Window Reference Volume Page |

The audio signal from the Filter Page feeds the Volume Page. If the Volume Envelope is switched on, the signal is processed by the Volume Envelope, otherwise the Volume Envelope is bypassed.
Note: You don't need to use the Volume Envelope if your Instrument design doesn't call for it. In fact, the Volume Envelope contributes to the synthesizer's CPU processing load - so if you don't need the Volume Envelope, you should switch it off. To switch the Volume Envelope off, turn off the small light next to the large Volume Page button. About the Volume Envelope
The Volume Envelope is displayed as a graph, where the horizontal axis represents Time and the vertical axis represents the volume Level. The graph shows all the segments that make up the Volume Envelope. You can edit the envelope's shape directly in the graph - just click on a point and drag it up and down, and right and left, to a new Time and Level.
The Volume Envelope points are also listed below the graph as pairs of numbers (Time and Level).
How Envelope Phases Relate to Note Timing
A Volume Envelope has up to three phases - the Attack phase, an optional Sustain phase, and the Release phase. These phases link envelope timing to the MIDI note events that trigger the note:
Phase
Description
Attack (before grey section) Can have multiple segments
| The Attack phase begins when the MIDI Note On message is received. The Volume Envelope starts working through its segments, and continues until one of two things happen: · The MIDI Note Off event is received. If this happens first, the Volume Envelope jumps to the first segment in the Release phase, skipping any phases not yet reached. · The last segment in the Attack phase ends. If this happens before the Note Off event, the Volume Envelope continues into the Sustain phase.
Sustain (grey background) Can only have one segment
| If the Attack phase has completed, but the MIDI note is still being held, then the Volume Envelope stays in the Sustain segment until the MIDI note is released. Remember, the MIDI note can be held for an unlimited amount of time. That's why the Time axis isn't labeled during Sustain segment, and why Time begins again from 0 when the Release phase starts. For the same reason, the Sample will typically be looping while the Volume Envelope is in the Sustain phase. Decay during the Sustain segment: Ordinarily the Volume Envelope will hold steady at the same Level during the Sustain segment, so that the note can be held infinitely long if necessary. However, for many kinds of Instruments - including plucked strings and pitched percussion - maintaining a steady volume during the sustain period sounds unnatural, so you also have the option to allow the Volume Envelope to decay during the Sustain segment. Note: If you use Decay during the Sustain segment, the segment is drawn in red. Note: If you use Decay during the Sustain segment, and your Envelope decays to zero before the MIDI notes are finished, the notes will end prematurely.
Release (after grey section) Can have multiple segments
The Release phase begins when the MIDI Note Off message is received. The Volume Envelope jumps to the first Release segment, and works through the Release segments until reaching the end of the last Release segment - at which time, the note is finished.
Working with the Volume Page Zooming the Display
To manually zoom in and out, use the magnifying glass buttons in the upper right corner. If you drag a point off the right edge of the window, the display will automatically zoom out to fit.
Using the Preset Envelope Shapes
The three Create New Shape buttons below and to the right of the graph call up simple, pre- defined envelope shapes. For example, the second button is a basic 3-point envelope with no sustain segment.
Note: Clicking a Create New Shape button will wipe out your current, edited envelope and replace it with one of the preset shapes. Tip: Changing the Envelope type with the Create New Shape buttons can drastically change the Instrument's sound. If you don't like the sound of resulting change, use the Undo command immediately. Editing the Envelope Shape To Add a new point: Click on any graph segment and a new segment will be added to the same phase of the Envelope. Note: If the Volume Envelope you're editing does not already include a Sustain segment, you cannot add a new Sustain segment directly. Instead, you'll have to use the Create New Shape buttons to select a preset shape that does include a Sustain segment, then edit its shape to meet your Instrument's requirements. To Move a point's Time and/or Level: Click on the point and drag its handle. Notes: To enter exact Time and Level values, click on the number fields and type. To change just one and not the other, hold the Shift key to constrain your drag to just one dimension at a time. To Delete a point: Windows: Alt-click the point. Mac OS: Option-click the point. To use Decay during the Sustain segment: Drag down on the Sustain segment's end handle, and then move it left or right. The Sustain segment will be redrawn in red. Hold Sample In Release
The Hold Sample in Release button controls how Samples that include loops will behave in this Instrument:
If the Hold Sample in Release button is on, the Sample Loop will never exit once entered. The part of the Sample after the Looping region won't be heard in this Instrument. If the Hold Sample in Release button is off, the Sample Loop will only repeat as long as the MIDI note is held. As soon as the MIDI note is released - in other words, as soon as the Volume Envelope enters the Release phase - the Sample will stop Looping, and the part of the Sample after the Looping region will play. Note: Samples without Loops aren't affected by the Hold Sample in Release button.

Window Reference / Volume Page top |