Using Synchronous

Loading and saving patches

Loading and saving patches is done in the same way as with any other internal Reason device, see “Loading patches” and “Saving patches” for details.

Drawing and assigning modulation curves - a tutorial

To describe the basic principles with modulation curves, let’s have a look at an example of how you can design a modulation curve and then have it modulate a couple of effect parameters:

1.	Create a Dr Octo Rex device.

A Dr Octo Rex device is created and the default Rex loops are loaded in the device.

2.	Select the Dr Octo Rex device in the rack and create a Synchronous device.

The audio outputs of the Dr Octo Rex device are automatically connected to the audio inputs of the Synchronous device. The audio outputs of the Synchronous device are also automatically routed to the Dr Octo Rex’s Mix Channel.

3.	Select the Synchronous device in the rack and select “Reset Device” from the context menu or Edit menu.

All parameters in the Synchronous device are now reset to their default values. The yellow modulation curve is automatically selected and reset to a straight line down in the display.

4.	Click Play on the sequencer Transport Panel in Reason.

The default Rex loop in the Dr Octo Rex device starts to play back and the Position Indicator at the top of the Synchronous display starts to advance in sync with the sequencer.

The Position Indicator advances in sync with the sequencer tempo.

5.	Stop the sequencer.

6.	Click the Positive Sawtooth Tool button and then the 1/8 Rate button:

7.	Place the mouse pointer to the far left on the display, in the curve area.

8.	Click-hold and then drag the mouse pointer to the right on the display.

9.	Release the mouse button when you have reached the second thicker vertical grid line.

A sawtooth wave is now visible in the display. The rate of the sawtooth wave is 1/8th of a bar, since you selected this when you clicked the 1/8 button. The amplitude of the sawtooth wave is increased or decreased according to your vertical drawing direction.

10.	Now, click the Stepped Line Tool button and the Free button:

The Rate buttons have now disappeared from the panel, since they are of no importance when you use the Line tools.

11.	Click-hold the mouse pointer at the second thick line and then draw to the right throughout the rest of the display area.

Alter the amplitude (y-axis positions) as you draw.

12.	Release the mouse button when you have reached the far right of the display.

Now, you have half a bar of a 1/8th sawtooth waves and one and a half bars of a stepped “free hand” curve:

Now, let’s assign the yellow modulation curve to the effect parameters to be modulated. In this example we will assign the curve to the Freq and Resonance parameters of the Filter section:

1.	Click the Filter button to switch on the Filter section:

2.	Turn the Freq knob to a low value and the Resonance knob to a high value:

3.	Raise the yellow Freq Modulation knob (above the Freq knob) to a positive value (past its 12 o’clock position). Then, set the Resonance Modulation knob (above the Resonance knob) to a negative value.

Yellow modulation amount semicircles appear around the Freq Modulation knob and around the Resonance Modulation knob, to indicate the modulation amounts and their “directions” (positive or negative modulation):

Setting the modulation amounts.

4.	Start the sequencer.

Congratulations, you have now created your first looped Filter modulation in Synchronous!

Editing modulation curves - a tutorial

Basically, there is one way you can edit an existing Modulation Curve: by redrawing the part of the curve you want to change. The examples below describe two basic use cases.

Changing an existing curve’s amplitude

If you want to adjust the modulation curve’s amplitude anywhere throughout the modulation loop, proceed as follows:

1.	Click the Curve Select button for the modulation curve you want to edit.

The curve is highlighted in the display.

2.	Click the Tool button which corresponds to the existing curve in the display.

If the curve is a waveform, make sure you also click the correct Rate button.

3.	Now, you have two options:

To change the amplitude in a linear fashion (with a constantly increasing or decreasing amplitude), make sure the Free button is deselected (off). Place the mouse pointer where you want the change to begin and then draw to the right to where you want the change to end.

The amplitude starts at the level where you placed the mouse pointer and ends at the level where you released the mouse button. The level change between the start and end point is linear.

To change the amplitude individually between each vertical grid line, make sure the Free button is on. Place the mouse pointer where you want the changes to begin and then draw to the right to where you want the changes to end.

The amplitude starts at the level where you placed the mouse pointer, then follows your drawing directions, and ends at the level where you released the mouse button. The levels changes are now individual between each vertical grid line.

Note that the shortest interval you can replace (or add) curves in is in 1/16th note “steps” of a bar, i.e. in between two vertical grid lines in the display (in Speed x 1 mode). The mouse pointer automatically “snaps” to the closest leftmost vertical grid line when you draw.

If you are not satisfied with your amplitude changes, just use the standard [Ctrl](Win)/[Cmd](Mac)+[Z] command to undo the operation.

Replacing a part of a curve with another one

To replace the current modulation curve with a different curve anywhere in the modulation loop, use the same principle as described above in “Changing an existing curve’s amplitude”. The only exception here is that you now freely choose the new curve shape, regardless of the existing curve shape. You can replace an existing curve in as many places throughout the loop as you like.

Note that the shortest interval you can replace (or add) curves in is in 1/16th note “steps” of a bar, i.e. in between two vertical grid lines in the display (in Speed x 1 mode). The mouse pointer automatically “snaps” to the closest leftmost vertical grid line when you draw.

If you accidentally overwrite a curve part that you want to keep, just use the standard [Ctrl](Win)/[Cmd](Mac)+[Z] command to undo the operation.