Fat Controller - User manual
The user interface
All configuration is done via an 8x2 character LCD display and 4 push buttons. One of the buttons is a shift key which modifies the action of the other 3 buttons. The following table describes each possible action.
PAGE UP | Go to the next menu page. |
PAGE DN (SHIFT+PAGE UP) |
Go to the previous menu page. |
INCR | Increment the value of the currently displayed parameter. The longer this button is held the faster the parameter value will change. |
DECR | Decrement the value of the currently displayed parameter. The longer this button is held the faster the parameter value will change. |
INCR+DECR | When these buttons are pressed together the currently displayed parameter is set to its default value. |
C<->A (SHIFT+INCR) |
Switch between config and assignment menus. |
SAVE (SHIFT+DECR) |
Save configuration to non-volatile memory. You will be prompted to confirm this action: press INCR to confirm or DECR to cancel. |
SHIFT while powering up | Holding the SHIFT key while powering up will initialise every parameter to its default value. |
Config menu
The global device parameters are accessible within this menu. The following table describes each menu page. Text that is greyed out indicates features that are not yet implemented in the current software version.
BASE CHA | This is the base MIDI channel used for receiving note and controller information. In multi-channel modes this is the first of a consecutive series of channels. |
CTRL CHA | This is the MIDI channel that can be used to change the settings of the global parameters (see MIDI control of parameters). A setting of Off means no MIDI control of global parameters. |
MODE | There are 4 basic operating modes: "1 Cha" - 1 MIDI channel, monophonic, outputting through 3 Gate outputs (gate on note on, gate on note off, inverted gate) and up to 3 CV outputs (each with independent portamento time, pitch bend amount, octave shift amount). If all portamento time, pitch bend and octave settings for an additional CV are set to Off then this CV output will not be used for note value and can be used for other purposes. "2 Cha" - 2 independent MIDI channels to 3xGATE + 2xCV, the first channel has 2 Gate outputs (gate on note on, gate on note off). "3 Cha" - 3 independent MIDI channels to 3xGATE + 3xCV. "Poly" - 1 MIDI channel, 3 note polyphonic to 3xGATE + 3xCV. CV outputs used for note values are CV1-N, CV2-N and CV3-N. |
L.RETRIG | Legato retrigger Off or On. When Off, notes played legato (overlapping) do not retrigger the gate pulse, and software envelopes will not retrigger. When On, the gate pulse will go low for at least 20us in between notes, and software envelopes will retrigger. |
N.O GATE | This is the length of the gate on note off pulse. Can be Off for no gate, or from 0.01s to 50s. |
VELOCITY | If enabled (i.e. not set to Off) this adds 1 extra CV per note polyphony (outputs used are CV4-V, CV5-V and CV6-V). Value can be between 0.03V and 7.50V and corresponds to the voltage for velocity 127. |
PORTA | There are 5 portamento modes: "Off" - No portamento "Legato 1" - Slide on legato note off only "Legato 2" - Slide on legato note on only "Legato 3" - Slide on legato note on and off "On" - Always slide between notes |
PORTA T1 | The portamento time for output CV1-N. Between 0.04s and 50s. |
PORTA T2 | The portamento time for output CV2-N. Either Off or between 0.04s and 50s. |
PORTA T3 | The portamento time for output CV3-N. Either Off or between 0.04s and 50s. |
P BEND 1 | The pitch bend amount for output CV1-N. Between 0 and 127 semitones. |
P BEND 2 | The pitch bend amount for output CV2-N. Either Off or between 0 and 127 semitones. |
P BEND 3 | The pitch bend amount for output CV3-N. Either Off or between 0 and 127 semitones. |
OCTAVE 1 | The octave shift for output CV1-N. Between -7 and +7 octaves. |
OCTAVE 2 | The octave shift for output CV2-N. Either Off or between -7 and +7 octaves. |
OCTAVE 3 | The octave shift for output CV3-N. Either Off or between -7 and +7 octaves. |
LFO1 TIM | The period of LFO1: from 0.01s to 655.35s. |
LFO1 WAV | The waveform of LFO1: Sine, Triangle, Saw Down, Saw Up, Square or Random. |
LFO1 SYN | Sync to MIDI clock for LFO1. Either Off or a fraction/number of bars: 1/64, 1/32, 1/16, 1/8, 3/16, 1/4, 5/16, 3/8, 7/16, 1/2, 9/16, 5/8, 11/16, 3/4, 13/16, 7/8, 15/16, 1, 4/3, 3/2, 5/3, 2, 7/3, 5/2, 8/3, 3, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64. |
LFO1 AMT | Peak voltage of LFO1: either Off (no LFO1) or between 0.03V and 7.50V. The LFO varies between a positive and negative voltage of this value. |
LFO1 DST | Destination CV output for LFO1: from CV1 to CV15. |
LFO2 TIM | The period of LFO2: from 0.01s to 655.35s. |
LFO2 WAV | The waveform of LFO2: Sine, Triangle, Saw Down, Saw Up, Square or Random. |
LFO2 SYN | Sync to MIDI clock for LFO2. Either Off or a fraction/number of bars: 1/64, 1/32, 1/16, 1/8, 3/16, 1/4, 5/16, 3/8, 7/16, 1/2, 9/16, 5/8, 11/16, 3/4, 13/16, 7/8, 15/16, 1, 4/3, 3/2, 5/3, 2, 7/3, 5/2, 8/3, 3, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64. |
LFO2 AMT | Peak voltage of LFO2: either Off (no LFO2) or between 0.03V and 7.50V. The LFO varies between a positive and negative voltage of this value. |
LFO2 DST | Destination CV output for LFO2: from CV1 to CV15. |
ENV1 TRG | Trigger source for ENV1: either Off (no ENV1) or Gate output 1, 2 or 3. |
ENV1 ATT | Attack time for ENV1: from 0s to 50s in 0.01s increments. |
ENV1 ATL | Attack level for ENV1: from -7.5V to 7.5V. The envelope voltage starts at 0V and after the attack time ends up at the attack level. |
ENV1 DEC | Decay time for ENV1: from 0s to 50s in 0.01s increments. |
ENV1 SUS | Sustain level for ENV1: from -7.5V to 7.5V. After the decay time the envelope voltage ends up at the sustain level. |
ENV1 REL | Release time for ENV1: from 0s to 50s in 0.01s increments. After the release time the envelope voltage ends up at 0V. |
ENV1 DST | Destination CV output for ENV1: from CV1 to CV15. |
ENV2 TRG | Trigger source for ENV2: either Off (no ENV2) or Gate output 1, 2 or 3. |
ENV2 ATT | Attack time for ENV2: from 0s to 50s in 0.01s increments. |
ENV2 ATL | Attack level for ENV2: from -7.5V to 7.5V. The envelope voltage starts at 0V and after the attack time ends up at the attack level. |
ENV2 DEC | Decay time for ENV2: from 0s to 50s in 0.01s increments. |
ENV2 SUS | Sustain level for ENV2: from -7.5V to 7.5V. After the decay time the envelope voltage ends up at the sustain level. |
ENV2 REL | Release time for ENV2: from 0s to 50s in 0.01s increments. After the release time the envelope voltage ends up at 0V. |
ENV2 DST | Destination CV output for ENV2: from CV1 to CV15. |
Assignment menu
The assignment menu is where MIDI sources are assigned to CV outputs. It is possible to assign multiple sources to the same CV output or to a CV output that already has a note or velocity CV, or envelope or LFO assigned to it. In this case all sources will control the CV and you may get rapid jumps between values as each source sends its data in turn. This can be quite useful - for example you can assign channel pressure (aftertouch) to the same CV output that is initially used for the velocity CV of a note.
OUTPUT | This sets which CV output the other 2 menu pages refer to. From CV1 to CV15. |
SOURCE | MIDI source for selected CV output: "Off" - No MIDI source "P Bend" - Pitch bend "Pressure" - Channel pressure (aftertouch) "CC Learn" - The next received MIDI continuous controller message on the base channel will set the source to this controller number. "CC 0" to "CC 127" - MIDI continuous controller message 0 to 127 |
AMOUNT | The output voltage (from -7.5V to 7.5V) corresponding to the maximum value of the assigned MIDI source. For Pressure and CC messages the output voltage will vary between 0V and this value; for pitch bend messages the output voltage will vary between a negative and positive voltage of this value, with a centred pitch wheel outputting 0V. |
MIDI control of parameters
If the CTRL CHA parameter is not set to Off, many global parameters can be changed by MIDI continuous controller messages on the chosen control channel. The following table details the controller assignments.
Parameter | CC # | CC name | Value mapping | Notes |
L.RETRIG | CC46 | Kbd Track | 0~Off, >0~On | |
N.O GATE | CC79 | Pulse Width | 0~Off, 1~0.01s, 127~1.27s | MSB unaffected |
VELOCITY | CC7 | Gain | 0~Off, 1~0.06V, >=125~7.50V | CC value x 0.06V |
PORTA | CC44 | Filter Type | 0~Off, 1~Legato 2, 2~On, 3~Legato 3, 4~Legato 1 | |
PORTA T1 | CC5 | Portamento Time | 0~0.04s, 127~1.31s | (CC value+4) x 0.01s MSB unaffected |
PORTA T2 | CC26 | Mod Env Attack | 0~0.04s, 127~1.31s | (CC value+4) x 0.01s MSB unaffected |
PORTA T3 | CC27 | Mod Env Decay | 0~0.04s, 127~1.31s | (CC value+4) x 0.01s MSB unaffected |
P BEND 1 | CC29 | Mod Env Amount | 0~0, 127~127 | |
P BEND 2 | CC70 | FM Amount | 0~0, 127~127 | |
P BEND 3 | CC33 | Fine Tune | 0~0, 127~127 | |
OCTAVE 1 | CC78 | Semitones | 0~-5, 12~-4, 24~-3, 36~-2, 48~-1, 60~0, 72~1, 84~2, 96~3, 108~4, 120~5 | CC value/12 - 5 Only responds to exact values |
OCTAVE 2 | CC8 | Mix | 0~-5, 12~-4, 24~-3, 36~-2, 48~-1, 60~0, 72~1, 84~2, 96~3, 108~4, 120~5 | CC value/12 - 5 Only responds to exact values |
OCTAVE 3 | CC43 | Envelope Amount | 0~-5, 12~-4, 24~-3, 36~-2, 48~-1, 60~0, 72~1, 84~2, 96~3, 108~4, 120~5 | CC value/12 - 5 Only responds to exact values |
LFO1 TIM | CC19 | LFO1 Rate | 0~0.01s, 127~1.28s | (CC value+1) x 0.01s MSB unaffected |
LFO1 WAV | CC20 | LFO1 Waveform | 0~Random, 1~Saw Down, 2~Triangle, 3~Saw Up, 4~Square, 5~Sine | |
LFO1 AMT | CC22 | LFO1 Amount | 0~Off, 1~0.06V, >=125~7.50V | CC value x 0.06V |
LFO2 TIM | CC23 | LFO2 Rate | 0~0.01s, 127~1.28s | (CC value+1) x 0.01s MSB unaffected |
LFO2 WAV | CC24 | LFO2 Function | 0~Random, 1~Saw Down, 2~Triangle, 3~Saw Up, 4~Square, 5~Sine | |
LFO2 AMT | CC25 | LFO2 Amount | 0~Off, 1~0.06V, >=125~7.50V | CC value x 0.06V |
ENV1 ATT | CC73 | Amp Env Attack | 0~0.00s, 127~1.27s | CC value x 0.01s MSB unaffected |
ENV1 ATL | CC74 | Frequency | 0~0.00V, 1~0.06V, >=125~7.50V | CC value x 0.06V Positive levels only |
ENV1 DEC | CC36 | Amp Env Decay | 0~0.00s, 127~1.27s | CC value x 0.01s MSB unaffected |
ENV1 SUS | CC37 | Amp Env Sustain | 0~0.00V, 1~0.06V, >=125~7.50V | CC value x 0.06V Positive levels only |
ENV1 REL | CC72 | Amp Env Release | 0~0.00s, 127~1.27s | CC value x 0.01s MSB unaffected |
ENV2 ATT | CC38 | Filter Env Attack | 0~0.00s, 127~1.27s | CC value x 0.01s MSB unaffected |
ENV2 ATL | CC42 | Resonance | 0~0.00V, 1~0.06V, >=125~7.50V | CC value x 0.06V Positive levels only |
ENV2 DEC | CC39 | Filter Env Decay | 0~0.00s, 127~1.27s | CC value x 0.01s MSB unaffected |
ENV2 SUS | CC40 | Filter Env Sustain | 0~0.00V, 1~0.06V, >=125~7.50V | CC value x 0.06V Positive levels only |
ENV2 REL | CC41 | Filter Env Release | 0~0.00s, 127~1.27s | CC value x 0.01s MSB unaffected |
CV1-CV15 AMOUNT | CC101- CC115 |
0~0.00V, 1~0.06V, >=125~7.50V | CC value x 0.06V Positive levels only OS v1.2 or later |
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