Chapter 1: Navigating the Screens

Before we start getting into synthesis theory, it's important to be familiar with the environment we will be working in. Reading through the manual that comes with the app will help get you started, but there are a few typos and awkward translations. In order to avoid getting too wordy, I thought it may be helpful to just show the parts I feel the manual could have elaborated on. We will get into the functions in depth later on.

Menu - This is where you start. Pretty self explanatory. If you go to demo, you can get a feel for what is possible with DSN.












After starting a song, you will be taken to Main.

This screen contains 12 Tracks (Tr 01-Tr 12) listed vertically (each track is an independent synth). Each Track can be programmed for up to 64 patterns, listed on the horizontal axis. But wait, I only see 16 patterns, where are the rest? On the bottom of the screen you will see ABCD, these are the four banks for the patterns. You will also notice how there is a red light next to SELECT. If you want to copy a pattern in a track, tap COPY, then pick the pattern, then hit PASTE, then tap where you want it to go. This screenshot does not show it, but there will also be buttons labeled S and T just to the left of SELECT. These stand for Sequence and Tone. Basically, if you want to COPY/PASTE a just the sequence of notes from a pattern, then just highlight S, but if you want the Tone, or the way the synth is set up, use T. It caught me off guard the first time.

From this screen, you can go to OSET to change your oscilloscope (the top screen) from a waveform to see the sounds you are making or lissajous mode for a cool visual. There is meaning behind the lissajous curves if you are interested.

In SET, you can change the Beats Per Minute (BPM) and number of steps for the entire song (Master) and for each pattern. The ability to change steps for individual patterns is very handy for doing time signature changes within a song.

MIX is where you can apply FX and Reverb, change the panning of each track (if the sound is in your left or right ear) and Mute or Solo Tracks. Solo just means that only tracks lit up as S will be heard, unless none are selected. MIX is something you want to work on last, unless you already know ahead of time what you are going to do. I usually do not. I think the manual does a good job of explaining the FX, so I won't get into it.

The PTN page is pretty cool because it allows you to play your tracks like a DJ pad controller. If you want to queue up the next track without it jumping straight to it, make sure LOCK is selected. From this page you can also go to PTNPRG to put your patterns together in a song. Notice again how it has ABCD and 16 patterns listed vertically. Only one pattern can be played at once and there are four screens of patterns, so this can look a bit confusing at first. Use the circle pad to scroll right and you will see that your song can be up to 99 patterns long. I loaded the Demo of Disco to see how it all comes together.

Back at MAIN, if you click on the rectangle for a specific Track and pattern, you will be taken to the Note page. Now we can get into the good parts. The abbreviations are Note, Gate, Volume, Pan, KaossX and KaossY. If you go to SYNTH, you can get back to this page by going to SEQ.

The SYNTH page is where we will start the next chapter.

I hope this was helpful. The best way to get familiar is to load a demo and see for yourself what's going on. I promise the later chapters will be more interesting, at least for me. See ya!


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