Korg MICRO User Manual

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Editing the sound
21
Arpeggiator (ARPEGGIATOR)
The arpeggiator automatically generates an arpeggio (broken chord) when 
you hold down a chord on the keyboard. For programs that use two tim-
bres, you can apply the arpeggiator to either or both timbres. This is a step 
arpeggiator with six arpeggio types.
Vocoder
Vocoder
Carrier
Modulator
Vocoder Sw= ON
Vocoder Sw= ON & Modulator AudioSrc =Timbre2
Timbre 1
Timbre 2
Synth
Synth
EQ
EQ
MASTER FX1
Audio In
PAN
Band. LEVEL
ANALYSIS
FILTER
ENVELOPE
FOLLOWER
SYNTHESIS
FILTER
RESONANCE
CUTOFF (FC MOD)
FORMANT SHIFT
E.F. SENS
Band1
Band16
Timbre1
GATE
Timbre2
LEVEL
LEVEL
Carrier
Modulator
DIRECT
LEVEL
HPF
LEVEL
Gate Send
Threshold
HPF
Audio In
Timbre2
To Timbre 1
 EQ
Vocoder
A vocoder analyzes the frequency characteristics of one signal called the 
“modulator” (such as a human voice input via a mic) and applies these 
characteristics to a filter that is processing a different signal called the “car-
rier” (such as an oscillator waveform), thus producing distinctive effects 
such as an instrument that appears to be talking.
The microKORG XL contains a sixteen-band vocoder that can simulate 
not only the classic vocoder sounds of the past but also create original 
vocoder sounds where the tonal character or the level of each band can be 
controlled.
As shown in the illustration below, the vocoder consists of the carrier (the 
signal being modified), the modulator (the signal that controls the modify-
ing), and the vocoder section itself.
Vocoder section (VOCODER)
This consists of two sets of sixteen bandpass filters (the analysis filter and 
the synthesis filter) and an envelope follower. The audio signal input to the 
modulator is sent to sixteen filters (the analysis filter), and an envelope fol-
lower will detect the volume envelope (time-variant change) of each fre-
quency band.
The carrier signal is sent to a separate set of sixteen filters (the synthesis 
filter), and the envelope detected from the analysis filter is used to control 
the volume of each band in the synthesis filter, thus varying the tonal char-
acter of the carrier signal and producing the impression that the carrier sig-
nal is talking. It is also possible to shift the frequencies of the carrier 
bandpass filter. This allows you to raise or lower the frequency response 
while preserving the character of the modulator, creating dramatic changes 
in the sound.
Editing the sound