Circuit Rhythm’s macro controls provide key parameters for tweaking the
sound of your samples. The
parameter that each macro controls is printed beneath it.
Macro 1 - (Tune) will alter the tuning of samples on
the track over a range of +/-1 octave.
Tuning will change in increments of 20 cents (1/5 of a semitone).
To change in increments of a semitone, hold Shift while
adjusting.
Macro 2 - (Start) will alter the start point of samples
on the track, and Macro 3 (Length) will
alter the length. That is, the point in the sample at which playback begins
when triggered, and
how much of the sample is played back from the start point.
To fine-tune start or length, hold Shift to increase the
resolution, and turn the corresponding Macro.
Macro 4 - (Slope) will alter the slope that governs the
sample’s volume when triggered. Turning
clockwise will add an attack phase, followed by a decay phase in gated
or looped playback
modes: the volume will ramp up following the trigger and decay after the
gate is released in
gated or looped playback modes. The greater the clockwise rotation, the
longer the ramp will
be.
Turning anticlockwise will add a decay phase. After the sample is triggered,
the volume will
decrease. The greater the anticlockwise rotation, the faster the decay
will be until only a short
click remains.
Macro 5 - (Distortion) will add harmonics to the sound
in the form of distortion. As the control
is increased, drum samples will begin to sound more aggressive while melodic
sounds will have
an overdriven character.
Macro 6 - (HP Filter) adjusts the cutoff frequency of
the high pass filter. Turning the control
clockwise removes more low frequencies, which can make a sound sit better
in the mix.
Macro 7 - (LP Filter) works in the opposite sense to
Macro 6, and adjusts the cutoff frequency
of the low pass filter. Turning the control anticlockwise removes the
upper frequency content
of the sound. It can be used to remove high frequencies when they’re not
needed and for
sculpting sounds.
Macro 8 - (Resonance) adjusts the low pass filter’s resonance.
Instead of the filter’s response
smoothly falling away above the cutoff frequency, frequencies around the
cutoff point are
boosted. Use this in conjunction with Macro 7 to “tune in” on an aspect
of the sound that you
wish to accentuate.
The table below summarizes the functions of each Macro control as applied
to the samples:
Changes to Macro controls can be recorded to the Pattern
