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The Electronic Music Box
The Bass Station II Monophonic Analog Synthesizer from Novation is a 25-key synthesizer with assignable aftertouch that, while designed for bass synth sounds, is also capable of leads and arpeggiated performance. It features two analog oscillators as well as a third, sub-octave oscillator. The tones its oscillators produce can be modulated, shaped, and altered by the Bass Station II's Classic and Acid filters, dual ADSR envelope generators, 2 LFOs, and analog distortion.
The synth has a built-in arpeggiators with 32 different patterns and a 1 to 4 octave range. The step sequencer provides another playing style with up to 4 different sequences. The Bass Station II's front-panel controls gives you hands on access to all of the synth's editable parameters. Your edits and created patches can be saved to the 64 user patches for fast recall.
The Synth Engine
Oscillators: Bass Station II is built on three analog oscillators and a noise generator. There are two fully independent oscillators plus a sub oscillator. Oscillators One and Two are switchable between sine, sawtooth, square and variable pulse width, and Oscillator Three - the sub osc - can be set to one or two octaves below Oscillator One. It can be square, sine or narrow pulse width, delivering the characteristically 'fat' bass tone.
Filters: You can select between two discrete filters - 'Acid' or 'Classic' - each with a built in overdrive for pushing filter tones from dry, to warm, to nasty! The 'Classic' Bass Station filter can be switched between low pass, high pass and band pass at 12 or 24 dB slopes. The 'Acid' filter is based on a diode ladder filter design that delivers a characteristically 303-esque sound that is designed to squelch
Effects
Bass Station II has two effects (not including the filter overdrive). Analog distortion drives circuit components to add new frequencies to the sound. The second effect is 'Osc Filter Mod' which creates a distinctive FM-type sound by using Oscillator Two to modulate the filter frequency
Modulation
There are two envelope generators and two low frequency oscillators (LFOs). The first envelope is an ADSR amp envelope and the second is a mod envelope that can be used to modulate filter frequency, oscillator pitch and osc pulse width. LFO One is dedicated to pitch modulation whereas LFO is used to modulate osc pulse width and filter frequency. Although it looks like there are four LFO waveforms, the 'LFO Slew' function can be used freely to sculpt LFOs into smoother wave-shapes creating many more LFO possibilities
Analog Signal Path
Bass Station II has a pure analogue audio signal path, reviving the spirit of the original Bass Station with a design optimized for bass
Two Distinct Analogue Filters
A brand new "Acid" filter joins the "Classic" original Bass Station filter -("Classic" switches between low, hi and band pass with 12 and 24 dB slopes)
Patches
Bass Station II ships with 64 factory patches and a further 64 user slots. Patch dump enables you to archive and swap sounds
Pattern-Based Step Sequencer and Arpeggiator
Bass Station II's Arpeggiator and Step Sequencer are performance and production tools. The Arp can be directed to run through 32 different rhythmic patterns in different directions with a switchable octave range. You can also engage the Step Sequencer. Up to four sequences can be played in - with legato and rests - and played back using any one of the 32 rhythmic patterns.
Dedicated Tweakable Controls
Analog synth layout includes dedicated controls for all major parameters enabling hands-on control of the sound engine
Two Oscillators Plus a Sub-Oscillator
Bass Station II has two sync-able, tune-able oscillators with four selectable waveforms, plus a third sub-oscillator for generating enormous bass sounds
Analog Effects
Bass Station II includes fully analog distortion and filter-modulation effects and a separate filter overdrive
2 Envelopes & 2 LFOs
LFO waveforms include triangle, sawtooth, square and sample & hold. Two ADSR envelopes are available for filter, pitch and pulse width modulation
MIDI I/O and USB Connectivity
Bass Station II can be connected to your music software as well as your MIDI compatible hardware
Synth-Action Keyboard with Aftertouch
The keyboard mechanism is a two-octave (25-note) velocity sensitive synth-action keyboard with full-size keys and assignable aftertouch
Specs:
| 25-note synth-action keyboard with assignable aftertouch | |
| Controller | 1x pitch wheel 1x modulation wheel 1x octave up button 1x octave down button 1x master volume dial |
| Programs | 64x factory presets 64x user patches |
| I/O | 1x USB MIDI (for connecting and powering the Bass Station II via host computer) 1x 1/4" (6.3 mm) TRS mono output 1x 1/4" (6.3 mm) TRS headphone output 1x 1/4" (6.3 mm) TRS external input 1x 1/4" (6.3 mm) TRS sustain pedal input 1x 5-pin DIN MIDI input 1x 5-pin DIN MIDI output 1x DC power input |
| Oscillators | 2x analog oscillators 1x analog sub-oscillator (tracked to oscillator 1) 1x noise generator Oscillator Functions: Sync 1 & 2, detune, octave range, pitch bend, pitch modulation from mod envelope and/or LFO 1, pulse width modulation from mod envelope and/or LFO 2 |
| Waveform Type | Oscillators 1 & 2: sine, triangle, sawtooth, square/variable pulse width |
| Mixer | Oscillator 1 level Oscillator 2 level Sub-Oscillator level Noise generator level Ring modulation depth External signal level |
| Filter | 1x Acid type (diode ladder filter design) 1x Classic type (from original Bass Station) Filter Functions: Cutoff, resonance, overdrive, filter frequency to mod envelope depth, filter frequency to LFO 2 depth Classic Filter: Low-pass, band-pass, high-pass, 12 or 24 dB slopes |
| Envelope | 2x ADSR envelopes Amp, mod, or amp/mod combination envelopes Triggering Mode: Single trigger (holds envelope state when new note is played) Multi trigger (re-triggers with every new note played) Autoglide (engages portamento) |
| Limiter | VCA |
| LFO | 2 LFOs, each selectable between: Triangle, sawtooth, square, sample and hold, independent rate & delay, key sync LFO 1 & 2, LFO slew on LFO 1 & 2 (low pass filter on the LFO waveform) |
| Effects | Distortion send Oscillator filter modulation amount (FM effect created by Oscillator 2 modulating filter frequency) |
| Sequencer | Step Sequencer: Up to 4 sequences 32 presets with insertable rests or legato (slide), sequencer re-trigger function |
| Arpeggiator | Up to 32 different patterns 1 to 4 octave ranges Swing function Directions: up, down, up/down 1, up/down 2, as played, random Latch |
| Portamento | Adjustable glide time Single trigger or re-trigger modes |
| System Requirements | Mac: OS X 10.7 or later Windows: Windows 7 (32 and 64-bit), Windows 8 |
