The freedom to shape the sound you imagine. The joy of discovering what lies beyond.

CERNION is an advanced wavetable software synthesizer designed for in-depth sound design and a wide range of performance expression.

Its intuitive, integrated workflow brings together a variety of built-in wavetable waveforms, subtractive synthesis, and GILLA ARP SAMPLES. Two independent arpeggiators, GILLA ARP and CLASSIC ARP, Full MPE support, and 11 effects give you the freedom to combine these capabilities in many ways.

With its flexible modulation system, you can design everything from traditional synth basses, leads, keys, and pads to continuously evolving textures, sound effects for film and video, and complex, experimental sounds.

Key Features

• In-depth design with intuitive control. Drag a source onto a knob to connect modulation, and see its range around the knob. Perform multiple sound changes at once with 8 Macros and the XY PAD.
• Create your own waveforms and wavetables. Draw waveforms, edit harmonics, or extract waveforms from a WAV file. Combine multiple frames, then move between them with Wave to change the timbre.
• Modulation that responds differently on each route. Connect 4 LFOs, 4 envelopes, and other sources to multiple targets. Each route's Depth, Remap, and VIA let the same source produce different amounts and responses.
• Two arpeggiators with different approaches. GILLA ARP creates evolving patterns from the notes you play and their octaves. CLASSIC ARP lets you specify the note order and the dynamics, lengths, and rests of up to 32 steps.
• Full MPE performance. Supports per-note Pitch (Glide/X axis), Slide (Y axis), and Press (Z axis). Pitch covers 48 semitones, or 4 octaves, in each direction. Connect Slide and Press to the sound changes you want.
• 11 effects with serial and parallel routing. Connect MICRO GRAIN, reverb, delays, chorus, distortion, cassette, and other effects in sequence, or split them into two paths and blend them. Effects can also be modulated.

CERNION FX

CERNION FX is a separate plug-in that applies the same effects and modulation tools to external audio. It processes guitar, piano, vocals, drums, and other sounds coming from your DAW. Its presets are managed separately from those of the CERNION synth.

Use the top tabs to switch between sound-editing areas. Build the basic sound in SYNTH, play patterns in GILLA ARP, and add effects in FX. MATRIX brings together the modulation you have connected to knobs. Use LFO, ENVELOPE, MACRO, and XY PAD at the bottom to add movement to your sound and performance.

Basic Terms

• Voice: One sounding note. Playing chords, or allowing notes to ring after releasing the keys, uses multiple voices.
• Unison: Plays multiple layers of an oscillator within one note. Voice count and unison count are separate settings.
• Modulation: Uses another signal to move a knob's value.
• Source: Sends the modulation. Examples include an LFO that generates a repeating curve, an ENV that changes over time, and Velocity, the strength with which you strike a key.
• Target: The knob to be modulated, such as a filter's Cutoff, pitch Coarse, or an effect's Mix.
• Route: A connection between one source and one target. Connecting the same LFO to two knobs creates two routes.
• Dry / Wet: The unprocessed sound and the sound processed by an effect, respectively.
• Tail: Reverb or repeats that remain after the input or performance ends.

Knobs and Values

In this manual, Command/Ctrl means the Command key on macOS or the Ctrl key on Windows.

The position you set manually is the base value; connected modulation is added to it.

When entering numbers, use the units shown on screen. Frequencies can be entered in Hz or kHz, and times in ms or s. Numbers outside the allowed range are clamped to the minimum or maximum. A red border means you should check the input format or unit.

Fine Adjustment and Coarse

Use Command/Ctrl+drag for fine adjustment of standard knobs and route badges. On standard knobs, Shift-click opens value entry; it is not used for fine-adjustment dragging. The mouse wheel does not change knob values, so use dragging instead.

The Coarse knob moves in semitone steps during a normal drag. Hold Command/Ctrl to adjust continuously between semitones.

With a normal drag on a badge connected to Coarse, the modulation range endpoint also snaps to semitones. Hold Command/Ctrl to adjust the endpoint continuously. This is a way of setting the range; it is separate from Semitone Step in MATRIX, which makes the modulation itself move in semitone steps.

Modulation connections and badge/arc operations are covered separately in Connecting and Adjusting Modulation.

Modulation uses a Source such as an LFO, ENV, or Macro to move another knob's value.

Base Value and Modulation Display

The knob's main pointer shows the value you set manually. The modulation arc around it shows the connected modulation range, and the moving indicator shows the current modulation state.

The small badges below the knob represent its connected Sources. Adjust the modulation amount using a badge or the route settings. Multiple Sources can connect to the same knob, and each route is managed separately in MATRIX.

Connecting Modulation by Dragging

This example uses LFO 1 to modulate a filter's Cutoff.

1. Click and hold the LFO 1 tab at the bottom of the screen.
2. Drag it onto the FILTER CUTOFF knob and release.
3. Check the L1 badge on the knob and the modulation arc around it to confirm the connection.

Connect ENV 1-4 the same way by dragging the corresponding tab. For a Macro, drag the small source badge to the right of its number/name onto the Target knob, not the Macro knob itself.

Connecting by Right-Clicking a Knob

1. Right-click the Target knob you want to modulate.
2. Select Add Mod Source → LFO 1. You can also choose other Sources, such as an ENV or Macro, from this list.
3. When the connected Source's badge appears, adjust the modulation amount just as you would for a drag-created route.

Setting the Modulation Range by Dragging a Badge

1. Grab the badge for the route you want to adjust, such as L1 or E2, on the Target knob.
2. Drag up or down. Dragging up increases Depth; dragging down decreases it. Crossing 0 into negative values reverses the modulation direction.
3. Watch the colored arc around the knob and set the range you want.

The knob itself adjusts the base value; the badge adjusts that route's modulation amount. If there are several badges, you can adjust each route separately. At a Depth of 0, the route remains connected but does not change the value.

Hold Command/Ctrl while dragging a badge for finer adjustment. Clicking a badge without dragging opens that knob's connections window.

Switching Unipolar/Bipolar by Right-Clicking

1. Right-click the connected Target knob or badge.
2. Find the name of an already connected Source, such as LFO 1, and open its submenu. This is different from Add Mod Source, which creates a new route.
3. Select Unipolar or Bipolar. A checkmark indicates the current selection.

For example, with LFO 1 connected to Cutoff, Unipolar with positive Depth moves upward from the base Cutoff; Bipolar moves above and below it. Actual movement is limited to the setting's minimum and maximum values.

This selection applies only to that route. If the same LFO is connected to another knob, that route can have its own setting. You can also change this setting using MODE in the corresponding MATRIX row.

Connection Menu

Right-click a modulatable knob to open its connection menu.

• Add Mod Source: Select a Source to connect.
• View connections: View the routes connected to that knob.
• Bypass: Temporarily disable the selected route without removing it.
• Remove: Delete the selected route.
• Unipolar / Bipolar: Change the route's polarity mode.
• Bypass All Modulators / Remove All Modulators: Disable or delete every route connected to that knob.

Functions not shown in the menu are not supported by that control. Some controls, such as PM and the LFO Wave selector knob, cannot be used as modulation Targets.

Managing Routes from the Source

Right-click an LFO or ENV tab, or a Macro source badge, to open a list of Targets connected to that Source. Open a target name's submenu to set Bypass, Remove, Unipolar, or Bipolar.

Bypass All Destinations and Remove All Destinations apply to every route from that Source. The All Modulators menu on a Target knob has a different scope: it applies to routes entering that knob. To re-enable a bypassed route, turn on ON in MATRIX or Connections.

If the same Source and Target are already connected, dragging to create the same route again uses the existing route. You can connect one Source to multiple different Targets and give each route its own Depth, Mode, Remap, and VIA settings.

Opening Presets

Click the preset name area in the plug-in header to open the browser. You can also move to the previous or next preset with the left/right arrows to the right of the name, shown below.

With the browser open, select a preset from the list to load it.

The browser list applies the search term together with pack, tag, and favorite filters. The top left/right arrows follow the pack, tag, and favorite filters, but not the temporary search term in the search field. If a preset is missing from view, check the search term and filters.

Search and Categories

Artist photos identify each artist's pack and presets.

Selecting multiple tags shows only presets that have all the selected tags. For example, selecting Pad and Warm shows warm-sounding pads. Click an active tag again to deselect it, or use the search field's clear button to empty the search term. Selecting search tags and assigning TAGS to a preset when saving are separate operations.

Editing and Saving

Changing knobs after loading a preset changes the current sound, but does not automatically overwrite the saved original file. An * beside the name at the top indicates changes from the loaded state.

1. Press the + button to the right of the preset name at the top to move to the browser's name field.
2. Enter a name and select any tags you need.
3. Press the save button.
4. If the name matches an existing preset, read the overwrite confirmation and choose how to proceed.

When saving an existing user preset under a different name, distinguish between renaming it and saving a new preset. Save as a new preset to keep the original.

Editing or deleting the originals of Factory and built-in pack presets is restricted. You can edit the loaded sound and save the result separately as a user preset. Read-only presets can still be marked as favorites.

Macro names are saved too. If you edit the names above the knobs, press Save to include them in the preset. Reloading the saved preset restores all 8 Macro names. The current names are also stored with a DAW project, but to share them in a preset file, save the preset separately.

The MPE on/off setting is retained when you change presets. Saving a preset does not store MPE on/off as part of the sound. A DAW project does store this state, so reopening the project restores the setting it had when saved.

Navigation, Saving New Presets, and Deleting

• Keyboard navigation: After clicking the preset list, use the left/right arrow keys for the previous/next preset and the up/down arrow keys to move one row up/down. The selected preset loads immediately; you do not need to confirm with Enter. This differs from when you are entering a name or search term.
• New: Keeps the current sound and prepares to save it with a new name and tags. To initialize the sound, use Init Preset in MENU.
• + in TAGS: Opens the tag selector for the preset you are saving. Select tags, then press Save.
• Delete: Select a user preset, press the delete button, then press Confirm. Factory and built-in pack originals cannot be deleted.
• Close: Use the close button or Esc. If a tag selector or save confirmation is open, Esc first closes or cancels that step.

Sharing Files

User presets are saved as .cernionpreset files. Send this file when sharing a preset with someone else.

Default user preset folders:

• macOS: ~/Library/Application Support/quietformat/CERNION/Presets/User/
• Windows: %APPDATA%\quietformat\CERNION\Presets\User\

These folders may contain category subfolders. Because the preset stores its name and settings internally as well as in its filename, use the browser's save function to rename it.

Edited states included in a preset, such as user wavetables and Custom LFOs, are also saved. When transferring to another computer, place the preset file in the user preset folder, reopen the plug-in, and check the list.

Clearing Search and Protecting Originals

Clearing the entire search term removes the search condition immediately. Pack, tag, and Favorites selections remain active, so clear those filters too to see everything.

Factory and artist packs are built into the product and appear in the list without adding separate files. When organizing your user folder, do not modify the built-in originals directly; save your edits in My presets. It is a good idea to back up user presets and DAW projects separately before moving files or reorganizing your computer.

Name Prefixes and Descriptions

BA can mean bass, LD lead, PD pad, KEY keyboard sounds, PL pluck, STAB a short sound with a strong attack, BELL bell, BR brass, STR strings, ARP arpeggio, SEQ sequence, TEX texture, DRN drone, and FX sound effects. These are preset naming conventions, separate from tags.

Parenthetical notes such as Try MPE, Try XY PAD, or Adjust PM suggest performance gestures or controls to try. They do not mean those actions are required to load or use the preset.

Built-In Preset Collection

The synth includes 417 Factory presets and 81 artist-pack presets, for a total of 498. The artist packs appear in this order: GILLA with 28, TAJO HWARANG with 15, heejae with 15, and SLGGR with 23. User presets are added separately. CERNION FX's 28 Factory presets are not included in this total.

SOUND TYPE Tags

CHARACTER Tags

Tags categorize sounds to help you find them. Clicking a tag does not add an effect or change the sound.

POLY · MONO · Legato

Priority's Latest favors the last note played, Lowest the lowest note, and Highest the highest note.

VOICES is the maximum number of notes that can sound simultaneously. Notes still sounding during Release count even after you let go of the keys. If this limit is exceeded, some previously sounding notes may end to make room for new ones. Unison Voice is a separate setting that determines how many layers make up one note.

In POLY, drag the VOICES number area to set the voice count. Selecting MONO replaces that area with Legato and Priority controls. Press the Legato button to switch between normal MONO and Legato playing, and select the preferred note in Priority.

PITCH

Coarse's base value and its modulation are separate. Even though the Coarse knob itself moves in semitones, connected modulation can produce continuous pitch changes unless Semitone Step is enabled.

The two oscillators can each use a different source, with independent pitch, level, and unison settings.

Selecting a Source

Click the source name above an oscillator to open the selection browser.

A wavetable contains multiple waveforms. Moving the Wave knob moves between them, changing the timbre. Some HARDWARE sources select prepared waveforms one step at a time instead of blending continuously between them. Despite its name, Discrete Six in HARDWARE is a continuously variable table.

HARDWARE waveform sources

The quietformat team directly recorded the sounds of the hardware synthesizers listed below from its own collection, then converted those recordings into CERNION’s HARDWARE waveforms.

Third-party names identify the instruments used as waveform sources and do not imply affiliation with or endorsement by their owners.

Oscillator Controls

Modulating Wave with an LFO or another source also updates the waveform display to reflect the current timbre. The knob's main pointer stays at the position you set manually. When you play a chord, the display shows the waveform of one note, not all notes at once.

UNISON

When unison Voice is 1, there are no multiple layers for Detune or Spread to separate.

With SYNC on, the waveform starts from the same position each time you press a key. With it off, the starting position varies, which can change the attack or the character of layered waveforms. This is different from hard sync, which synchronizes a waveform to another oscillator's cycle.

PM 2 → 1

PM uses OSC 2 to rapidly modulate the phase progression of OSC 1, creating new harmonics. Use it for metallic sounds or complex textures. The result depends on the waveform and pitch selected in OSC 2 as well as the PM amount.

• At the far left, the PM amount is 0.
• Increasing the value strengthens phase modulation.
• The direction is fixed from OSC 2 to OSC 1.
• This knob is not a modulation Target in MATRIX.
• If either oscillator uses GILLA ARP SAMPLES, the PM control disappears and PM is unavailable.
• OSC 2's Level and Pan affect only its directly audible sound. The waveform used for PM is unchanged, so OSC 1's PM timbre can remain even with OSC 2 Level at 0.

GILLA ARP SAMPLES

This function uses the 6 GILLA ARP samples built into MELTONE as oscillator sound sources. They are available in OSC 1 and OSC 2. The header's GILLA ARP tab is an actual arpeggiator that generates patterns from incoming notes; it is an entirely separate, independent function from GILLA ARP SAMPLES.

Select one of GILLA ARP 1-6 in the browser. The display shows an image and a SAMPLE label, and the Wave selection pointer disappears.

• The reference note is MIDI 60, displayed as C3 in Ableton.
• Raising the pitch increases playback speed and shortens the sample. Lowering it does the opposite.
• Playback stops at the end of the sample. Increasing Sustain does not extend the original length.
• Level, pitch, Pan, unison, filters, ENV, and FX can all be used to process the sound.
• You cannot add your own recordings to this sample list.
• Import WAV in the wavetable editor does not add recordings to this sample list.

The internal movement in GILLA ARP SAMPLES is part of the recorded source. It remains even when Power on the ARP page is off. The Wave position of an OSC using a sample does not function as normal wavetable frame scanning.

Open the editor using the oscillator's edit icon, or New / import... or Edit... in the source browser. First check whether you are editing OSC 1 or OSC 2.

Waveforms and Frames

A frame is one waveform. Repeating that waveform rapidly produces a note. A wavetable is a collection of frames, and the Wave knob selects a waveform position within it. Create different frames to make the timbre change as you move Wave.

1. Select a frame.
2. Drag in the waveform graph to draw its shape.
3. Add, duplicate, or delete frames to change the table's structure.
4. Use Shape, Frames, or Import WAV in Tools as needed.
5. Give the table a name and save it as a new user table.

The draft you are editing is separate from the oscillator source currently selected. Save and apply the finished table, then save the preset too. When editing an existing table, save it as a new copy.

Using the Graph and Frame List

In Draw, drag over the graph to draw the waveform directly. In Harmonics, adjust bars representing the fundamental and the harmonics above it. Raising or lowering a bar increases or reduces that component, changing the timbre. You can also enter numbers for the selected harmonic's amplitude and its position within the waveform (phase).

Click a frame thumbnail below to select the frame to edit. After clicking the thumbnail list, use the left/right arrow keys to select the previous/next frame, or Home/End to select the first/last frame.

Use the Undo/Redo buttons to undo or redo draft edits. Command/Ctrl+Z / Command/Ctrl+Shift+Z also work. Cancel or Esc closes the editor without saving.

Frame Management

Regardless of frame count, the saved frames span the full range of the Wave knob. A table contains 1-256 frames, and its last remaining frame cannot be deleted. Keep range includes both endpoint frames specified by First and Last. Interpolate interpolates waveforms between frames; it does not extend the playback duration of the original recording.

Shape and Harmonic Editing

For Invert, Reverse cycle, and Reverse frame order, select the operation in the list, then press Transform to apply it. Shape transformations are included in the saved user wavetable.

Import WAV

Import WAV extracts repeating waveforms from a recording. It is not sample import for playing the recording at its original length.

1. Open Import WAV in the editor or in Tools.
2. For a typical single-note recording, select Auto (detect pitch).
3. Select the channel to use and load a WAV file.
4. Check the extracted frame waveforms and their timbral changes.
5. Name and save the user table, then save the preset too.

Choose the combined stereo signal, left channel, or right channel. Auto creates up to 256 frames following timbral changes over the recording.

Use a steady-pitched, single-note recording for Auto. A sufficiently long periodic section is required. Sounds without a clear fundamental cycle, such as chords, performances with continuously changing pitch, or pure noise, may be difficult to extract reliably or may be rejected.

File Formats and Compatibility

WAV files may use PCM 16/24/32-bit or 32-bit float. The maximum file size is 16 MiB. The imported result is a mono wavetable; it does not preserve the original sample's duration and playback speed.

To re-extract single cycles from the original WAV, import with Auto (detect pitch). The import mode applies to the newly extracted table; it does not automatically change tables already saved.

Deleting User Tables

Delete unused tables from the source browser's User list. Deletion is restricted for a table currently selected and in use. Check the target name in the deletion confirmation.

Storage Limits and Preset Saving

One preset can contain up to 8 user tables, with a total waveform-data size of 16 MiB. OSC 1 and OSC 2 share the same list. These limits apply to the tables included together in the current preset or project, not the total number you can create on your computer.

An edited table is added as a separate copy. If unused copies accumulate and reach the limit, delete unnecessary tables from the User list before saving. To delete a table used by OSC 1 or OSC 2, first switch that oscillator to another source.

Saved and applied user table data is included in presets and DAW projects. Sharing a preset does not require separately locating and relinking the original WAV. However, the editor's unsaved draft and the applied table are separate, so save the user preset after applying the table.

SUB

SUB is an additional sound generator using basic waveforms. Use a low-octave sine wave to reinforce the low end, or layer another basic waveform.

SUB starts each note's waveform from the position set by Phase. It does not copy OSC 1 or OSC 2, so changing their waveforms, Coarse, or unison does not apply the same settings to SUB.

NOISE

Level sets the output level, Tone sets brightness, and Pan sets the stereo position.

The keyboard-shaped button is Noise Pitch Key Track. When enabled, the noise source's playback/frequency characteristics follow the played pitch relative to MIDI 60. Tone operates separately. Noise differs from a periodic sine wave, so not every type produces a clearly pitched melody when played on the keyboard.

Filters change a sound's brightness and harmonic balance. F1 and F2 are two separate filters; click their tabs to choose which one to edit. Switching tabs does not turn a filter on or off. To turn F2 off, select OFF in the Type list. Selecting a filter type turns it back on.

Filter Types

Controls

Lowering Mix blends in unfiltered signal, so some of the original brightness may remain even with Cutoff set very low.

Differences Between F1 and F2

ANALOG applies to F1's LP 12, LP 18, LP 24, LP 36, HP, BP, and Notch modes. Comb and Formant use their own processing even with ANALOG enabled. ANALOG changes saturation when the filter is driven hard and the response of Resonance. The texture can differ even at the same Cutoff and Drive settings.

With F2 set to OFF, its input selections and settings do not take part in processing. Distinguish between settings that will be used when it is re-enabled and selecting which tab is currently displayed.

Turning off a 1, 2, S, or N button does not mute that source. A source sent to neither filter bypasses the filters and remains audible. To silence the source itself, use its OSC, SUB, or NOISE Level or power control.

Formant Vowel Position

Formant uses vowel-like resonances. Filter Vowel for F1 and Filter Vowel for an FX slot are modulation Targets selected in MATRIX, not separate knob names on the main filter panel. The vowel position moves continuously between A, E, I, O, and U. F2 has no separate Vowel modulation Target. Moving Vowel with another filter type selected does not produce vowel changes.

Adjusting the Filter Graph Directly

In the selected F1 or F2 graph, drag horizontally to change Cutoff and vertically to change Resonance. Drag diagonally to adjust both. Hold Command/Ctrl while dragging for finer changes.

Double-clicking the graph restores both Cutoff and Resonance of the selected filter to their defaults. It does not reset the filter type, Drive, or input selections.

Serial and Parallel Routing

Use the routing icon between F1 and F2 to switch modes.

• Serial: Sound processed by F1 continues into F2. Sources selected only for F2, not F1, are added at the F2 stage.
• Parallel: F1 and F2 process their selected inputs independently, then their outputs are combined.

Sources sent to neither filter bypass the filters. Sending the same source to both parallel paths can change the summed result and level.

Resonance and Self-Oscillation

At high Resonance settings, the synth filter's own resonance can produce a tone. This is called self-oscillation. It is not limited to ANALOG mode; the response and onset depend on filter type, Cutoff, Drive, input, and voice state. Not every mode resonates at the same level or at the same Resonance value.

The filter's resonant tone also follows keyboard playing and ENV 1's amplitude control. It may be audible even with low OSC Level, but a note must be played and ENV 1 must be open for it to sound. Releasing the key makes it fade according to ENV 1's Release. Lower your monitoring volume before increasing Resonance.

The MULTIMODE FILTER in FX is a separate effect and is not operated in the same way as synth-filter self-oscillation.

• Master Volume / Level: Adjusts the final output level.
• Width: Adjusts the overall stereo width.
• Bass Mono: Reduces left/right differences in the low end, bringing it toward mono.
• Output meter: Shows left/right output levels and peaks.

Master Volume does not clean up roughness already created by Drive or Distortion earlier in the signal path. Adjust distortion amount in the relevant effect, and final volume in OUTPUT.

An LFO repeatedly moves a connected knob. Connect it to volume for a pulsing effect, or to a filter for changes in brightness. You do not listen to the LFO itself; you use its movement to control knobs. LFO 1-4 can each have their own shape and rate.

Waveform and Rate

The basic Wave options are Sine, Triangle, Saw Up, Saw Down, Square, Sample & Hold, and Smooth Random. Sample & Hold holds random values in steps; Smooth Random moves smoothly between random values.

F1 LR Phase offsets left/right progression when this LFO is connected directly to F1's Cutoff, Resonance, or Drive. It is not a general stereo setting for F2, FX filters, OSC Pan, or final Width. Without a connection to F1, raising this value alone does not create left/right filter movement.

Mono · Poly

• Mono: Simultaneously sounding notes share the same LFO progression. Use this to move a whole chord together.
• Poly: Each note has its own LFO progression. Their movements can differ according to when keys are pressed and the playback mode.

Free · Sync

• Free: Sets Rate in Hz, independently of DAW tempo.
• Sync: Sets a note duration synchronized to DAW tempo.

The Free rate setting and Free Run playback mode are separate settings. You can select Free Run while the rate is set to Sync.

To continuously vary Rate with another LFO or Macro, use Free. In Sync, the selected note duration and DAW tempo determine the speed instead of Hz modulation of Rate.

The Sync options 4 Bar, 2 Bar, and 1 Bar correspond to 16, 8, and 4 quarter notes, respectively. The remaining options are 1/2, 1/4, 1/8, 1/16, 1/32, 1/4D, 1/8D, 1/16D, 1/4T, 1/8T, and 1/16T. D means dotted; T means triplet.

Free Run · Retrig · One Shot

Click the playback-mode button to cycle through the three modes.

When no keys are held, the display previews the curve's movement. During performance, it prioritizes the actual LFO position of a sounding note.

One Shot holds the final curve value after the cycle ends. It does not automatically return to 0. A Custom LFO with different endpoint values stops at its final endpoint, so distinguish this behavior from the Link ends setting.

MIDI Learn for Playback Modes

Right-click the playback-mode button that switches Free Run, Retrig, and One Shot to assign Retrig MIDI Learn... and One Shot MIDI Learn... separately. Distinguish the Free/Sync rate button from the playback-mode button.

Enabling and Opening the Editor

Select the LFO tab to edit, enable Custom below Wave, then click the pencil icon that appears beside it.

While Custom is active, the basic Wave knob is disabled and the user curve is used. Turning Custom off does not erase the saved user curve. Turn it back on to use that curve again.

The text color indicates when Custom is active. The circular display shows the user curve, and the basic Wave selection pointer is not used. Turning Custom off returns to the basic Wave waveform.

The editor applies only to the selected LFO. To edit another LFO, select it on the main screen.

Draw

Move points in the graph to change their time positions and levels. Drag the curve between points to adjust the segment's curvature. You can use up to 32 points.

• Double-click empty space: Add a point.
• Right-click an interior point, or select it and press Delete or the delete button, to remove it.
• Grid: Selects the point-snapping interval. Hold Shift while dragging to temporarily disable snapping.
• Link ends: Keeps the start and end points at the same level.
• Shape: Selects a starting shape: Triangle, Rise, Fall, Pulse, Flat, or S-curve.
• Undo / Redo: Undoes or redoes curve edits.

Numeric Point Editing and Undo

Edit the selected point numerically with Position and Level, and the segment leading to the next point with Curve. The horizontal positions of the start and end points are fixed. Flip inverts the curve vertically.

Draw edits take effect immediately in that LFO. Done, close, and Esc close the editor; they do not cancel changes. Use Undo to revert changes. Command/Ctrl+Z / Command/Ctrl+Shift+Z also work.

Double-clicking empty space in a Custom LFO adds a point. Do not confuse this with double-clicking a curve segment to reset its curvature in Remap, Key Map, or Velocity Map.

Compose

Compose combines curves A and B to create a new curve. Instead of moving individual points in Draw, combine prepared curves and preview the result. The result is applied to the current LFO only when you press Apply to LFO.

An envelope is a curve that defines how a sound begins, sustains, and fades after you press a key. ENV 1 controls amplitude without any additional connection. Connect ENV 2-4 to knobs you want to move, such as filter or pitch controls. ENV 1 can also modulate other knobs while controlling amplitude.

Stages and Controls

In the graph, you can adjust stage positions and levels, and the Attack, Decay, and Release curves. Even at the same time setting, the curve changes how quickly the beginning and end progress.

Increasing Velo makes softer key strikes produce a smaller envelope output. This affects not only volume but also the modulation amount sent to connected targets such as Cutoff and Coarse.

ENV 1's basic amplitude envelope continues to work even with Depth at 0. Depth reduces only modulation routed to filters and other targets. ENV 1's Attack, Hold, Decay, Sustain, Release, and Velo also affect the sound's volume.

You do not need to connect ENV 1 to amplitude. This is also why there is no Amp Level in the MATRIX Target list. To control amplitude with additional modulation, connect it to OSC Level or Master Volume.

The end of an envelope does not simultaneously cut off FX tails. Sound already sent to delay or reverb remains for the configured duration. OTT can raise fading sounds again, changing the perceived envelope fade.

Using Graph Handles

Drag the point at a stage's end to change its time or the Sustain level. Drag the curve handles in Attack, Decay, and Release vertically to change curvature. Hold Command/Ctrl for fine adjustment.

Double-clicking a handle restores only its corresponding setting to the default. Double-clicking a curve handle resets curvature without clearing its time value or other stages. Right-click a handle to open MIDI Learn for its setting.

Current Playback Position

During performance, a small pointer on the selected ENV graph shows its current position. With curved Attack, Decay, or Release stages, the pointer follows the curve. It stays at the held position during Sustain and moves into Release when the note is released.

ENV 1's pointer shows amplitude progression. ENV 2-4 show a pointer when actually in use: the envelope must be a source or VIA in an enabled route with nonzero Depth. It is normal for an unconnected ENV to have no pointer.

With Loop or Ping Pong, the pointer follows the actual loop direction. It disappears when the envelope finishes.

Loop

Select an ENV tab, then click the Loop icon in the envelope section. All four envelopes, including ENV 1, can use this setting.

Repeat count provides 1-64 additional repeats after the first pass. While held repeats without a count limit while the note remains held. Start and End are chosen from Attack, Hold, and Decay; End cannot precede Start. Sustain and Release cannot be part of the loop range.

In Ping Pong, one forward-and-back trip counts as one repeat. When the specified repeats finish, the envelope continues to later stages and Sustain. Releasing the note moves it into Release even during a loop. If a pedal or ARP is sustaining the note, that note's eventual release determines the timing.

At 100% Sustain, Hold and Decay are at the same level. Looping only this flat section produces little or no level change even with Loop enabled. Check both the Loop icon's active state and the selected loop range.

Loop setting changes take effect immediately; close or Esc only closes the window. Use that window's Undo to revert a change and Redo to restore it. Loop settings are also saved in presets and DAW projects.

Macro 1-8

A Macro lets you perform multiple changes with one knob. Connect a Macro to several knobs, such as Cutoff and effect Mix, and set the direction and amount for each. One target can rise while another falls.

An unconnected Macro does not change the sound when moved. Each preset can give its Macros different roles.

Click the settings icon in the MACRO section to access Connections and Capture.

Editing and Saving Macro Names

You can name the Macros above their knobs to describe their roles, such as Tone, Decay, or Dry/Wet. The numbers 1-8 remain visible even after names are entered.

1. Double-click the name area beside the number of the Macro you want to name.
2. Enter a name, then press Enter or click outside the field to confirm. Press Esc to cancel the edit.
3. Press Save in the preset browser to save the preset.

All 8 Macro names are saved with the preset.

Saving a DAW project also preserves the current Macro names. To share them in a preset file, save the preset separately too.

Names can contain up to 24 characters. Names longer than the display area are shortened on screen; hover to see the full name. Clearing and confirming a name leaves only the number.

Loading Init or a preset without assigned names does not retain the previous names. These operations work the same in CERNION and CERNION FX.

Connections

Select one of M1-M8 to see its connected Targets. Enable, disable, change Depth, or delete each route. Open the route in MATRIX to edit Remap and VIA as well.

Creating Routes with Capture

Capture creates Macro routes by recording knob settings for the Macro's 0% and 100% states.

1. Select the Macro and open Capture.
2. Set the knob values you want at 0% Macro, then press Capture 0%.
3. Change them to the values you want at 100% Macro, then press Capture 100%.
4. Select the items to connect from the list of changed settings.
5. Check both endpoint values, then press Apply routes.

Capture 0% and Capture 100% are buttons that remember the knob positions you have currently set. Pressing them does not automatically move knobs to another position. Create both states manually and capture each one. After pressing Apply routes, move the Macro to perform between the two states. Applying routes does not change the Macro's current position.

Capture connects continuously variable knobs. Source types, stepped waveform selections, Wave for GILLA ARP SAMPLES, settings of disabled FX, and similar controls may be excluded. Items may also be excluded because they overlap existing routes; check the reasons in the list. Edit any routes you need separately in MATRIX.

You can also edit endpoint values directly in the Capture list's 0% and 100% fields. Enter values using the target's units, such as Hz, st, or %, then press Enter or click outside the field to confirm. Esc cancels the unconfirmed edit in that field.

It is best to stop DAW automation during Capture. Continuously changing automated values can make it difficult to record the two intended states.

XY PAD

Moving the point inside the pad changes the X and Y sources together. X and Y can each connect to separate Targets. Drag the X/Y labels or select them from a Target's Add Mod Source menu.

Right-click the pad to view and edit X Axis and Y Axis connections separately. Double-click inside the pad to return both X and Y to the center at 50%. Connected Targets receive the modulation values for that position.

Full MPE: Use per-note Pitch, Slide, and Press together. X-axis Pitch, or Glide expression, has a range of ±48 semitones; assign Y-axis Slide and Z-axis Press to your chosen Targets.

MPE stands for MIDI Polyphonic Expression, a method of transmitting pitch and expression separately for each simultaneously played note. Unlike conventional pitch bend, which affects all notes on one channel together, it lets you apply different changes to each held note.

The controller distributes notes across multiple MIDI channels and sends pitch, slide, and pressure values on the channel used by each note. The corresponding finger gestures depend on the controller.

X · Y · Z Roles

Preparation and Activation

1. Enable MPE mode on your controller. If editing per-note expression in a DAW, configure the track to send MPE data to the plug-in.
2. If channel configuration is available, set Lower Zone: channel 1 for common control, channels 2-16 for per-note control. CERNION operates with this configuration.
3. Preserve per-note channels in the DAW's MIDI input/routing settings. Merging all input onto one channel can make per-note expressions move together.
4. MPE is enabled by default. A check beside MENU → MPE Enable in CERNION means it is on. Turn it off here to use conventional MIDI operation.
5. For independent expression on multiple simultaneous notes, select POLY and set VOICES to the polyphony you need.

Changing Presets and Reopening Songs

The MPE on/off setting is retained when you change presets. Selecting Factory, artist, or user presets, or initializing the sound with Init Preset, does not change it. MPE on/off is not included as part of the sound when saving a new preset either.

DAW projects store the MPE Enable state. A song saved with it on reopens with it on; one saved with it off reopens with it off. When using CERNION on multiple tracks, each track's setting is saved separately.

The knobs controlled by MPE Y/Z and their modulation amounts are saved in presets. Slide and Press can therefore have different roles in different presets even while MPE stays enabled.

Matching Pitch Ranges

CERNION's per-note X pitch range is fixed at 48 semitones, or 4 octaves, in each direction. Set your controller or DAW's per-note Pitch Bend Range to ±48 semitones too. Mismatched ranges produce pitches that differ from the intended finger movement or note expression.

The on-screen P.BEND + / - controls set the ranges for conventional pitch bend and MPE's channel 1 common pitch bend. Changing them does not change per-note X's ±48-semitone range.

Connecting Y/Z and Adjusting Response

X pitch is available as soon as MPE Enable is on. To change the sound with Y and Z, you must create modulation routes. Y is not permanently assigned to the filter, nor does Z automatically control volume.

1. Press MATRIX → Add route to add a route.
2. Select MPE Y or MPE Z as Source.
3. Select the control to modulate as Target, and enable the route's ON switch.
4. Set the direction and amount with Depth. At 0, the route produces no change.

You can also right-click a knob and select Add Mod Source → MPE Y / MPE Z. Check the new route in the knob's modulation display and in MATRIX.

Double-clicking a Remap curve segment resets only that segment's curvature; point positions remain unchanged. Adjust each route's response in Remap, and also check the Target knob's base value and available range.

Differences from Velocity and Aftertouch

With MPE on, the same pressure input may affect both Aftertouch and MPE Z. If both Sources connect to the same Target, modulation from both routes is applied.

Per-Note Settings and Shared Settings

OSCs and synth filters process each note separately. Connect MPE Y/Z to these knobs to change individual notes within a chord independently. In contrast, FX process the combined sound of all played notes. Connecting MPE to FX changes shared effect settings; it does not create separate reverbs or delays for each note.

Supported Scope

• Per-note channels: Uses Pitch Bend, CC74, and pressure input on channels 2-16. Pitch Bend on channel 1 applies to all notes together.
• Channel configuration and range: Use the Lower Zone configuration. Switching to Upper Zone and automatic zone/pitch-range changes from controller setup messages (RPN) are not supported.
• MPE X: Dedicated to pitch. MATRIX has no MPE X Source; only Y and Z can be routed.
• Turning MPE off: MPE Y/Z output becomes 0, and conventional pitch bend uses the P.BEND + / - ranges. Turning MPE Enable off does not delete Y/Z route rows.
• Sustain pedal: Uses CC64 on channel 1, the Lower Zone's common control channel. Notes remain held after you release the keys while the pedal is down, then enter Release when you release the pedal. This is separate from CC64 on per-note channels.
• MONO · Legato: Single-voice playing modes. Use POLY for independent expression on multiple simultaneous notes.

Sustain Pedal and Playing Modes

MPE's common sustain pedal applies to POLY, MONO/Legato, and both ARPs. In an ARP, input notes held by the pedal may remain available to the pattern. Latch is CLASSIC ARP's own chord-hold setting, so check it separately from the pedal.

Releasing the pedal moves sustained notes into Release. ENV Release and delay/reverb tails can remain for their configured durations, so not all sound stops immediately.

You can also use MPE without a controller if your DAW can edit per-note expression and transmit it as MPE. Check your DAW's settings for note-expression editing and how it actually sends the data to the plug-in.

Open these settings from VOICE & MOD or the source settings icon in MATRIX. Shape the source in its settings window, then connect it to a Target in MATRIX. Editing a curve without making a connection does not affect the sound.

Key Map

This curve varies knob modulation according to the register you play. The horizontal axis runs from low to high keys; the vertical axis is the value sent to the route. You can make modulation stronger only in a high register, or weaker within a particular register. It does not remap the pitches of the keys themselves.

Key Map does not replace basic Key Track. You must connect the separate Source named Key Map to use the edited curve.

Velocity Map

Sets the response to key-strike strength. The horizontal axis runs from soft to hard input; the vertical axis is the value sent to the route. You can make even soft playing produce a large change, or make the response strong only when playing hard.

Editing Velocity Map does not automatically apply the same curve to the basic Velocity Source or ENV Velo settings. It applies only to routes using the Velocity Map Source.

Using Map Graphs

• Drag a point: Change its input position and output value.
• Drag a line or hollow curve handle: Bend the segment.
• Double-click empty space: Add a point.
• Double-click an interior point or press Delete: Delete the point.
• Double-click a curve segment: Restore only that segment's curvature to a straight line. Point positions remain unchanged.
• Edit point: Edit the selected point numerically.
• Identity / Inverse / Soft / Hard / Flat: Load a prepared response shape.

Select Identity to restore the entire map to its initial form. Double-clicking a curve segment is different from resetting the whole map.

Map Selection and Numeric Entry

After clicking the graph, use the left/right arrow keys to select a point, and Enter to open or close the Edit point numeric controls. Key Map Input is displayed as a MIDI note number; Velocity Map Input is a percentage. Output is the modulation value sent at that position.

Map edits take effect immediately. Use Undo/Redo or Command/Ctrl+Z / Command/Ctrl+Shift+Z to revert or restore changes. View connections opens MATRIX filtered to the currently selected Source. Editing a curve alone does not create a new route.

Note Sources

Note Random's Seed determines the value sequence. Enter a Seed and press Enter or click outside the field to confirm; the new sequence starts with the next note. Set Note Counter's length from 2-16; it takes effect at the next note start. Unlike an LFO, these sources respond to note starts rather than continuously repeating over time.

These three sources advance only when a new key press occurs (Note On). Playing the same note again also advances them, but releasing a key or completing an LFO cycle does not. A note already started retains its value even while fading through Release.

Changing Seed leaves Note Alternate and Note Counter’s progression unchanged. Counter rises one step at a time from minimum to maximum over the specified length, then returns to the beginning.

Audio Follower

Moves knobs according to audio level. Its value rises as the input gets louder and falls as it gets quieter. In CERNION, it follows the synth signal before FX; in CERNION FX, it follows audio received from the DAW. Connect it to a filter, FX Mix, or other target to create effects that respond to performance dynamics.

Audio Follower follows level only; it does not detect audio pitch or generate MIDI notes. New MIDI notes do not restart its level tracking. To use it, turn on Enabled, create a source route, and feed in audio.

MATRIX shows at a glance what (Source) moves which knob (Target), and by how much (Depth). Each row is one route, with details for the selected row below. Routes created by dragging onto knobs are also edited here.

Creating a Route

1. Add a row with Add route.
2. Select a Source.
3. Select a Target.
4. Set Mode and Depth, and enable the route.

You can also connect by dragging a Source from an LFO/ENV tab or similar control onto a Target knob.

Row Fields

Narrow the displayed routes with the search field and Source, Target, and status filters. A lower displayed route count does not mean routes have been deleted.

Row Selection and Keyboard Operation

Clicking an unselected row first selects only that row. Even if you click a combo box in an unselected row, that first click does not open its list. Click SOURCE, TARGET, VIA, or MODE again in the selected row to open the list. Selecting a row lets you edit its Remap/VIA details. After clicking the list, use the up/down arrow keys to move between visible rows, and Delete or Backspace to delete the selected route. Esc clears the row selection. While entering a number or search term, the field's editing behavior takes priority.

Turning ON off or setting Depth to 0 can both make modulation inaudible, but retain the settings. Use delete to remove the route itself.

Source List

Available Sources are ENV 1-4, LFO 1-4, Macro 1-8, Velocity, Key Track, Mod Wheel, Aftertouch, MPE Y, MPE Z, XY Pad X, XY Pad Y, Note Random, Note Alternate, Note Counter, Audio Follower, Key Map, and Velocity Map.

Aftertouch and MPE require a controller or MIDI input that sends the corresponding data. MPE Y/Z carry MPE expression data, not the same values as conventional Velocity.

Unipolar · Bipolar

• Unipolar: Uses the Source's range from 0 to maximum for movement in one direction.
• Bipolar: Uses movement in both directions around the Source's midpoint.

To reverse a route, change the sign of Depth. Switching to Bipolar and making Depth negative are not the same operation.

Actual Units and Movement

Check the target's units: semitones for Coarse, cent for Fine, Hz/kHz for filters, and ms/s for time parameters. Some settings do not change by equal numeric intervals when the knob moves an equal distance. The same Depth can therefore reach different values and produce different amounts of change depending on the starting position.

Depth indicates the change from the base value, not an absolute destination value. Bipolar Depth is the amount from the center to one endpoint, not the full span between endpoints.

Modulation cannot exceed the Target's allowed range. If the base Cutoff is already at maximum, positive modulation cannot raise it further. Check the arc, endpoint value, and base knob position together.

Changes from multiple rows connected to the same Target are added together. Positive and negative routes can cancel each other, and the summed result is limited to the Target's allowed range.

Target Scope

Not every on-screen button or list is a MATRIX Target. PM amount, ANALOG, source type, routing selection, and similar settings are handled by their own controls. Connect using items actually shown in the Target list. CERNION FX does not show synth-only Sources or Targets.

Remap

Remap changes the Source response for this route only. Give an individual route a different response without changing the original LFO or ENV shape.

Move the graph's endpoints to change ranges, and drag the line or middle handle to adjust the curve. Double-click the curve to return curvature to 0. Input/output endpoints and Remap On/Off remain unchanged.

Editing the graph does not automatically enable Remap. Check its On state.

Giving Each Route a Different Response with Remap

This example uses one MACRO 1 to change LFO 1's rate and depth with different responses.

1. Set LFO 1's rate mode to Free. Rate modulation applies in Free mode.
2. Create MACRO 1 → LFO 1 Rate and MACRO 1 → LFO 1 Depth routes, enable both, and set their Depth to nonzero values.
3. Select each row in MATRIX and enable Remap. For the Rate route, make a curve that is gentle at first and steep later; for the Depth route, make it steep at first and gentle later.
4. Turn MACRO 1 slowly. Initially, LFO Depth rises quickly while Rate changes gradually; later, Rate changes more strongly. The modulation pointers on the target knobs also move with different responses.

There is only one source, MACRO 1, but each route follows its own Remap curve. Changing a curve affects only that route's response, not the LFO waveform itself. Use the route's Depth to change only the amount of movement; use Remap to change which part of the range responds more sensitively.

VIA and Invert VIA

VIA uses another Source to control this route's influence. A lower VIA value reduces the route amount; a higher value applies more of it.

Invert VIA reverses the VIA value. It does not invert the Source waveform itself.

VIA Response

If a route uses an LFO to modulate a filter and Mod Wheel as VIA, the wheel controls the amount of LFO movement. It determines how much this route acts, rather than directly setting the filter's base position.

Invert VIA reverses this behavior. At the lowest Mod Wheel position, the full configured amount is used; at the highest position, this route's amount becomes 0.

Even if the same LFO 1 also connects to Pan, that route is unaffected by Mod Wheel if its VIA is None. VIA applies only to the selected route.

Depth, Remap, and VIA Compared

Half VIA does not mean the Cutoff value in Hz is halved. With settings such as filter frequency, where knob position and numeric value are not proportional, watch the arc and listen to the actual change while adjusting.

Semitone Step

Available on routes targeting Master Coarse, OSC 1 Coarse, or OSC 2 Coarse. The default is Off.

1. Select a route row targeting Coarse in MATRIX. VCO I Coarse in the example means OSC 1 Coarse.
2. Press On under SEMITONE STEP in the detail area below.
3. Press Off in the same place to return to continuous pitch changes.

When enabled, the final Coarse value, after summing routes added to that Coarse, moves in whole semitones. It changes in steps rather than sliding between semitones.

• It applies to that Coarse's final result, not to rounding one route separately.
• It does not change Fine, Pitch Bend, or Glide. Changes in those settings can produce additional pitch movement alongside the semitone steps.
• It does not select a scale or key. Distinguish it from a function that selects only notes in a particular scale.

Direct Navigation

Show target takes you to the target control; Edit source takes you to that Source's editor.

GILLA ARP is an independent arpeggiator that generates patterns from incoming notes. Its patterns play the sound you create in CERNION, regardless of the oscillator source you select.

Select GILLA ARP or CLASSIC ARP on the ARP page. This chapter describes the GILLA ARP engine. First check the shared power control and engine selection.

GILLA ARP plays evolving rhythmic patterns from the notes you hold. Play a chord, and its notes and their higher and lower octaves scatter, overlap, and move. Rather than entering notes into individual sequencer steps, you generate a pattern from the chord you play.

Basic Operation

Turn on GILLA ARP and play notes. Set Rate and pattern length, then adjust Density, Gate, Octave, Scatter, and Velocity.

Performance Display

The upper display represents played notes as particles of light. They light up when notes start and disappear when notes end, showing how densely the pattern plays and how long notes overlap. This is not an output-level meter.

Changing Rate changes the interval between particle appearances to match the pattern's actual speed. Density and the number of input notes affect particle density; Gate affects how long notes remain held.

Particle positions visualize pitch information; this is not a piano roll arranged in keyboard order. FX tail duration and the display's afterglow duration are also separate.

Pattern Start

• Note On: Starts pattern playback from the note start.
• Bar Sync: Sets playback position relative to bar boundaries.
• Free Run: Plays by continuing the pattern's flow.

Tempo synchronization and bar position depend on the DAW's playback state and tempo information. Free speed is 0.25-32 Hz; Sync options are 1/4·1/8·1/16·1/32·1/8T·1/16T·1/8D·1/16D. With Resampled Timing enabled, pitch-dependent speed differences can also be added while using Sync.

Original Key

Original Key is the reference for pitch-dependent pattern playback speed. With Resampled Timing enabled and Manual selected, lowering the reference key makes the same held input run faster; raising it makes the same input run slower. This does not change the chord's key or harmony.

Fixed C4 on screen means MIDI 60. Depending on the DAW's octave naming convention, the same note may be displayed as C3 or another octave name.

Resampled Timing · Resampled Gate

With Resampled Timing enabled, the pitch interval from the reference note affects pattern speed: higher notes run faster and lower notes slower. At 0% Timing Amount, no pitch-dependent speed difference is applied. Raising it increases speed differences for notes farther from the reference. At 100%, the full pitch-dependent playback ratio is applied.

Resampled Gate also applies the pitch-dependent playback ratio to generated-note durations. Higher notes become shorter and lower notes longer. When off, this pitch ratio is not applied to note duration. Timing and Gate can be enabled independently.

Register and Scope

Octave is set from 1-4. Relative to the input note, the generator's octave candidates are 1: original pitch, +1 octave, 2: -1, original pitch, +1, 3: -1, original pitch, +1, +2, and 4: -2, -1, original pitch, +1, +2 octaves. Scatter, the held register, and other factors affect which candidates are chosen. Not every available octave sounds on every pass.

Gate ranges from 5-200%. Notes can overlap when Gate exceeds the basic interval. Velocity controls generated-note strength, but actual volume differences also depend on ENV Velo and downstream compression/distortion.

Notes generated by GILLA ARP and CLASSIC ARP play CERNION's internal sound engine. Generated MIDI cannot be sent to other plug-ins or saved as a MIDI file. LFOs, ENV Loop, and FX can continue to shape the sound independently when ARP is off.

Select CLASSIC ARP on the same ARP page as GILLA ARP. The shared power control enables whichever engine is currently selected. The two engines do not run on top of each other simultaneously.

CLASSIC ARP separately determines the order in which held notes play and the rhythm in which they play. Note Order and Octave determine pitch order, while up to 32 step bars set dynamics, duration, and rests. Changing bar height changes playing strength (Velocity), not pitch.

Overall Controls

D in the Sync list means dotted; T means triplet. Sync options are 1/1, 1/2, 1/2D, 1/2T, 1/4, 1/4D, 1/4T, 1/8, 1/8D, 1/8T, 1/16, 1/16D, 1/16T, 1/32, 1/32T, and 1/64T.

Start and Playback Modes

Legato: Continues the pattern as overlapping notes are added. Releasing all keys and starting a new group allows it to restart. Note: Restarts the pattern on a new Note On. Song Position: In Sync, sets the starting position from the DAW's playback position. It depends on the position and playback state supplied by the DAW.

Loop repeats the configured range; Once runs through it once. Random Steps randomly selects step dynamics, rests, and lengths within the current pattern length. Note Order's Random selects pitches, so it differs from Random Steps.

Step Editing

Tie to next step carries the previous note into the next step instead of retriggering a new note each time. A rest breaks the tie. A Tie on the last step does not hold the note indefinitely after Once playback.

With a step length of 50% and overall Length of 80%, the note sounds for about 40% of the basic interval. ENV 1 Release and FX tails can continue afterward, so bar width is not the same as the audible tail length. At 100% Key Velocity, changing bar heights alone may produce little audible difference in dynamics.

Rhythm Presets and Reset

Accent is a basic rhythm with accents, Straight a regular rhythm at equal strength, Offbeat a rhythm with alternating rests, and Sparse a rhythm with fewer notes. This menu changes step Velocity, length, enabled state, and Tie. It does not load a complete sound preset.

Reset returns CLASSIC ARP's speed, pattern, performance settings, and imported Groove to their defaults. Distinguish it from Init Preset, which also initializes oscillators and FX.

Complete Note Order List

Importing MIDI Groove

Choose Import MIDI groove... from the settings icon, or drop one .mid or .midi file onto the step editor. Use a MIDI note file of 4 MB or less. Standard musical MIDI with time recorded in beats (PPQ) is supported; video-time-based SMPTE files are not. Before importing, set Sync Rate to the intended step division.

The import reads how far note starts fall before or after the beat and applies those offsets to up to 32 steps. It does not copy the MIDI melody's pitches, a complete drum pattern, or Velocity as-is. Set the amount with Groove and remove it with Clear MIDI groove. Files without notes or using a different time basis may not import.

How strongly step Velocity differences affect actual volume also depends on ENV 1 Velo and downstream FX. Even with Key Velocity toward the step setting, low Velo or heavy OTT/Distortion compression can reduce dynamic differences. CLASSIC ARP likewise does not provide external MIDI output or MIDI file export.

Place effects in the FX rack to add space, repeats, thickness, distortion, and more. Choose SERIAL to process them in sequence or PARALLEL to split them into two paths and blend the results. Multiple instances of the same effect are allowed.

Parallel supports up to 8 effects each on A and B, for 16 total. In Serial, new effects can be added up to a limit of 8, but an existing 9-16-effect setup made in Parallel is retained when switched to Serial.

Adding, Moving, and Deleting

• Select an effect in the FX browser on the left to add it.
• Drag an effect card's move handle to change its order.
• Use the card's power button to Bypass that effect.
• Use the card's delete button to remove the effect.
• Bypass All: Bypasses the entire rack while retaining individual settings.
• Clear All: Deletes every effect in the rack after confirmation.

Bypass temporarily disables processing while retaining effect order and settings. Deleting an effect stops its processing, but if another delay or reverb downstream has already received sound from it, that effect's tail may remain separately.

Inserting at a Specific Position

Drag an item from the FX browser into the rack to see an insertion indicator. Drop it before or after the desired card. You can also choose an effect from the + button at the rack's end to append it. To reorder an effect, grab the card's move handle and drag it to the insertion position.

Selecting Modes and Algorithms

Selectors with arrows on either side of the name let you compare neighboring items without opening a list.

• Previous/next item: Click the left or right arrow. Each click changes one item, wrapping from either end to the other.
• Select directly from the list: Click the central name area. Choose an item from the list displaying full names.

This applies to MICRO GRAIN Algorithm, Trigger, Time, and Space; REVERB Space; Flexible Distortion Mode, Pre Filter, and Post Filter; and MULTIMODE FILTER's filter type.

Long names may be abbreviated in the panel. For example, Weave means Layer Weave, and Asym means Asymmetric. Click the central name to open the list, or hover over it to see the full name.

SERIAL

Passes sound through the effects in rack order. Each effect receives the result of the preceding effect, so changing the order changes the sound.

New effects can be added until the rack contains 8 in total. If it already contains 8 or more, you cannot add more in Serial. Bypassed effects count too; bypassing does not free a slot.

This limit applies only to adding new effects. Switching a 9-16-effect Parallel setup to Serial retains all existing effects and processes them serially. Effects beyond the eighth are not automatically deleted or bypassed.

PARALLEL

Splits the input into A and B paths and combines their results. Use up to 8 effects on A + 8 on B, for 16 total. Select the path to edit with the A/B buttons.

1. Select Parallel in the routing selector.
2. Assign each effect to A or B in the routing view.
3. Set the order within each path.
4. Adjust Blend and each path's Level/Pan.

Blend differs from each effect's Dry/Wet. The results of individual effect Mix settings are combined again at the A/B paths.

When a path contains 8 effects, you cannot add another or move one into it from the other path. If the other path has room, select its tab and add there. Attempting to move an effect into a full path does not change existing effect placement or settings.

Working with A/B Paths

The A/B tabs select the path to edit on screen. They are not Solo buttons; both paths continue processing together according to Blend and Level.

In Routing, click effect blocks to assign them to A or B. Adding a new FX from the browser in Parallel places it on the currently selected path. In the A / B Mix settings icon, enter each path's Level and Pan directly or adjust them with sliders. An empty path passes the dry signal, so you can leave one path empty to blend dry and processed sound in parallel.

Switching Serial/Parallel and Retaining Settings

PARALLEL → SERIAL: Retains effect count, settings, Bypass states, and modulation routes. Instead of the A/B division, effects connect in the overall order stored in the rack, which you can view and change in Serial. It does not concatenate all of A followed by all of B into a new order.

SERIAL → PARALLEL: Retains each effect's A/B assignment, Blend, and per-path Level/Pan. Within each path, effects process in their order in the overall rack. Switching modes back and forth without other changes restores the original A/B setup.

Example: Place 8 effects on A and 8 on B, then switch to Serial: all 16 remain. Switch back to Parallel: the 8-on-A/8-on-B setup returns. Even after deleting some effects in Serial, you cannot add new ones while 8 or more remain. At 7 or fewer, you can add back up to 8.

Serial and Parallel carry sound differently, so switching can change timbre and output level even with the same effects and settings. Listen after switching and adjust Mix/output levels as needed. To preserve the effect setup and modulation in a preset, press Save.

Common Mix and Character Controls

Mix is that effect's Dry/Wet balance. At 0%, you hear no processed signal; at 100%, you hear the processed signal.

Character changes the effect's texture. The character added, such as saturation, brightness changes, or subtle fluctuation, differs between effects. Unlike Mix, it does not set the proportion of dry signal.

Per-Effect OUT Gain

The OUT control at the lower left of the 10 effects other than OTT adjusts output from -24 dB to +24 dB. At 0.0 dB, no gain or attenuation is added. Drag to adjust, hold Command/Ctrl for fine adjustment, or Shift-click to enter a value.

Changing volume does not undo distortion created by earlier Drive stages or the algorithm itself. It does change the level entering later effects, so raising OUT can change the response of downstream OTT or Distortion. OTT has its own Input/Output and does not display this additional common OUT control.

Latency and the Dry Path

Some effects need time to process sound. The DAW uses latency reported by the plug-in to align it with other tracks. Latency felt during real-time playing also depends on the DAW's buffer settings. Mix 0% or Bypass does not necessarily reduce both CPU usage and latency to 0.

Moving an effect carries its values and modulation routes with it. When using several instances of the same type, choose the correct slot in MATRIX. Deleting an effect is different from simply moving it.

MICRO GRAIN briefly stores incoming audio, then cuts it into short pieces to repeat, layer, or reorder. Algorithm selects the processing method, while Variation A-D selects a specific approach within that algorithm.

Selecting an Algorithm and Variation

1. Change the algorithm with the arrows beside the ALGORITHM name on the right, or click the central name to select from the list.
2. Use the A · B · C · D buttons in STYLE on the left to select that algorithm's Variation.
3. Adjust Activity, Repeats, Shape, and Time to set the amount and timing of the selected processing.

Each of the 11 algorithms has 4 Variations, for 44 combinations in total. Switching A-D changes pitch, playback order, duration, and layering. They are not ordered from weaker at A to stronger at D.

Basic Controls

The details controlled by Activity and Shape depend on the selected algorithm. Use Mix for the dry/processed balance.

Trigger

Trigger determines when stored audio plays. It does not turn MIDI notes themselves into new sound, so audio input is required in every mode. When using MIDI or Hybrid in CERNION FX, configure your DAW to send MIDI notes to the plug-in along with audio.

Time and Space Modes

• Sync: Selects Time as a note duration at DAW tempo.
• Free: Sets Time in ms or s.
• Bright Room: Short reverb with bright highs.
• Dark Medium: Medium-length reverb with reduced highs.
• Large Hall: Broad, spacious reverb like a large hall.
• Ambient: Long, spreading, continuous reverb.

At low Space settings, differences between spatial modes may be subtle. Space is MICRO GRAIN's internal spatial processing, independent of any separately added REVERB slot.

Algorithm Types

The 11 algorithms available in ALGORITHM fall into the following four families. Each algorithm's A-D descriptions below correspond to the Variation buttons on the left.

MICRO LOOP

Algorithm: Layer Weave

Loops a short section of input while layering copies at different playback speeds. Changing playback speed also changes pitch.

• Variation A: Layers the original pitch with a sound one octave above.
• Variation B: Layers the original pitch with a sound one octave below.
• Variation C: Layers sounds centered on one octave above.
• Variation D: Layers the original pitch with sounds one octave below, one octave above, and two octaves above.

Algorithm: Slice Chain

Chains and repeats short pieces selected from recent input. The Variation changes selection order, playback direction, and filter movement.

• Variation A: Focuses on chains of pieces at the original pitch.
• Variation B: Alternates pieces at the original pitch and one octave below. Increasing Activity lets layered sounds remain longer.
• Variation C: Retains the original pitch while moving the filter differently for each layered sound.
• Variation D: Broadens the selection range and plays some pieces backward. Increasing Activity also blends in lower-pitched and bit-reduced sounds.

Algorithm: Rate Glide

Changes speed during piece playback to make pitch glide.

• Variation A: Moves between one octave below and the original pitch.
• Variation B: Falls from one octave above to one octave below.
• Variation C: Rises from the original pitch to one octave above.
• Variation D: Layers rising and falling pitches together.

Shape also affects the transition curve, changing the feel even with the same start and end pitches.

GRANULAR

This family contains three algorithms: Cloud Veil, Depth Stream, and Onset Cascade. Short audio pieces are called grains, and multiple grains play in overlapping layers.

Algorithm: Cloud Veil

Cuts several sections of input into short grains and layers them simultaneously.

• Variation A: Continuously layers relatively long grains at the original pitch.
• Variation B: Scatters the positions and timing of shorter grains. Includes some reverse playback.
• Variation C: Alternates grains at the original pitch and one octave above.
• Variation D: Alternates grains at the original pitch and one octave below.

Algorithm: Depth Stream

Periodically moves the read position through briefly stored input. It plays grains while moving between the most recent and earlier audio.

• Variation A: Cycles the read position through stored input, producing a stream of grains at the original pitch.
• Variation B: Plays grains one octave below and emphasizes a particular frequency band.
• Variation C: Scatters grain placement more widely and strengthens resonant bands.
• Variation D: Moves the read position through stored input along an envelope curve.

Algorithm: Onset Cascade

Detects points where input sound begins or arrives strongly, cuts short pieces from those points, and plays them repeatedly.

• Variation A: Repeats the most recent attack regularly.
• Variation B: Groups offset copies of recent attacks.
• Variation C: Reads from recent attacks toward earlier attacks while accelerating.
• Variation D: Reads from earlier attacks toward recent attacks while slowing down. Grains one octave above may be mixed in.

GLITCH

This family contains three algorithms: Block Shift, Signal Break, and Step Slice. They reorder audio pieces or interrupt playback, adding pitch and filter changes.

Algorithm: Block Shift

Divides input into short blocks and changes their playback order.

• Variation A: Rotates block placement while retaining the original pitch.
• Variation B: Interleaves blocks and skips some read positions. Includes octave emphasis and stepped low-pass changes.
• Variation C: Mirrors the order back and forth, using lower-register content and band-pass changes.
• Variation D: Shuffles the order and combines pitch, frequency-band, and digital-texture changes.

Algorithm: Signal Break

Inserts short repeating pieces into the incoming audio. The Variation changes interruption length, piece pitch, and filtering.

• Variation A: Short, distinct interruptions centered on the original pitch.
• Variation B: Lowers the inserted pieces' pitch and moves a filter that reduces highs.
• Variation C: Broadens the region in which pieces change. Emphasizes sounds one octave above and moves a filter that passes a specific band.
• Variation D: Complex interruptions combining order, pitch, frequency-band, and digital-texture changes.

Algorithm: Step Slice

Collects slices from the beginnings of sounds in recent input, then plays them one by one in a defined order.

• Variation A: Reads pieces forward at the original pitch.
• Variation B: Skips pieces, using lower-register components and low-pass changes.
• Variation C: Reads pieces back and forth, using upper-octave emphasis and band-pass changes.
• Variation D: Shuffles piece order and combines pitch, frequency-band, and digital-texture changes.

MULTI DELAY

This family contains two algorithms: Tap Grid and Time Bend. An individual delay repeat is called a tap; these algorithms arrange the playback times of multiple taps.

Algorithm: Tap Grid

Places repeats at the original pitch at multiple times. Changing the Variation changes their spacing and overlap.

• Variation A: A relatively straight, regular repeat pattern.
• Variation B: A syncopated pattern offset from the beat.
• Variation C: A pattern with larger gaps between repeats.
• Variation D: Interlocks repeats at different intervals. Increases the number of repeats and the input range used for repeating.

Algorithm: Time Bend

Gradually changes the spacing between repeats while also applying filter and pitch changes.

• Variation A: Gradually varies repeat spacing, with a high-reducing filter that also changes over time.
• Variation B: Repeats gradually accelerate. A filter passes a specific frequency band and adds resonance.
• Variation C: Repeats gradually slow down, mixing in sounds shifted up or down by multiple octaves.
• Variation D: Combines delays repeating at different intervals with short-grain playback.

SHIMMER is a reverb that adds pitch shifting to its tail. It can build shimmering high layers above the original sound or create a tail that deepens downward. Set the pitch interval with Shift and adjust how much of that component is mixed in with Shimmer.

When processed sound recirculates through the reverb, pitch shifts accumulate.

At low Shimmer and Decay settings, accumulated components fade quickly. Increasing Diffusion blurs the boundaries of individual repeats into a more continuous reverb.

Shift is continuously adjustable from -12 to +12 semitones. It is not limited to fixed octave-up/down choices; intermediate intervals are available too. At 0 Shift, there is no pitch shift, but reverb and the other settings continue to apply.

REVERB adds spatial reflections and reverberation to incoming audio. Select a space mode, then use Decay, Size, Diffusion, and other controls to adjust the length and spread of the tail.

Space Modes

Controls

High Cut removes highs to set the reverb's overall brightness. Damping controls how quickly highs diminish during the tail.

Holding the Tail in Infinite

Selecting Infinite does not produce an infinite hold at every Decay value. Freeze holds the tail in the topmost Decay range, at approximately 29.5 seconds and above. Lowering Decay below that range restores normal decay.

Freeze holds reverb from sound that has already entered. The tail remains after input stops, but if no sound has entered, there is no tail to hold. As the held tail builds, less new sound is added, so it responds differently from simply extending Hall's Decay.

A delay with independently adjustable left and right repeat times.

With L/R LINK on, a common Time control is shown; with it off, Time L and Time R appear separately. Free's ms time and Sync's note selection are separate settings. Time modulation adds changes in ms to the base time set in Free or Sync. It can vary actual repeat spacing even in Sync, but does not change the selected note name itself. Use the common Time route while linked, and the left/right Time routes while unlinked.

A delay whose repeats move between left and right.

PING PONG DELAY uses one common Time and has no STEREO DELAY-style L/R LINK. Time modulation adds changes to the base repeat time in both Free and Sync; it does not replace the selected Sync note duration itself. Lower Cross FB and Width can weaken the sense of left/right movement.

OVER THE TOP (OTT) is a compression effect that divides the sound into low, mid, and high bands to reduce level differences. It combines upward compression that raises quiet components with downward compression that reduces loud ones. Subtle harmonics or tails can come forward, making the sound denser.

Main Controls

Per-Band Panel

Adjust each band in the LOW, MID, and HIGH sections.

• Crossover: The frequencies dividing LOW/MID and MID/HIGH.
• Below Threshold: The threshold below which signals are raised.
• Above Threshold: The threshold above which signals are reduced.
• Upward/downward ratio displays: Adjust compression strength in each direction.
• Band Gain: Adjusts the output balance of each band.
• Meters: Show incoming levels and compression state.

The reference lines and numeric areas in the panel are controls. Thresholds, ratios, and band Gain can be adjusted separately.

Drag a Threshold horizontally inside a band bar to set its dB position. Drag vertically on numeric Threshold, ratio, Gain, and Crossover fields; Command/Ctrl fine adjustment is available for these vertical adjustments. Double-click a control area to restore only that value to its default, or right-click to open MIDI Learn.

Upward compression also raises quiet Sustain and reverb tails. Even with a short ENV earlier in the signal chain, the tail may sound longer and louder. Output changes only the finished volume; reduce UP, Amount, or Mix to reduce this behavior.

BBD CHORUS layers subtly fluctuating copies over the dry sound to add thickness and stereo width. Use I/II to select chorus modes with different characters, then Width and Mix to set the spread and effect amount.

• I · II: Selects different chorus settings. Both modes can be enabled together.
• Width: Adjusts stereo width.
• Mix: The balance between dry and chorus-processed sound.

With both I and II off, dry sound passes through instead of chorus processing, regardless of Mix. Enable I or II to blend in that mode's processed sound.

A filter that processes audio in the FX rack. It is independent of the synth's F1/F2, and its input depends on where you place it in the rack.

Use Cutoff, Resonance, Drive, and Mix to adjust the reference frequency, resonance, drive amount, and dry-signal balance. Drag horizontally in the frequency display to adjust Cutoff, or vertically to adjust Resonance.

CERNION's FX filter includes Key Track. This control is absent in CERNION FX, which processes external audio.

Hold Command/Ctrl while dragging the graph for fine Cutoff/Resonance adjustment. Double-click the graph to restore both values to their defaults. This does not reset filter type, Drive, or Mix.

Key Track and Formant

FX Key Track within the synth moves a shared filter processing the combined notes. When you play a chord, it considers the pitches together, with louder notes having more influence. Unlike F1/F2, it does not move a separate filter for each note. As the sound becomes quiet, it holds the last detected pitch as its reference.

Control Formant's vowel position with the slot's Filter Vowel Target in MATRIX. The card's Cutoff does not become a Vowel knob. Comb's reference frequency reaches a maximum of 10 kHz. Its highest adjustable value may differ from other filters, and the filter's upper limit also depends on the sample rate in use. This FX has no ANALOG button like synth F1.

DISTORTION adds harmonics and makes the texture rougher or firmer. Its character varies by Mode, from gentle saturation to metallic folding and digital-noise-like textures. Drive sets processing strength; Mix sets the balance between dry and processed sound.

Mode

Controls

• Drive: The drive amount that creates distortion.
• Bias: Changes the balance of distortion between the waveform's upper and lower halves. Harmonic content changes even at the same Drive.
• Tone: Adjusts overall brightness.
• Dynamics: Adjusts the response to input level.
• Character: The amount of additional coloration.
• Mix: The balance between dry and distorted sound.

Pre Filter · Post Filter

Pre is the filter before distortion; Post is the filter after it. Each offers Off, LP, HP, BP, and Notch. Cutoff sets the reference frequency; Q sets the emphasis around it.

Pre Filter changes which frequencies drive the distortion. Post Filter shapes harmonics already created. The same Cutoff produces different results in the two positions.

With Pre Filter or Post Filter set to Off, its Cutoff/Q do not affect that filter's processing. This does not also disable the other filter or the distortion Mode. In Bit Crush and Downsample, Drive changes the intensity of the selected digital processing, which may not sound like the harmonic increase produced by Soft Clip's Drive.

ROTARY recreates the volume, timbre, and pitch changes of a rotating speaker. It processes the high-frequency horn and low-frequency drum separately, with Slow and Fast selecting rotation speeds.

CASSETTE adds the saturation, pitch fluctuation, high-frequency loss, and noise associated with tape recording and playback.

Wow and Flutter control fluctuations in playback speed and pitch. High Loss controls high-frequency reduction; high-frequency compression from Drive is applied separately.

Reducing Noise is different from reducing Wow, Flutter, and Age. Speed fluctuation and aged texture can remain after noise is removed. At 0% Mix, the dry sound is used instead of cassette processing.

Open Variation with the icon near the preset at the top. It creates a new preset by changing only selected settings in the current sound. Choose the areas and amount of variation, then review the changes before saving.

1. Prepare the starting sound and open Variation. The current state is recorded as the original when the window opens. Press Capture original to use a different state as the starting point.
2. Select the areas that may change.
3. Set Variation amount and Seed.
4. Press Generate preview to create a list of proposed changes. This does not yet change the current sound.
5. Enter a new name and save with Create variation.

Available areas are Oscillator, Filter, Envelope, LFO, and FX parameters. Unselected areas are protected.

FX order/routing, modulation routes, unison/voice counts, Master/Output, and preset identification information are not changed.

Seed is the number that selects a proposed variation. The same original, settings, and Seed produce the same changes. Pressing Generate preview repeatedly recalculates from the recorded original rather than accumulating changes on top of previous ones.

Variation saves as a new preset and does not overwrite the original file. Even with protected items, volume and timbre may change, so check the saved result.

After changing Variation amount, Seed, or selected areas, press Generate preview again to refresh the list. Create variation saves and applies the new preset. If you only generate the list and close with Cancel, the proposed changes are not applied.

MENU

• Undo: Undoes the last edit.
• Redo: Reapplies an undone edit.
• Init Preset: Returns to the initial preset state. Save any edits you want to keep first.
• MPE Enable: Turns per-note expression on or off. Enabled by default; changing presets or using Init Preset does not change it. Reopening a DAW project restores its saved state.
• Reset Window Size: Returns the window to its default size.

Window Size and Undo/Redo

Drag the plug-in window's lower-right corner to resize it while preserving its aspect ratio. Select MENU → Reset Window Size to restore the default size.

With the plug-in window selected, use Command/Ctrl+Z / Command/Ctrl+Shift+Z for Undo/Redo. While entering a name or number, or with a separate editor selected, that area's undo behavior may take priority.

MIDI Learn

Right-click a supported control, select MIDI Learn, then move a knob or slider on your controller. Its MIDI CC is assigned to the control.

Use Clear MIDI Learn to remove the assignment. MIDI Learn directly controls a setting from an external controller; MATRIX connects an internal synth Source to a Target.

If DAW automation and MIDI Learn control the same knob simultaneously, values may move unexpectedly. Check which is sending values.

Checking MIDI Learn Assignments

While waiting to learn, the menu shows MIDI Learn: move a controller; after assignment, it shows MIDI Learn (CC number). Enable Learn on the desired control, then move only the controller you want to assign. Clear MIDI Learn removes both existing assignments and a pending Learn state.

Newly learned assignments distinguish both MIDI channel and CC number. Even with the same CC, changing the controller's transmitting channel may stop it responding, so check the channel too. Save the preset or DAW project to preserve the settings.

Modulatable knobs can use MIDI Learn and internal modulation at the same time. MIDI Learn moves the base setting, while modulation adds route changes to that base value; check both the arc and the actual range.

CERNION FX has no MPE Enable item.

CERNION FX applies CERNION's effects to guitar, piano, vocals, drums, or any other audio in your DAW. Unlike the synth, which generates new notes, it processes sound received from a track. Effect operation and serial/parallel routing are the same as in the preceding FX chapters.

CERNION FX does not generate new notes using the synth's OSC, SUB, NOISE, or amplitude envelope. Without input audio, normal audio-effect processing produces no sound either.

FX LFOs apply one shared progression to all incoming audio. There is no synth-style Mono/Poly selection for independent per-note movement, or F1 LR Phase.

To use MICRO GRAIN's MIDI Trigger or note-based Sources, the DAW must send MIDI to CERNION FX. This differs from audio-only processing.

FX Preset Browser

The browser opened from the top preset name has a compact layout without a tag area. Find presets using All presets, Factory, My presets, Favorites and name search. Use the star icon to mark favorites and + to save user presets. The synth's SOUND TYPE/CHARACTER tag UI is not present.

Includes 28 FX-specific Factory presets. Their prefixes suggest starting points: AG for acoustic guitar, EG for electric guitar, KEY for piano/keyboards, EP for electric piano, EB for electric bass, VOX for vocals, DR for drums, STR for strings, and BR for brass. You can use them on other instruments too. Results vary with input level and playing style, so adjust Mix/OUT first.

The synth and FX do not share presets. Their user paths are:

Even presets with the same name are separate files for different products. Do not put an FX file in the synth folder as a substitute. Unsaved edits in FX are not automatically written to the original file either.

Input Signal and Tails

The audio level entering each effect changes its Drive, compression, and detection response. Mix is the balance between dry and processed sound; OUT is the level sent from that effect to the next stage. After input stops, sound already inside a delay or reverb may remain as a tail.

Modulation Sources Available in FX

The synth's ENV 1-4, conventional Velocity, Key Track, Mod Wheel, Aftertouch, and MPE Y/Z are not in the FX Source list. MIDI Learn, which directly controls supported knobs with external MIDI CC, is separate from this Source list.

While entering a name or number, or with a graph editor selected, that area's keyboard actions take priority. Shift is not the fine-adjustment key for standard knobs. Custom LFO Grid release and CLASSIC ARP step length are gestures specific to those graphs.

CERNION

Development

Hanbit Kim, DongHyeon Kim

Production Contributors

Hwarang Kim, Heejae Yoon

Preset Artists

DongHyeon Kim (GILLA), Hwarang Kim (TAJO HWARANG), Heejae Yoon (heejae), Seungbin Choi (SLGGR)

More preset artists will be added in future updates.

Design

DongHyeon Kim

CERNION FX

Development

Hanbit Kim, DongHyeon Kim

Production Contributors

Hwarang Kim, MyeongHoon Jung

Design

DongHyeon Kim, MyeongHoon Jung

Your chosen DAW must support the operating system and plug-in format. You can play CERNION with conventional MIDI notes without using MPE. CERNION FX processes external audio, so the DAW must send audio to it.

Even on the same computer, layering more notes, using unison, or adding multiple effects increases CPU usage. The number of usable tracks depends on CPU, DAW buffer, sample rate, and sound configuration, not memory capacity alone.

Product information and downloads: https://www.quietformat.com/cernion

Support: https://www.quietformat.com/support

VST is a trademark and software of Steinberg Media Technologies GmbH.