CBA ref 2024 - ONW01

A field guide to

Onward
Table of Contents

2 Overview
4 Setup
6 Getting Started
8 Controls
14 Hidden Options
20 Onward 101
22 Freeze
26 Glitch
30 Effects
32 Shape
34 Error
38 Routing
40 Customize
42 Ramping
44 External Control
46 Bye

Power req: 9V DC Center Negative ~200 mA

 Overview
It’s made up of two parallel channels:

1 repeating glitch

2 sustaining freeze

Do not get stuck in one place. Each channel captures a sample of your audio
that is then run through Onward’s various
sections to bring it to life.
Onward is a dual effect that moves when you do,
using the sounds you play to create rich musical
landscapes that exist for but a moment in time. You will find layered accompaniment.

Swelling synthetic reimaginings.

And then onward. And a whole heap of glitching dreamscapes.

If you play something gentle, it will too. Get a

(Actually you can preserve them but we’ll get specific later).
little wild and it will be right there with you.
Onward is a fluid effect that adapts to the
moment and your decisions.

And we’re going to learn how to use it now.

02 03
 Setup
If you have a mono input and want to split it to
Let’s get Onward settled into your environment. If stereo output, turn on the MISO dip switch.
you’re experienced with pedals, you can probably
ignore this bit and dive right in. And if you want unique stereo processing, turn
on the SPREAD dip switch (pg. 40).
POWER
Onward requires a 9V DC center negative power OPTIONS
supply with at least 200 mA of current. Onward has lots of ways to customize and
fine-tune your experience. If you’d like to get
You’ll see this symbol right into all that, check out:
on your power supply:
Hidden Options (pg. 14-19)
I/O
Customize (pg. 40)
Onward can be used in mono, stereo, or mono to
stereo. The default setting will automatically Ramping (pg. 42)
work for either mono or stereo: External Control (pg. 44)

Mono in, mono out Stereo in, stereo out If you don’t want to get into all that, it’s probably
best to start with all dip switches other than LATCH
in the off position.
TS CABLE TRS CABLE

Many stereo devices use dual mono jacks, so

you may need a TRS to dual TS-style cable.

Okay let’s get started.

04 05
 Getting Started
Turn down TEXTURE to add a bit
We’re going to go on a little guided tour. of digital seasoning.
TEXTURE

Turn up OCTAVE to blend in a

harmonizing voice.
OCTAVE

SIZE MIX OCTAVE And flick the ANIMATE toggle to get

things moving.

Now turn on the Glitch and play

ERROR SUSTAIN TEXTURE some more. Leave pauses between
phrases to hear what Onward does
with your playing.
GLITCH

TYPE FADE ANIMATE Once you hear something you like,

hold down the Glitch footswitch. Now
the Glitch will give you a repeating
phrase to play along to, but the
Turn on the Freeze and
GLITCH Freeze continues to follow you.
play a note. You should
have a soft, floating
pad. Play a few more Finally, turn up ERROR and watch
notes and notice how it the beautiful scenery fall apart.
follows along. ERROR

Now let’s mess with it. Okay, let’s talk about what’s happening.
06 07
 General Controls
A MIX
Sets the balance between your input
A signal and Onward (controls both Freeze
and Glitch). If ramping is engaged (pg. 42),
this knob’s function will change to control
B
the ramping speed.
SIZE MIX B SIZE
Sets the length of the Glitch and the
overall timing of Onward’s various parts.
SIZE will also control the subdivision when
MIDI is clock-synced.

C GLITCH
Tap to engage the Glitch effect.
Hold to lock and preserve the current sample.
D FREEZE
Tap to engage the Freeze effect.
Hold to lock and preserve the current sample.
E E PRESETS
C D The left and right positions each store a
preset, while the middle position is live
GLITCH PRESETS FREEZE (current settings). To save to the right slot,
hold the right footswitch for 3 seconds, then
add the left footswitch for another 3
seconds. Do the same for the left slot, but
Blend, engage, recall. start by holding down the left footswitch. The
middle LED will blink to indicate success.

08 09
 Effect Controls
OCTAVE, TEXTURE, and ANIMATE combine to form
the Effect section.

A OCTAVE
Blends in an additional voice that is either
A half or double speed. The left half of the
knob brings in a half speed, lower octave
OCTAVE
voice, and the right half brings in a double
speed, upper octave voice. At noon
B OCTAVE is disabled.

TEXTURE
B TEXTURE
Pushes Onward into digital or analog-style
C
distortion to introduce some grit. You will
ANIMATE find overdrive on the right half of the knob’s
sweep and sample rate reduction on the
left. At noon TEXTURE is disabled.

C ANIMATE
Can be used to engage two different types
of movement.

VIBRATO - Speed set by the SIZE knob.

NONE
CHORUS - Always set to a slow,
atmospheric speed.
Harmonize, excite, drift.

10 11
 Shape and Error Controls
SHAPE

A SUSTAIN
Determines how long sounds will hold
before fading away. Lower settings can be
used to create short blips, strange
echoes, and synth-like effects. At max the
A sustain is infinite and will hold until you
trigger a resample.
C B FADE
ERROR SUSTAIN Sets how quickly sounds fade in and out.
SLOW - Soft and swell-y.
D USER - Whatever you like, set in the
USER -
TYPE FADE Hidden Options (pg. 15).
FAST - Immediate and responsive.
B ERROR

C ERROR
Sets the likelihood of an error occurring as
well as its intensity, in some cases (pg. 34).

D TYPE
Selects the type of error.
TIMING - Changes the sample size.
CONDITION - Introduces mutes and
sample rate shifts.
PLAYBACK - Destabilizes playback
Swell, stumble, surprise. speed and direction.
The timing of Shape and Error are both linked to the SIZE setting.
12 13
 Hidden Options
HIDDEN OPTIONS
Hold both footswitches down to
adjust the Hidden Options. The
LEDs will light green.
HOLD

SENSITIVITY BALANCE
SENSITIVITY
DUCK
DEPTH Sets how easy it is to trigger Onward

MOR
SS
with your playing dynamics. Around

LE
E
noon will work best in most cases.
SIZE
EVEN
ERROR USER EQ
BLEND BALANCE
Adjusts the relative loudness of
G F
the two channels.

MIX
The settings above are the
default for all Hidden Options. DUCK DEPTH
Controls the sensitivity and

MORE
LESS
intensity of the ducking and
sidechain effects (pg. 41).
OCTAVE

USER
OWER

FASTER
Allows you to set a custom value
SL

for the middle FADE position.

SUSTAIN
14 15
 Hidden Options continued
There are also a couple hidden Hidden Options.
< ROUTING >
Each toggle gives you the ability to ERROR BLEND
isolate its related section, applying Lets you blend in the other two
it to only one channel or the other. unselected error types so that you

MORE
They all work like this: can get a mix of all three. The ERROR
knob still controls the overall
ERROR chance of an error, and the hidden
Only affects Glitch
option sets the likelihood that it will
be one of the unselected types.
Affects both channels

Only affects Freeze EQ

Rotate clockwise to remove low
< TYPE > frequencies and thin out the signal.
Errors will only apply to one Rotate counter-clockwise to remove
channel. The other will be stable. TEXTURE high frequencies and to darken the
overall signal.
< FADE >
SUSTAIN and FADE will only apply to
one channel. The other channel will
have infinite sustain and fast fade. To reset all the Hidden Options to
their default setting, flip the preset
< ANIMATE >
X3 toggle to the left position and back to
OCTAVE, TEXTURE, ANIMATE, and EQ center three times. Once you see the
will only apply to one channel; the blinking lights, press both footswitches
other will be clean. at the same time to confirm.

16 17
 Hidden Gestures
DRY KILL
There are also a few Hidden Gestures. If you’d like to remove the dry signal
from the output (useful for wet/dry
TAP TEMPO setups) – hold the GLITCH switch
If you want to sync things manually, down while powering up the pedal.
you can! Tap both footswitches This preference will be remembered
GLITCH in the future.
twice to put Onward into tap tempo
mode, you’ll know you’re there when
all LEDs start blinking red. Use the TRAILS
left footswitch to tap in your tempo, If you’d like Onward’s effects to
and the right footswitch to exit tap smoothly fade away when
tempo mode. bypassed, engage trails by holding
the FREEZE switch down while
powering up the pedal. This will be
FREEZE remembered in the future.

18 19
 Onward 101
TOGETHER OR SEPARATE
There are a couple simple concepts that make Onward is made of two channels run in parallel.
everything else easy to understand.
INPUT

DYNAMICS
Onward is primarily a dynamic effect.
FREEZE

INPUT AUDIO
GLITCH

SAMPLED AUDIO SAMPLE SIZE

They sample the input at the same time, but

into their own memory. You can process them
SAMPLE SIZE
independently and treat Onward like two
effects in one enclosure, or combine them into
Whenever Onward detects sound at the input, it one mega-effect. Or a bit of both.
samples that sound. If there was already a
sample, it replaces it – sounds within Onward do TOGETHER: SEPARATE:
not stack but are instead always changing and Both channels follow You can route Onward’s
moving forward. This is true for both channels. your dynamics and sections to one channel
sample at the same time. or the other (pg. 38).
You do have the option to lock in either channel Both channels are You can lock a channel
processed by every so that its sample is
by holding down its footswitch so that it will
section by default. preserved, while the other
preserve the current sound instead of resampling. continues to be dynamic.
You can sidechain the
This makes it possible to have one channel be Freeze channel to the You can use MANUAL
dynamic and the other steady. Glitch channel (pg. 41). mode to control
You can have both sampling of each
channels duck in volume channel independently
as you play (pg. 41). via its footswitch (pg. 41).
20 21
 Freeze
At any time you can hold the footswitch to lock
Onward’s Freeze channel captures and sustains in the current sound, so you can play freely
a single moment in time. overtop without replacing it.

It can be used to make droning background

ambience, or a supportive harmonizing voice, or
to turn your instrument into a synth.

Onward will automatically freeze a note whenever

you play.
INPUT

INPUT FREEZE

If you prefer a more traditional, footswitch

FREEZE
controlled freeze, that’s an option, too. Simply
turn on the MANUAL dip switch (pg. 41). Now
Onward will ignore your dynamics and only
When you play another note, it will resample resample when you press the footswitch.
and replace that sound.

YOU GET WHAT YOU GIVE

INPUT
Softer and sparser playing will give you smooth,
shapeless sounds, while faster and more
intense playing will lead to spikier sounds with
FREEZE
audible repetition. With a bit of practice you can
use your playing to steer the Freeze back and
forth between these different timbres.

22 23
 Freeze Ideas
INSTANT ENO
SUB SYNTH
SIZE MIX OCTAVE
OCTAVE SUSTAIN
ERROR SUSTAIN TEXTURE
Turn Onward into a doomy synth
that follows along and fills out the TYPE FADE ANIMATE
lower register. As long as OCTAVE
is at the minimum position, the This setting will turn any sounds
rest is up to you. Experiment with that you play into a sprawling
FADE, TEXTURE, and ANIMATE. ambient composition. Play slowly
and be patient; it will take awhile
for your new samples to fade in.
LIVING PAD
FREEZE ERROR
Hold the Freeze footswitch down to
lock in an infinite pad – the classic
freeze effect. Now experiment with
different ERROR settings to introduce
motion and variance to bring that
pad to life.

24 25
 Glitch
When you play again it will resample and
Onward’s Glitch channel samples and repeats replace the current phrase.
small chunks of audio.

It can make dynamic loops, strange echoes, INPUT AUDIO

and of course, glitches.

Onward will automatically sample a phrase

whenever you play.
SAMPLED AUDIO

INPUT AUDIO SAMPLE SIZE

The length of the sample is controlled by the

SIZE knob, with a max record time of one second.

SAMPLED AUDIO You also have the option to lock in a sample by

holding the Glitch footswitch. Now you can play
overtop and experiment with different settings
SAMPLE SIZE and the sample will be safely preserved.

It will begin sampling as soon as audio is

detected, and continue until it hits the end of the HALF SPEED
recording length. This means the first note you If you’re finding the size of the samples a bit
play will be the first note in the sample, and short for your liking, turn on the ½ SPEED dip
subsequent notes will be recorded as well. switch (pg. 41). This will double the sample size,
and introduce a slightly lo-fi audio quality.

26 27
Glitch Ideas
TRUE GLITCH
AUTO-REPEATER
ERROR TYPE
SUSTAIN FADE
The middle ERROR TYPE makes
A classic repeater effect that will it easy to create more natural
sample and infinitely loop each sounding glitches that pop in and
note you play. A simple and fun out instead of repeating steadily.
starting point. Turn SUSTAIN down Adjust ERROR to control how broken
and the repeats will cleanly and and sporadic the glitches are.
instantly disappear after a chosen
amount of time.
SPEEDY STARTER
SIZE OCTAVE SUSTAIN
SWELLING DELAY
Turn up OCTAVE to introduce a
SUSTAIN SIZE FADE
secondary, harmonizing voice that
A vaporous pseudo-echo with plays at 2x speed. Pairing this with
repeats that gradually swell in and Glitch produces dense phrases
crossfade with one another as you with rhythmic interplay that act as
play. These settings are just starters great launching points. Play
– adjust to taste. around for a while until you hear a
phrase you like, then hold the
Glitch footswitch to lock it in.

29
 Effects
OFF TEXTURE
The TEXTURE knob lets you rough

SO
MPL ATE
things up a bit. The left half of the

FT CLIPPIN
ER
OCTAVE sweep reduces the sample rate,

SA
The Effects section gives useful for adding some sizzle and

G
you three ways to modify TEXTURE pushing Onward into the forefront.
Onward’s sound. TEXTURE
The right half is a more restrained
soft-clipping overdrive with dynamic
ANIMATE
overtones and tasteful compression.

Introduce pitch shifts and harmonies.

SECRET TONE
Push things into digital or analog-style distortion. Hidden behind the TEXTURE knob is also a simple EQ
that lets you thin out or darken the sound (pg. 17).
Engage wobbly or dreamy movement.

ANIMATE
OFF OCTAVE The ANIMATE toggle lends Onward a
The OCTAVE knob blends in a bit of motion and sway. The left
second voice that is either half position engages a vibrato for some
(octave down) or double (octave vintage warble or dissonance. The
ANIMATE rate of the vibrato is set by the SIZE
X
2
½

up) the speed of your input audio.

OCTAVE You can use this voice alongside the knob. The right position engages a
real-time audio to add depth and chorus for increased dimension and
harmony, or completely replace it. a hazy quality. The rate of the
chorus is slow and fixed.
- VIBRATO
- OFF
- CHORUS

30 31
 Shape
A couple other helpful things to know:
The Shape section is
responsible for the way The FADE toggle also controls the crossfade time
Onward moves. – how long it takes for new samples to replace
old ones. This means you will get fleeting
Gradual or abrupt. moments of layering at slower FADE settings as
SUSTAIN
Forever or brief. old and new momentarily blend together.
Crossfaded or instant.
FADE

FADE SUSTAIN FADE

The SUSTAIN knob can be
used to select exactly how
ATTACK SUSTAIN RELEASE
many repeats you get on the
Glitch side.
The FADE toggle controls the fade in and out time.
The SUSTAIN knob controls the hold time. (Note that FADE will add
additional repeats, so set its
toggle to the right position if
SUSTAIN you want to avoid this.)

SUSTAIN FADE SUSTAIN FADE SUSTAIN FADE Both SUSTAIN and FADE are linked to the setting
Samples will appear Samples will slowly Samples will appear
instantly and hold fade in and then instantly, and last for
of the SIZE knob. This makes it possible to get
infinitely (until right back out. Useful just a moment. Try useful sounds at any size. Smaller sizes will
resampled). Useful for more ambient, turning up ERROR
for a fast, close- ever-changing and TEXTURE for an
speed up the fades and shorten the sustain.
following effect. landscapes. intense effect that
quickly flames out.

32 33
 Error
TIMING
The Error section gives Manipulates the length of the samples.
you three different ways to LEFT
introduce randomization
and variation. This will not RIGHT
only make the Glitch sound ERROR
more organic but it means On the Glitch channel this will create rhythmic
the Freeze can also get in variation and a pattern-like feeling, while on the
on the fun. TYPE Freeze side it will create interesting churning
textures like modulating a synth.

CONDITION
You can mess with rhythm and texture. Creates dropouts and playback failures, as well
as momentary changes to the sample rate.
Insert drops and sample rate shifts.
LEFT
Or destabilize speed and direction.
RIGHT

Or all of them at once! Condition is a handy way to make the Glitch side
more intermittent and sparse, and to add some
bump and bite to the Freeze side.
The ERROR knob
sets the chance of PLAYBACK
an error occurring. Changes both the direction and speed of
playback at random. Playback may become sped
It also controls the up or slowed down by 2x or 4x, as well as reversed.
intensity of the errors
LEFT
for both Condition
and Playback. RIGHT

34 35
 Error continued
DANCING DRONE

STEREO SPREAD ERROR TYPE FREEZE

Turning up ERROR is also the key to making Each of the errors are useful in their
Onward’s stereo processing come to life. The own way for lending a bit of motion
various malfunctions will randomly occur on one and intrigue to a frozen sound.
channel or another to create unique stereo Having TYPE set to Playback will
motion. Make sure the SPREAD dip switch is introduce momentary pitch shifts
engaged (pg. 40). that can make a simple freeze feel
like a generative composition.
ERROR BLEND
Turn up the hidden option under the ERROR knob UH OH
to mix the different error types together and have
all three happen at once (pg. 17). ERROR ERROR BLEND

Anything can go wrong in this

setting. Each error is equally likely to
occur, giving you lots of variation
and surprise. Adjust the ERROR knob
to have more or less errors overall.

TWO SIDES, TWO SOUNDS

The errors take on a different character for each
channel. On the Freeze side they will generally
manifest as brief blips and departures that come
and go; on the Glitch side they will be
longer-lasting and more rhythmic. Try isolating
each channel and listening to the difference, and
remember that you can route ERROR so that it
only affects one channel and not the other (pg. 38).

36 37
 Routing
Here are a couple ideas to get you started on your
Onward's routing abilities are simple to use, but routing journey:
they greatly increase the pedal's depth.
COMPLEX COUPLE
Each of Onward’s three key sections – Error,
Shape, and Effects – can be isolated to one
channel or the other. This is a special one. The various
effects give energy and nuance to
the Freeze channel, while the errors
create motion and variation on the
Glitch side. The two channels move
as one, but make very different,
TYPE FADE ANIMATE complementary effects with loads
of depth.
This makes it possible to apply errors only to the
Glitch, for example, so that the Freeze can stay FRANTIC COMPANY
smooth and steady.
SUSTAIN
With these settings, and everything
To adjust the routing: routed only to Glitch, you will be
greeted with a wild burst of energy
whenever you play a note. In
Hold down both between you will have the opposite
footswitches. – a soft, infinite freeze.

Move the toggle for that By default, each section is applied to both channels.
section towards the channel See pg. 14 for more on Hidden Options, including
you want to process. how to reset to the defaults.

38 39
 Customize
SIDECHAIN
The white-labeled dip switches on top of Onward Engages a pumping effect on the Freeze channel.
allow you to engage some alternate behaviors The Freeze will momentarily dip in volume
and set things to your liking. whenever the Glitch resets, creating a linked
alternating effect. It can also be used even when
The dip switch settings are saved with your presets. Glitch is off to make Freeze rhythmic (speed set by
SIZE knob).

DUCK
*default
Engages a dynamic ducking effect on both
channels. Onward’s sounds will momentarily dip
in volume whenever audio is present at the input.

REVERSE
Causes the Glitch side to play in reverse.

MISO ½ SPEED
Mono In, Stereo Out. Splits a mono input signal Cuts the recording quality in half for the Glitch
into a stereo output. side. This doubles the SIZE setting for longer
samples and introduces a slightly lo-fi quality.
SPREAD
Turns on stereo processing to generate movement MANUAL
and create an expansive stereo image. SPREAD Deactivates dynamic control, instead allowing you to
engages a widening effect for both channels, and manually resample by tapping the footswitches.
stereo movement tied to the Error effects. TAP - Samples new audio
HOLD - Infinitely holds the current audio
LATCH (ignoring the SUSTAIN setting)
Changes the hold function for each footswitch DOUBLE TAP - Disengages the effect
from momentary to latching, so that it will remain
engaged until the footswitch is held again.
40 41
 Ramping START

END

Now Onward will steadily shift between digital

and analog-style distortion, adding movement
and increased nuance to the effect. The position
of the knob you’re controlling is important, because
it either sets the maximum or minimum point of the
range (depending on the SWEEP setting).
Ramping gives you the ability to automate
Ramp is the same idea, but the movement only
Onward’s knobs, either as a one-time movement
happens once when you turn the pedal on. Your
(ramp) or continuous motion (bounce).
chosen knob(s) either rise or fall to the position
It’s easier to get started with bounce, so let’s do set by the knob, then stay there. Useful for
that. We’re essentially going to modulate a knob. creating a wave of motion and activity when
you first turn Onward on.

Check out the Dip Switches 101 guide on our

website for a step-by-step on ramping.

1. Engage BOUNCE. 2. Choose which knob(s)

Ramping is engaged as soon as the dip switch for
you wish to control.
a corresponding knob is set to ON. At this point,
M (T)
TO the MIX knob automatically changes to control
T

OP

the ramp speed. You can still adjust MIX while

(B)O

ramping by holding down the left footswitch as

you move the knob.

TEXTURE MIX (RAMP)

3. Choose the sweep. 4. Set the speed.

42 43
 External Control

Onward is CV range = 0-5V

compatible (higher voltage
with MIDI, CV, or any negative
clock sync, voltage can 1. Choose which knob(s)
expression, damage the
and external you wish to control. 2. Choose the sweep.
pedal).
footswitch. OM (T
)
TT

OP
(B)O
MIDI / EXP/CV
EXT GLITCH

CV: floating ring 3. Choose the polarity. 4. Set the range.

TRS to TS cable

EXP: TRS cable

If you plug in a CV or expression signal but engage
none of the knobs, you will have control over MIX.
CV and expression can be used to control
Onward’s knobs.
MIDI requires a Chase Bliss MIDIbox to convert the
MIDI lets you go deeper and control everything, signal to a ¼" TRS jack. For details on getting MIDI
including clock sync, the Hidden Options, and going with Onward, check out the MIDI manual.
the dip switches.

CV and expression are set up the same way as The MIDI jack can also be used to engage
ramping using the dip switches on the top of the Onward’s Glitch effect with an external
pedal. The pedal will simply detect a CV or footswitch. Useful for tabletop setups. Plug any
expression signal when you plug it in and hand normally-open momentary footswitch in and
over control. you’re all set, it takes control automatically.

44 45
 You’re ready.
You know everything.
Go forward and see what you find.

Write us here any time if

you have any questions:
help@chasebliss.com

We’re happy to help.

Have fun!