ARP Avatar

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"The Arp Avatar is a synthesizer that lets the guitar player achieve a range of timbres and textures never before attainable on the electric guitar. The Avatar produces string, brass, reed and percussive instrument sounds, wind, rain, explosions, and other startling sound effects; stagerattling bass and super-synthesizer lead solos; plus dramatic combinations ofstraight or processed guitar with synthesizer. The sounds generated by the Avatar are controlled directly from your guitar and are responsive to a variety of playing techniques. At the heart of this process is the digital pitch extractor. The pitch extractor follows every nuance of the guitar signal, including finger bends, finger vibrato, hammer- downs and glissando. The pitch extraaor receives its signals from a specially-designed pickup which can be mounted on most solid-body electric guitars between the treble pickup and the bridge. This hexaphonic pickup transmits a completely separate signal for each string. The pickup connects to the main synthesizer console through a miniature connector. Each string is connected to its own low-noise preamplifier with adjustable gain so that each string can be perfectly balanced with the others. Each string also has its own fuzz circuit which permits clean fuzz. You can play a full chord without any string crossover, talk-back or distortion. The Avatar is also touch responsive. An envelope follower translates the strengh of the guitar signal into a control voltage that can be used to control dynamics. Adjustable trigger sensitivity allows the musician to set a minimum picking force necessary to trigger the synthesizer. When you play softly on the guitar, j ust the straight guitar sounds are produced. When the strings are picked harder, the synthesizer is activated and follows the pitch being played. LED status lights give you a visual representation of the trigger sensitivity. The control panel of the Avatar is human engineered in the Arp tradition. A logically arranged system of sliders and switches gives you quick access to every control function. Several other features add to the Avatar's performance flexibility. Mono performance and split-stereo studio outputs are available on the rear panel. In stereo, the E, A and D strings can be sent through one channel, while the G, B and E strings are sent through a second channel.

Systems interface jacks on the rear panel permit expansion of the Avatar with other Arp synthesizers. The Avatar also accepts a filter pedal, sustain switch and portamento switch, which allow foot control of various effects in live performance, including infinite sustain. Controls 1. VCO 1: Creates raw pitch. Sawtooth (brassy), square (hollow) and pulse (reedy) available. Pitch control sliders create variable vibrato and trill depth or sample/hold and envelope control. Pulse width controls create nasal, chorus or saxophone sounds. 2. VCO 2: Similar to VCO 1. Input for pedal-controlled preset intervals. Phase-sync switch slaves VCO 2 to VCO 1 for dramatic emphasis of harmonic series. Touch sensitive via envelope follower control. 3. LFO: Creates vibrato, trill, tremolo and repeat. Controls VCOs and VCF. Variable rate. 4. VCF: Adds, subtracts or emphasizes harmonics. Controllers include: pedal- controlled wah-wah; ADSR; sample/hold; LFO for tremolo; and envelope follower for touch responsive wah-wah. 5. HPF: Removes all low harmonics from sound to create thin textures. 6. ADSR, AR: Envelope generators that control articulation from percussive to lethargic. 7. S/H: Controls either VCOs or VCF for random patterns or rhythms. 8. Ring Modulator: Creates gongs, chimes or special ethereal effects. 9. Noise Generator: Used to create sounds of wind, surf, steam, bombs, trains, etc. 10. Guitar to VCF Switch: Processes guitar audio through VCF for polyphonic effects. 11. Portamento: Creates automatic glissando or- sliding sound between any Interval. Variable speed. 12. String Select Controls: Designates strings to "trigger" synthesizer; f.g., select low E only to control synthesizer snd play chords on remaining strings. 13. Trigger Sensitivity: Adjusts to each guitarist's playing style. 14. Hex Fuzz/Preamp Select Switch: Allows guitarist to choose clean sound with extended high frequency range or polyphonic "clean" fuzz."