NONLINEAR LABS - HomeNONLINEAR LABS - Firmware Updates
User Manual for NONLINEAR LABS models including: C15 Digital Keyboard Synthesizer Flight Case, C15, Digital Keyboard Synthesizer Flight Case, Keyboard Synthesizer Flight Case, Flight Case, Case, Keyboard Synthesizer, Synthesizer
uickstart uickstart 2 3 Package Contents 2× ˜˚˛˝˙ ˆˇ˘ ˇ C15 Base Unit Power Supply adapter and cable 2 Mounting Brackets with Mounting Screws
NONLINEAR LABS - Manuals & Help
File Info : application/pdf, 13 Pages, 4.59MB
DocumentDocumentQuickstart Manual
Quickstart
Precautions
Power Supply
Please use only the included power adapter. If this is not possible, obtain a power adapter with the following specifications: · 18 20 V DC · 2.5 A or higher · Plug: inner contact 2.5 mm (+) · Plug outer contact 5.5 mm ()
2 Do not use a power adapter with different or unknown specifications, as this may electrically damage the device! You use a non-original power adapter at your own risk. Nonlinear Labs is not liable for damage caused by use of non-original power adapters.
Things to avoid doing
Do not place the C15 on a soft surface (pillow, mattress, etc.) as this can block the circulation of air to the device while it is being used. The C15 is an electrical (and electronic) device: do not allow water to come into contact with it. Do not open the C15. The inner parts of the instrument compose an intricate network which is easily damaged and potentially hazardous for inexperienced users. Do not use the C15 in extreme ambient temperatures. Stable performance cannot be guaranteed in very hot or cold conditions. Also avoid high humidity and other difficult conditions. Always wait for the device to shut down completely before you disconnect its power supply. Do not disconnect the power supply during performance. Doing so can cause data to be lost.
Package Contents
C15 Base Unit Power Supply adapter and cable
C15 Panel Unit
2×
3 2 Mounting Brackets with Mounting Screws
Printed C15 Quickstart Manual
USB Flash Drive containing: · the Factory Preset Collection · the complete C15 User Reference
Unit Connector Cable
The flash drive is specially formatted for installing updates. Do not format it and keep it safe!
Quickstart
Quickstart
4
Device Overview
ENVELOPE A
Attack
Decay 1
ENVELOPE C
BP Level
Deacay 2 Sustain ENVELOPE A
Release
Attack
Deacy 1
Decay 2
Level Vel
Level KT
Gain
ENVELOPE C
ENVELOPE B
Release
Level Vel
Level KT Level Vel ENVELOPE B
Level KT
Gain
Attack
Deacy 1 BP Level Deacay 2 Sustain
Release
Pitch Drive
Fluct Fold
OSCILLATOR A
Phase
PM Self
SHAPER A
PM B
PM FB
Asym
Mix
FB Mix
Ring Mod
Drive Pitch
Fold Fluct
SHAPER B
Asym
Mix
OSCILLATOR B
FB Mix
Ring Mod
Phase
PM Self
PM A
PM FB
Setup Sound
Preset Store
Info
Fine
Enter
Edit
Shi
Default
Dec
Inc
Undo
Redo
Comb A B
FEEDBACK MIXER
S.V.F.
Effects
Reverb
COMB FILTER
Drive
Pitch
Decay
AP Tune
Hi Cut
Level PM
STATE VARIABLE FILTER
A B
Comb Mix
Cut Off
Reson
OUTPUT MIXER
Spread
A
B
Comb
S.V.F.
Drive
FM Level
FLANGER
Rate
Env
Time Mod AP Mod
Feedbk
Mix
CABINET
GAP FILTER
Drive
Tilt
Mix
Center
Gap
Mix
ECHO
REVERB
Time
Feedback
Mix
Size
Color
Mix
MACRO CONTROLS
+
Funct Mode
1 Base Unit 2 Panel Unit 3 Parameter Panel 4 Parameter Group 5 Parameter Selection Button
6 Parameter Selection Indicator 7 Multiple Parameter Indicator 8 Edit Panel 9 Panel Unit Display 10 Encoder
11 Soft Buttons 12 Base Unit Display 13 Base Unit Control Panel 14 Bender 15 Ribbon 1
16 Ribbon 2 17 Headphones Connector 18 Headphones Volume 19 Output Volume
20 Panel Unit Fixation Screw 21 Mounting Bracket for Panel Unit 22 Audio Outputs 23 Connectors for Pedals 24 USB Connector
25 Power Supply Connector 26 Power Switch 27 Unit Connector Cable
POWER
AUDIO OUT
R
L
PEDALS
USB
4
3
2
1
5
Quickstart
Quickstart
Setting up the C15
Mounting the Panel Unit
Ensure the C15 is switched off before following the next four steps: Attach the Mounting Brackets to the Base Unit by hooking and snapping them into place.
6 Place the Panel Unit onto the installed Mounting Brackets. The two Mounting Screws on the bottom of the Panel Unit fit into the holes at the top of each Mounting Bracket.
Tighten down the Mounting Screws to lock the Panel Unit into place.
Connect Base Unit and Panel Unit with the Unit Connector Cable.
Now the C15 is ready to use and can be switched on. In order to disassemble the paired configuration, undo above four steps in reverse order. The C15's Base Unit can also be used without the Panel Unit.
Connections
The following external connections are provided by the Base Unit:
The headphone output provides a 6.3 mm
stereo headphone socket with separate,
preset-independent adjustable headphone
level. The headphone socket is suitable for
all kinds of headphones but we strongly
recommend to turn down the level when
connecting low-impendance ear plugs.
7
The headphone level is independent from the main output level (see below).
Note that using both TRS and XLR outputs at the same time may cause hum.
The line output level is adjustable by the potentiometer at the right end of the front bar. The audio output provides two parallel line-level stereo pairs of audio sockets (6.3mm TRS and XLR). Both pairs of sockets provide identical signals. The signals are transformer-balanced and ground-free, therefore in most cases a DI-box is not necessary. Unbalanced and balanced plugs can be connected. When connecting to unbalanced inputs please use unbalanced cables and plugs.
Four 6.3 mm pedal sockets are provided for external pedal control. In general, any keyboard controller pedal can be connected. However, we recommend continuous pedals as they allow for the most nuanced performance.
Quickstart
Quickstart
Connecting Pedals and mapping Hardware Sources
Most factory presets use a mapping as shown below. For more information on Hardware Sources and especially modulation aspects, refer to chapter 5.4 of the User Manual.
Continous Mode !
DP-10
8
Pedals
1
2
3
4
Macro
Color 1
Color 2 Pitchbend Sust Pedal
Controls
Bender Ribbons
Typical Mapping
The USB connection is used for plugging in the USB flash drive included with the C15. The drive is used for transferring preset Banks and installing Updates.
The C15 comes with its own external power adapter, which connects to the power inlet. A small LED next to the inlet indicates the power, boot and shut-down status of the C15.
9
Start and Shutdown
To turn on the C15, press the power button for around one second. It will take several seconds for the device to boot up and be ready to use. The most recent settings are loaded on startup. To shut down the C15, press the power button again for around a second. The shutdown process takes several seconds, during which it stores the current settings for the next startup, before the device turns off. A small LED next to the power inlet indicates the C15's status as follows:
steady lit slow blinking fast blinking flashing every 2 seconds
on/normal operation booting shutting down Standby mode
A flickering LED indicates an irregular operation mode. It means for example the supply voltage is too low.
Make sure not to disconnect the power supply while you are using the C15 (booting up, performance, shutdown), otherwise its data may be lost.
Quickstart
Quickstart
Setting up a Device for the Graphical User Interface
Concept
The C15 is designed for flexible operation and interaction, with the Base Unit being necessary for connections and performance. In addition, the Panel Unit provides the Hardware User Interface, with access to all parameters, presets and settings.
Finally, the Base Unit also provides a Wi-Fi hotspot for connection to external devices like smartphones, tablets, laptops and desktop computers. When connected, the Graphical User Interface can be accessed with a browser running on the external device. Multiple external devices can be connected simultaneously, and each can display different features. However, only one parameter can be focussed on at a time, which synchronises the Hardware User Interface with each externally connected device.
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Furthermore, the Wi-Fi connection can be used for preset interchange, and hence the
option to back up preset banks to the external device. The C15 Reference is also accessi-
ble in the Graphical User Interface.
System Requirements
Due to the browser-based implementation of the Graphical User Interface, there are almost no limitations concerning compatibility with operating systems and browsers. Basically, the only system requirements are that the device must be Wi-Fi capable and have a browser installed.
However, given the vast variety of devices, operating systems and browsers, optimal performance cannot be guaranteed in all cases. Differences between browsers, fast changes in technologies and frequent updates contribute to a complex situation which makes it very hard to say what works best.
Nevertheless, our experience in the development of the system enables us to make some recommendations and state some minimal requirements:
· The device should have at least a 1 GHz processor and 2 GB RAM. · The device's display should support multi touch, or a mouse should be connected. A
connected or integrated keyboard is useful for using the Graphical User Interface. · The device should have at least a 7'' diagonal display. · Although the choice of browser is completely up to the user, currently (February 2022)
the best performance is given by Google Chrome.
If you encounter problems with your setup, try to restart your device or change to another browser (or device). If not, or if the problem won't go away, please contact us directly for help. We appreciate feedback and user reports and will do our best to solve your problem as soon as possible.
Wi-Fi Settings
To set up a well defined Wi-Fi connection, enter the Setup Menu on the Hardware User Interface (Setup Button) and navigate to System Info. Here, all relevant aspects of the Wi-Fi connection are listed:
Device Name You can name your C15 instrument by focussing on the "Device Name"
entry and pressing Enter to access the Rename Screen. Once the name
is set, an SSID will be generated. The SSID is composed of a prefix
(NL-C15-) and the name you just gave to the instrument.
11
SSID
A Wi-Fi network with the same name as the SSID will be displayed
when you scan for available networks on your external device.
Changing the name of your C15 instrument will immediately generate
a new SSID, meaning you will likely need to reconnect your external
device to the C15 network.
Passphrase
The network connection is secure, so a passphrase (WPA2 key) is
needed to establish a connection. To connect to the network with your
external device, use the displayed passphrase to confirm. The pass-
phrase can be randomly generated or edited manually. To do this,
please select the "Passphrase" entry, press Enter and select the appro-
priate command. If you suspect that the passphrase is no longer
secure (because it has been shared with someone), a new passphrase
should be generated.
Website Address 192.168.8.2
Once the connection is established, please enter this address into
your browser's address bar and the Graphical User Interface should
appear in your browser.
The Wi-Fi connection can also be disabled to provide a more secure setup and prevent anyone else controlling the device remotely. This may be especially useful when performing live. Enter the Setup Menu (Setup Button) and navigate to Device Settings. Find "Enable/Disable WiFi" entry and change the setting.
Quickstart
Quickstart
Introduction to the User Interface
Edit Panel
Setup
Preset
Sound
Store
Info
Fine
Enter
Edit
12
Shi
Default
Dec ()
Inc (+)
Undo
Redo
+
Base Unit Control Panel
Funct
Mode
Loading a Preset
Open the Preset screen by pressing Preset . Select a preset by the Encoder or Dec/ Inc . When "Direct Load" is on, the preset will be loaded instantly, otherwise Enter will load the preset. Toggle "Direct Load" mode by pressing Soft Button . Other preset banks can be selected by the two Soft Buttons . Pressing the "Bank" Soft Button redirects to the Preset screen in Bank mode, where banks can be selected by the Encoder or Dec/Inc , and presets can be selected by the Soft Buttons .
Storing a Preset
Pressing Store opens the Preset screen in Store mode.
With the Soft Button you can choose "Append", "Overwrite" or "Insert", creating a new
preset at the end of the list (append), behind the selected preset (insert), or overwriting
the data of the selected preset (overwrite).
The store location can be changed by the Encoder or Dec/Inc . Other preset
banks can be selected by the two Soft Buttons .
To finish the store process press Enter . Pressing Store will cancel the process.
When storing a new preset the Rename screen will open, so you can edit the label.
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Edit
Certain elements include additional functions which will be provided when pressing Edit . Examples of additional functions are "Rename", "Edit Info" (for presets, banks and Macro Controls) as well as "Copy", "Paste", or "Delete" (for presets and banks).
Init Sound
Pressing Sound will invoke the Sound screen, providing options to further manipulate the current sound. Press and hold Default to open the Init Screen and then press either Soft Button or to recall the Init sound as Single, Layer or Split. Every parameter will load its default value.
Note that the factory default values for Output Mixer component levels are zero, meaning that the initial sound is silent.
Quickstart
Quickstart
Adjusting a Parameter
COMB FILTER
A B
Pitch
Decay
AP Tune
Hi Cut
PM
The parameters of the synth engine can be accessed by the 96 selection buttons. The LED
of the pressed button will light up. Dots below the LED indicate if additional parameters
can be selected by pressing the button multiple times. The stack of selectable parameters
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is also shown at the right side of the display . You can step through it by using the Soft
Button as well.
The selected parameter can be adjusted by the Encoder and Dec/Inc . Pressing
Default recalls the default value. The resolution can be toggled between coarse and
fine mode by pressing Fine .
Macro Controls
Macro Controls
Up to six Macro Controls (MC) can be assigned to modify the sound of a preset. You can access them by their Selection Buttons . Their labels and info can be defined per preset. For the selected MC the LEDs of the target parameters will blink. The MC can be adjusted like a parameter. It can be influenced by Hardware Sources as well, as shown by the ten small bar graphs at the right end of the display .
Assigning a Macro Control to a Hardware Source
Macro Controls can follow movements of multiple Hardware Sources. There are ten Hardware Sources provided by the C15: four connectors for external pedals, two Ribbons (plus two virtual Ribbons), the Bender and monophonic Aftertouch. In order to assign a Hardware Source to a selected Macro Control, use the "HW Sel" Soft Button and select the desired Hard- ware Source by using the Encoder or Dec/Inc . The Soft Button can also be used to select a Hardware Source. For the selected Hardware Source use the "HW Amt" Soft Button to adjust its influence on the MC.
15 Assigning a Parameter to a Macro Control
The most significant parameters can follow movements of a Macro Control. In order to assign the selected parameter to a Macro Control, use the "MC Sel" Soft Button and select the desired Macro Control by using the Encoder or Dec/Inc . When a Macro Control has been chosen, use the "MC Amt" Soft Button to focus on the modulation amount and adjust the amount like a parameter. The modulation amount of a parameter specifies intensity and direction of its movement, following the assigned Macro Control.
Info Press Info to get information about a parameter, Macro Control, preset or bank. The infos of Macro Controls, presets and banks are user-definable.
Undo / Redo For un-doing and re-doing editing steps use Undo/Redo . Pressing both of them at the same time will open the undo history in the display .
Quickstart
Quickstart
Base Unit Functionality
The Base Unit provides four operational modes which can be selected with Mode . In Play mode, the display shows the labels of the Macro Controls to which the Ribbons are assigned (or "not assigned").
Play Mode
Preset Mode
press briefly Edit Mode
Mode
press and hold for a second
press briefly Bank Mode
16
The two physical Ribbons can be used for up to four virtual Ribbons. On the right edge,
the four horizontal lines and the right vertical indicator show which two of the four virtual
ribbons are selected.
Funct
Mode
You can select between the Ribbon pairs by pressing Funct . Depending on which ribbon pair is selected, the two physical ribbons are assigned to either Ribbon 1 & 2 or Ribbon 3 & 4. Pressing and holding Funct for at least one second, Play Mode will change from the Ribbon Select view to Touch Behaviour view. The letter "a" or "r" indicates if the touch strip works as an absolute or relative input device. The last touched Ribbon is indicated by "<" and its input mode can be switched with Funct .
Play Mode - Ribbon Select (1/2)
Play Mode (absolute)
press briefly Play Mode - Ribbon Select (3/4)
Funct
press and hold for a second
press briefly Play Mode (realtive)
With -/+ you can shift the keyboard range up and down by octaves. Holding one button while pressing the second will shift the pitch by semitones.
+
In Edit mode, Ribbon 1 will be assigned to the currently selected parameter as additional editing tool, while Ribbon 2 remains in play mode. In Bank mode, banks can be navigated with -/+ , while Funct serves as "Direct Load" (DL) switch when held for a second. In Preset mode, presets can be navigated with -/+ . When "Direct Load" is off and an arrow is shown, Funct will load/reload the selected preset. "Direct Load" (DL) can be toggled by holding Funct for a second.
17
Quickstart
Quickstart
Updates and Downloads
Please save your preset banks before installing the update!
The most convenient way is to use the menu entry "Save all Banks as Backup File.." in the graphical user interface or with "Backup" and "Save all Banks.." in the Setup menu in the Panel Unit display.
Do not power off the C15 during the update installation! An interruption of the power in this phase can cause irreversible damage.
Steps to proceed:
1. The latest installer is offered on:
18
www.nonlinear-labs.de/support/updates/updates.html
2. By clicking its button you download the file "nonlinear-c15-update.tar" to your computer. You will also find a PDF file "Whats New?" on the website to inform you about the latest feature updates and bug fixes.
3. Your computer might offer to unpack this type of file. Please make sure that the file is NOT unpacked or changed in any way.
4. Copy the file ("nonlinear-c15-update.tar") to the root folder of the USB memory stick that was delivered with the C15. (Other memory sticks will only work if they have the FAT32 format.)
5. Switch off the C15 and plug the memory stick into the USB connector at the backside of the C15.
6. Switch on the C15. During the update process the small display will show "Updating.." messages.
7. When the update is finished, the display will show: "Updating C15 DONE! Please restart!" Please switch off the instrument, remove the memory stick and switch it on again.
If you update from version 21-02 you might get the error message "Updating C15 FAILED" during the installation. In this case the installer needs to be run a second time. Please restart the C15 without removing the USB stick. Now the update should be successful.
After a successful update the file on the memory stick is automatically renamed to "nonlinear-c15- update.tar-copied". Please delete this file before using the stick for another update.
All downloaded update files have identical names ("nonlinear-c15-update.tar").
This is the file name required by the C15 to detect an update on the memory
stick. If there is an earlier update file with this name in the download folder of
your browser, the name of the new update will be modified (e.g. by adding "-1").
Therefore please check if the file has been renamed and restore the original
name. It is recommended to remove all C15 update files from the download
19
folder.
If you want to store different updates on your computer, please keep them in separate folders or rename them, so that you can identify them later.
You can check the current software versions in the "System Info" section of the Setup. For this press the "Setup" button on the Edit Panel or the "Setup" entry in the view menu of the graphical user interface and select "System Info". Here you find the "Software Version". It shows the release date as year and week in the format YY-WW (e.g. 20-40 - week 40 in year 2020).
If a "FAILED" message appears in the display, the update was not successful. In this case please repeat the installation. Rename the installer file to the original name "nonlinear-c15-update.tar", plug in the USB stick and start the C15 again. If this is without success please contact us. On the USB stick you will find a log file ("nonlinear-c15-update.log.txt") which you can send us to help us analyzing the problem.
Quickstart
Quickstart
20
C15 Synth Engine Signal Flow
Vel KT
Gain
Env A
Envelope A
Env A
Vel KT
Gain
Env B
Envelope B
Env B
Vel KT
Envelope C Env C
Gate
Gate
Env B Env C B FB Oscillator A Self
Env A
Env A Env C A FB Oscillator B Self
Env B
Env A Shaper A
Env A
Gate
FB FB Mix
Env C
RM
Env B Shaper B
Env B
Gate
FB FB Mix
Env C
Feedback Mixer
Shaper
Comb
SVF
Effects
Reverb
From -
Env C Gate
A
Comb Filter
B
Env C
A
State
Comb
Variable
B
Filter
A
B
Comb
SVF
Output Mixer (Stereo)
Shaper
Gate
Flanger Cabinet
To Serial FX- FX
Flanger Cabinet
Gate
Gap Filter
Gap Filter
Echo
Reverb
Echo
Reverb
Master FXMix
-
So
L
Clip R
C15 Synth Engine Signal Flow Detailed
Vel KT
Gain
Env A
Envelope A
Env A
Vel KT
Gain
Env B
Envelope B
Env B
Vel KT
Envelope C Env C
Gate
Gate
Env C
Env A
Shaper
Shaper A
1 PM Self
1
PM FB
FB
Env B
PM B
Env C KT
Chirp Filter
PM
Oscillator A
Note On
1
Shaper
Shaper B
Env C
Env A
Shaper
Shaper A
PM A 1
1
PM FB
FB
Env B PM Self
Env C KT
Chirp Filter
PM
Oscillator B
Note On
Shaper
Shaper B
1
Env A
Shaper A
Env C FB
Gate
Feedback Mixer
Comb
SVF
Effects
Reverb
Shaper
Level
From -
KT
Wet Dry
Wet Dry
Mix FB Mix RM
RM Env A
Gate Env C KT A
B PM
A
Comb
A
Filter
B
B
Comb
Env C KT A
B FM
State Variable
Filter
Env C FB
A
Env B
RM
Gate
Shaper B
B
Comb
Output Mixer
SVF Key Pos
Pan
Shaper Voice Mix
Level
Mix FB Mix RM
Env B
Gate
Flanger Cabinet
To Serial FX- FX
Flanger Cabinet
Gate
Gap Filter
Gap Filter
Echo Echo
Reverb Reverb
Master FXMix
-
So L Clip R
21
Quickstart
Quickstart
22
C15 Synth Engine Single Sound Overview
Feedback Mixer
Comb S.V.F.
FX Dry FX Wet
FX Dry FX Wet
PM FB FB Mix
All 24 Voices
S.V.F. Comb
B A
Output L Mixer R
Output
Level
Voice Mix
To FX
Dry
L R
Wet
Effects
L
R
L
L
R Serial R
L FX L
R
R
L
L R
R
Effects
Dry
Wet
L
R FX Mix, L
L Pan
R
R
L Output, L R Recorder R
C15 Synth Engine Layer/Split Sound Overview
Feedback Mixer
A/B AB
Comb S.V.F.
FX Dry FX Wet
FX Dry FX Wet
PM FB FB Mix
Voice Group
S.V.F. Comb
B A
Voice Group
PM FB FB Mix
A B
Comb S.V.F.
Output
Mixer
L R
Output
Level
Voice
To
Mix
FX
Only in Layer Sound
Output
Mixer
L R
Output
Level
Voice
To
Mix
FX
A/B Comb S.V.F. A-B - -
FX Wet FX Dry
Feedback Mixer FX Wet
FX Dry
23
Dry
L R
Effects Wet L
R
L
L
R Serial R
L FX L
R
R
L
L R
Effects R Wet
Dry
L R
PartMix, L
L Pan R
R
L Output, L R Recorder R
Quickstart
NONLINEAR LABS GmbH Helmholtzstraße 2-9 E 10587 Berlin Germany
www.nonlinear-labs.de info@nonlinear-labs.de
Quickstart Manual Document Version: 4.4
Date: May 24, 2023
© NONLINEAR LABS GmbH, 2023, All rights reserved.