-
Introduction
Technical specification
Getting started
-
How to navigate
-
Overview
Pressure Sensitivity calibration
Using the performance keyboard
Keyboard layouts
Edit Notes
ASD Envelope
P0 - pressure modulation
-
Overview and Erogonomics
Articulation Plates
Octave Shift & Pitch Bend Plates
Modkeys
-
Overiew
Size
Tilt
Fold
Alias
Sub Oscillator Controls
Modulation Oscillator Controls
Low pass filter
Pan
LFO overview
LFO assign
-
Overview
Stereo Morphing Delay
Diffuse
-
Concept
Recording & Layering Loops
Reel Menu: Modes, Decay, Reverse & more
Re-pitch mode
-
Mixer
Main Output
Metronome
Headhphone
-
Audio Input
Sync Input
CV Input
Clock Output
-
Tap Tempo
Clock Menu
External Clock
-
Preset Capacity and structure
Recalling Preset
Saving and Deleting Presets
Renaming Presets
Fast panel Recall
-
System Architecture Overview
Before Updating
Update control CPU
Update audio CPU
Manual
fw1.1
latest update : 08 September 2025
Introduction
The Clank Uranograph is a highly expressive desktop synthesizer that merges classical instruments' nuanced performance qualities with modern synthesis's vast sonic potential.
It features dual touch-sensitive keyboards with stainless steel plates that respond to velocity and continuous pressure, enabling fluid microtonal playing and dynamic phrasing.
A powerful digital sound engine uses additive phase distortion synthesis to create an expansive tonal palette ranging from bell-like chimes to aggressive textures.
Integrated effects, stereo delay, reverb, and a dual-reel looper make the Uranograph a self-contained sonic ecosystem for performance and sound design. With support for non-standard tunings, extensive modulation options, and preset recall, the Uranograph invites musicians to explore new musical territories with precision and creativity.
Techinical Specification
Getting Started
Resetting the Synthesizer
Before you begin sound design or performance, resetting the Uranograph to its base state is a good idea. This gives you a clean starting point—a simple sine wave—ideal for shaping new sounds from scratch.
You only need to adjust the parameters listed below; all others can remain as they are.
Mod Amount: 0%
Size: 0%
Alias: 0%
Tilt: 50%
Fold: 25%
Sub Amp (Sub Oscillator Level): 0%
Resonance (Q): 0%
Filter: 100%
Pan: 50% (center)
Delay Mix: 0%
Diffuse (Reverb): 0%
Metronome: 0%
Ensure the main synth volume is turned above 0% so the sound is audible.
With these settings, the uranograph will produce a pure tone, perfect for starting fresh setups.
Navigate the menus
While the Uranograph is designed to be played intuitively and on the fly, it also includes a few streamlined menus for accessing deeper functions and configuration options.
There are three primary menus, accessible via the three small buttons located above the encoder:
Keyboard Menu
Modulation Assignment Menu
System Menu
When a menu is active, its corresponding LED will light up, confirming the selection.
How to Navigate the Menus
Navigation is consistent across all menus:
Select a menu using its dedicated button above the encoder.
The corresponding LED will illuminate.
Turn the encoder to scroll through menu entries.
The currently selected item is highlighted in yellow.
Press the encoder to enter edit mode.
The selected entry will turn red.
Turn the encoder again to adjust the value.
Press the encoder again to confirm the change and exit edit mode.
This simple interface ensures fast and efficient editing without the need for deep menu diving — keeping the instrument focused on performance-first interaction.
1. Keyboard Menu
Use this menu to adjust pitch and scale-related settings:
Current keyboard layout (scale)
Currently selected note
Global transposition
Integer frequency of the selected note
Decimal frequency of the selected note
Alias 1 transposition
Alias 2 transposition
2. Modulation Assignment Menu
Configure modulation routing and intensity:
Recap screen
LFO destination
P0 destination
P1 destination
P1 maximum amount
P2 destination
P2 maximum amount
3. System Menu
Perform system-level operations:
LED intensity
notes Layout
Format memory
Update CPU
Performance Keyboard
Overview
At the heart of the Uranograph are its two touch keyboards—one for each hand—which serve as the primary note input and constant modification.
Speaking about the note keyboard, each of the 12 keys is a round capacitive stainless steel plate that is velocity-sensitive and pressure-sensitive, allowing extremely expressive play. There are no moving parts; instead, a light tap triggers a note with a velocity corresponding to the force/speed of contact, and continued pressure on the plate produces aftertouch-like signals.
Continuous pressure on a key is translated into a dynamic sound modulation while the note sustains.
By default, pressing harder will open up the voice's VCA/low-pass gate, increasing volume and brightness (much like bowing a more complex string increases loudness and intensity).
This default routing makes the Uranograph respond organically – you can shape each sustained note's intensity in real time.
Notably, the Uranograph's keyboards are MPE-inspired but not full MPE – meaning each note has independent pressure (polyphonic aftertouch) and instantaneous articulation. However, the device uses its internal architecture for expression rather than requiring MPE messaging.
The playing experience is akin to performing on a string or wind instrument: each note can be given vibrato, swells, or timbral changes through your touch alone.
The instrument supports microtonal performance: the tuning of each key is entirely configurable. Over 50 preset keyboard layouts spanning traditional Western tuning, exotic scales (Arabic maqam, Indian ragas, just intonation, etc.), and experimental microtonal divisions are included.
You can also design custom tunings by assigning any desired frequency to each of the 12 keys.
This means the keyboard can be set to non-standard intervals or alternate tonal systems at the press of a button. Typically, a single layout applies to all 12 keys (both halves), but advanced users can craft layouts that exploit the split keyboard for unique scales.
Pressure Sensitivity Calibration
Since each player has a unique touch and preference for pressure sensitivity, the Uranograph includes a small trimmer on the front panel, allowing you to fine-tune sensitivity on the fly.
Turning the trimmer clockwise increases sensitivity—lighter touches produce a stronger response. We recommend starting around the midpoint for the most expressive and natural performance, which offers a balanced feel.
To calibrate the pressure sensitivity for the note keyboard:
Press and hold one of the key plates, aiming to maximize your finger's contact surface.
Slowly adjust the trimmer until the LED beneath the key turns red, indicating that you've reached the peak pressure threshold.
At this point, the system registers your maximum intended pressure and maps its internal curve accordingly. From here on, lighter and heavier touches will respond proportionally, giving you a smooth and expressive dynamic range.
Using the Touch Keyboards
To play a note, tap a key plate. The note will trigger with a volume corresponding to the strength of your tap. To sustain the note, keep your finger in contact with the plate. While holding, varying your pressure will shape the sound—by default, increased pressure makes the note louder or brighter. Releasing the plate ends the sustain phase.
The stainless steel plates are highly sensitive, so subtle finger movements can affect tone. Each key's LED (beneath or around the plate) illuminates when touched, providing immediate visual feedback. The opaline plexiglass surface diffuses this light to reflect pressure intensity. The more you press, the brighter the LED glows—reaching red at maximum pressure.
We encourage you to spend some time exploring the keyboard sensitivity and plate layout. Getting comfortable with finger position and touch response is key to unlocking the instrument's full expressive potential.
Keyboard layouts
The Uranograph comes preloaded with 50 keyboard layouts, representing a wide range of musical traditions — from standard Western scales to microtonal, experimental, and non-Western tunings.
You can use any of these layouts as a starting point by selecting them from the Keyboard Menu, and then freely customize individual notes to create your own unique tuning systems.
Western Scales & Classical Modes
Chromatic: C, C♯, D, D♯, E, F, F♯, G, G♯, A, A♯, B
Major: C, D, E, F, G, A, B, (C)
Natural Minor: C, D, D♯, F, G, G♯, A♯
Harmonic Minor: C, D, D♯, F, G, G♯, B
Melodic Minor: C, D, D♯, F, G, A, B
Dorian: C, D, D♯, F, G, A, A♯
Phrygian: C, C♯, D♯, F, G, G♯, A♯
Lydian: C, D, E, F♯, G, A, B
Mixolydian: C, D, E, F, G, A, A♯
Locrian: C, C♯, D♯, F, F♯, G♯, A♯
Symmetrical & Other Common Scales
Whole Tone: C, D, E, F♯, G♯, A♯
Diminished: C, D, D♯, F, F♯, G♯, A, B
Augmented: C, D♯, F♯, A
Major Pentatonic: C, D, E, G, A
Minor Pentatonic: C, D♯, F, G, A♯
Blues: C, D♯, F, F♯, G, A♯
Prometheus: C, D, E, F♯, A, A♯
Hungarian Minor: C, D, D♯, F♯, G, G♯, B
Enigmatic: C, C♯, E, F♯, G♯, A♯, B
Arabic: C, D♭, E, F, G, A♭, B
Middle Eastern / Arabic / Persian
Maqam Rast: C, D, E½♭, F, G, A, B½♭
Maqam Bayati: C, D♭, E½♭, F, G, A♭, B♭
Maqam Saba: C, D♭, E½♭, F, F♯, G, A♭
Maqam Hijaz: C, D♭, E, F, G, A♭, B
Persian: C, C♯, E♭, F♯, G, A♭, B
African Scales
Kwela: C, E, F, G, A
Pygmy: C, D, F, G, A
West African: C, E, F, G, A♯
Araray (Ethiopian): C, D, E, G, A♯
Ku Ghana: C, E, G, B♭, C
Asian Scales (Chinese & Japanese)
Chinese Gong: C, D, E, G, A
Japanese Diatonic: C, D, E, F, G, A, B
Japanese Insen: C, D♭, F, G, A♭
Hirajoshi: C, D, E♭, G, A♭
Chinese Pentatonic: C, D, E, G, A
Indonesian / Gamelan Scales
Slendro: C, D, E, G, A
Pelog: C, D♭, E, F♯, G
Selisir: C, D, E, G, A
Sundanese: C, D♭, F, G, A♭
Javanese: C, D, E, F, G, A♯
Microtonal & Xenharmonic Systems
Quarter Tones: C, C¼♯, C♯, D¼♭, D, D¼♯, D♯, etc. (48-TET scale)
Third Tones: C, C⅓♯, C⅔♯, D, D⅓♯, D⅔♯, … (36-TET)
Five-Tone Microtonal: Divides octave into 5 equal parts
Seventh Tones: 7 divisions per octave
Eighth Tones: 8 divisions per octave
Ninth Tones: 9 equal divisions
Eleventh Tones: 11-TET
Thirteenth Tones: 13-TET
Seventeenth Tones: 17-TET
Nineteenth Tones: 19-TET
Layout Mapping: Linear vs. Zig-Zag
By default, when a scale is loaded, the notes are assigned to the keyboard following a specific layout order. This behavior is defined by the "Keyboard Layout" setting in the System Menu, where you can choose between two options:
L – Linear Layout
Mapping order (bottom to top):
7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6
This creates a left-to-right, bottom-to-top progression across the keyplates — similar to how notes ascend on a traditional keyboard or step sequencer.
Why choose Linear:
Familiar to musicians coming from piano, MIDI keyboards, or grid controllers
Useful for scale runs, arpeggios, and consistent fingerings
Keeps neighboring pitches adjacent in physical space
Better for rational, scalar tunings (like major, minor, modal, or just intonation)
Easier to map chromatically (or in stacked octaves)
Drawback: May feel rigid or unnatural for some asymmetric or sparse scales
Z – Zig-Zag Layout
Mapping order (alternating columns):
2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12
1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11
Why choose Zig-Zag:
Creates a more organic spatial arrangement of notes
Ideal for non-Western scales, microtonal layouts, or when adjacent notes aren't sequential
Opens up unique chording possibilities based on hand shape and note position
Emphasizes vertical motion, which can be intuitive for percussive or rhythmic playing
Great for custom tunings where specific intervals are spaced apart intentionally
Drawback: May require more time to memorize or adapt fingerings, especially for chromatic music
When loading a scale with fewer than 12 notes, the remaining keyplates will automatically be filled with octave duplications, ensuring the entire keyboard remains playable. Depending on your layout choice, these octave shifts may land in different physical locations — another reason to experiment with both modes.
The Keyboard Menu
When the Uranograph powers on, the first screen you’ll see is the Keyboard Menu. You can, in every moment, access it by pressing the keyboard drawer icon on the panel.
This menu gives you deep control over the pitch structure of the instrument, allowing you to edit not just notes, but frequencies, scales, and transpositions with both precision and flexibility.
What You Can Do in the Keyboard Menu
In this menu, you can:
Select and view the current keyboard layout (scale)
See and set the note name and its exact frequency
Apply a global transposition across the keyboard
Adjust pitch using integer and decimal resolution
Set alias transpositions for harmonizer voices
Note layout Editing Workflow
Select a scale from the Keyboard Menu.
Touch a key on the performance keyboard to select the note you want to modify.
In the menu:
Highlight the note name to change the pitch in semitones (Western tuning).
Highlight the integer or decimal frequency values to fine-tune the pitch or introduce microtonal offsets.
Press the encoder to enter edit mode, then turn the encoder to adjust the value.
You'll see both the note name and frequency update in real time.
Once a change is made, an asterisk (*) will appear next to the scale name, indicating that the layout has been modified.
All tuning changes are saved within your preset, so your custom scales and microtonal settings are retained across sessions.
Switching to a different scale will reset any modifications made to the previously edited scale. This also provides a quick way to restore the selected scale to its factory version.
Each preset stores its own independent copy of the current scale layout.
This means that scale edits are not shared across presets — if you modify a scale in one preset, that change will not carry over to others. Every scale is saved as part of the preset itself.
This approach ensures that each preset can contain its own unique tuning system, fully preserved and isolated from other programs.
Microtonal Power: Fine Frequency Editing
One of the Uranograph's most powerful features is the ability to create fully custom keyboard layouts, setting the frequency of each individual note by hand. Both coarse (integer) and fine (decimal) adjustments are available, giving you complete control over pitch.
This enables just intonation tunings, non-Western scales (e.g. Arabic, Indian, Persian),microtonal and xenharmonic systems and experimental and algorithmic pitch layouts
This level of control transforms the Uranograph into a true microtonal instrument, giving you the tools to escape traditional temperament and explore entirely new musical languages.
ASD Envelope
In combination with your finger pressure, the Uranograph features a convenient AR (Attack–Release) envelope to shape each note's dynamics.
The Attack knob sets how long it takes for the envelope to rise from zero to the level defined by your initial finger pressure (i.e., the velocity of your touch).
Pressing another key while the envelope is active will not retrigger the attack phase—it continues smoothly, allowing for natural legato phrasing.
Once the attack phase ends, your finger pressure controls the sustain level in real time, giving you expressive, continuous control over each note.
When you release a key, the envelope enters the release phase and fades out over a time defined by the Release knob.
Tip for beginners:
We recommend starting with Attack set to 0%, so notes respond immediately. Focus first on shaping dynamics using finger pressure alone—this helps build a more intuitive feel for the instrument. Once familiar with pressure control, you can experiment with longer attack times to create swells and softer entrances.
P0 – Pressure Modulation from the Note Keyboard
P0 is a dedicated modulation source derived from the pressure applied to the note keyboard. It allows you to control various parameters in real time, simply by pressing harder or softer on the keys.
For example, you can route P0 to filter cutoff, oscillator fold, or pan—so the more pressure you apply, the more that parameter responds. This adds a highly expressive, touch-sensitive layer to your performance.
A dedicated attenuation knob is available on the panel, letting you scale the modulation depth to suit your playing style—from subtle to dramatic.
P0 can be assigned from the mod destination menu, refer to [@] section to edit its assignment.
Control Keyboard
In the top-left corner, Uranograph provides a secondary control keyboard – a set of specialized touch plates divided into three sections – for additional performance modulation. These replace traditional wheels or faders with a more immediate, gesture-oriented interface.
The sections are: Articulation Plates, Octave Shift/Bend Plates, and ModKeys.
To fully appreciate the ergonomic design of the control keyboard, keep in mind that it's intentionally laid out for a specific left-hand posture and finger distribution:
The thumb naturally rests over the three side plates: Memory, Hold, and Clock.
The index and middle fingers are positioned over the ModKeys and Octave shift plates.
The ring and little fingers reach the Articulation plates (Glissando, Trillo, Staccato).
This layout allows for intuitive control without repositioning the hand, enabling expressive gestures while keeping your playing fluid and continuous.
Take this as advice and a starting point; feel free to experiment with your preferred hand position!
Articulation Plates
These three touch plates give you instant access to advanced phrasing techniques. They are labeled and conceptually correspond to Glissando, Trillo, and Staccato, mirroring common articulations in stringed instruments.
To activate an articulation, briefly tap the corresponding touch plate.
The LED beneath the plate will light up, indicating that the articulation is engaged.
To deactivate it, tap the same plate again—the LED will turn off.
Depending on its current state, you can hold a touch plate to activate or deactivate the articulation temporarily. The articulation remains active only for the duration of the hold and returns to its previous state once released.
This means you can either briefly invoke an articulation for specific notes or lock it in if you want a whole passage to be staccato without continuously holding the plate.
Glissando Plate: When engaged, this enables smooth pitch slides between notes.
In practice, if you activate the glissando, pressing two keys together will cause the pitch to glide continuously from the last note to the new note, rather than jumping discretely. It's like a fretless slide – great for portamento or meend (in Indian music) effects.
Trillo Plate: enables a rapid alternation (trill) between two or more pressed keys. While similar to an arpeggio, it's more dynamic and expressive, responding in real time to your playing.
You can leave the Trillo plate engaged, and it will only activate when two or more notes are held simultaneously. This makes it easy to switch between normal playing and occasional trilled phrases without interrupting your flow.
Staccato plate: this plate shortens the duration of notes and applies a percussive envelope. When engaged, notes bypass the sustain phase entirely—featuring a fixed attack and a fast, natural decay curve that mimics the response of a Vactrol-based VCA.
The result is a snappy, plucked articulation, ideal for fast, detached playing or adding sharp rhythmic definition to your phrases.
Use it to transform legato lines into crisp, percussive textures with a single gesture.
The Uranograph provides three dedicated sliders on the panel to adjust the behavior of articulations. These fader controls allow you to fine-tune parameters such as glissando glide rate (how fast or slow the pitch slides), trillo speed (the rate of alternation in division or multiplication of the global clock), and staccato decay length (how short the note becomes). You can customize how each expressive technique responds by tweaking these, tailoring the instrument to your playing style.
These settings can be saved per preset and adjusted on the fly.
Octave Shift & Pitch Bend Plates
Two additional plates handle quick octave transposition and pitch bending. One plate shifts the keyboard up one octave, and the other shifts it down one octave.
Like the articulations, these can work momentarily (hold to stay transposed while touched) or latch (tap to toggle the octave shift on).
This allows immediate extension of the playable range beyond the physical 12-key layout – for instance, tapping the "Octave +" plate will raise the pitch of all keys by 12 semitones, effectively moving you up an octave until you toggle it off. If needed, stack the octave plates (e.g., hitting the up octave twice goes +2 octaves, or you could combine up and down for creative effects). The two plates touching together enable the Uranograph's Pitch Bend mode. Pressing both the Octave Up and Octave Down plates at once or between those will activate bend functionality: in this mode, sliding or moving between the two plates produces a smooth pitch bend, similar to bending a string or using a pitch wheel. This is extremely useful for guitar-like bends or vibrato. When you release both plates, pitch returns to normal. This innovative approach means you can achieve expressive bends without a dedicated wheel, using the same fingers that control octaves.
ModKeys
The Uranograph includes two assignable modulation touch plates (P1 - P2) called ModKeys. These are pressure-sensitive controllers that act like customizable macro controls for sound modulation. Each ModKey doesn't directly trigger a note; instead, pressing a ModKey sends a modulation signal (with an amount corresponding to pressure) that can be routed to any synthesis parameters you choose. In essence, they are two extra "control knobs" under your fingertips, but implemented as touch plates you can press. Pressing a ModKey will then increase the assigned parameter according to how hard you press, and you can even press multiple ModKeys simultaneously to tweak several things at once.
ModKeys assignment
The ModKeys are fully assignable via the Modulation Menu:
Press the Modulation button (marked with a two-circle graphic).
Use the encoder to scroll until you see the P1 or P2 menu (corresponding to ModKey 1 and 2).
Once a destination is highlighted in yellow, press the encoder to select it.
Turn the encoder to choose the desired modulation destination.
Press the encoder again to confirm and exit the assignment.
You can also adjust the maximum modulation amount for each assignment from the same menu.
Like the articulation plates, ModKeys respond continuously to pressure, enabling excellent real-time control – for example, you could slowly press deeper on a ModKey during a note to gradually introduce an LFO effect or open the filter. Using ModKeys in combination allows complex timbral changes on the fly (e.g., simultaneously increasing distortion and reducing delay feedback). ModKey assignments and their maximum modulation depths are stored per preset so each sound can have tailored macro controls. This encourages creative sound design: one preset's ModKey1 might bring in vibrato, while another preset's ModKey1 might sweep an oscillator's timbre parameter, etc.
The P3 and P4 touch plates are reserved for lopping; we will discuss that in the looper section.
ModKey Slew Control
Two small trimmers on the panel allow you to quickly adjust the attack and decay slew rates for ModKey pressure modulation. These controls determine how smoothly or sharply the modulation responds to changes in finger pressure, helping you fine-tune the feel from snappy and immediate to slow and expressive.
Sound engine
Uranograph's sound engine is built around a synthesis approach that merges two historically distinct, yet beautifully complementary, worlds: digital phase distortion and West Coast modular synthesis.
From the Casio CZ-series of the 1980s, phase distortion introduced a novel way to sculpt harmonics—not by filtering them out, but by reshaping the waveform at its core. It allowed sine waves to be bent, skewed, and squeezed into brighter, more aggressive tones with sharp dynamic shifts, while retaining a clear, musical identity. This digital method brought new possibilities to timbre generation without relying on analog-style filters.
On the other side of the spectrum, West Coast synthesis—pioneered by Don Buchla—favored additive processes, wavefolding, and non-linear shaping, emphasizing timbre modulation directly at the oscillator stage. Instead of subtracting harmonics with filters, this approach focused on creating complexity through motion and interaction, often resulting in tones that felt alive, unpredictable, and expressive.
Uranograph reimagines these two traditions as one coherent system. Phase distortion offers dynamic asymmetry and harmonic sharpness, while wavefolding brings layered textures and rich overtone structures. By combining these philosophies into a single, continuously morphable oscillator architecture, Uranograph encourages sound design through evolution, rather than fixed architecture.
There are three main controls here to shape the waveform: Size, Tilt, and Fold.
Size – Phase Warping & Spectral Expansion
The Size knob controls a unique form of phase warping and spectral shaping applied to the core sine wave oscillator. Functionally, it behaves somewhat like pulse-width modulation, but instead of reshaping a square wave, it warps the phase of a sine wave, compressing or expanding it without changing its pitch.
At low Size settings, the oscillator remains close to a pure sine wave—producing warm, round, and mellow tones with minimal harmonic content.
As you increase the Size, the waveform is progressively compressed in time, creating non-linear phase distortions that introduce both even and odd harmonics, while preserving the perceived pitch.
At extreme settings, the waveform becomes sharp and narrow—approaching what is often described as a spike wave: thin, bright, piercing, rich in high-frequency content with a distinctly metallic or glassy quality, yet still musical and harmonically anchored.
In simpler terms, the Size control morphs the oscillator's tone from soft and pure to complex and buzzy, all through a continuous, organic transformation. It's ideal for evolving textures, dynamic timbral control, and pushing a patch from subtle to aggressive with a single gesture.
Tilt – Asymmetric Amplitude Distortion
Tilt introduces a form of asymmetric amplitude distortion. It skews the waveform shape in one direction or the other, creating rich and distinctive timbres characteristic of classic PD synths—but with a more fluid and modern implementation.
The Tilt knob is bipolar:
At the center position, it has no effect.
Turning clockwise or counterclockwise tilts the waveform in opposite directions, distorting its symmetry.
In subtle settings, Tilt creates soft, vocal-like, or formant-rich tones—ideal for expressive, melodic content.
As you push it further, the waveform becomes increasingly slanted, introducing metallic, brassy, or edgy overtones. At extreme values, it resembles a waveform morphing toward a sawtooth, producing aggressive and harmonically rich textures.
Tilt excels at transforming a pure waveform into something complex and biting—without relying on a filter. It's particularly useful for crafting evolving, animated timbres and giving motion to otherwise static sounds.
Importantly, Tilt interacts dynamically with the Size control. Combining both will reveal a wide range of spectral behaviors—from subtle harmonic coloration to full-spectrum distortion. The two parameters modulate the waveform in complementary but non-linear ways, resulting in surprisingly organic and playable responses.
Spend some time exploring the interaction between Size and Tilt—they form the heart of the Uranograph's tone-shaping engine.
Fold – This knob introduces Wave Folding, a classic West Coast synthesis technique. Wavefolding reflects the waveform on itself once it exceeds a certain amplitude threshold, creating new harmonics and often a buzzing, complex tone. At zero Fold, the core oscillator is clean. As you increase Fold, whenever the wave's amplitude exceeds the threshold, it "folds" back, resulting in rich, nonlinear distortion and added overtones. Low levels of Fold add a touch of brightness or grit, while high levels produce intense, almost metallic or distorted textures. Fold is excellent for transforming a simple tone into something much more harmonically dense and textured. It can interact dynamically with envelopes and playing intensity because it's tied to the oscillator's amplitude.
Remember that the Fold control operates directly on the amplitude of the waveform. In the first quarter of the knob's range, it behaves much like a volume control, simply increasing the output level without altering the waveform's shape.
Using the Size, Tilt, and Fold controls in combination, you can extensively sculpt the core oscillator's waveform – from pure tones to complex spectra. These controls are usually real-time knobs on the panel, so you can tweak your waveform as you play, essentially "morphing" the oscillator's shape on the fly. All three affect the oscillator in a phase-morphing additive manner (they don't just mix in a static waveform; they truly warp the sine wave's phase/amplitude properties). This means the core timbre generation is flexible and doesn't rely solely on downstream filtering for tone shaping.
Alias (Harmonizer Chord Controls):
Because key combinations are reserved for articulations, the Uranograph takes a unique approach to polyphony that doesn't rely on pressing multiple notes simultaneously.
Instead, the core oscillator can be "aliased" into up to three voices, enabling rich chordal or harmonized textures from a single key press. In this system, the main oscillator is copied into two additional voices, each following the original pitch at a user-defined interval. These extra voices share the same waveform as the main oscillator—including Size, Tilt, and Fold settings—ensuring a consistent and unified timbre across the chord.
The pitch intervals for the two additional voices are quantized chromatically in semitones, relative to the root note you're playing. You can set these intervals using two dedicated faders or knobs (F1 and F2), with a range from -12 to +12 semitones. This allows you to program custom chords per key—some can remain monophonic, while others become harmonized.
This system transforms the Uranograph into a paraphonic instrument. Although only a single note is triggered at a time, the sound can consist of up to three pitches played in harmony.
The overall volume or "density" of the harmonized voices is controlled by the Alias knob, allowing you to blend from a pure single tone to a fully stacked chord.
Sub Oscillator Controls: the sound core generator also includes a dedicated Sub-oscillator to reinforce the low end. A waveform selector switch lets you choose between three wave shapes for the sub: sine, saw, or square. This allows the sub tone to stay pure (sine for a fundamental bass boost) or add more edge (saw or square for buzzy sub textures). There is also an octave switch for the sub: options include unison (same pitch as main oscillator), one octave below, or two octaves below the main oscillator.
Unison mode doubles the core oscillator, thickening the sound, whereas -1 or -2 octave modes provide deep bass reinforcement.
The sub oscillator is mixed in with the main oscillator before the filter. The sub amp knob controls how loud the sub is relative to the primary signal (so you can blend just the right amount of low end).
Using the sub, you can ensure even bright, heavily warped sounds still have a solid fundamental underpinning. For instance, if your main oscillator does crazy phase distortion that thins out the fundamental, the sub will add that body back in.
Modulation Oscillator Controls: Rounding out the oscillator section is the Modulation Oscillator, which serves dual purposes.
This is essentially a third (or fifth, counting each alias voice) oscillator that can operate as either an audio source or a modulation source depending on settings. It tracks the keyboard pitch (so it's tuned to the note you play, like the other oscillators), but has an independent frequency control (Speed knob) and can go from extremely low frequencies (0.001 Hz) to audio-rate (up to ~3000 Hz.
Key panel controls for the mod oscillator include:
- A Speed knob (continuous) – sets the base frequency of the mod oscillator. For example, at a mid setting, the mod osc might match the note's frequency; turning it down might make it a fraction of the note (sub-audio LFO speeds), turning it up can make it several times higher (FM-style). The range is wide: from 0.001 Hz (essentially a very slow LFO that could take many minutes per cycle) to 3 kHz (well into the audible range for FM).
- A Waveform selector – a switch to choose the mod oscillator's waveform. Options include Sine, Saw, or Random (noise). Sine is useful for smooth vibrato or FM, Saw for ramp modulations or harsher tones, and Random generates either a sample-and-hold style stepped random voltage (if running slow) or a noise spectrum (if run at audio rates). This flexibility lets the mod osc emulate classic LFO shapes or add noisy mod textures.
- A Modulation Target selector – this is a rotary control that selects what the mod oscillator will modulate in the synth engine. The available targets include AM (Amplitude Modulation), FM (Frequency Modulation), Size, Tilt, Fold, or mix. In AM mode, the mod oscillator will modulate the amplitude of the main voice (producing tremolo at low speed or ring-modulation/brutal distortion at audio speed). In FM mode, it will modulate the pitch of the core oscillator (producing vibrato at low speed or classic FM sidebands at audio rates). In Size/Tilt/Fold modes, the mod osc directly modulates those respective parameters of the core oscillator – for example, in Mod→Fold mode, the mod oscillator will dynamically increase/decrease the Fold amount at the Speed rate, leading to a kind of time-variant wavefolding (like adding motion to the timbre). At low speeds, this is a periodic timbre sweep; at audio rates, it can insert complex sidebands and grit into the waveform (since it's effectively FMing the wavefolder threshold). Finally, Mix mode likely means the mod oscillator is mixed in as an audible oscillator – i.e., it becomes an additional fifth voice added to the output.
- A Mod Amount knob – this knob controls the depth or intensity of the modulation oscillator's effect. If the mod osc is targeting AM, the Mod Amount sets how strong the amplitude modulation is (0 = no AM, max = full on/off tremolo or ring mod). For FM, it sets the frequency modulation index (how much the pitch deviates). For Size/Tilt/Fold targets, it sets how far the mod oscillator pushes those parameters. If the target is Mix, the Mod Amount becomes the volume level of the mod oscillator in the mix. This single knob thus gives a convenient "one-knob control" for dialing in the desired modulation intensity or mix level of the mod osc.
Filter and Amplifier (VCA/LPG) Controls: The Uranograph doesn't use a traditional filter as its primary tone shaper – oscillators' spectra can already be changed with other parameters– but it does include a Low-Pass Gate / VCA hybrid filter stage after the oscillator. This stage serves two purposes: it amplifies and envelopes the sound (like a VCA) and provides a variable low-pass filter effect. The design is similar to an LPG in that high frequencies are also damped when the amplitude is low, mimicking how acoustic sounds naturally lose brightness as they decay. The controls for this stage likely include:
- Cutoff / Tone knob: This sets the base cutoff frequency of the low-pass gate. It adjusts how much high-frequency content is allowed when the gate is fully open. At maximum, the LPG acts almost like a straight VCA (full bandwidth); at lower settings, it mellows the tone even when held open. This is useful for setting the overall brightness balance of the instrument, especially in combination with the harmonic content from Size/Tilt/Fold.
Resonance knob: This adjusts the filter's resonance from none to almost self-oscillation. At moderate resonance, the filter/LPG will add a gentle emphasis around the cutoff frequency, giving accents a bit of bite or ring. At high resonance, it can produce a pronounced peak or even a sine tone.
In summary, the filter/LPG stage is mostly about dynamics and final tone smoothing. Unlike a typical synth, you won't be sweeping a cutoff knob constantly as your primary tone control – instead, you'll be morphing the oscillators (Size/Tilt/Fold) and using performance pressure to influence brightness. The filter's resonance can be thought of as a flavor knob to add more "acoustic" ring or wild self-oscillation if needed. If you do turn the cutoff knob down, it will uniformly mellow everything, which can be useful if the patch is too bright. The envelope and LPG give each note an expressive volume contour that you shape via how you play and via the articulation controls.
As a starting tip, try to keep the cutoff frequency always at a higher level and use the pressure of your fingers instead (which effectively dynamically changes the filter's cutoff).
Pan & Signal Routing
Following the filter stage is the Pan control. This knob is straightforward—it sets the stereo position of the sound, which, up to this point, remains monophonic in the signal chain.
This stage also serves as the insertion point for the external audio input (via the jack/XLR connector). The external signal is routed pre-pan, meaning it will be processed together with the internal sound and placed in the stereo field accordingly.
This is a parameter worth modulating with the LFO—sweeping or bouncing the pan creates dynamic spatial movement, adding width and motion to internal and external sounds.
LFO overview
LFO assign
FX
To further sculpt the sound and add spatial dimension, the Uranograph includes an integrated stereo delay and parallel reverb in its signal path (after the synthesis engine, before the looper). These effects are specifically tuned to complement the instrument's character and are tightly integrated rather than feeling like afterthought add-ons.
Stereo Morphing Delay: The delay section is quite sophisticated. A single Delay Time knob (labeled ΔT or Delta T) controls the delay time, but with a twist: in the first quarter of its range (0–25%), the delay operates in a special Karplus-Strong resonator mode. In this zone, as you adjust the knob, the delay time changes in tiny increments (microseconds) rather than rhythmic values, effectively turning the delay into a tunable resonator or comb filter. When excited, this produces plucked string or resonant body sounds – you can use it to create metallic resonances or drone notes by feeding the delay with impulses (like the plucky attacks or noise). It's like having a physical modeling element: at very short times and with high feedback, the delay will ring at a pitch, adding a harmonic resonance to your notes. As you turn the ΔT knob past 25%, it seamlessly shifts to a tempo-synchronized delay. Beyond that threshold, the delay time snaps to subdivisions of the current tempo (either the internal clock or an external MIDI/analog clock). The quantized rhythmic values include 1/32, 1/16 triplet, 1/16, 1/8 triplet, 1/8, 1/4 triplet, 1/4, and 1/2 note delays. This covers a wide range, from quick slaps to long echoes in musically relevant divisions. So, after the initial resonator region, you'll feel the knob "step" through these standard delay times – which makes it easy to dial in a synced echo without guessing. An LED indicates the current division.
The Feedback (Regen) knob controls how much of the delayed signal feeds back into itself. Low regen gives a single echo, higher values give multiple repeats, and at extreme settings, the Uranograph allows infinite repeats without overload (meaning it will hold a loop of delay indefinitely until you lower it, but it manages the gain to prevent clipping runaway). This is great for creating drones or sustaining an ambient backdrop from what you played.
Additionally, a Delay Shift or Stereo Offset control lets you introduce a slight time offset between the left and right delay channels. Turning Delay Shift allows one channel's delay time to be adjusted as a percentage offset from the other. This creates stereo ping-pong or polyrhythmic echoes and can significantly widen the stereo field. For example, you might set the base delay to 1/8 notes and then offset one side by 10% – you'll get a swung, interesting echo pattern bouncing across the stereo. When used subtly, this widens the reverb; it can cause complex rhythmic delays when used extremely. All these delay parameters are on the panel for immediate tweaking: ΔT (time), Regen (feedback), and Stereo Shift. Depending on settings, the delay can go from a tight resonator to a clean digital echo to a slap-back or long dub delay. It's an essential part of Uranograph's sound design toolkit, meant to be played as part of the instrument. (If you turn the delay to very short and high feedback, it essentially becomes part of the synth engine's timbre, adding a resonant ring to every note; if you set longer synced delays with moderate feedback, you can easily layer notes into rhythms and ambience.)
Reverb (Diffuse) Knob: The reverb in Uranograph is designed as a one-knob ambient effect that ranges from subtle to vast. The single control simultaneously adjusts multiple internal parameters of the reverb algorithm to transform the space smoothly. In the lower half of the knob's range, the reverb acts like a small or medium room – adding short reflections that give clarity and presence to the sound without washing it out. This is great for adding a bit of acoustic realism or tail to plucked and percussive sounds. As you turn the knob up, the reverb size and diffusion increase: by midpoint, you're probably at a hall-sized reverb, and at the maximum, the Uranograph generates dense "cloud-like" ambience – enormous, ethereal reverb that can turn your notes into a lush pad or texture. Essentially, at high settings, it becomes a modulated and very high-density reverb that smears the sound into a dreamy wash (great for soundscapes where the line between sound and reverb blurs). The Diffusion and other internal parameters adapt automatically as you turn the knob. Because it's parallel, the reverb doesn't drown out the dry signal unless set very high – you can always still articulate notes on top of a big ambient tail. For users, this means you don't have to tweak multiple parameters; just dial in how much atmosphere you want. At minimum, the reverb is effectively off or extremely short, and at maximum, it's like a huge fog of sound. The reverb is parallel to the delay (they are separate but combined at the output), so you can use both simultaneously. They are tuned to work well together – e.g., you can have a rhythmic delay and a giant reverb without things getting too muddy, or a resonator-like short delay still getting ambience around it.
Looper
Dual Looper – Tape-Inspired Loop System
One of the Uranograph's most powerful and creative performance tools is its dual "tape reel" looper system. Inspired by Frippertronics and classic reel-to-reel workflows, this looper allows you to capture, layer, and reshape audio in real time — with two independent, continuously running virtual tape reels.
The looper works post-effects, meaning it records the sound after it has passed through delay, reverb, and external input mix. What you capture is the fully processed signal — not just the raw oscillator — allowing you to loop entire gestures and atmospheres with spatial effects baked in.
Concept: Two Always-Running Reels
The Uranograph runs two virtual tape reels simultaneously: Loop A and Loop B. These reels are always active in the background, but whether they're recording, overdubbing, or playing back depends on your control.
Each loop has an independent length, set in musical time relative to the global tempo. You can choose from 1, 2, 4, 8, 12, or 16 beats (1 beat = quarter note), using a dedicated loop length knob. Once set, the reels continuously cycle at the selected length — capturing, layering, and evolving audio in sync with your performance.
Recording & Layering Loops
Loop control is handled by two reel arm buttons and two touchplates:
Arm Buttons (on the panel) select which reel is active for recording.
P3 Touchplate: Starts and stops recording or overdubbing on the selected reel.
P4 Touchplate: Instantly clears the selected reel.
This dual-reel system opens up expressive looping strategies:
Record a base texture on Loop A, then switch to Loop B for melodic or contrasting content. Alternate recording between reels to build evolving structures, counterpoints, or rhythmic interplay.
Reel Menu: Modes, Decay, Reverse & More
Hold a reel arm button to open the Reel Menu, where you can configure:
Recording Mode
Continuous: Records or overdubs non-stop until manually stopped — ideal for layering.
One-Shot: Waits silently until you play a note or input sound. It then records automatically, for the selected duration.
Decay Control – The Erase Head
A dedicated decay fader acts like a tape erase head:
100% = No erase (infinite layering)
0% = Full erase every cycle (fragile, transient loops)
In between = Fading layers over time — perfect for evolving soundscapes.
This allows for dynamic loop memory: old sounds slowly disappear as new ones arrive, creating constantly changing textures.
Reverse Playback
Flip any reel into reverse mode to play the loop backward. This classic effect inverts the audio in time, adding surreal movement or dreamy reversals to your layers.
Re-Pitch Mode – Play Your Loops Like Samples
One of the most unique features of the Uranograph's looper is Re-Pitch mode, which allows you to treat your recorded loop like a sampler.
Press the small button located beneath the Main Volume fader to enter Re-Pitch mode.
The note keyboard will turn green, indicating that you're no longer controlling the synth engine.
In this mode, each key triggers a pitch-shifted version of the selected loop — transposed in semitones based on the key you press.
This effectively transforms the looper into a tape-sampler-style playback engine. You can resample and rearrange your loops in real time, creating melodic phrases, rhythmic variations, or granular textures directly from your captured audio.
In Summary
The Dual Looper turns the Uranograph into a full-performance instrument, capable of everything from ambient layering to rhythmic structure-building. With two reels, variable decay, real-time overdubbing, reverse playback, and now sample-style pitch triggering, it offers a deep and flexible environment for sonic storytelling.
Whether you're building lush backgrounds, glitchy rhythmic beds, or looping melodies with live re-pitching, the looper invites you to treat sound as a material — recordable, mutable, and playable.
Mixer / Output section
Mixer Section
The Uranograph offers four physical faders for real-time volume control:
Main Synth Volume
External Input Volume
Loop A Volume
Loop B Volume
These let you blend your performance layers and effects with precision — adjusting levels on the fly during live sets or improvisations.
Main Output & Headphone Out
The Uranograph features two distinct output paths for flexible routing:
Main Output (6.3mm TRS Balanced)
The Main Output Volume knob controls the level sent to the rear-panel 6.3mm balanced jack. This is your primary connection to an audio interface, mixer, or amplifier.
It controls only the final output stage — not the internal audio level of the synthesizer itself.
The actual instrument volume is controlled by the Main Volume fader located in the Looper/Mixer section, which sets the output level of the synth engine before it reaches the output stage.
Use these two controls together to optimize gain staging and adapt to different live or studio setups.
Audio Outputs: It provides dual balanced 1/4-inch TRS line outputs (Left and Right) for the main stereo audio. These should be connected to your mixer, audio interface, or amplifier/speakers. Because they are balanced, you can run long cables with minimal noise – a nod to professional use. The main output level is controlled by a master volume knob. Additionally, there is a 3.5mm stereo headphone output jack with its own dedicated volume control. This headphone out carries the same stereo mix as the main outs (plus the exclusive metronome click) and uses a high-quality headphone driver circuit for clear, loud monitoring.
Use the small headphone level knob to adjust it to a comfortable listening level – it won't affect the main outs.
Note: When connecting headphones, be mindful of the volume to avoid hearing damage; start low and raise gradually.
Headphone Output (3.5mm Stereo)
Uranograph also includes a dedicated 3.5mm stereo headphone output, located on the front or side panel (depending on configuration). This output has its own independent volume control, allowing you to monitor privately without affecting the main output level.
A high-quality headphone amplifier IC is used to ensure clean, powerful, and detailed sound, even with demanding headphones — making it ideal for live monitoring, sound design, or quiet practice.
Both outputs can be used simultaneously — for example, sending the main out to FOH while monitoring with headphones on stage.
Metronome: a built-in metronome click is available in the headphone output only. This is a very handy feature: it provides a tick at the tempo that only you can hear in your headphones, not in the main outputs. This helps you stay in time with the loop length or an external clock without that click being sent to the audience or recorder. The metronome has an individual volume knob.
Mixer / Output section
Preset Storage & System Settings
Despite its deep architecture, the Uranograph offers a fast and intuitive preset system, making it easy to manage, recall, and store your sounds for performance or studio use.
● Preset Capacity and Structure
You can store up to 96 presets (programs) in the Uranograph's internal memory. Each preset acts as a snapshot of the instrument's state, including:
Synth engine parameters
Modulation and assignment settings
Keyboard tuning and layout
FX settings
Note: The Looper and Mixer section (volume levels, loops) are not stored as part of the preset.
The presets are organized into 8 banks of 12 presets each (Bank 1 = Presets 0–11, Bank 2 = 12–23, etc.). This structure mirrors the 12 touch keys on the keyboard—making it easy to recall presets by simply tapping a key when in Preset Recall Mode.
Recalling Preset
To enter the Preset Menu, press and hold the touchplate with the three-page icon.
By default, you're in Recall Mode.
Simply press one of the 12 note keys to select a preset from the current bank.
Release the menu touchplate to load the selected preset instantly.
This design makes it easy to switch sounds during a live set with minimal interruption.
To switch banks, use the Octave Up/Down plates—each octave corresponds to a different bank.
Saved presets are indicated with a white LED under the corresponding key.
Each preset has a name displayed on the TFT screen for easy identification.
Saving & Deleting Presets
To save or delete a preset:
Enter the Preset Menu by holding the menu touchplate.
Press:
P0 (on the control keyboard) to enter Save Mode
P1 to enter Delete Mode
In Save Mode, select a target slot using the note keys, then release the menu touchplate to save.
Renaming Presets
To rename a preset:
While in the Preset Menu, press the encoder to enter name edit mode.
Turn the encoder to scroll through letters and characters.
Press the encoder to move to the next character.
Once finished, press and hold the encoder again to confirm.
This allows you to label your patches clearly for quick reference in performance or composition.
Fast Panel Recall
If you quickly tap the Preset Menu touchplate (rather than holding), you'll toggle between the active preset and the current state of the front panel controls. This is ideal for:
Comparing the stored sound to the live panel settings
Making quick manual edits without overwriting the preset
Returning to your saved sound with a single tap
This one-touch, keyboard-integrated system makes Uranograph performance-ready, combining immediacy with deep programmability.