Berna2 V 2.0.

by Giorgio Sancristoforo
www.giorgiosancristoforo.net

In loving memory of my mother

Berna 2 © 2014 Giorgiosancristoforo.net

Between the 1950s and the mid 1960s, long before Robert Moog and Wendy Carlos pushed
electronics into pop-music (with a few exceptions like the Barrons and Raymond Scott),
electroacoustic music was pioneered by european radio laboratories, US universities. and tape
centers. Composing with tapes and electronics was a serious painstaking and expensive affair,
prerogative of a restricted elite of contemporary music composers and adventurous sound engineers.
At that time there wasn’t any electronic musical instruments market, as a matter of fact, most of the
equipment was adapted from scientific tools belonging to radio engineering departments.
Sometimes the equipment was built from scratch cannibalizing  anything that had wires, tubes and
pots, more rarely, the studios used the few commercial instruments available in those days, such as
the Melchord, the Trautonium and the Theremin.
Contrarily to what happens today, electronic music then was everything but fast and easy to create.
A few minutes of electronic composition could take months of work. Everything was handmade,
from complex timbres with multiple sine oscillators bounces  to tape editing with scissors and
scotch-tape. Even sound envelopes were manually made by cutting tapes’ edgdes at different
degrees of inclination. Ussachevsky’s ADSR was yet to be invented!

Berna is a software simulation of a late 1950s electroacoustic

music studio, mostly inspired by the RAI studio di Fonologia
Musicale of Milan. Oscillators, filters, modulators, tape
recorders, mixers, are all packed in a easy-to-use interface with
historical accuracy.
Explore serial, concrete and tape music or create strange new sonic worlds with instruments
inspired by the greatest studios of the early days of electronic music.
Are you ready to meet the grandfather of the synthesizer?

Berna 2.0, not only  has a new stunning realistic UI but also it includes new processors like the
Comparator, an 18 bands 1/3 Octave FilterBank and an 18 Bands Vocoder, plus new Tone Burst
Generator, two Dynamic Modulators, new Reverb, new Frequency Shifter (with modulator input),
new FM Oscillator (with modulator input) and 8 new Multi Waveform Oscillators!

Berna 2 © 2014 Giorgiosancristoforo.net

AUTHORIZATION

In DEMO MODE the software will run for 8 minutes, then it will quit.

1) Donwload form the Berna webpage the latest installer

2) On the same page, click BUY NOW button, you will be guided to Paypal
(I can only accept paypal, please do not ask for other methods)
3) In 24/48hrs you should receive a mail containing your serial number (changes my apply
during holydays, please be patient), the mail will be sent to the address you use for your paypal
account.
4) Click MATRIX from the upper right menu and access the Authorization popup
by clicking the AUTHORIZE YOUR DEMO button on the lower left of the page.
5) Input your email (your paypal email)
6) Input your serial as is with spaces (to use paste press CTRL + mouse click in the form and
choose PASTE function.

If the software is correctly authorized you will see this

Berna 2 © 2014 Giorgiosancristoforo.net

 SETTING UP

In the matrix page you will find three

important features:

Presets:
save and load settings (excluding audio files)

MIDI:
Automap for your MIDI controller

Audio:
Setting for your audio interface

Berna 2 © 2014 Giorgiosancristoforo.net

Before playing with Berna, please choose your audio interface I/O
and then turn the DSP processor ON

The sampling rate can be adjusted to your needs

Scheduler in Overdrive should be always ON
in Audio Interrupt should be always OFF

I/O Vector Size and Signal Vector Size

“The I/O Vector Size (I/O stands for input/output) con- trols the number of samples that
are transferred to and from the audio interface at one time. The Signal Vector Size sets
the number of samples that are calculated by MSP objects at one time. This can be less
than or equal to the I/O Vector Size, but not more. The I/O Vector Size may have an effect
on latency and overall performance. A smaller vector size may reduce the inherent delay
betwe- en audio input and audio output, because MSP has to perform calculations for a
smaller chunk of time. On the other hand, there is an additional computational burden
each time MSP prepares to calculate another vector (the next chunk of audio), so it is
easier overall for the
processor to compute a larger vector. However, there is another side to this story. When
MSP calculates a vector of audio, it does so in what is known as an interrupt. If MSP is
running on your computer, whatever you happen to be doing (word processing, for
example) is interrupted and an I/O vector's worth of audio is calculated and played.
Then the computer returns to its normally scheduled program. If the vector size is large
enough, the computer may get a bit behind and the audio output may start to click

Berna 2 © 2014 Giorgiosancristoforo.net

because the processing took longer than the computer expected. Reducing the I/O
Vector Size may solve this problem, or it may not. On the other hand, if you try to
generate too many interrupts, the computer will slow down trying to process them.
Therefore, you'll

typically find the smaller I/O Vector Sizes consume a greater percentage of the
computer's resources. Optimizing the performance of any particular signal network when
you are close to the limit of your CPU's capability is a trial-and-error process. That's why
MSP provides you with a choice of vector sizes.”

Storing, recalling, saving and loading presets

Just like in Berna 1, in Berna 2 you can easily create and store prestes.

Presets can store any potentiometer, button, fader and matrix state and can be recalled very
quickly.
NOTE: presets do not save audio files into the tape recorders. You will need to load
them manually from the tape recorders.
To save a preset simply use shift+mouse click over one of the dots displayed in this interface.
To recall a preset just click the dot with the mouse.

To save the presets to a FILE, press SAVE

To load presets from a FILE, press LOAD

The software uses XML or JSON file format type.

MIDI
Berna 2 features a useful automap function for your MIDI controllers.
Connect your controller to the computer and press the Automap toggle

With Automap ON you will see a number of toggles appearing over the user interface.
To connect a Control Change to a parameter simply switch on the toggle on the desidered
parameter, send some MIDI data from your controller (a fader or a pot). At this point you will
see that your controller succesfully sends MIDI data to the desidered parameter.

Berna 2 © 2014 Giorgiosancristoforo.net

Switch the toggle of the parameter to OFF and go on mapping other parameters with the
same procedure. At the end switch OFF the Automap function.
When you will store a preset and save it to a file, all the automap work will be saved with the file.

THE USER INTERFACE

THE PATCHBAY
The patchbay is the routing facility of the studio, designed to give you total freedom on the
signal flow without using messy patching cables. The use of the patchbay is straightforward: at
the top you’ll see the OUTPUTS and at the left you’ll see the INPUTS of every module of the
studio. Let’s see a
couple of examples.

OSCILLATOR 1 to
the MIXER CH 1

Rise OSCILLATOR 1’s

GAIN, select a frequency
and a waveform

Berna 2 © 2014 Giorgiosancristoforo.net

Now rise fader of CH1, you will hear the sound of the oscilator

Berna 2 © 2014 Giorgiosancristoforo.net

ANOTHER EXAMPLE:

NOISE into 1/3 Filter and and Selective BPF, routed respectively to CH1 and CH2 of the MIXER

Berna 2 © 2014 Giorgiosancristoforo.net

 Turn up noise volume and select
noise type

Set frequency bands’

amplitude on the 1/3 Oct
Filter

Rise the gain of Selectove PBF,

and select a frequency

Berna 2 © 2014 Giorgiosancristoforo.net

Rise faders 1 and 2 and PAN them if you like

Berna 2 © 2014 Giorgiosancristoforo.net

THE MODULES

THE OSCILLATORS
The oscillators are numbered following this scheme

1 2
9
3 4

5 6
7 8
There are 8 multi-waveform oscillators and one sinusoidal oscillator with FM input

Each of the 8 multiwaveform oscillator is identical

They can produce waveforms ranging from 0.001 HZ to 1/2 of the sampling frequency
The Multi Waveform oscillator frequeny can be set with the mouse or with the keyboard (in the
frequency display).

A selection of Sinusoid,
triangle, sawthoot and
rectangular waves is
available, one at a time.

WITH MIDI
you can control GAIN and
FREQUENCY
Berna 2 © 2014 Giorgiosancristoforo.net
 The ninth oscillator has different
features.
It is a Sinusoidal Oscillator with FM
input (Osc9 FM Md in the
patchbay). Try patching OSC 1 to
OSC 9 FM Md with a sine at
around 6Hz and a very low index of
modulation. You’ll get vibrato.
More radical modulations can be
obtained at audio rate modulation.

Index controls the index of

modulation.

! Remember to power it on !

The Noise generator outputs two

different kind of noise:
White and Pink.
Overall amplitude is controllable
with Gain

Berna 2 © 2014 Giorgiosancristoforo.net

 The tone burst generator is a timed
gate. It opens and close an audio
gate accordignly to the frequency of
a modulator signal.
Modulator signal must be a
sinusoidal oscillator at full gain
between 1 and 50 Hz

Send a sine (modulator) at full gain to Burst Gen Md,

then send another signal (carrier) to be gated to Burst Gen IN.

Patch Tone burst to a mixer channel and rise the channel fader.
Power ON the tone burst generator.

The Tone burst generator has two controls one for the closed gate timing and the other of the
open gate timing. The tone burst will open and close it’s gate multiplying the cycle duration of
the modulator input by a factor of 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64, or 128.

With cycle duration 2 at the left and 4 at the right, and a modulator = 1HZ the tone burst
will stay closed for 2 seconds, and open for 4 seconds.

The slope + or - will select positive or negative peaks of the modulator signal to clock the gate.
A switch will select gated or direct signal at the output.

! Remember to power on the Tone Burst Generator in order to make it work !

Berna 2 © 2014 Giorgiosancristoforo.net

THE OSCILLOSCOPES

There are two oscilloscope inside Berna 2.

The upper oscilloscope works with one channel

and serves to monitor waveforms

Try patching an oscillator to SCOPE 1X,

rise X Gain and adjust TIME/DIV (the internal clock of the
oscilloscope)

The second oscilloscope uses 2 input (x and y) and it is

useful to monitor harmonic relation between two signals.

Try patching oscillator 1 @ 400Hz to SCOPE 2 X

and oscillator 2 @ 801Hz to SCOPE 2 Y

A beat frequency of 1Hz will be visible in the Lissajous

pattern displayed by the scope.
When the second oscillator is set @ 800 Hz (2 x frequency
of oscillator 1) the pattern will be steady.

Berna 2 © 2014 Giorgiosancristoforo.net

FREQUENCY SHIFTER

The frequency shifter will shift (up or down) the specturm of a signal accordignly to a modulator
signal (sinusoid at full gain)

Turn on the Frequency Shifter.

Patch Oscillator 1 @ 1Hz into FSH Md (modulator)
Patch Oscillator 2 @ 100 Hz into FSH IN
Patch FSH USB (Upper Side Band) or FSH LSB (Lower Side Band) to mixer CH1
Rise CH1 fader

Now rise oscillator 1 frequency. Depending by USB or LSB output, the spectrum of the carrier
signal will be transposed up or
down.

THE AMPLITUDE SELECTOR

This device is an automatic

(threshold dependent) signal gate.

When the input signal amplitude is

higher than the threshold, the gate
will open.

A control is given for fast or slow

gate closing time

INs and OUTs are maked on the patchbay as AMP SEL

Fine adjustments of threshold can be obtained using mouse click + drag at the right of the
decimal point
Berna 2 © 2014 Giorgiosancristoforo.net
THE DINAMYC MODULATOR

This module acts as an envelope

follower.
It takes two signals, a carrier and a
modulator.

The modulator envelope curve is

extracted and applied to the carrier
signal.

The Delay control delays the

modulator signal
Balance controls the output mix, from dry to fully modulated.
Mod Index is the amplitude of the modulator signal
Control soften the transients.

TRY THIS:

Patch the Noise Generator to Amplitude Selector,

Turn up the Noise Generator gain
Patch the Amplitude Selector to Mixer CH 1, rise CH 1 Fader
Adjust the threshold until short burst of noise are heard

Upatch the amplitude selector from the mixer and patch it to DYNAMIC MODULATOR Md In
(DYN MOD 1 Md)

Patch Oscillator 1 @ 1000Hz to DYN MOD 1 In

Patch DYN MOD 1 In to Mixer CH1

You will hear Oscillator 1 in short burts (similar to morse code),

the envelope coming out from the Amplitude Selector is now modulating the amplitude of the
sine oscillator

Berna 2 © 2014 Giorgiosancristoforo.net

RING MODULATOR

A ring modulator with selectable

full balanced modulation (ring)
or qusi-balanced modulation.

INPUTS: RING X In
RING Y In

OUTPUTS: RING MOD

SELECTABLE BAND-PASS FILTER

This device includes a Low-Pass

Filter and an High-Pass filter (2nd
order) in serial configuration.

With Low-Pass fully open

and High-Pass fully closed, the
signal isn’t affected.
Combinng the two filters, Low-
Pass, Band Pass or High Pass
filtering is possible.

SELECTIVE BPF

This is a special Band-Pass Filter

with a very narrow band.
Try filtering white noise with this.
A flute-like sound will appear.

Berna 2 © 2014 Giorgiosancristoforo.net

THE VOCODER

This is a 18 bands vocoder.

As every vocoder, it requires two
signals to work.
A carrier (rich in harmonics like a
sawthoot wave) and a modulator
with transients (like a voice)

The spectral envelope of the

modulator will be applied to the
carrier signal.

1/3 OCTAVE FILTER

Not so much to say

This is a 18 bands
band-pass filter.

THE COMPARATOR

A comparator takes two signals (A

and B) and compare their amplitude.
If signal A is > B, a DC voltage will
be sent to COMPAR a OUTPUT
If A < B a DC voltage will be sent to
COMPAR b OUTPUT.
These outputs can only be used
as modulator signal with the
DYNAMIC MODULATOR
B can be internal (REF) or external
(EXT).
Berna 2 © 2014 Giorgiosancristoforo.net
TAPE ECHO and PLATE REVERB

These two effects can be routed only from the mixer.

Tape Echo is on AUX 2, and Reverb on AUX 1

Berna 2 © 2014 Giorgiosancristoforo.net

MIXER

The mixer has 8 channes with PAN and 2 AUX (send [post-fader] and return)
The switch over the Master Fader route the Master to Tape 1, 2 3 or 4 Input

Tape returns have their output faders, a button select whether the tape return is routed to the
Master Fader or to the Matrix (the patchbay) in order to process tape sounds with the modules.

Berna 2 © 2014 Giorgiosancristoforo.net

THE TAPE PLAYERS

There are 4 tape players

To IMPORT an Aiff or Wav file

press button [ I ]

To EXPORT an Aiff or Wav file

press button [ E ]

To record from the mixer, FIRST

select the leght of the tape (in
seconds)

Then press B

Now you are ready to record, press the record button.

Once recording is done press stop button

To play back press > play button

To play back in loop press loop button
When in LOOP, playback can be FFW or REV

TRIM is possible with button [ T ].

In order to trim a sound, select duration, then press T

Playback speed can be changed with this control

Berna 2 © 2014 Giorgiosancristoforo.net

BIBLIOGRAPHY:

Musica espansa - Percorsi elettroacustici di fine millennio - by Francesco Galante and Nicola Sani
RICORDI LIM 2000

C’erano una volta nove oscillatori - Lo studio di fonolo- gia della RAI di Milano nello sviluppo
della Nuova Mu- sica in Italia - A cura di Paolo Donati e Ettore Pacetti RAI - ERI 2002

Lo Studio di fonologia - Un diario musicale 1954 1983 a cura di Maria Maddalena Novati -
RICORDI 2009

(The Studio di Fonologia - A Musical Journey 1954 -1983 - Update 2008 - 2012 _ Ricordi /
MGB Hal Leonard)

Musica nel laboratorio elettroacustico - Lo studio di fonologia di Milano e la ricerca musicale negli
anni Cinquanta - by Nicola Scaldaferri - LIM 1997

Il suono riprodotto - Storia, tecnica e cultura di una rivoluzione del Novecento - a cura di
Alessandro Rigolli e Paolo Russo - EDT 2007

Evoluzione dei mezzi tecnici per la musica elettronica by Alfredo Lietti - 1959

The theory and Technique of Electronic Music by Miller Puckette - World Scientific 2007

Il suono organizzato by Edgar Varése RICORDI LIM 1989

Analog days - The invention and impact of the Moog synthesizer - by Trevor Pinch and Frank
Trocco Harvard University Press 2002

Electroacoustic music: The first Century by Herbert A. Deutsch

Belwin Mills 1993

Handbook of sound engineers Glen Ballou Editor

Focal Press 1991

OHM - The early days of electronic music Ellipsis arts (CD/DVD + booklet)

NOISE/MUSIC - A HISTORY by Paul Hegarty

Continuum 2008

Electronic and experimental music by Tom Holmes - Routledge, 2002

Berna 2 © 2014 Giorgiosancristoforo.net