[ms20 title]

[owners manual]

Patch Panel:  ^

In addition to the internal patching system discussed above, the MS-20 Synthesizer features a versatile patch panel, which gives you greatly expanded creative possibilities. The following is a list of the patch connections available.

 - input and output jacks
 - modulation voltage controlled amplifier (MVCA)
 - noise generators
 - sample and hold

[twenty nine] VCO 1+2 CV IN:  ^
This jack allows an external controller, such as another synthesizer, to vary the pitch levels of VCO-1 and VCO-2, instead of the MS-20's keyboard.
[thirty] VCO 2 CV IN:
Same as above, but affects VCO-2 only.
[thirty one] TRIG IN:
Allows the use of external trigger sources (e.g., the MG rectangle output, foot switch, or another synthesizer or sequencer) to trigger the MS-20's envelope generators.
[thirty two] EG-1 TRIG IN:
Same as [thirty one] above, but triggers Envelope Generator 1 only.
[thirty three] KBD CV OUT:
Allows the MS-20 Keyboard to control the pitch of another synthesizer.
[thirty four] KBD TRIG OUT:
Whenever you play a key on the keyboard on the keyboard a trigger signal is generated.
Ordinarily, this trigger signal output is used along with the KBD CV OUT to operate another synthesizer.
[thirty five] EXT SIGNAL IN:

This jack allows such external sound sources as an electric guitar to be processed through the MS-20's VCF and VCA section. The external sound can be used alone, or combined with the VCO's by using the VCO Mixer controls.
In addition, when using the ESP module, the original instrument sound can be mixed in with the synthesized sound by using this jack.
[thirty six] TOTAL EXT:
This is the input to the MG controls for the VCO's and VCF's. It is internally patched to the MG Triangle wave.
A different signal may be patched to this jack and used for modulation purposes.
[thirty seven] INITIAL GAIN (VCA):
The VCA is internally patched to the EG-2 output so that changes in volume over time can be programmed.
This jack allows an external controller to vary the VCA along with the EG-2. When the sum of both controllers reaches 5 volts, no further changes in volume will occur.
[thirty eight] Modulation Voltage Controlled Amplifier (MVCA):  ^
This device is a programmable VCA normally used to vary the modulation intensity (i.e., for delayed vibrato and modulation wheel functions). Other functions can easily be programmed via the patch panel.

To set up delayed vibrato, patch the MG triangle wave output into the MVCA input; the MVCA output is then connected to the TOTAL input jack. The MVCA control input is internally patched to the EG-1 output. By use of EG-1's Delay and Attack controls, delayed modulation (vibrato) functions are easily set up.
Another variation would be to patch the Control Wheel output into the MVCA control input, for "Modulation Wheel" effects. Many other variations can be created with a bit of imagination and experimentation.
[thirty nine] Noise Generators (PINK, WHITE):  ^
These outputs are a source of both pink and white noise, which may be used as sound sources (patched into the EXT SIGNAL IN jack) or as modulating signals.
White noise is also available as one of the VCO waveforms. Pink noise is a "darker" sounding white noise, with reduced high frequency components.
[forty] Sample and Hold (S/H):  ^
A device which generates "stepped" functions from variable inputs. Useful for creating "random" note effects, arpeggios, etc.
Whenever "triggered" by some other device, the S/H "samples" are varying signal source (e.g., waveforms, noise, etc.) patched into its input,
and "holds" its instantaneous value until a new trigger is received and a new sample taken.
The triggering can be at regular intervals (e.g., from the MG Rectangle Wave) or from some other source.

The diagram below illustrates the effect of sampling Pink Noise using the MG rectangle waveform as a triggering source.
(Note: when using the MG Rectangle waveform, turn the Waveform control to the extreme clockwise position for best results.)
Other possible inputs for sampling are the Wheel (make your own arpeggios), Envelope Generators (run up or down the scale at a trigger signal), or an external LFO.

[figure]
- sample and hold
[forty one] Phones (Headphone OUT): use this jack for headphones.
 


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