Apple MainStage 3 Instruments - MainStage 3 Instruments

Switch between Ultrabeat oscillator synthesis modes
Oscillator 1 can be switched between three different synthesis engines: phase oscillator, fm, and
side chain (external audio input), which extends your sonic palette significantly. Each mode
(engine) provides different parameters and features.
Oscillator 2 can be switched between three different types of synthesis engines: phase oscillator,
sample, and model. Each mode offers different parameters and features.
mm
Click a button on the upper edge of oscillator 1 to select a mode (synthesizer engine).
mm
Click a button on the lower edge of oscillator 2 to select a mode (synthesizer engine).
Click the appropriate
button (on the upper
edge of oscillator 1) to
enable each mode.
Ultrabeat oscillator 1 phase oscillator mode
The waveform of the phase oscillator can be reshaped into almost any basic synthesizer
waveform. The effects of parameter changes are immediately reflected in the waveform display.
See Create classic waveforms with Ultrabeat’s phase oscillator.
On/off button
Saturation slider
Asym slider
Slope knob
Waveform display
Phase oscillator parameters
••
Slope knob: Rotate to set the slope or steepness of the waveform. The higher the value, the
steeper the waveform. The resulting sound takes on an increasingly nasal character as the
incline becomes more vertical.
••
Saturation slider: Move to Increase the gain, eventually causing the waveform to clip. Higher
values result in a distortion of the waveform shape, making it more rectangular. This results in
a corresponding increase in odd-numbered overtones.
••
Asym(metry) slider: Move to change the waveform angle. Higher values skew the waveform
toward a sawtooth wave. Asym can be modulated by the sources shown in the mod and
via pop-up menus, enabling dynamic sound changes at the oscillator level. See Ultrabeat
modulation overview on page 360.
Note: Oscillator 2’s phase oscillator operates in a nearly identical fashion to the phase oscillator
of oscillator 1. The key difference is that Saturation can be modulated in oscillator 2, rather than
Asymmetry (in oscillator 1). This means that when both oscillators are in phase oscillator mode,
they can produce different sounds.
Chapter 14 Ultrabeat 341