DROID-3 this distortion can happen in 4 different ways. If you want the first distortion mode, you must select one of the first 8 waveform values (000-007). If you want to use the second distortion mode, you must select one the next 8 waveform values (008-015) and so forth:
| 000-007 | = | Clipping distortion mode |
| 008-015 | = | Mirror distortion mode |
| 016-023 | = | Zero-snap distortion mode |
| 024-031 | = | Wrap distortion mode |
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When a DCO distorts using the...
...clipping distortion mode, the waveform will be clipped like with regular digital distortion when it exceeds the amplitude limit.
...mirror distortion mode, the part of the waveform which exceeds the amplitude limit will be mirrored back towards to center. E.g. the peak of a triangle will turn around and point inwards.
...zero-snap distortion mode, the output will be 0 (center/muted) as long as the waveform exceeds the amplitude limit.
...wrap distortion mode, the waveform will appear intactly at the opposite side of the amplitude range.
Pulse width (PW) - [000-255|default=128] - matrix controllable
When the corresponding DCO waveform is set to square, this parameter controls the pulse width. At 128 the square wave is symmetrical. For other waveforms than square this parameter has no effect.
Frequency (Frq) - [000-255|default=128] - matrix controllable
This parameter sets the frequency of the corresponding DCO and is centered around 128, which means that it is in tune at this value (neutral). The Frequency parameter has four different range modes which decide how much it will affect the pitch of corresponding DCO. The range mode is set by the corresponding DCO's octave (parameter described below).
| Mode | Tuning | Range |
| 1 | Fine | 2 notes
+/-1 note |
| 2 | Linear* | Pitch dependent
The lower pitch the wider, the higher the smaller. |
| 3 | Standard | More than 4½ octaves
+2 octaves and nearly 8 notes / -2 octaves and 8 notes |
| 4 | Wide | Almost 16 octaves
+7 octaves and just over 11 notes / -8 octaves (a little more) |
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* One DCO detuned with linear tuning will sound out of tune, but two DCOs played together, where one of them is detuned a little using the linear mode, will sound "better" than with ordinary tuning. Normally when two DCOs are detuned, the rythm of their interference (heard as beats within the sound) will speed up the higher notes you play. High notes can therefore sound out of tune or strident. With linear detuning this does not happen; instead, it sounds almost like a chorus with a constant rate.
Technical note: The ear is a lot more sensitive to changes in the low frequencies than in the high. Contrary to logarithmic tuning which takes this into account, linear tuning does not and is therefore non-tonal - to the ear its depth depends on what note is played. E.g. using linear tuning, a 100 Hz note tuned to 120 Hz would at 1000 Hz be tuned to 1020 Hz. Using regular (logarithmic) tuning, a 100 Hz note tuned to 120 Hz would at 1000 Hz be tuned to 1200 Hz.
DCO
Amplitude (Amp) - [000-255] - matrix controllable
This parameter sets the amplitude of the corresponding DCO. Amplitude is the level or the volume of the DCO. Normally this parameter would be set to a matrix controller such as Envelope or Gate.
Offset (Off) - [000-255|default=128] - matrix controllable
Offset value allows for distorting the waveform. In DROID-3, the output of a DCO is usually centered around 128. The offset value is added to the waveform thus raising it or lowering it so that the center can be set other than 128. This would, however, not be audiable had it not been for the distortion that occurs when the waveform exceeds the amplitude limit when it is not centered. The more the offset value differs from 128 the more distortion will occur.
Actually you can mix both DCOs into one by simply choosing the other DCO as a matrix controller for the offset. This will most likely create some distortion.
Octave (Oct) - [000-063]
This parameter sets the octave of the corresponding DCO. Each DCO has 16 octaves. This parameter also controls the mode/range of the Frequency parameter (there is details about each mode/range in the Frequency parameter description above). To select frequency mode 1 use on of the first 16 octaves of this parameter (000 to 015). To select mode 2 use the next 16 octaves (016-031) and so forth:
| 000-015 | = | Frequency mode 1 (fine-tuning) |
| 016-031 | = | Frequency mode 2 (linear tuning) |
| 032-047 | = | Frequency mode 3 (standard tuning) |
| 048-063 | = | Frequency mode 4 (wide tuning) |
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ENV
Envelope offset (Off) - [000-255|default=000] - matrix controllable
The offset value is added to the corresponding envelope output. If the envelope output and the offset value exceeds 255 it will remain 255. E.g. when envelope offset is set to 251 the envelope will output only 251,252,253,254 and 255 instead of 0,1,2,3 and 4 (above 4 the envelope will still output 255).
In the follow descriptions of the envelope parameters, it is assumed that offset is set to 0.
Envelope attack (Atk) - [000-255]
When the envelope is trigged by a MIDI note it will start by outputting 0. This parameter sets the speed with which the envelope slides from 0 to the value set in Level (described below). Note that this is not a time but a speed or rate, so if the range of the slide is made smaller, the slide will take less time to complete.
Envelope level (Lvl) - [000-255]
This is the second value on the envelope curve (as the first one i always 0). When the envelope is trigged by a MIDI note, the envelope will, as mentioned above, always slide from 0 to the value set in this parameter.
ENV
Envelope decay (Dec) - [000-255]
This parameter sets the speed with which the envelope slides from the value in Level (described above) to the Sustain value (described below). Note that this is a speed/rate, so if the depth of the slide is made smaller, the slide will take less time to complete.
Envelope sustain (Sus) - [000-255]
When the envelope reaches this point (when it is not in loop mode) it will stay here and output this value as long as the MIDI note, that trigged it, is held down.
Envelope release (Rel) - [000-255]
This parameter sets the speed with which the envelope slides from the value set in Sustain (described above) to 0. This happens when the MIDI note, that trigged the envelope, is released.
FLTR
Filter type / routing structure (Typ) - [000-255]
This parameter determines how the output from the two DCOs are routed through the filter(s) and mixed.
•-]
off
•--------------------------------------------(
| on \
| •-] •
,------. | off FILTER FILTERS |
| OSC1 |-•----( ,-----------. ,-------. |
`------´ on \ | | | | | /|
•--|HP/LP/BP/BR| •--| HP/LP |--• | ,-||
| |-- or >-------< •---•--| ||
•--| Boost | •--| HP/LP |--• | `-||
,------. on / | on/off | | | | \|
| OSC2 |-•----( `-----------´ `-------´ |
`------´ | off |
| •-] •
| on /
•--------------------------------------------(
off
•-]
If you program the DROID directly using the dial and buttons, it is highly recommended that you use the programming sheet in the 'Supplementary materials' section. With that scheme you can pick the desired routing and look up the value for this parameter quite easily (and you will not need to read the rest of this description).
Tehcnical explanation: The value of this parameter (called the structure value) is shown in decimal although it is actually interpreted in binary (e.g. 037 = 00100101). On the floppy disk you received with your DROID, there is a program called "DROID-3 structure viewer.exe" visualizing the structures for better understanding. This will allow you to select the routing you want and show the corresponding structure value. Note that some modes/bits may not always have an effect as it depends on the routing. This is how the bits that forms the structure value are interpreted:
| Bit 1 | = | Pre-mix DCO 1 | When set to 1, DCO 1 is routed to filter 1. |
| Bit 2 | = | Pre-mix DCO 2 | When set to 1, DCO 2 is routed to filter 1 - or 2 if both filters are active. |
| Bit 3 | = | Post-mix DCO 1 | When set to 1, DCO 1 is added to the output after the filter. |
| Bit 4 | = | Post-mix DCO 2 | When set to 1, DCO 2 is added to the output after the filter. |
| Bit 5 | = | Filter mode: | When set to 0 only filter 1 is active.
When set to 1 both filters are active in parallel:
DCO 1 is routed to filter 1 and DCO 2 to filter 2. |
| Bit 6+7 | = | Filter type: |
When bit 5 is 0: 00=LP 01=BP 10=HP 11=BJ
When bit 5 is 1: 00=LP/LP 01=LP/HP 11=HP/HP 10=HP/LP
Example: When bit 5,6,7 = 1,0,1 you will have a low pass (LP) filter for DCO 1 and a high pass (HP) for DCO 2.
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| Bit 8 | = | Boost mix | When set to 1, the filter input will be boosted 6 dB. Note that this bit only has an effect if both DCOs routed to filter 1 (bit 5 is 0 and bit 1 and 2 are set). |
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Filter 1 cutoff frequency (Cut) - [000-255] - matrix controllable
This parameter controls the cutoff frequency of filter 1.
Filter 1 band width / filter 2 cutoff frequency (Wid) - [000-255] - matrix controllable
When filter 1 is in band pass og band rejection mode this parameter controls the band width. When filter 1 is in low pass or high pass mode this parameter is inactive unless the filter type / routing setting is set to dual mode. In dual mode this parameter controls the cutoff frequency of filter 2.
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