Intro to reface

Thanks for purchasing reface. This guide is designed to help get you up and making music ASAP!
reface is for music makers wanting to create music any place, any time. There are four different models:

• reface CP focuses on iconic 70s stage keyboards with vintage effects and 128-note polyphony.
• reface YC is an organ focused instrument with five organ types complete with drawbars, organ percussion and chorus/vibrato and 128-note polyphony.
• reface CS is an 8-note polyphonic virtual analog synth with five unique oscillator types and real time control sliders.
• reface DX is a four operator FM synthesizer with continuous variable feedback on each operator, 32 presets, on-board effects and 8-note polyphony.

WHAT’S IN THE BOX?

• Owner’s manual. PDF versions of the owner’s manual, reference manual, data list and more available here.
• PA-130 power adapter
• MIDI breakout cable. Each reface keyboard has mini-DIN connector. The MIDI breakout cable attaches to the mini-DIN for standard 5-pin MIDI in and out connectivity:

QUICK CONNECTIONS

POWER

The reface line can be powered in two different ways:

1. The included PA-130 Power Adaptor. Connect the PA-130 to the 12 V IN jack on the reface rear panel. Connect the other end of the PA-130 to an AC outlet.
2. Six AA Type alkaline, zinc-carbon, or rechargeable nickel–metal hydride batteries. To install, turn the reface off place it upside down on a soft cloth or the like. Remove the battery cover and insert six batteries using the polarity diagrams located inside the battery compartment.

AUDIO

All reface keyboards feature built-in speakers and battery power allowing you to play anywhere anytime. But if you want to truly experience the great sound of reface connect to a stereo sound system. For stereo sound, use two ¼” unbalanced instrument cables and connect the reface L/R outputs to corresponding left and right channels on a mixer, audio interface or powered speaker and set the appropriate input gain. For mono sound connect the [L/MONO] output to a speaker. Adjust the output level to the optimal level for your playing and listening environment. For more information on input gain and gain staging go here.

AUX INPUT

All reface models feature a 3.5 mm mini stereo AUX input allowing you to connect the audio output of devices like mobile phones or tablets to the instrument. You control the input gain from the external device’s volume control. The audio will play through the onboard speaker system or out the ¼” outputs to connected speakers.

USB/MIDI

All reface keyboards there feature a USB TO HOST connection allowing MIDI connection to a computer or Mobile device with a USB cable. The USB TO HOST connector allows MIDI IN/OUT connectivity with a single cable.

EXPLORING SOUNDS

Each reface model has different ways to explore sounds. Here’s how:

REFACE CS

Just like on a vintage analog synthesizer you must set up front panel sliders to produce sound. Here’s a quick way to get started.

1. Set the VOLUME slider to about 75% (#1 in the reface CS image above).
2. Start with all sliders down, then increase the CUTOFF and RESONANCE in the FILTER section to 50% (#2 in the image).
3. In the EG section, set the S slider (SUSTAIN) to 100% (all the way up). This will produce a sawtooth synth sound (#3 in the image above). Move the CUTOFF slider up to increase brightness and produce the classic “wah” sound of a low pass filter.
4. Go deeper: Check out the OSC section (#4 in the image). Try moving the TEXTURE and MOD sliders to change the timbre of the sound. Each OSC setting is a different synthesis type, and the TEXTURE and MOD sliders do something different for each one.

Check out pages 10-13 of the owner’s manual for more details.

REFACE DX

This reface model has 32 user presets configured in 4 banks of 8 Voices. To select as sound press buttons 1-8 in the VOICE SELECT/EDIT section of the keyboard (see the red box in the reface DX image below). To change banks, press the [BANK] button (the yellow box in the image below) to cycle through banks 1-4.

For more information check out pages 16-25 in the owner’s manual.

REFACE CP

User the TYPE knob (#1 reface CP image above) to choose one of the six Voice types (RdI, RdII, Wr, Clv, Toy and CP). Add effects with the TREMOLO/WAH (#2), CHORUS/PHASER (#3) and D.DELAY/A.DELAY (#4) sections by switching UP or DOWN. Use the DEPTH and RATE, SPEED or TIME knobs to control each effect.


Check out pages 26-31 in the owner’s manual for more details.

REFACE YC

If you’ve ever experienced a vintage drawbar organ, then you’ll be right at home with reface YC. First select one of the five organ types (H, V, F, A or Y) with the WAVE knob (#1 blue box in the reface YC image below). In the FOOTAGE section (#2 box below), pull a slider DOWN to increase the drawbar volume. This works just like a vintage drawbar organ.

Slider 3 is a fundamental tone, and sliders 1, 4, 6 and 9 are all the octaves. Sliders 2, 5, and 8 are fifth harmonics and slider 7 is a third harmonic. Use the ROTARY SPEED lever (#3 box in the image above) add the rotary speaker effect and flick the lever to change the speed from FAST, SLOW, STOP (no rotation) or OFF. Add VIBRATO/CHORUS (#4 box) and organ PERCUSSION (#5 box) with the switches on the left. For more information see pages 32-35 of the owner’s manual.

Want to connect to a computer or iOS device? Check out the “Connecting reface” article here. Maybe you’d like access thousands of free sounds? The “Expanding reface” article will show you how.