Intellijel µScale 1.0 - Manual

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µScale
Pre
Scale
In
Scale
Post
Scale
In
Scale
Chro-
matic
Scale
Root
Scale
Bank
Root
Intrvl
Save
OUT B OUT A
IN SHIFT
B
A+B
A
Settings
shift type
shift destinatio
nB
Mode
C
C#
D
C#
E
F
F#
G
G#
A
A#
B
12 x buttons + tricolor leds
µScale v1.0 MANUAL
The μScale is a 4hp CV quantizer module. 1V/Oct 0 1-10V range pitch CV signals are fed into the input marked “IN” and
0-10V unipolar or +/5V bipolar CV is fed into the “SHIFT” input to great interesting and complex melodic CV out of the two
outputs “OUT A” and “OUT B”. The buttons and tricolor LEDs allow users to easily program in scales and manipulate how
the shift values affect the generated CV voltages in a wide variety of useful combinations. With the μScale it is possible
to transform analog voltage sources from sequencers, LFO’s, controllers and CV generators into quantized musical val-
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μScale I/O
Active Scale
Menus (Short Hold)
IN: This input accepts 0-10V. Connect the 1V/Oct (or equivalent) voltage source
here from things like a sequencer, keyboard/controller, offset generator etc.
SHIFT: This input accepts either 0-10V or +/-5V signals depending on the jumper
setting on the main PCB. Connect modulation sources such as secondary sequenc-
er outputs, LFO, offset generator, keyboard.
OUT A: Pitch CV voltages in the range of 0-10V and tuned to 1V/Oct CV. This
outputs is the quantized version of the signal fed to the “IN” jack.
OUT B: Pitch CV voltages in the range of 0-10V and tuned to 1V/Oct.
The B outputs voltages are intervals based on the “A” output. The amount of that
interval and its harmonic relation to the root note on “A” depends on several
configurable settings.
The μScale is real-time programmable which means you can edit the scale while it is in
the process of quantizing CV. To do this simply click any of the 12 buttons which
represent the keys of a 12tet keyboard where the top most button is C and the bottom
most button is B. Adjacent to each button is a tricolor LED. In normal operation (i.e. while
not in a submenu display) the notes of the scale are denoted by red LEDs. The currently
quantized note (from the “IN” jack) is shown as a green LED. So if you have a variable
voltage source such as a sequencer output connected to “IN” and you have more than
one note selected to be part of your scale, you should see the green LED lighting up at
different positions of the scale to indicate the changing quantized values.
This scale you are editing is volatile and will not be saved unless you save it to a bank
and preset. Furthermore if you want to make sure the scale is saved offline you must
make sure to store the banks+presets to EEPROM (see below)
SETTINGS: This menu allows you to set three separate settings: Shift Type (Pre Scale, In Scale or Post Scale), Shift Destination
(A, B. A+B or ROOT) and B Mode (Chromatic or In Scale). The current menu settings are denoted with three separate and differ-
ent colored LEDs). To exit the menu make a selection or click the SETTINGS button again.
INTRVL: Set the interval value used by output B. The LED position and color shows the current interval value. A green LED shows
a positive value in the range of 1-12 (where position ‘C’ is 1 and ‘B’ is 12). To set a negative value in the range of -1 to -12 simply
double click the equivalent positive value. (E.g. for an interval of -3 double click the ‘D’ key). Negative interval values are displayed
as a red LED. This interval is calculated in terms of fixed semi tones (chromatic) or scale degrees (in-scale/diatonic) depending on
the option set in the SETTINGS menu (MODE: Chromatic OR In-Scale)
ROOT: Here you can shift the scale forwards or backwards relative to it’s root note. The green LED indicates the current lowest
note of the programmed scale relative to ‘C’. So if I had a C# pentatonic scale programmed (all the black keys) the root note would
be the C#. If I then pressed the F key the entire scale would shift 2 semi tones upwards. This means the note A# (last note in the
scale) would be shifted off the scale but wrapped around to the bottom as C. Technically the new scale root should be F but since
the scale root is always calculated as the lowest note relative to C the new scale root will actually be indicated as C.
BANK: Select one of 12 possible banks. Selected bank is indicated as a red LED. Available non-empty banks are indicated
as green LEDs. So if you select a bank from one of the currently available non-empty banks then the LED color will be yellow
(red+green = yellow). Unlit LEDS show the empty banks.
There are seven menus accessible by pressing and holding the following buttons for approximately 1 second:
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