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Manual PDF

WMD Skorpion Cheat Sheet

What it is

Skorpion is a stereo analog wavefolder / waveform animator built around a vector core: - Your IN signal is compared against 8 thresholds - Each threshold crossing can reverse the core’s direction - SLOPE sets how fast the core moves - TARGET sets what voltage the core moves toward - SHAPE adds feedback-based contouring - OUTPUT crossfades from dry → wet → stereo widened wet

It can behave like: - a classic-ish wavefolder - a highly asymmetrical folding/distortion source - a CV/audio-rate animation engine - a modulation source generator via its many aux outputs


Quick start

  1. Patch audio to IN
  2. Patch OUT L and OUT R to mixer/output
  3. Set:
  4. OUTPUT around noon to full wet
  5. TARGET to 5V or CLIP
  6. SYNC to SOFT or HARD for stable behavior
  7. EQUALIZE THLDs ON for simpler/classic folding
  8. Raise FOLD
  9. Adjust SLOPE
  10. Add SHIFT for asymmetry
  11. Add SHAPE and choose a SHAPE source for more complex timbres

If it gets too weird/silent while modulating: - turn on DRY IF NO THLDs


Core sound controls

FOLD

Amplifies the input against the threshold stack; more fold activity.

SLOPE

Sets the vector core slew rate. Higher = more harmonic content, brighter/faster motion.

1V/OCT

Tracks SLOPE so timbre stays more consistent across pitch.

SHIFT

Offsets the input against thresholds for asymmetry. - Noon = ~0V shift - Slow modulation here can create frequency-shift-like effects

TARGET

Sets where the vector core tries to go: - 5V: static destination, squarer sounds - CLIP: uses input waveform (or external CLIP jack) as destination overlay - SLIDERs: uses 8 target sliders as a sequenced destination voltage

SHAPE

Modulates SLOPE using a selected feedback/control source. - Noon = no feedback - SYM switch on: shaping is symmetrical for + / – portions of the waveform

OUTPUT

Crossfader: - lower half: DRY ↔ WET - upper half: WET ↔ WIDE - WIDE brings in stereo delay/mid-side widening


Most important switches / toggles

EQUALIZE THLDs switch

Forces equal threshold spacing; sounds more like a classic wavefolder. - ON: equalized always on; jack ignored - XOR: equalized on unless jack is high - JACK: equalized off unless jack is high

LED on = thresholds equalized.

DRY IF NO THLDs

If no thresholds are active, forces dry signal through the core. Helpful when heavy modulation causes folding to disappear.

SYNC

Resets vector core at IN zero crossings: - SOFT: ramps toward 0V at current slope - X: off - HARD: fast reset to 0V

OUTPUT switch

TARGET ORDER

How slider targets are selected: - SEQ: by number of active thresholds - TIED: by most recently crossed threshold

HALT IF TARG=0

If a target slider is at 0, that segment can stop moving, producing square/held sections.

TRGT MOD mode


Sliders and spring toggle

Slider contexts

The 8 sliders serve 3 roles:

1) THLDs mode (default)

Sets the 8 threshold voltages where folds occur.

2) TRGTs mode (hold spring toggle left)

Sets the 8 target voltages for the target sequencer.

3) MACRO SETUP (hold spring toggle right for ~1 second)

Configures internal modulation.


Macro system

Skorpion has an internal macro envelope controlling internal LFO/envelope modulation.

Spring toggle behavior

Macro Env LED

Macro Setup sliders

  1. Macro Env Attack: 50ms–600s
  2. Macro Env Release: 500ms–600s
  3. THLD LFO Amount
  4. THLD LFO Rate: 0.0016Hz–6Hz
  5. FOLD normal modulation
  6. SLOPE normal modulation
  7. SHIFT normal modulation
  8. SHAPE normal modulation

For sliders 5–8: - quick top→bottom gesture = LFO mode - quick bottom→top gesture = ENV mode

Behavior: - LFO: 0.0016Hz–6Hz, unipolar, amplitude controlled by Macro Env - ENV: 50ms–600s, gated by Macro Env gate, amplitude not scaled by Macro Env - Routed internally to the corresponding CV normal input

Notes: - LFOs reset on each Macro gate-on - Envelopes attack without resetting on retrigger - LFO disabled at slider bottom; envelopes cannot be disabled


Practical usage tips

For classic wavefolder territory

For asymmetrical / vocal / unstable folds

For sequenced/talking timbres

For stereo width

For self-patching

Good aux outputs to patch back in: - DIFF → SHAPE CV for spiky timbres - COUNT → TARGET / SHIFT / SHAPE - ±G(DIR) → SHIFT - TRGTs out → anything - ABS(IN) → modulation destination - DELAY → SHAPE with output in wide region


Controls reference

Knobs

Attenuverters / associated CV controls

Rotary / mini switches

Sliders

Spring toggle


Jack reference

Inputs

Manual states IN nominal range is ±5V. Other CV/gate inputs are supported; explicit ranges are only given where stated in the manual. When not explicitly specified, patch typical Eurorack CV/audio.
Input impedances: IN 100kΩ, 1V/OCT 3MΩ, TRGT MOD 20kΩ, all other CV/gate inputs 220kΩ.

Jack Type Range / notes
IN Audio/CV input ±5V nominal
CLIP Audio/CV input Range not specified; overrides normal from IN for clip/target overlay
1V/OCT CV input Range not specified
FOLD CV input Range not specified; affects fold amount
SLOPE CV input Range not specified
SHIFT CV input Range not specified
SHAPE CV input Range not specified
TARGET CV input Range not specified
OUTPUT CV input Range not specified; controls dry/wet/wide
TRGT MOD CV/audio input Range not specified; directly modulates TARGET pot output
THLDs/ CV input Range not specified; weighted modulation of all thresholds
THLD1 CV input Range not specified; direct modulation of threshold 1
TRGTs CV input Range not specified; modulates all targets together
EQ THLDs Gate/CV input High signal enables/disables equalization depending on switch mode
MACRO ENV Gate input Range not specified; gates macro envelope
HALT Gate/CV input Range not specified; stops vector core motion; audio-rate capable

Outputs

Output impedance: 1kΩ

Jack Type Voltage range / notes
OUT L Audio output Range not specified
OUT R Audio output Range not specified
ABS(IN) CV/audio output Full-wave rectified IN; range not specified
G(IN>0) Gate output 0V / +5V
TRGTs CV/audio output Target sequencer output; range not specified
DIFF CV/audio output Difference between target and vector core; range not specified
±G(DIR) Bipolar gate output -5V / +5V
COUNT/ Staircase CV output 0V to 4V, +0.5V per active threshold
DAC Weighted staircase CV output 0V to 4V full scale
DELAY Audio/CV output Delayed waveform from WIDE section; range not specified

Output section behavior

OUTPUT knob

DELAY output behavior

Only active when OUTPUT is in the wide region: - below 12 o’clock: no delay out - 12:00 to 12:30: fades in - to ~3:00: delay time increases - beyond ~3:00: delay time plus slow modulation depth/rate increase

Delay specs: - fade-in region: 80µs to 1.8ms - up to modulation onset: 8.2ms - max: 14.4ms ±3ms at ~2Hz modulation


Threshold/CV behavior summary

THLDs/

Weighted across all 8 thresholds: - THLD1 gets CV ÷ 2^7 - THLD2 gets CV ÷ 2^6 - ... - THLD8 gets CV ÷ 1

COUNT vs DAC

DAC bit weights: - THLD1 = 1/256 full scale - THLD2 = 1/128 - THLD3 = 1/64 - THLD4 = 1/32 - THLD5 = 1/16 - THLD6 = 1/8 - THLD7 = 1/4 - THLD8 = 1/2


Helpful reminders


Specs


Generated With Eurorack Processor