The ES16 is a complex envelope generator using the four segment envelope normally encountered in keyboard synthesizers. This ADSR however, is designed with extra features such as voltage control of each section, an initial voltage controllable delay time, switchable slopes, and a master voltage control. Each segment may be manually set and voltage controlled, so the module may be used with or without keyboards as a versatile, programmable control voltage generator.

In addition to the normal ATTACK, DECAY, SUSTAIN, and RELEASE segments, an Initial DELAY time is included. This allows multiple envelopes to be initiated from a single trigger or gate, delayed with respect to one another.

Ramps for the ATTACK, DECAY and RELEASE segments can be switched to either linear or exponential slopes with the three-position switch. In the upper position, ATTACK will have an exponential slope while DECAY and RELEASE will have linear slopes. In the middle position, ATTACK, DECAY and RELEASE will have exponential slopes, and in the lower position, ATTACK, DECAY and RELEASE will have linear slopes.

Time periods for [ATTACK], [DECAY] and [RELEASE] range from ~2mS to ~ 60 Seconds while the [DELAY] period ranges from ~2mS to ~20 Seconds

In the Serge Modular System the action of the pots is such that at the minimum '1' position the stage has the maximum time period which decrease to '9'. In EuroRack systems it is more common to have the minimum time period at '1' increasing to the maximum time at '9'. A pair of internal jumpers can be made to set the 'direction of action' for the [DELAY], [ATTACK], [DECAY] and [RELEASE] pots.

All stages have voltage control which have a nominal range of 0V to 5V.

All CV inputs, except [ATTACK,have a positive taper so that increasing CV voltages will increase the time period for the associated stage.

The [ATTACK] CV has a negative taper i.e. increasing the CV voltage will DECREASE the ATTACK time period. This is to allow the ES16 to imitate the response of musical instruments where the sharper the attack, the longer the resonance. A single CV plugged in to the [ATTACK] and [RELEASE] inputs is all that is needed to achieve this. If this action is not required then an internal jumper in the ES16 maybe changed to provide a positive taper.

When using [GATE] as the 'enable' input, [OUT] will perform a full ADSR cycle on the assumption that the [GATE] on-time is greater than the sum of the ATTACK and DECAY times, otherwise it will perform an AR cycle.

[GATE] is internally connected as a 'virtual GATE' when no jack is inserted. This allows pulses in to the [TRIGGER] input to generate AR type envelopes on a baseline set by the [SUSTAIN (SUS)] CV and/or [SUSTAIN] pot.

VC ALL is a master 1V/OCT control which will control all slope times to allow such effects as decreasing the entire envelope time as the pitch of an associated oscillator increases. This phenomenon is typical of many acoustic instrument envelopes

Build Guide