U-He Diva: Quick and Easy Complete Guide Pt 1. - The Parts Layout and Flow of Sound for Total Beginners

Introduction of Concept: The most important thing to understand if creating sounds in Diva is the path in which the sound flows, where the tone originates to the point where it comes out of the speaker, so you know where to start and where to finish. In terms of thinking of how to shape the sound, what is the foundation and what are the finishing touches.

There are much more detailed ways someone could represent each interaction between each part, but the purpose of this guide is to get you to think as visually and simply as possible, because it is like building a framework or sketch or outline, from there it becomes much easier to fill in the details or change some concepts later, rather than break everything down into complex pieces and interactions with all the detail from the start. This basic flow of sound - which can be referred to generally as the "signal flow" is the most foundational and fundamental way sounds are constructed in Diva and nearly any similar design of synthesizer. Below I will show the general default signal flow within the sections in two example variations of Diva parts. This is how you should "start" thinking about it in the abstract and foundational approach we are taking.

Follow the numbers 1 to 9.

Note how no matter which combination of parts is selected, the signal flow path always remains the same.

In later posts we will discuss additional modifications to this flow and more complex interactions. However note the following facts:

• The actual flow of the sound will always always always take this same path in Diva in its most basic and fundamental state, this is how the foundation of the majority of sounds is originated.

• Any modification from this arrangement is an additional layer of complexity, detail, or deviation from the norm. So think of what is the norm, and then adding to it or modifying it later when you are able to add more complexity.

Now I will simply list the parts 1 to 9, what they do, and what are the terms to look into to understand each element and how it works. I will cover all these parts and terms in later articles, but you can begin anytime with your own general search and watch some videos, read other articles, etc to grasp these fundamentals.

These fundamentals apply across nearly every single subtractive analog style synthesizer, so you don't really even need to know particulars to Diva, so much as you need to just understand the fundamentals of "what they are".. Then simply actually carefully read the labels in Diva, and it will become clear to you for the most part exactly what to do specifically in Diva.

First you start working from your understanding of the inside of each part and what it does, then you just apply the signal flow path, take it one step at a time from 1 to 9 start to finish, and you will be on your way to generating sounds.

Description of each part and key terms to study and search to understand how it works:

First, to make a sound from scratch, you should open a blank "template" in Diva, any template in the providied presets will work. Otherwise use these facts about the sections to modify any given section to your own liking from an existing preset.

1. Oscillators - Step 1 - You play with the controls here to shape any raw sound which you like, when you play your keys, it should sound pleasing.

   If you want to "play" with the oscillators, note that each part has 1,2 or 3, totally identical oscillators with the same controls, you can set these up separately together with each other in any way.

   Only touch these controls to start -

   -- Pick shape - This determines the tone

   -- Volume/mix - These are separate volumes or a blender between multiple oscillators

   -- Pitch controls - Octaves are any knob with numbers like 32,16,8 etc.. and detune or tune is fine tuning

   -- PW - If this is available, whenever you have a square shape selected, if you move this it will change the tone. Note the "LFO2" slider next to this as we talk about the LFO later.

   TERMS: Waveforms (Saw, PWM, Triangle, Sine), oscillator tuning and detuning, oscillator levels, noise generator, oscillator sync, frequency modulation (FM)

2. Highpass/Feedback, etc... There are several options here for parts - but these include generally the following: Again noise generator and oscillator levels, also there is feedback and high pass filter

   - Feedback Creates a thicker and somewhat softer but fuzzier and rougher sound with more bottom end and less piercing character,

   - High Pass Filters Just cut the low end off the sound if it is excessive, can be used for effect at high levels.

3. Filter - The cutoff controls the brightness of the sound, turn it down for a duller sound, up for a brighter sound, resonance creates an audible peak at the cutoff point you can play around with the intensity. You turn the "env 2" knob up and down to bring in the effect of the filter envelope.

   To get the basic filter tone, you can play with any knobs or switches which don't have a dropdown arrow menu. Dropdown arrow menu knobs like "env 2" don't change the tone they just "move" the filter cutoff/brightness knob for you.

   TERMS: Filter types - lowpass, bandpass, highpass, notch... filter slope 12 db, 24db, resonance/emphasis/q... filter envelope amount, filter keyboard tracking, filter modulation

   
   

   NOTE: At this point 1,2 and 3 are the actual "tone" of your sound, the following parts just move knobs in those tone sections automatically for you when you press a key (envelopes, LFOs) or add guitar pedal style effects (effects, VCA)

   
   

4. Filter Envelope - This is the pattern over time which the filter moves automatically when you press a key, play each knob to get an idea for what you like, then bring Env 2 in the filter module up or down to affect the filter movement more or less to taste.

   TERMS: ADSR, ADS envelope - note that the sound doesn't technically "go through" the envelope but for our abstract signal flow thought process, it is helpful to think of it as so to start.

5. Amp Envelope - The controls are identical to the filter envelope but this time you are just shaping the pattern of the volume of the final sound, this is really the end stage of the raw sound design.

   TERMS: ADSR, ADS, look up how an amplitude envelope works.

6. VCA - Turn this up above the default to get a bit more of a thick or cutting sound, but note not every sound sounds good maximally thick or even close, I use it sparingly only when its needed.

   TERMS: Look up how an analog VCA works and VCA overdrive, also look up panning. The two main knobs to start with here are just volume and pan.

7. Effect1 - Various effects to choose from, same concept as guitar or keyboard pedals at a music store such as delay, chorus, reverb, phaser, and a quirky organ speaker effect. TERMS: Search the parameters of the various effects if you are unfamiliar with them such as delay, reverb, etc...

8. Effect 2 - Identical to above but the sound goes through here after going through effect 1, the order matters.

   TERMS: Search the parameters of the various effects if you are unfamiliar with them such as delay, reverb, etc...

9. Volume - Once you understand that the 6 volume is the analog VCA emulation, then you can understand that this is a simple digital volume knob with no particular effect for final volume control purposes.

The final thing I wanted to bring up for fundamental sound design is the LFOs

LFO Function: This is the first and most important part of the introduction to adding things in to modify our basic signal flow and add more complexity to the sound. Note how above the selected knob, it says "LFO 2" this comes from the dropdown menu above the knob. This dropdown menu is available above any control in Diva which has a small down arrow next to the name.

There are many selections possible at the dropdown menus, but if you just focus on LFO 1 and LFO 2, you can use the settings of the LFOs to modify any modifiable parameter in the relevant section block. Just pick LFO 1 or LFO 2 and turn the knob up or down and you will hear an effect on the given part/section where you brought it in. You will see some knobs are already pre selected as a certain LFO by default.

The basic way an LFO works is just the rate and the waveform is the same as an envelope shape only the waveform is the shape and the rate is just the speed at which it repeats. When you bring it in its the same as bringing in Env 2 to the filter, only you get a repeating pattern which never stops at the rate /speed you set.

The main functions in Diva to watch out for are:

• Depth mod - Unless you want another thing such as mod wheel or some more complex parameter controlling the strength of the LFO, this should be 100% down.

• Rate Mod - Which should be in the middle at 12 o clock by default, you can leave it there unless you know exactly what you are doing otherwise.

• Restart - Sync Gives a global single LFO across all keys - useful for stability, Random gives a different starting LFO for each key press - good for lots of complex unpredictable movement.

• Sync - Musical notations make the LFO work and pulse with the beat, time notations make a random non beat following speed good for things such as vibrato. Be careful and usually leave the rate knob at 12 o clock straight if using musical notation or the timing can be off.

• Delay: A simple fade in effect for the LFO, the more the value the longer the fade in every time you press a key.

To get more in depth on the LFO, its helpful to study LFOs and then to read the Diva manual.

Hopefully this has been a very helpful starting guide for how to use and design sounds in Diva. In later articles all of the parts and functions will all be covered in detail right here on this blog eventually.

A fantastic place to start exploring is to open existing presets which you like, and experiment changing the settings one block in the signal flow at a time and seeing what effect this has, this is a great way to learn in a practical sense what all the functions do, and will get you immediately into modifying and editing presets which already have parameters you like, in specific ways to better fit your exact vision for your track or a given part.

Make sure to check out the presets available right here on this site for many fantastic premium quality sounds and starting points for your own experimentation :) Till next time!