Gakken SX-150 Assembly And Use Manual - page 3
Descriptions of
Each Part and
Their Functions
Try Producing
Sounds
Amount of time for the
sound volume to rise/fall.
Amount of change in the
rise/fall in pitch of the sound.
Depth of the filter.
Amount of resonance in the sound.
Varying waveform of
pitch of the sound.
Speed of variation
of pitch.
Outputs sound.
(Used when no device
is connected to
OUTPUT)
External input terminal
Terminal for connecting to
a speaker or the like.
Lights up red when the power
is ON.
OFF (Volume at 0)
LO (Volume low)
HI (Volume high)
Electrode
Slider panel
Slider panel/Electrode
Play sounds by touching the
slider panel with the electrode.
Speaker
ATTACK/DECAY
PITCH ENV
PITCH ENV
CUTOFF
CUTOFF
RESONANCE
RESONANCE
LFO WAVE
LFO RATE
EXT. SOURCE
EXT. SOURCE
OUTPUT
OUTPUT
POWER LED
POWER
LFO
LFO WAVE
LFO RATE
ATTACK/DECAY
Monaural cord
(Can also use a stereo cord)
To a modified
Theremin Mini
Descriptions of
Each Part and
Their Functions
Try Producing
Sounds
Amount of time for the
sound volume to rise/fall.
Amount of change in the
rise/fall in pitch of the sound.
Depth of the filter.
Amount of resonance in the sound.
Varying waveform of
pitch of the sound.
Speed of variation
of pitch.
Outputs sound.
(Used when no device
is connected to
OUTPUT)
External input terminal
Terminal for connecting to
a speaker or the like.
Lights up red when the power
is ON.
OFF (Volume at 0)
LO (Volume low)
HI (Volume high)
Electrode
Slider panel
Slider panel/Electrode
Play sounds by touching the
slider panel with the electrode.
Speaker
ATTACK/DECAY
PITCH ENV
PITCH ENV
CUTOFF
CUTOFF
RESONANCE
RESONANCE
LFO WAVE
LFO RATE
EXT. SOURCE
EXT. SOURCE
OUTPUT
OUTPUT
POWER LED
POWER
LFO
LFO WAVE
LFO RATE
ATTACK/DECAY
Monaural cord
(Can also use a stereo cord)
To a modified
Theremin Mini
Guitar
Wind
instrument
Synth
drum
Cat
meowing
Dog
barking
UFO
Train
departure
bell
Car
engine
4
Short for PITCH ENVELOPE.
Changes the pitch in accordance
with the curve of the envelope
(time variations of the sounds).
CUTOFF
CUTOFF produces sounds of
frequencies lower than the
frequency set and cuts out
sounds of higher frequencies.
LFO is the abbreviation of Low
Frequency Oscillator and refers to
an oscillator that operates at low
frequency. It changes slowly over
a constant cycle. It changes pitch
of the original tone.
Adjusts the speed of the
repetition of the wave produced
by LFO.
Changes the shape of the wave
produced by LFO
Determines the shape of the envelope. ATTACK changes the rising time for the sound.
DECAY changes the decay time of the sound. This envelope affects CUTOFF and the
pitch.
Resonance refers to
"resonating" and accentuates
sounds at frequencies near
those set by the CUTOFF.
Pitch
Time
Time
Time
Output
Frequency
Output
Frequency
Volume
Volume
Pitch
Time
Time
Time
Output
Frequency
Output
Frequency
Volume
Volume
Pitch
Time
Time
Time
Output
Frequency
Output
Frequency
Volume
Volume
Pitch
Time
Time
Time
Output
Frequency
Output
Frequency
Volume
Volume
Triangle wave:
A wave traveling along in a linear
manner that repeatedly seesaws
up and down.
Square wave:
A wave with 50% of the width of a
pulse wave that repeats at regular
intervals.
Short for EXTERNAL SOURCE. An external
input terminal. For example, by connecting it
to a Theremin Mini, you can play sounds on
the Theremin Mini using the sound source on
the SX-150.
An external output terminal. Sound quality will increase if the kit is connected to an
external speaker with amplifier for PC or a musical instrument amplifier. This is a
monaural terminal, so you'll only get sound from one channel if you connect to a
stereo device.
Connect a Theremin Mini with a modified
jack and EXT. SOURCE on the SX-150
together with a monaural cord.
Set the knobs and switches on the SX-150 as shown below, and turn on the switch for the
Theremin Mini. You can control LFO, CUTOFF, and RESONANCE, but PITCH ENV and
ATTACK/DECAY cannot be changed.
* Theremin Mini is the supplement
of Vol. 17 of the Otona no Kagaku
(Science for Adults) Magazine.
To connect the Theremin Mini to
the SX-150, complete the
modification procedures for
installing a standard jack as
described on p. 70 "Improving
Sound Quality" of the magazine
Vol. 17.
Tune the Theremin Mini. The
method for tuning it is basically the
same as that for when the Theremin
Mini is used on its own. After turning
the left control dial all the way to the
right, start turning it slowly to the
left, a little bit at a time. Difference
between this and when the
Theremin Mini is used on its own is
that the pitch not only goes lower
but also goes higher, but the step to
stop right before sound stops being
produced is the same.
As with a regular theremin, if you create a zero point, the range within which you can play
sounds by moving your hand will get narrower. If this occurs, play sounds with tuning having
been completed while sounds were still being produced. Try switching LFO WAVE and changing
LFO RATE and further changing CUTOFF and RESONANCE. You can also use CUTOFF for the
volume control as well.
By learning about the functions of each switch and knob, you can learn how to
combine those functions together to produce sounds.
The knob positions are provided
only as rough guides. Search for
the closest equivalent sound as
possible by adjusting the knobs
to the left and right around what
is shown in the pictures.
5
You will get a guitar sound if you play at a higher pitch and a bass guitar sound if you play at
a lower pitch.If you increase the DECAY, you can produce sounds that approximate those of
a piano.
From the settings for the guitar sounds, you can change the sound to that of a wind
instrument by raising ATTACK slightly and making the rise for the sound slower.
Try to create the sound of the synth drum used by YMO.
By varying the setting of PITCH ENV, you can also change it to create the sounds
used in video games.
Adjust ATTACK and DECAY to produce the kind of cat meow you want.You can
quickly change to an elephant's sound by increasing LFO RATE.
There are many kinds of dog barks. This one is more like a yip-yip than a
woof-woof.
This sound doesn't actually exist in the real world, but it will make you think of
UFOs when you hear this eerie sound.
You can get a bell sound if you set LFO WAVE to square wave. Changing LFO RATE will
allow you to produce the sound of a telephone ring.
You can get a sound that's even closer to the real thing if you raise LFO RATE while sliding the
electrode from left to right along the slider panel.
Musical instruments
Musical instruments
Sound effects