3 KB CONT & 3 FREQ

[archer]

Hey everyone,

I've read the Voyager OS manual and kind of know what the function of these two buttons are...but honestly, do any of you use them when making patches? Even in the OS patchbook - which I realize only shows a small amount of possible sounds - barely uses these two buttons. In fact, whenever the patchbook says to turn off the 3 KB CONT and turn the 3 FREQ to low, the patch in question never has oscillator 3 turned on...

Just to verify, the 3 FREQ button when switched to LO only makes a clicking sound being produced from OSC 3. This clicking sound gets faster the higher the key is played, but it is a relatively low volume.

My 3 KB CONT button disconnects the 3rd OSC from the keyboard and I get that; I just don't understand how it could be useful when creating patches. On top of that, all it does is throw OSC 3 like 2 octaves lower than what my octave knob has selected, except it also goes a little out of tune. Is this how all of your 3 KB CONT buttons function?

Thanks, I'm just trying to wrap my head around these two functions. They don't exist on any of my other synths.

[red]

3 FREQ HI = OSC 3 is a "normal" 3rd oscillator
3 FREQ LO = OSC 3 is a LFO which you can use on both MOD busses

3 KB CONT ON = you can use OSC 3 as keyboard CV controlled oscillator
3 KB CONT OFF = OSC 3 will produce a fix frequency (depends on the OKTAVE / FREQUENCY settings - usefull for LFO mode or in the 3-1 FM mode to produce different FM-sounds...)

So you can use OSC 3 in many different and flexible ways... !

[Just Me]

It is your second LFO! So useful it isn't funny. Really fun with KB on and using it to increase vibrato speed as you play up the keyboard as an example.

[thealien666]

BTW, usually when switching OSC 3 into LFO mode, to transform it into an additional modulation source, one would turn it off in the mixer section because we don't usually want to hear an LFO modulation source...

Might I also suggest that you read some book on analog sound synthesis and/or analog sound/music synthesizers ? It would certainly help you understand what you consider strange behaviors of your Old School that are in fact perfectly normal...

Analog music synthesizers are built using technology that is derived from analog computers (not digital ones) and are approximating machines.

[archer]

Yes, but it is supposed to go a couple octaves down and out of tune when I use the 3 KB CONT button? Making all the notes on the keyboard play the same note? Because when I combine this with the other oscillators, this note that osc 3 plays is out of tune. And both of my other oscillators are IN tune.

Also, with the 3 FREQ button, how does yours sound with NO modulation added? Mine sounds like low volume clicks that increase as I press higher keys. I can also hear some floor noise a long with the clicks.

I'm basically trying to figure out if there is anything wrong with my voyager.

[stiiiiiiive]

You should re-read the Alien's post above.

[thealien666]

Archer, at the risk of repeating myself, you can stop being paranoid and suspect that your Voyager Old School is broken, it's not. Everything you have described is perfectly normal behavior.

The 3 KB CONT switch disconnects the keyboard control of oscillator 3. That why you don't have control of its frequency when it's in the OFF position. The clicks your hear are the low frequency of oscillator 3 that is not controlled by the keyboard anymore, with that switch to OFF position. When you put the 3 KB CONT switch in the OFF position, the result is that the frequency of oscillator 3 is now only controlled by its octave range selector and its frequency knob. The 3 KB CONT switch is there to transform oscillator 3 into an additional LFO. And when you do this, it is preferable to switch oscillator 3 off in the mixer section so you don't hear it anymore, but rather use it to modulate something else by selecting OSC 3 as a source and something else with the destination selector in one of the MOD BUS 1 or 2 or both.


Let me repeat my suggestion that you would probably benefit greatly by reading and learning more about analog synthesis, either on the web or in books. That way your mind would be more at ease concerning the health of your beloved Voyager, and you would be able to more fully enjoy it.

Knowledge is something acquired, not instantaneous. Analog synthesizers are great musical and sonic tools, and like any other tool the better you know and understand how to use them, the better you can enjoy working with them. Take the time to learn their sometimes complex operation, it won't be disappointing but it requires a little effort.

[archer]

Ok, I think I'm fine, but I'm going to post a video of the issue anyways...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qaeJOXDz ... e=youtu.be

The questions in this post start at 2:35.

Just take a look. Thanks for replying!

[thealien666]

I've watched the video and everything is fine, including from 2:35 and on.

I'm sorry. You obviously didn't read and/or didn't try understand all of the replies so far about this in this thread. The behavior was clearly explained by myself and others too. But if you don't WANT to understand, that's another story...

I'm done.

[metron]

The switches are for using it as a modulation source, not as an audio oscillator. As has been mentioned, turn it off in the mixer.