Splitfire 3255 Wood Splitters User Guide

Splitfire 3255 Wood Splitters

Overview

Compact, aggressive live sampler featuring 3 voices and 16 slices with a 4 s buffer. Record audio, slice or pitch-map it to keys, and shape playback in real time with CV and performance controls.

Specifications

Quick Start Guide

1. Wire audio in: connect an external source to IN L/R (synth, sampler, drum machine, or mic preamp).
2. Set REC MODE by selecting HOLD, FIXED, or Q (under the HOLD label).
3. Press REC and play your source; the IN meter shows real-time input levels. The unit captures up to ~4 seconds.
4. Connect a MIDI keyboard and play notes. Furioso accepts MIDI input; the waveform screen shows a live playhead indicator.
5. Set MODE (right side). Choose SLICE to trigger individual slices per key (C3 = slice 1, C#3 = slice 2, etc.) or PITCH to play the entire sample mapped to key pitch.
6. Tweak parameters in real time (e.g., SPEED, PITCH, REV, LOOP). Use CLR to clear the buffer or UNDO to restore the previous sample state.

Compact aggressive live sampler • 3 voices • 16 slices • ~4 s buffer • 2RU

Front panel controls

Back panel (CV I/O)

Control Map

Every control on the front panel, grouped by functional zone.

SAMPLE

• FADE MODE: Loop crossfade behavior (auto/manual)
• XFADE: Loop crossfade duration
• SLICES (auto/man): Slice mode & slice count adjustment (1 to 16)
• TRANS: Transient detection sensitivity for automatic slicing

WAVEFORM / DISPLAY

• START: Pitch-mode audio region starting point (maps to start key)
• END: Pitch-mode audio region ending point
• DISPLAY: Renders the live waveform, playhead activity, slice grid, and mute/loop status indicators

RECORD

• REC: Start recording/re-recording
• CLR: Clear active sample buffer
• UNDO: Restore the previous sample state
• HOLD/FIXED/Q: Select record trigger and timing modes
• IN METER: Visual LED level meter (green/yellow/red)

VOICE PARAMS

• ROOT: Root note definition for pitch-mode mapping
• PORTA: Portamento transition duration
• ATK / REL: Volume envelope attack and release times
• PAN: Output stereo pan spread across voices
• DEGR: Bit-depth and sample-rate reduction degradation control
• VOL: Output master volume level

STUTTER

• SIZE: Loop length of the stutter window
• STUT: Instantly engages the stutter mechanism (also triggerable via CV gate)
• RATE: Playback rate within the stutter window

CHANNEL

• MUTE: Instantly mutes the module during live performance
• VOICE Q: Selects voice architecture: Poly, Mono, Legato, or Retrigger
• SIZE: Sets recording quantize size (5 selective options)
• LEN: Sets recording duration for the FIXED record mode

PLAYBACK

• SPEED: Playback speed multiplier from 0x to 3x (1x marked at physical detent position)
• PITCH: Toggles primary playback engine between Slice and Pitch modes
• REV: Toggles reverse playback direction
• LEN: Active loop length window (active within slice boundaries or pitch regions)
• LOOP / MODE / PERF: Controls loop execution, sub-mode switching, and performance expression options

DISPLAY READOUT

• M / LOOP / ►: Direct visual feedback for Mute status, Loop configuration, and Transport status
• 1.00 / 1: Current slice metadata readout
• LOCK / ✦: Quantize lock state and individual slice alteration indicator

CV Quick Grid (Back Panel)

Input Port	Function	Output Port / Channel	Function
IN L/R	Audio inputs	OUT V1/V2/V3	Per-voice independent direct audio outputs
GATE / NOTE	Sequencer pitch and gate inputs	OUT (main)	Master stereo mix output
REC	Record trigger gate (active on rising edge)	CLR	Buffer erase gate (active on rising edge)
MUTE	Mute control gate (level-based or edge-triggered)	STUT	Stutter activation gate (active when gate is high)
SLICE	Slice selection voltage (maps 0..1 to 1..N slices)	PLAYHEAD (out)	Generates playhead position CV (0..1 scale)
SLICES (v3.2)	External slice control (forces slice counts 1..16)	SLICES (out)	Outputs current slice count signal (0..1 scale)
WIN (v3.2)	Bipolar modulation input for Stutter window size	RATE (v3.2)	Bipolar modulation input for Stutter rate
PORTA	Modulation input for Portamento rate	SPEED	Modulation input for playback Speed
REV	CV toggle input for reverse playback direction	LEN	Modulation input for Loop length limits
ATK / REL	Modulation inputs for envelope Attack & Release	START / END	Modulation inputs for Pitch-region boundary targets

Pro Tips

• Drum Deconstructions: Run 5 instances of the Furioso inside a Combinator wrapper for complex drum-kit splitting and slicing. It uses significantly less RAM than a single Rubato module and easily fits within 10 RU.
• Polyrhythmic Grid Modulation: Standardize rhythmic variation by patching dedicated CV outputs or external LFO signals into the back panel’s SLICES inputs. Modulating the slice limits with distinct, un-synced LFO frequencies creates intricate polyrhythmic shifts.
• Dynamic Slicing: Feed the cv_gate_rec port a trigger from an active sequencer track. This enables automatic loop recapture at structural bars, generating ever-evolving sample variations.
• Morphing Textures: Integrating CV triggers into Stutter RATE and SIZE on version 3.2 firmware changes the stutter function from a simple on/off switch into a deeply expressive, continuously variable audio effect.

Troubleshooting

• No (or unexpected) recorded audio: Verify audio input by watching the IN METER while you press REC and play the source; it should move with your incoming signal.
• Buffer seems wrong, or you need a fresh capture: Use CLR to clear the active sample buffer, then record again.
• Accidentally changed the sample state: Use UNDO to restore the previous sample state.
• Playback timing/mapping not behaving as expected: Confirm you selected the intended REC MODE (HOLD, FIXED, or Q) and the intended MODE (SLICE vs PITCH) before performing.
• Stutter/performance gates not responding (if using CV): Ensure the STUT gate input is high to engage stutter (STUT is active when gate is high).
• Loop-related behavior not matching your intent: Adjust LOOP / MODE / PERF controls and loop settings such as LEN and SIZE (stutter window size) to match the desired active region/loop length.