3 Quick Guide
If You read this chapter of the manual I expect that you want to have a go on playing the synth as quickly as possible. This chapter only explains how to install and work with the standalone version of the program. If you are a PC musician beginner and want to know how you can get the HV-Formant working as a plugin in a VST host sequencer program, you can read the chapter: HV-Formant and EnergyXT2

Standalone version installation

  1. If you don't have it yet, download the free trial version from the Download/Buy section.
  2. Open the downloaded .zip file (HV-Formant(version).zip) and drag (move,copy) the "FV-Formant" folder to your desktop. Thats it for the installation of the standalone version. If you know what VSTi plugins are and you have a working VST host progam like Cubase, Ableton Live or FL-Studio you can move the "HV-Formant.dll file from the zip file to the VST plugin folder of the host program.
  3. Open The "HV-Formant" folder on your desktop and start the program. If everything is ok you should see the synth now. Press Z,X,C... key's on your keyboard and you should hear the "Phased Lead" patch.
Audio
At the Audio tab you can see all the option your computer offers on sound devices. The preffered option is ASIO 2.0. If you have a sound card that supports this option choose it. If you don't have a soundcard with this option it is best you get one. You can find a list of suitable sound devices in my shop Audio interfaces at Ftec-Shop (Dutch only) If you don't want to spend the money for a card with ASIO support you can stick to the Direct X Primairy sound driver but you wil hear a short delay while playing. A better option is to download the universal ASIO driver from www.asio4all.com this driver should work with any soundcard.

Midi in
After you start the program the default Midi device wil be your PC Keyboard. You can immediately play notes by pressing the ZXCVBNM etc.. key's on your PC keyboard. By using the PC keyboard you wil not hear half the potential of the HV-Formant synth to hear this you wil need to have a velocity sensetive Midi Keyboard. If you correctly connected one to your PC you wil see it by selecting the Midi in tab. If you want to buy a USB midi (controller) keyboard or an USB midi interface to connect a keyboard you can find a list of suitable devices in my shop Audio interfaces at Ftec-Shop(Dutch only) If you want to buy one some where else, make shure that the keyboard is velocity sensetive!

Zoom
Play around with the zoom and full screen feature to determine the best view of the synth on your monitor.

Warning!!
The HV-Formant is almost 100% modular, this means great flexibility but also easy to mess things up. Before you start turning knobs please read the general working principle chapter.

Copyright Notice. This article, including but not limited to all text and diagrams, is the intellectual property of E.W. Fonken, and is Copyright © 2008. Reproduction or re-publication by any means whatsoever, whether electronic, mechanical or electro- mechanical, is strictly prohibited under International Copyright laws. The author grant the reader the right to use this information for personal use only, and further allows that one (1) copy may be made for reference. Commercial use is prohibited without express written authorisation from E.W. Fonken.
Page published and copyright © 15-2-2010