Alpha Microphone

The Eigenharp Alpha has a high quality microphone input that can you use with a variety of microphones of different types, Dynamic, Electret (10V phantom power) and Condenser (48V phantom power).

For those that do not wish to wire their own microphones, we sell a high quality cardioid electret condenser by DPA (a leading microphone manufacturer), pre-wired with a short cable, the correct LEMO connector and a special mounting clip made from machined aluminium that clamps to a standard Eigenharp breath pipe mouthpiece. This microphone comes with a shock mounting, which you will find reduces instrument handling noise enormously. If you want to look up he specification on the DPA site, it's a DPA4080. We tested quite a few microphones and this is the one that was the best sounding for vocals, unobtrusive in appearance and well mechanically isolated of them all.

For those that wish to connect their own microphones we have produced a white paper about how to do it - Alpha Microphone Wiring. Please note that we do not provide support for this option or assistance with wiring your own microphone, this is provided for informational purposes only. The supported microphone for the Alpha is the one we sell in out store.

For those that wish to use their own microphones, you are strongly advised not to attach it to the instrument without some kind of mechanical shock isolation as the noise of keys being played is otherwise very annoying.

Using the microphone with EigenD.

The microphone input is connected to the console mixer agent just like any other EigenD instrument.

To configure the microphone there is an advanced control mode within the Factory Alpha Setups.

To access the microphone advanced control mode:

1. Press the main mode key and choose 'Split 1'. The location of Split 1 will vary depending on which Factory Alpha Setup you are using, for help finding Split 1 please see page 3 of your Quick Reference Guide.

2. Turn to page 13 of your Quick Reference Guide.

3. Press and hold Keygroup 1's mode key, then choose the key labeled "7 - Headphone and Microphone" on the diagram.

4. This is the Headphone and Microphone advanced control mode. You can find a diagram on page 25 of your Quick Reference Guide.

For the microphone input, you can configure:

• Mixer channel volume
  
• Mixer channel pan
  
• Audio Unit FX 1 Send Level
  
• Audio Unit FX 2 Send Level
  
• EigenD Delay Send Level
  
• Inline Audio Unit FX GUI status (show/hide)
  
• Inline Audio Unit FX bypass status (bypassed/enabled)
  
• Microphone type (electret, condenser or dynamic)
  
• Microphone gain
  
• Microphone enable
  
• Console mixer browse (display mixer channels and values)
  
• Microphone and Headphone display browse (display microphone and headphone parameter values)

Before you can use the microphone input it must be enabled...

Enable the Microphone

1. Navigate to 'Split 1' (see page 3 of your Quick Reference Guide).

2. Using keygroup 1, navigate to the 'Advanced Headphone and Microphone Controls' (see page 13 of your Quick Reference Guide).

3. Turn to page 25 of your Quick Reference Guide for a diagram of the Advanced Headphone and Microphone Controls.

4. Press the key marked 7, 'Microphone enable', on the diagram to enable the microphone input.

To enable the microphone using Belcanto:

alpha	keyboard	hey

microphone	enable	set

You can use the Eigenbrowser to check the status of the microphone:

1. Choose 'Eigenbrowser' from the Tools menu.

2. Once the Eigenbrowser has opened turn again to the 'Advanced Headphone and Microphone Controls' diagram (see page 25 of your Quick Reference Guide), and press the key marked 12, 'Microphone and Headphone browse'.

All the microphone settings are listed in the right hand pane of the Eigenbrowser.

Choose the Microphone Type

You can use a variety of different microphone types, Dynamic, Electret (10V phantom power) or Condenser (48V phantom power). To choose the microphone type:

1. Navigate to 'Split 1' (see page 3 of your Quick Reference Guide).

2. Using keygroup 1, navigate to the 'Advanced Headphone and Microphone Controls' (see page 13 of your Quick Reference Guide).

3. Turn to page 25 of your Quick Reference Guide for a diagram of the Advanced Headphone and Microphone Controls.

4. Press key 3 on the diagram to select 'Electret Microphone', press key 6 on the diagram to select 'Condenser Microphone', or press key 9 on the diagram to select 'Dynamic Microphone'.

To choose the microphone type using Belcanto:

alpha	keyboard	hey

microphone	type	to	electret	set

OR

alpha	keyboard	hey

microphone	type	to	condenser	set

OR

alpha	keyboard	hey

microphone	type	to	dynamic	set

You can use the Eigenbrowser to check which microphone type you have selected:

1. Choose 'Eigenbrowser' from the Tools menu.

2. Once the Eigenbrowser has opened turn again to the 'Advanced Headphone and Microphone Controls' (see page 25 of your Quick Reference Guide), and press the key marked 12, 'Microphone and Headphone browse'.

3. The microphone type is listed in the right hand pane.

Adjust the Microphone Gain

The microphone's gain is adjusted from the 'Advanced Headphone and Microphone Controls'.

1. Navigate to 'Split 1' (for help see page 3 of your Quick Reference Guide).

2. Using keygroup 1, navigate to the 'Advanced Headphone and Microphone Controls' (see page 13 of your Quick Reference Guide).

3. Turn to page 25 of your Quick Reference Guide for a diagram of the Advanced Headphone and Microphone Controls.

4. The key marked 10, 'Microphone Gain Control', on the diagram is a nudge key for adjusting the microphone's gain.

Press either the bottom or top of the key (along the roll axis) to nudge the gain up or down.

You can use the Eigenbrowser to check the gain of the microphone:

1. Choose 'Eigenbrowser' from the Tools menu.

2. Once the Eigenbrowser has opened turn again to the 'Advanced Headphone and Microphone Controls' (see page 25 of your Quick Reference Guide), and press the key marked 12, 'Microphone and Headphone browse'.

In the Eigenbrowser's right hand pane you will now see all the relevant information for the microphone listed. Alongside the words "Microphone gain" you will see a number representing the current gain setting, this is a number between 0 and 50.

To adjust the microphone's gain using Belcanto:

alpha	keyboard	hey

microphone	gain	to	3	0	set

Add an Inline Effect to the Microphone Input

You can choose an Audio Unit or VST plugin as an inline effect for the microphone.

1. Choose 'Eigenbrowser' from the Tools menu to open the Eigenbrowser.

2. Navigate to 'Split 1' (for help see page 3 of your Quick Reference Guide).

3. Using keygroup 1, navigate to the 'Advanced Headphone and Microphone Controls' (see page 13 of your Quick Reference Guide).

4. Turn to page 25 of your Quick Reference Guide for a diagram of the Advanced Headphone and Microphone Controls.

5. Press the key marked 2, 'Inline FX Plugin Browse' on the diagram.

6. In the Eigenbrowser you will see a list of all the available Audio Unit or VST plugins, these are organised by plugin manufacturer.

7. Select a manufacturer using the mouse and then choose a plugin.

You can then show or hide the plugin's window using the key marked 5, 'Inline FX GUI show' on the diagram (see page 25 of your Quick Reference Guide).

To bypass the Inline Effect use the key marked 8, Inline FX bypass on the diagram. When the key is lit green the plugin is bypassed, when the key is lit red the plugin is active.

To choose an Audio Unit or VST plugin using Belcanto:

(with the Eigenbrowser open)

eigenbrowser	hey

effect	audio	unit	1	3	plugin	browse

To show the plugin's window using Belcanto:

effect	audio	unit	1	3	hey

[[belcanto:show]

or to hide the plugin's window:

effect	audio	unit	1	3	hey

un	show

To bypass the plugin using Belcanto:

effect	audio	unit	1	3	hey

bypass

or to make the plugin active:

effect	audio	unit	1	3	hey

un	bypass