Anima draws its roots in the “west coast” analog function generators and updates them in the digital realm.
This take allows for extremely precise 1V/Oct tracking (10+ octaves) when in cycling mode, and for the control of the rising and falling segments (aka attack and decay) curves without affecting timing + a few more tricks.
Anima has three basic modes of operation:
- AD, the module takes any signal as an input, turns it into a trigger to launch a rising segment (attack) and a falling segment (decay). The length of these segments are defined by Attack and Decay knobs. They are independent of the input signal.
- ASR, the module takes any signal as an input and turns it into a gate. The attack phase is initiated at the rising edge of the gate, the voltage is then sustained during the length of the gate before starting the release phase (controlled by Decay knob).
- Cycle does not rely on an incoming signal. It loops the rising and falling segments according to their lengths. Long lengths will result in slow, low frequency oscillations (max 80s). Short lengths rising and falling lengths will go to audio speed (up to 2kHz). An incoming signal can reset the cycle, to reset the LFO or sync the oscillator.
The 1V/Oct input turns Anima into a very capable digital dual oscillator – when in cycle mode – with two types of frequency modulation and voltage controlled waveform crossfading. Cross patching is highly recommended for harsh mayhem synthesis!
The 1V/Oct is also useful in “envelope mode” to shorten envelopes when an oscillator pitch gets higher thus recreating the behaviour of acoustic plucked instruments.
The Curve parameter goes well beyond the usual Lin/Log control. It morphs smoothly between several curvatures (including the classic log, lin and exp) without affecting the rising and falling times.
When tweaked in envelope mode, Curve opens up new performance possibilities. Changing the length of a segment is not always the solution. Modifying the curve shifts the emphasis of the envelope for nuanced phrasing.
When Anima oscillates, one can think of Curve as a waveform crossfader. The speed and symmetry of the oscillation is set with Attack and Decay. The form of the oscillation is shaped by Curve.
As usual with Ritual Electronics modules, each control has its dedicated attenuverter allowing for precise control and automation.
For maximum versatility each channel of Anima has an output polarity switch, making it 0 to +8V in unipolar mode or -5 to 5V in bipolar mode, suitable for audio or bipolar CV generation.
