Retro AS-1 turns your Power Macintosh into a full-featured programmable MIDI-controlled analog synthesizer!
System Requirements for the Retro AS-1 Demo software
• Mac OS® compatible computer system with 120MHz or faster PowerPC® processor
• Operating system software version 7.6.1 or higher (OS 8 or higher recommended)
• 32 megabytes RAM
• 40 megabytes hard disk space (8mb with HFS+)
• Compatible CD-ROM drive
• 800 x 600 or higher resolution color monitor
Suggested System Enhancements
• Quality stereo sound monitoring system
• MIDI controller and interface
Important User Manual Information
We strongly recommend reading the Retro AS-1 Manual in order to fully understand and implement the power of Retro AS-1. The manual will be installed by the Retro AS-1 Demo Installer.
The manual is provided in the Adobe Acrobat portable document ("pdf") format. To open the document, you will need the Adobe Acrobat Reader application version 3.01 or higher. The manual can be printed for "hard copy" if desired from within Acrobat Reader. If you don't have Acrobat Reader, it is available as a free internet download at http://www.adobe.com.
Please familiarize yourself with important operational concepts by reading the manual before assuming there is a problem. Chapters 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 are particularly important.
Welcome to Retro AS-1!
Thank you for your interest in Retro AS-1, the full-featured professional software synthesizer from BitHeadz. At last there is software that is so convenient and sounds so fantastic, your Computer will become your favorite sound module. Using sizzling new DSP technology, you can recreate the sounds of all the classic analog synthesizers or create amazing new soundscapes of your own from scratch with full programmability.
Just imagine... your creativity will no longer be stifled by “old-school” hardware limitations on oscillators, filters, modulation, and effects. And of course, it's fully polyphonic and multi-timbral, with fast response time, and more.
Extensive MIDI implementation allows real-time control of all parameters and easy integration into existing MIDI setups. You can play Retro AS-1 “live” just like any other musical instrument with layers, splits, and full MIDI continuous control, or use it as a multi-timbral sound module running behind your favorite MIDI application on the same computer.
Use the full-featured arpeggiator to generate analog-style “sequences”. You can even write the synthesizer’s complete multi-timbral stereo output to disk as an audio file for use in your favorite digital audio applications.
Is it too good to be true? No! Computer hardware and software is finally fast enough to execute our latest “rocket science” music technology, and you get to enjoy the benefits of it.
Retro AS-1 will provide you with a wealth of new sonic opportunities. We hope you enjoy using Retro AS-1 as much as we enjoyed creating it!
Features
General
• Outstanding 16-bit, 44.1kHz sound quality
• Excellent real-time play response time
• 100 percent programmable
• Over 200 parameters; up to 200 values per parameter
• "Musician Friendly" user interface
• Unlimited presets; includes 1000 factory presets
• Full simultaneous MIDI application compatibility (via OMS™ & FreeMIDI™)
• Up to 32 note polyphony (CPU dependent)
• CPU limiting to accommodate MIDI applications
• On-screen keyboard; no MIDI controller required to trigger sounds
• Ability to write synthesizer output to disk in audio file format (8, 16, or 24 bit)
• Supports Direct IO for output directly to Digidesign digital audio hardware
• Stereo output
Oscillators
• Up to 3 oscillators per voice (not including low frequency oscillators)
• Sync any oscillator to any other oscillator or filter
• Frequency modulation from any oscillator or filter
Filters
• 2 assignable filters per voice
• 13 filter types, including 4-pole resonant lowpass, highpass, bandpass, allpass, notch, and state-variable
• Multiple inputs allow parallel and/or serial filtering
• Filters can be modulated by oscillators (“poly mod”)
Modulation
• Dozens of modulation routings
• Dozens of envelopes and low frequency oscillators (“LFO’s”)
• Six different LFO shapes
• LFO’s can be synchronized to MIDI clock
• Most parameters are available as a modulation source and/or destination
• Four continuous MIDI controller modulation sources are available simultaneously
Effects
• 2 insert (serial) effects processors per voice
• 2 additional global (parallel) stereo effects processors
• 2 global effect sends per MIDI channel
• Fully parametric and shelf equalizers
• Multiple stereo reverb and reflection algorithms
• Stereo delays, chorus, phaser, and flange
• Overdrive and distortion effects
• Delay times can be synchronized to MIDI clock
Arpeggiator
• Multiple latch and assignment modes
• Enter notes manually or use on-screen keyboard for controller-free play
• Arpeggiator can be synchronized to MIDI clock
MIDI
• MIDI Processor enables full control of layers and splits
• 16 simultaneous MIDI channel multi-timbral
• Real-time control of all parameters simultaneously via NRPNs
• Serial port application included for direct MIDI input (requires Serial DMA support)
Key Concepts
It’s really a Synthesizer
All Retro AS-1 functionality is implemented using digital signal processing technology. There are no samples, wavetables, or digital audio recordings of any kind within Retro AS-1. All audio is generated on the fly, in real-time, as you manipulate and play back
the sounds.
Use it like an instrument
No additional hardware or software is required to use Retro AS-1. Sounds can be triggered internally using the on-screen keyboard utility. Using a MIDI controller (such as a MIDI compatible keyboard) and interface (not included), sounds can be played in real-time like a conventional hardware synthesizer with layers, splits, and full MIDI continuous control. With the included MIDI drivers for OMS and FreeMIDI, Retro AS-1 can be used as a multi-timbral sound module, running in the background behind your favorite MIDI application on the same computer.
Program Files
All synthesizer voicing parameters are accessed using the Retro AS-1 Editor application. Each Editor file is a complete synthesizer "patch" that includes multiple oscillators, filters, modulation routings, and insert effects. We call this complete set of voicing parameters a program. The synthesizer engine loads program files from disk into RAM dynamically as required for playback on each of the 16 MIDI channels. Groups of related programs can be easily arranged into banks.
Setup Files
The Retro AS-1 MIDI Processor is a powerful performance tool that enables you to modify MIDI data in the synthesizer engine by programming layers (two programs sounding simultaneously), splits (two different programs on each side of the keyboard), and arpeggiations (notes in a chord played sequentially, one at time). The MIDI Processor can be thought of as our own version of the multis, performances, or combinations in hardware keyboard products. We call one complete group of layer, split, and arpeggiation settings a Setup. Each MIDI Processor file can contain dozens of setups.
Mixer Files
Multi-timbral settings can be created and modified using the Retro AS-1 Mixer application. Each Mixer file contains a complete set of values for bank and program selection, volume, pan, mute, solo, and global effect send levels on each of the 16 MIDI channels. Global effects parameters can also be accessed in the Mixer, and their values are stored in the Mixer file. Mixer files enable fast and easy multi-timbral reconfigurations for use in particular MIDI environments.
MIDI
Retro AS-1 enables direct connection to a MIDI interface without the hassles of third-party MIDI operating systems such as MIDI Manager, OMS, or FreeMIDI. However, OMS and FreeMIDI drivers are included to allow for complete integration into existing MIDI setups. Retro AS-1 can run in the background behind your favorite MIDI application on the same CPU, providing excellent synthesizer timbres without additional hardware. Up to 4 simultaneous real-time modulations using standard MIDI controllers can be stored in a program for expressive performances. Additionally, almost every voicing parameter can be accessed simultaneously for real-time control using our extensive MIDI implementation.
Polyphony
Because there is no dedicated hardware to perform certain tasks, the computer's CPU must handle all synthesizer routines. Therefore, the available polyphony is dependent upon CPU type, clock and bus speed, voice complexity, and other applications that may be running simultaneously. CPU processing resources can be reserved or limited in the Retro AS-1 control panel, and polyphony can be restricted to allow use on slower PowerMac systems.
Output
The output of Retro AS-1 goes to the Sound Manager, part of the Macintosh operating system. Proper Sound Manager setup is critical for optimum performance and sound quality. The Retro AS-1 signal is sent by the Sound Manager to the Macintosh stereo audio outputs, where it can be routed to a mixer, headphones, stereo system, recording device, or any other audio input. Using the Record To Disk feature, the synthesizer output (including multi-timbral output with effects) can be recorded to disk as an audio file for use in digital audio applications.
Software Components
The Retro AS-1 package is a modular collection of eight main software components, all designed to work together while maintaining ease of use and sensible functionality grouping. Each of the components is briefly described below. For detailed component descriptions, refer to its associated reference chapter.
Retro AS-1 Editor Application
The Editor is the main sound design application, where synthesizer programs are created, modified, and saved. The synthesizer voicing parameters are accessed here. The Editor is mainly for voicing only; it does not need to be open to use the synth. For details, see Chapter 7.
Retro AS-1 MIDI Processor Application
The MIDI Processor is a powerful software controller that allows you to control layers, splits, arpeggiations, and other “live play” controls. It receives MIDI data from the synthesizer engine, then processes it using a variety of functions before returning it back to the engine for audio output. The MIDI Processor does not need to be open to use the synth. For details, see Chapter 6.
Retro AS-1 Keyboard Application
This is an on-screen keyboard that allows you to audition Retro AS-1 sounds without using a MIDI controller. It has several utility
functions for selecting programs and triggering notes and chords. For details, see Chapter 8.
Retro AS-1 Mixer Application
The Mixer is where you can create, edit, and save multi-timbral mixes. You can also edit the global effects processors here and set their individual send levels per MIDI channel. For details, see Chapter 9.
Retro AS-1 Status Utility
The Status window allows you to view polyphony and CPU usage in real-time. It provides visual feedback to assist in optimizing system configuration parameters. For details, see Chapter 5.
Retro AS-1 OMS Input, FreeMIDI Input, & Serial Input utilities
These utilities are used to get MIDI data from the Macintosh serial ports to the synth engine during “live play” or anytime OMS or FreeMIDI applications are not active. They are background applications that are opened automatically when the Editor, MIDI Processor, or Mixer applications are launched. For details, see Chapter 4.
Retro AS-1 OMS & FreeMIDI drivers
These driver components are used in conjunction with third-party MIDI operating systems to run the synthesizer from within existing MIDI software environments. They allow you to trigger Retro AS-1 from MIDI applications running on the same computer as the synthesizer. For details, see Chapter 4.
Retro AS-1 Control Panel
The control panel is the global settings utility. It allows you to edit system configuration parameters such as polyphony, CPU usage, sample rate, MIDI controller assignments, output device, and more. For details, see Chapter 5.
Retro AS-1 Programs
The Retro AS-1 Programs folder is where the synthesizer programs are located. Program files can reside anywhere but must be within the Retro AS-1 Programs folder to receive MIDI Bank and Program change commands. Programs are arranged into banks by creating a folder hierarchy within the Retro AS-1 Programs folder. For details, see Appendix A.
Retro AS-1 Engine and Object Library Extensions
These system extensions are the host-based processors that perform the actual synthesis. This “synth engine” performs its duties in the background at the system level, behind all other applications. The synth engine itself, when activated, requires 6 megabytes of system memory in addition to any other applications being used.
