The envelopes are used to shape the sound over time. Envelope 1 is hard-wired' to amplitude or volume. It is used to decide how quickly the sound starts when you hit a note and how it sustains or dies away. Envelope 2 can be used to control both Pulse Width and/or Filter Frequency changes depending on the settings of the Mod Source switch below Pulse Width and the Filter Mod switch in the Filter section. Of course, if neither of these is switched to Env 2, you will hear no change when you alter the settings of Envelope 2. Switch one or the other to Env 2 to hear the changes you are making.
The Envelope 1 controls the overall volume of the instrument over time (pre FX).
This knob sets how quickly the envelope rises to its maximum level when a note is struck. At the far left, this is 1 millisecond (instantaneous to our ears) increasing exponentially to 10 seconds at the far right. This mean that the left hand side of the range can make very fine adjustments to quick attack times, whilst greater changes can be made to longer attack times on the right hand side.
This knob sets how quickly the envelope drops off to the sustain level once the maximum level has been reached. At the far left this time is 3 milliseconds (still instantaneous to our ears) increasing exponentially to 10 seconds at the far right. Again fine adjustment of short times can be made on the left and bigger changes to longer decay times on the right.
This knob sets the level at which the envelope remains after the Decay phase until the keyboard is released. At the far left the envelope will decay all the way to zero without being interrupted. As the knob is moved to the right, the level at which the decay is halted increases until at the far right, there is no decay at all.
This knobs sets how quickly the envelope drops from the sustain level to zero once the key has been released. At the far left this time is 3 milliseconds (still instantaneous to our ears) increasing exponentially to 10 seconds at the far right. Again fine adjustment of short times can be made on the left and bigger changes to longer release times on the right.
This knob sets how much effect velocity has on the envelope. Hard key strikes will always make the envelope reach its peak level, but softer strokes will produce a varying peak dependent on the setting of the Velocity knob. At the far left there will be no velocity effect, ie. soft strokes will produce exactly the same effect as hard ones. As you turn the knob to the fight, softer strokes will open the envelope less and less, until at the far right the softest stroke will not open the envelope at all. Obviously on envelope 1, this will result in quieter notes from soft keys strokes, whereas on envelope 2 softer notes will produce less Pulse Width and/or Filter Frequency Modulation, depending on which are switched to Env 2 in their appropriate sections.
The Envelope 2 controls the filter cutoff position via the Filter Modulation Knob on the Filter over time.
This knob sets how quickly the envelope rises to its maximum level when a note is struck. At the far left, this is 1 millisecond (instantaneous to our ears) increasing exponentially to 10 seconds at the far right. This mean that the left hand side of the range can make very fine adjustments to quick attack times, whilst greater changes can be made to longer attack times on the right hand side.
This knob sets how quickly the envelope drops off to the sustain level once the maximum level has been reached. At the far left this time is 3 milliseconds (still instantaneous to our ears) increasing exponentially to 10 seconds at the far right. Again fine adjustment of short times can be made on the left and bigger changes to longer decay times on the right.