Chapter 4 - Anatomy of UNA¶
This chapter names every physical control, it's a reference to the terms used the rest of the manual.
The Top Panel¶
[DIAGRAM - Top panel callout] Numbered callouts for the 8 PARAMETER Knobs, the CONTROL Knob, the 6 CONTROL buttons and the display; art pending.
The 8 PARAMETER Knobs¶
Eight endless rotary encoders sit on the left side, numbered 1 to 8 from left to right. They are the hands-on surface for the currently active track.
Each knob carries two layers of parameters, which is how 8 knobs reach 16 parameters per track:
- Rotate - adjusts the knob's primary parameter.
- Press and rotate - adjusts its secondary parameter.
A knob press on its own is a context action rather than an edit. In the Mixer, for example, pressing Knobs 1, 2 and 3 mutes the Chord, Melody and Bass Tracks respectively.
The two-layer model is explained properly in Chapter 5, and every per-mode assignment is tabulated in Appendix F.
The PARAMETER knobs also serve as controls for the Modulation (Chapter 12), Patches (Chapter 14), and Suggested Chord modes (Chapter 8).
The CONTROL Knob¶
A single encoder on the right side. Its function depends on the mode you're in - it is the main navigation control, and pressing it from a track's home screen opens the Control space (Chapter 6). Its per-mode behaviour is listed in Appendix F.
The 6 CONTROL Buttons¶
Six button surround the display. They are context-sensitive: their meaning changes with the mode, and the button's current function is shown adjacent to it on screen.
Appendix F carries the full per-mode function table.
The display¶
A 160 × 128 colour screen shows the current mode display and the labels for the six CONTROL buttons. The screen can also be mirrored live into Midicake Connect over USB, so you can see exactly what the unit is showing on a larger display.
The LEDs¶
Each of the six CONTROL buttons has a full-colour LED beneath it. The colour tells you, at a glance, the state of that button's current function.
The buzzer¶
UNA has a small onboard buzzer, used to produce the metronome click (Chapter 13). The click is audible from the unit itself.
The rear panel¶
[DIAGRAM - Rear panel] Port callouts, left to right; art pending.
- USB-C - power, and class-compliant MIDI to and from a computer. This is also how UNA talks to Midicake Connect.
- USB Host (Type-A) - plug a class-compliant USB MIDI controller straight into UNA, no computer required. See the power note in Chapter 15 before connecting a bus-powered controller.
- MIDI In (TRS Type-A) - 3.5 mm jack. Use the supplied TRS→DIN cable for 5-pin gear.
- MIDI Out A (TRS Type-A) - 3.5 mm jack. MIDI output.
- MIDI Out B (TRS Type-A) - a second MIDI output.
- Firmware Update - a recessed button used only when flashing new firmware (Chapter 18).
The two TRS outputs are routed independently: the same track can go out of both, or each can carry a different set of tracks. That's configured in the Menu and explained in Chapter 15.
The Colour Language¶
UNA uses colour to help you recognise where you are and what a control is doing. The same colours appear on the button LEDs and on the display. This is a rough guide, not a strict code.
The three track colours:
| Colour | Track |
|---|---|
| Green | Chord |
| Magenta | Melody |
| Orange | Bass |
A few function colours turn up often enough to be worth recognising:
| Colour | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Cyan | Modulation |
| Red | Record - and Stop |
| Green | Play |
| Blue | Metronome |
| Pale green | Menu and Configuration |
| Grey | Unavailable / disabled |
Two colours mark a parameter you're editing (Chapter 6):
| Colour | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Yellow | A temporary edit - it snaps back when you let go |
| Purple | A staged edit - held, waiting to be applied |
Don't read too much into it. A colour can do more than one job - for example, yellow also marks Listen and accented steps - so take it as a hint alongside the label on screen, not as a rule.