Instruments

Sampler

• sample: Selects the .wav file to associate with this instrument. You can use the same sample in more than one instrument. Tap ENTER,ENTER to go to the Sample Import Screen which lets you load new .wav files into your project, with the last imported sample selected as the sample assigned to this instrument [1]

• volume: Set the volume of the instrument

• pan: Pans the instrument left or right (0x7F is center)

• root note: The root note of the sample

• detune: Detune the sample by the number of semitones

• drive: This is a volume modification before crush, and the instruments volume is after the crush

• crush: Decreases the bit resolution

• downsample: Decreases the bit rate (eg. low frequency aliasing whines). Each increase in this value will downsample the original sample by a factor of 2

• cutoff: Set the Filter cutoff frequency

• reso: Set the Filter resonance frequency

• type: The filter supports continuous change from low pass to high pass. Set type to 00 for low pass. FF for high pass and 7F for band pass. All intermediate values morph in between them

• dist: Set the filter distortion. Available values are none and scream

• interpolation: Interpolation mode ('linear'/'none'). Selects which interpolation mode is used when in between samples. Linear interpolates linearly while none takes the nearest neighbor. Use none when playing samples at low range to add some typical overtones. Note using linear interpolation currently adds significantly to the CPU load during playback.

• loop mode: selects the looping mode.

  • none will play sample from start to finish
  • loop will start at the start and loop from loopstart to end.
  • looper sync will automatically tune a loop so that it plays exactly 16 bars. Use the root note to play twice faster/slower
  • oscillator is a special mode where the loop selection (from loopstart to end) is taken as oscillator data and automatically tuned. Note that 'root note' can be used to tune the oscillator back in a useful range

• start: start point of the sample regardless of if loop is enabled (note value is in hex)

• loop Start: start point of the sample when loop is enabled (note value is in hex)

• loop End: end point of the sample (note value is in hex). You can play samples backwards by setting the end value lower than the start

• automation: If On, the table play arrows will advance one row every time the instrument is triggered, and execute only the commands on the new rows. If this is Off, table behavior is normal (play arrows will move at the speed of 1 row per tick)

• table: Select a table the instrument will always run. To clone a table here: NAV+(EDIT, ENTER). Make a new table by selecting a higher number not yet in use.

Sample Import Screen

You can enter the sample import file browser by hitting EDIT EDIT (press the EDIT twice in quick succession) on the “sample:” field in the Instrument Screen.

All the samples that you may want to import into a project must be located in a folder named /samples at the top-level of the sdcard. You can either put your samples in that directory or in sub-directories of it, allowing you to have a way of sorting your samples library.

Note: sub-directories will be sorted before files, but otherwise the files will be listed in an unspecified order (ie. not necessarily alphabetical order).

For example:

When entering the import file browser, the current folder is the library root folder /samples. All samples (.wav files) in that folder are listed.

Use the UP and DOWN arrow keys to navigate through the list of available sample files and subdirectories, subdirectories are indciated with a / prefix. Press EDIT to enter a subdirectory, you can go back to the parent directory by navigating to the /.. entery and pressing ENTER. Press PLAY to audition the currently selected sample wave file. To import the currently selected wave file press ALT+PLAY.

At any time, you can return to the instrument screen from the sample file browser by pressing NAV+LEFT.

Note: While there is no fixed limit for the number of sub-directory levels, there is a maximum of 256 files per directory. Also please note that while FAT formatted sdcards can support upto 256 characters per filename, picoTracker only supports upto 128 character file names and only with ASCII characters.

Supported sample file formats

Only uncompressed Wave (*.wav) files are supported using 8 or 16 bit, mono or stereo and they MUST only be 44.1KHz.

MIDI

Midi Instrument Screen

A MIDI instrument has the following settings:

• Channel - This can be set 01-16 (in decimal not hex!) which is midi channel 1-16 respectively
• Volume - The volume any NOTE ON will be sent to your device: FF=127, 00=00
• Length - Sets note gate length in number of ticks
• Automation - When on, the table play arrows will advance one row every time the instrument is triggered, and execute only the commands on the new rows. If this is Off, table behavior is normal (play arrows will move at the speed of 1 row per tick)
• Table- As above, select a table the instrument will always run. Clone a table here: NAV+EDIT,ENTER. Make a new table by selecting a higher number not yet in use.

Synths

SID

• SID Chip: Currently only "SID #1" is supported
• OSC: The oscillator to use: 0-2
• VPW: Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) of the oscillator, 000-FFF [1]
• WF: Waveform to use: TSQN (Triangle, Sawtooth, Square PWM, Noise (white-ish))
• Sync: Sync the oscillator (false/true)
• Ring: Enable or disable Ring modulation (false/true)
• A/D/S/R: Attack/Decay/Sustain/Release, each is single digit 0-15 value

Global SID chip settings:

• Filter: Set if the filter is on or off (false/true)
• Flt cut: The filter cutoff frequency 0-F
• Flt res: The filter resonance 0-F
• Flt mode: The filter mode: LP (lowpass), BP (bandpass), HP (highpass)
• Volume: Output volume: 0-F

The picoTracker currently only supports up to 3 SID instruments. Each of these represents a single monophonic oscillator with a single emulated "SID chip". Thus some of the settings above are shared between the 3 SID instruments because they are a global setting for the entire SID chip and not per oscillator.

SID Notes: [1] In the SID, the pulse waveform can have its width dynamically adjusted. This parameter controls the duty cycle of the square wave, which determines the harmonic content and timbre of the sound.

A pulse width of 0 creates a very thin pulse (almost a spike), while a value of FFF (4095) creates a full square wave. Values in between create asymmetrical square waves with varying harmonic characteristics.

OPAL

The OPAL instrument is an emulation of the FM synth "retro soundcards" of the PC DOS era. Each "OPAL" instrument is made up of 2 FM operators that can be in configured for either standard 2 OP FM or in parallel as 2 additive oscillators. Each operator can have one of 8 different waveforms as shown below.

The OPAL instrument has settings for both the instrument as a whole and per each of the 2 operators.

The picoTracker currently only supports up to 3 OPAL instruments. Because each of the instruments is a single monophonic voice, using the same instrument simultaneously in the picoTracker 8 track sequencer will work as if you were controlling an external monophonic synth via MIDI output and cause the following notes to cut off the previously playing note on that OPAL instrument.

Instrument wide settings

• Algorithm: Select either 2 Operator FM (1*2) or Additive (1+2)
• Deep tremelo/vibrato: Enable/disable Deep tremelo or vibrato effect
• Feedback: Turn on/off feedback for Operator 1

Per Operator settings

• Level: Operator output level attenuation, hence 0 is highest output level
• Multiplier: Frequency multiplier, 0=1/2, 1=1, 2=2, 3=3 etc
• A/D/S/R: Attack/Decay/Sustain/Release, each is single digit 0-15 value
• Shape: Waveform share, 8 to choose from, see waveform drawings below
• TR/VB/SU/KSR: Tremelo, Vibrato, Sustain and Envelope Scaling (KSR)
• Keyscale: Attenuates output level towards higher pitch: 1=3.0 dB/oct, 2=1.5 dB/oct, 3=6.0 dB/oct

Limitations of instrument performance

The picoTrackers CPU limits the number of simultaneous instruments that can be played at once. The specific limit depends on the instrument type and the settings of each instrument. In general the limit is:

• 4-5 Sample instruments or
• 3 OPAL instruments or
• 3 SID instruments
• 8 MIDI instruments

Because they are very light weight when it comes to CPU usage 8 MIDI instruments can be played at once, the limit then coming from the limit of 8 channels (aka tracks) available for sequencing on the picoTracker.

Given the above limits though, it is still possible to mix and match instruments of different types roughly within the above limits. For example 2 samplers, 1 OPAL, 1 SID and 4 MIDI should in theory be possible. Note this only applies to simulatenously sounding (playing) instruments and if care is taken to limit the number of simultaneously sounding instruments, a larger number of instruments can be defined within a project.