WMD — Skorpion

Manual PDF

WMD Skorpion — Cheat Sheet

What it is

A stereo wavefolder / waveform processor built around a “vector core.”
Instead of simply clipping/amplifying, Skorpion analyzes the IN signal against 8 threshold comparators and reverses the vector core direction when thresholds are crossed. Result: highly controllable, animated folding with sequencing, feedback shaping, stereo widening, and lots of self-patching options.

Fast Start

Patch audio to IN
Patch OUT L and/or OUT R to your mixer
Set:
OUTPUT around noon or below for mostly wet mono-ish folding
FOLD to taste
SLOPE up for brighter/more harmonics
SHIFT at noon for symmetry
TARGET to 5V for hard/square-ish folding, or toward CLIP / SLIDERS for more complex behavior
Move the 8 sliders in default mode to set fold thresholds
Experiment with:
SHAPE + shape source switch
SYNC
EQUALIZE THLDs
TARGET ORDER
OUTPUT FILTERS/DC

Core Controls

Knobs

FOLD

Amount of wavefolding; effectively amplifies the input against the threshold stack.
- CV controllable via FOLD CV jack + attenuverter

SLOPE

Rate of change of the vector core. Higher = faster movement = more harmonic content.
- CV controllable via SLOPE CV jack + attenuverter - 1V/OCT also affects slope for pitch-consistent timbre

SHIFT

Offsets the input signal against the comparators for asymmetry.
- Noon = ~0V shift - Slow modulation can create frequency-shift-like motion - CV controllable via SHIFT CV jack + attenuverter

SHAPE

Modulates the slope using selected feedback/modulation source.
- Noon = no feedback - CV controllable via SHAPE CV jack + attenuverter

TARGET

Sets vector core destination voltage: - 5V: static 5V, more square-like - CLIP: target follows clip/input waveform - SLIDERS: uses 8 target slider voltages as sequenced destinations - CV controllable via TARGET CV jack

OUTPUT

Crossfade/width control: - Lower half: DRY ↔ WET - Upper half: WET ↔ WIDE - CV controllable via OUTPUT CV jack + attenuverter

Switches / Toggles

EQUALIZE THLDs (3-position)

Forces equal threshold spacing, making it behave more like a classic wavefolder. LED on = equalized. - ON: always equalized; jack ignored - XOR (middle): equalized unless jack is high - JACK: off unless jack is high

DRY IF NO THLDs

If no thresholds are active, output becomes dry/following input. Useful when heavily modulating FOLD so you still get signal.

SYNC (3-position)

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

OUTPUT SWITCH

DC: direct signal, no output filtering
FILTERS: low end (<240Hz) centered; highs (>240Hz) delayed / widened by mid-side network

TARGET ORDER

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

SHAPE SYM switch

For the SHAPE circuit: - SYM: symmetric modulation for positive/negative waveform halves - otherwise asymmetrical behavior

TRGT MOD SYM / ASYM

For TRGT MOD input: - SYM: full-wave rectified; symmetric effect - ASYM: passes direct; asymmetric effect

HALT IF TARG=0

If a target slider is at 0, this can halt motion during that segment for square/pause-like segments. Normals to HALT behavior.

Spring Toggle

Multi-function center-off momentary switch next to sliders: - Center: threshold editing - Hold left: edit TRGTs - Hold right: after ~1 sec enters MACRO SETUP - Tap right: toggles Macro Envelope on/off

Sliders

Default mode: THLDs

The 8 sliders set the 8 threshold voltages where folds occur.
LED brightness shows threshold voltage.

Hold left: TRGTs

The 8 sliders set the 8 target voltages used when TARGET points toward SLIDERS and/or SHAPE source uses TRGTs.

Hold right: MACRO SETUP

With spring toggle held right, sliders control:

Macro Env Attack — 50ms to 600s
Macro Env Release — 500ms to 600s
THLD LFO Amount
THLD LFO Rate — 0.0016Hz to 6Hz
FOLD normal modulation
SLOPE normal modulation
SHIFT normal modulation
SHAPE normal modulation

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

Modes: - LFO: 0.0016Hz to 6Hz, unipolar, amplitude controlled by Macro Envelope - ENV: 50ms to 600s envelope, gated by Macro Env gate

Shape Sources

The SHAPE source rotary switch selects what modulates the slope:

IN — direct input
OUT — output feedback; log/exp-like behavior
DELAY — delayed signal from width circuit
COUNT — staircase count of active thresholds
DIFF — target minus current vector position; harsh/spiky
TRGTs — use target sequencer per-segment
DAC — weighted version of threshold count, subtler than COUNT
DIR — ±5V direction signal

Input Jacks Reference

From manual specs: - IN nominal range: ±5V - 1V/OCT impedance: 3MΩ - TRGT MOD impedance: 20kΩ - All other CV/Gate inputs: 220kΩ - Audio/CV inputs support audio-rate modulation unless noted

Audio / Main CV Inputs

IN

Main audio input.
- Nominal range: ±5V - Impedance: 100kΩ

1V/OCT

Controls slope for note-consistent timbre across pitches.
- Voltage range: not explicitly stated; standard 1V/oct CV expected

FOLD CV

CV for Fold amount via attenuverter.
- Voltage range: not explicitly stated

SLOPE CV

CV for Slope amount via attenuverter.
- Voltage range: not explicitly stated

SHIFT CV

CV for Shift amount via attenuverter.
- Voltage range: not explicitly stated

SHAPE CV

CV for Shape amount via attenuverter.
- Voltage range: not explicitly stated

TARGET CV

CV for Target control.
- Voltage range: not explicitly stated

OUTPUT CV

CV for Dry/Wet/Wide output control.
- Voltage range: not explicitly stated

Threshold / Target / Logic Inputs

THLDs/

Weighted global threshold CV input affecting all thresholds: - THLD1 gets CV ÷ 128 - THLD2 gets CV ÷ 64 - THLD3 gets CV ÷ 32 - THLD4 gets CV ÷ 16 - THLD5 gets CV ÷ 8 - THLD6 gets CV ÷ 4 - THLD7 gets CV ÷ 2 - THLD8 gets CV ÷ 1 - Voltage range: not explicitly stated

THLD1

Direct CV input for first threshold.
- Voltage range: not explicitly stated

EQ THLDs

Controls threshold equalization depending on switch setting.
- High gate enables/disables equalization depending on switch mode - Voltage range: not explicitly stated; treat as gate/CV input

TRGTs

Global CV input that modulates all targets simultaneously.
- Voltage range: not explicitly stated

TRGT MOD

Directly influences TARGET output; can be symmetrical or asymmetrical.
- Voltage range: not explicitly stated - Impedance: 20kΩ

CLIP

Overrides the normal clip source (normally IN).
Use another signal to define clipping/overlay target behavior.
- Voltage range: not explicitly stated

HALT

Stops vector core movement and holds current voltage. Audio-rate modulatable.
- Voltage range: not explicitly stated

MACRO ENV

Gate input for Macro Envelope.
- Voltage range: not explicitly stated; gate expected

Output Jacks Reference

All outputs: 1kΩ impedance

OUT L

Main left audio output.
- Voltage range: not explicitly stated

OUT R

Main right audio output.
- Voltage range: not explicitly stated

DELAY

Delayed waveform from the WIDE processing section. - No output if OUTPUT is below noon - Fades in from ~12:00 to 12:30 - Delay increases to ~3:00, then adds slower modulation up to full CW - Delay time spec: - 80µs to 1.8ms during fade-in region - 8.2ms by around 2:15 - max 14.4ms ±3ms at 2Hz modulation rate - Voltage range: not explicitly stated

ABS(IN)

Full-wave rectified version of IN.
- For modulation or patch utility - Voltage range: derived from IN; not explicitly stated

G(IN>0)

Gate derived from input polarity: - 0V when IN < 0V - +5V when IN > 0V

TRGTs OUT

Direct output of the target sequencer.
Useful as modulation source or 8-step wavetable-like oscillator control.
- Voltage range: not explicitly stated

DIFF

Difference between target voltage and current vector-core voltage.
Always slopes toward 0V; high harmonic content.
- Voltage range: not explicitly stated

±G(DIR)

Bipolar direction gate: - +5V when vector core rises - -5V when vector core falls

COUNT/

Staircase output based on number of active thresholds: - 0V to 4V - each active threshold adds 0.5V

DAC

Weighted version of threshold count: - Full scale: 0V to 4V - THLD1 = 1/256 FS - THLD2 = 1/128 FS - THLD3 = 1/64 FS - THLD4 = 1/32 FS - THLD5 = 1/16 FS - THLD6 = 1/8 FS - THLD7 = 1/4 FS - THLD8 = 1/2 FS

LEDs / Indicators

Threshold Slider LEDs

Show current slider value in the active context: - THLDs - TRGTs - Macro setup values/modulation state

EQUALIZE THLDs LED

On when thresholds are equalized.

MACRO ENV LED

Red: Macro gate is on
Blue: Macro envelope level fading in/out

Important Voltage / Timing Specs

Explicit ranges from manual

IN nominal range: ±5V
G(IN>0): 0V / +5V
±G(DIR): -5V / +5V
COUNT/: 0–4V
DAC: 0–4V
LFO rates: 0.0016Hz to 6Hz
Envelope times: 50ms to 600s
Macro env release: 500ms to 600s
Mid-side crossover: 240Hz
Max slew rate: 0.4V/µs
Delay: 80µs to 14.4ms max depending on OUTPUT position

Not explicitly specified in the manual

The manual does not give exact voltage ranges for these CV inputs/outputs: - FOLD CV - SLOPE CV - SHIFT CV - SHAPE CV - TARGET CV - OUTPUT CV - THLDs/ - THLD1 - EQ THLDs - TRGTs input - TRGT MOD - CLIP - HALT - MACRO ENV - OUT L / OUT R - TRGTs OUT - DIFF - DELAY output amplitude

Practical Patch Tips

1. Classic-ish wavefolder

Enable EQUALIZE THLDs
Set TARGET near 5V
Use modest FOLD
Keep SHIFT near noon
SYNC off or soft

2. Animated stereo timbre

Set OUTPUT above noon toward WIDE
Use FILTERS mode
Patch DELAY somewhere else too
Modulate SHIFT or SHAPE

3. Sequenced folding

Hold left and set TRGT sliders
Put TARGET toward SLIDERS
Flip TARGET ORDER between SEQ and TIED
Result: each threshold crossing picks a different destination voltage

4. Aggressive / broken digital-ish tones

SHAPE source = DIFF or OUT
Increase SLOPE
Try HARD SYNC
Use HALT IF TARG=0
Patch ±G(DIR), COUNT/, or DAC back into CV inputs

5. Stable pitched use

Feed pitch to 1V/OCT
Keep SHIFT centered
Use SYNC if needed for more repeatable resets
Use TARGET = 5V for more consistent/firm folded shapes

6. “Always audible” setup

Turn on DRY IF NO THLDs
Good when modulating FOLD deeply and folds may disappear

Workflow Notes

Default slider mode = thresholds
Hold left = edit targets
Hold right = macro setup
Settings save after 1 minute of inactivity
Macro Env is always OFF on power-up

One-Page Mental Model

IN is analyzed by 8 thresholds
Each threshold crossing flips vector-core direction
FOLD = how hard input hits thresholds
SLOPE = brightness / speed / harmonic density
SHIFT = asymmetry
TARGET = where the vector wants to go
SHAPE = bends slope using feedback/modulation source
OUTPUT = dry/wet/wide stereo treatment
Sliders are either:
thresholds,
target sequencer,
or macro modulation setup

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