IK UNO SYNTH
IK’s debut analogue instrument packs a lot of power into its budget frame, but the soft ware editor goes even further. Let’s take a look under the hood…
Modulated delay
It’s possible to control Uno’s delay time from the front panel, but the touch arrows aren’t ideal for maxing smooth or expressive changes. Using the editor in plugin mode allows you to modulate this parameter in your DAW. Try a slow subtle automation – or control from an LFO source – to add some pitch modulation to the delay for an old school analogue effect.
Envelope control
The version 1.1.1 firmware update added full control of both ADSR envelopes to Uno’s hardware interface. You can access the full amp envelope by holding down Env, or the filter envelope by holding down Filter. If you want to get easier access, with better visual feedback, turn to the software editor. Again, in plugin mode, all of the elements of each envelope are available for automation and modulation, which can be great for developing your synth sounds across the course of a track.
Swing and gate
The editor application gives access to two sequencer/arp parameters not available on the hardware itself. The first of these is sequencer swing, allowing you to add a bit more feel to ‘straight’ feeling patterns. The second is arp gate length, which controls the duration of arpeggiator notes, and can have a major impact on the feel of arp lines. Both of these settings can be saved into presets on the device.
Rotary response
As well as accessing the synth itself, the editor app allows for control of a number of under-the-hood settings. One of the most useful of these is the ability to change how the hardware rotaries respond when changing modes. There are three options: absolute, relative and pass-through. In absolute mode, a rotary will go straight to whatever parameter position it’s at when you first touch it – ie, if it’s set fully to the right, whatever new parameter you’re controlling will jump to its maximum value as soon as you make an edit. In Absolute mode, rotary adjustments will change parameters relative to their existing position, without jumping to a new value. In Pass-Through, a rotary needs to be turned to a position where it corresponds to the existing value before it will change anything. These might sound like minor, technical settings, but if you plan on using Uno to perform with, it’s worth considering and experimenting with how you want these set up.