CV connections

On the back of the RPG-8 you can find a number of useful CV connectors. These are as follows:

CV Inputs

There are five CV inputs, of which four can be used to control RPG-8 parameters that have associated controls on the front panel. These parameters are Gate Length, Velocity, Rate and Octave Shift.

If you use an external source to modulate these parameters, the incoming CV is merged with the setting on the front of the device.

An example: Velocity is set to 50 on the front panel. A Matrix (bi-polar curve) that varies between +- 20, with the voltage trim pot set to 64 (50%) is connected to the Velocity CV input. The resulting Velocity should then vary between 40-60.

In addition to the above CV inputs, there is a “Start of Arpeggio Trig In” connector. This restarts the arpeggio figure from step 1 when this input receives a gate trigger. See “Triggering arpeggios” for a tip on how this can be used. If something is connected to this input the RPG-8 will not generate arpeggios unless a Gate trigger is received.

Note: If you are modulating the arpeggio using the CV Input jacks, this will not affect the rendered arpeggio notes.

CV Outputs

The following CV outputs are available:

•	Gate CV Out (Velocity) transmits a gate/velocity value that corresponds to the Velocity parameter setting.

This is normally auto-routed to the Sequencer Control Gate input on an instrument device.

•	Note CV Out transmits the notes generated by the Arpeggiator (or if this is off, the notes you input to the RPG-8).

This is normally auto-routed to the Sequencer Control CV input on an instrument device.

•	Mod Wheel/Pitch Bend Outputs will normally connect to the corresponding inputs of the instrument device controlled by RPG-8.

•	The common MIDI performance controllers Aftertouch/Expression/Breath can be used to control any parameters using these CV outputs.

•	Start of Arpeggio Trig Out - every time the arpeggio figures start over this output will send a gate signal.

This can be used to trigger filter, amp and mod envelopes in other devices, e.g. Subtractor. The length of this gate is the same as the length of the first note in the arpeggio.

•	Sustain Pedal Gate Out - the sustain pedal can be used to trigger envelopes in other devices.

If you plug a cable into the “Sustain Pedal Gate Out” the normal pedal to the Hold parameter connection is broken and the sustain pedal function is changed to send out a gate signal with velocity equalling the Velocity setting knob (if Manual mode is on then velocity defaults to a value of 100).