randy's Recent Posts
I appreciate your thoughts on smoothing. The code in this case does not help because it's not something I can just drop into my own framework. Finding the time is the hard part. I'll be making a big list of Aalto enhancements soon and this should be near the top.
Thanks for the thoughts @pdt.
@aleatoire, I played the WAV sample you sent me and on the long decay there is only DC, in other words, a constant value that slowly decays. This is at under -50dB, so I don't see it as a major problem. But I wonder if something in your audio chain does not like the DC and is converting it into high frequencies somehow, with the distortion you are describing. From the sound you sent me that is my only guess.
In any case this explains why the "leak" setting removed the problem. It removes DC.
I appreciate the reminder. I'm not sure how I missed this the first time around, so sorry about that!
It's an easy fix if some params want to be smoothed and others don't. But in the case of the waveguide frequency some people might want this to be smoothed and others might not. A user-configurable smoothing frequency for each parameter would be too complicated, I think.
I could see an approach of smoothing changes, unless the parameter has not been changed for a short while. So if you start modulating gradually away from 0, the first change won't be a jump anyway and it will still sound smooth. But if the first modulation is a high value, it would immediately jump to that value, then begin smooth changes if values kept flowing in, as from poly aftertouch and so on.
Woo! I know, I was thinking I should mark the occasion somehow but I'm so busy trying to finish software... ha.
I guess it's my right to have a ten-year anniversary any time I want. So maybe in the near future.
It's about time for Aalto 2. I should probably have a paid upgrade more than once a decade!
Hey, nice to see you here—thanks for the update!
I really like that cyborg shoegazey piece and would love to hear it longer.
I thought also that you were just experiencing the normal operation of Kaivo's resonator. But this sounds like something different. I'll try to reproduce this with your patch. Aléatoire, please feel free to send me a wav file of the artifacts to support at madronalabs.com.
FYI I've added NEON support to madronalib now using sse2neon and everything runs as expected. I've merged this into the master branch. Updates of the plugins, starting with Aaltoverb, will be coming soon.
When Aalto gets a program change N message it's supposed to select the Nth program in the "MIDI Programs" directory and switch to it. Max doesn't look for or know about these files at all.
Oh there should be some unique controls all right. Excited to share more concrete info this summer.
Aalto responds to the MIDI program change message, not the VST concept of effect programs. It's the "midievent" stuff you were trying to do originally that should work. There's no setting to disable it.
I just pulled up Live to verify that the program change message is working in Aalto and it is.
I'm sorry I don't have more time to dive into making a Max patch right now. I'm sure someone at the Max forum could help.
Unfortunately I'm not really an Ableton expert! I generally muddle around and figure things out. The answer is probably in where you are sending audio from the track with Kaivo. You may need to send it to another audio track and record that.
Happy Solstice, and here's to change and evolution. This goes out with all my best wishes to everyone for health, peace and prosperity in what has been such a hard year for so many. I hope that, despite COVID, you are finding ways to keep sane and happy, to nurture your body and spirit. A few weeks ago I got away on a short trip to meet some friends at the Pacific Bonsai Museum. That's where the lovely grouping of golden larch trees on the sale image here comes from. Visiting was a meditative, inspiring and world-expanding trip for me and if you're in the Seattle area, I recommend it highly.
From now through January 6 2021, our year-end sale is happening! You can use the code EVOLVE to get 30% off all our software. If you're an Aalto fan but you've been holding out on getting Kaivo or Virta or Aaltoverb, now's a great time. And yes, our simple bundle deal is in effect along with the year-end discount, if you choose to take advantage of them both. This results in some big discounts!
Finally, if you're looking for a last-minute gift, you should know that it's easy to give a Madrona Labs software license! A gift license can even be part of a simple bundle with one you bought for yourself and I'll be happy to transfer it free of charge (and judgement). Just email me at support@madronalabs.com to let me know. I'm taking Dec 25, Dec 31, and Jan 1 away from the computer but otherwise I'll be available within 24 hours (and probably less) to help make your holiday dreams come true.
Yes we do, please email me at support@madronalabs.com and I'll set you up.
From what you wrote, that all looks like it should work. Does the vst~ have its own program change message you can try?
I have to get Sumu out first. My plan is to be working on v2 by this Fall.
Hi, Aalto v.1 does not do MIDI mapping in the synth itself—you will need to use the MIDI mapping features of your favorite DAW.
By popular demand, version 2 will have MIDI mapping.
good to hear it's working well.
Yeah! I was very stoked to see this.
Just wanted to follow up a little late here and say thanks for sharing the nice words and a bit of context about what you are doing. In this pandemic time I've been largely "working in the code mines" and I'm excited to show off the fruits of my labors soon.
Sumu might not have "spectral editing" either—it's very much built around live patching like Aalto and Kaivo. Instead of fiddling with individual partials, you'll have modulation sources that are designed for spectral synthesis and dials on some transformations that will be globally useful.
Hi, this is on my list but I haven't had a chance to get to it. There's a chance I can sneak it into an Aaltoverb update that's coming soon. But if it turns out it's not a quick thing, it will have to wait until after Sumu ships.
Thanks for the feedback. I've gotten a few requests for it over the years and it's on my list of things to add to version 2 of the plugins.
I have to stay focused on releasing a new plugin for now but I'll be interested to see where this goes and will consider adopting it.
It's high on the list. Have you tried using https://github.com/DLTcollab/sse2neon ? Hopefully I can use it to get madronalib working on NEON relatively easily.
Do you mean, play an audio file through Virta? I have not used savihost so maybe someone else can answer.
This year it seems desirable and possible for Madrona Labs to make a Soundplane to CV device. This would be primarily a Eurorack module, but the circuit could also be built into its own enclosure for use with vintage synths etc.
Normally I do most of my design work in private, and only announce a product when it's pretty much done. But we (Brian and I) are going to change it up this time. Because neither of us is that deeply into the Eurorack world, it makes sense to solicit input early on in the process this time. This is going to be a utility device (though hopefully an elegant one) — so before we get too far along, let's make sure it will be useful to you!
The basic idea
USB jack for powering the Soundplane. Module puts out CV / gates / mod outputs for individual touches. Like the Soundplane app, a zone map decides how the Soundplane surface is divided up into notes and what those notes are. You can switch between zone maps, and the name of the current one should be displayed somehow. Aside from this, visual feedback will be at least an LED per Z value. To keep costs low, probably nothing too graphical or fancy.
We're looking for input on things like:
How many voices?
Each voice of touch output will probably have 4 outputs for pitch, x, y and z. Setting up many voices on a modular is not the way most people use them, so I'm guessing that two voices of output will take care of 90% of what people want. We would probably add an expander module for more voices.
Any interesting modes?
A switch that changes z (pressure) into a strict on/off gate might be useful. Any other things like this?
Layout?
individual voice groups vertical or horizontal? voice outputs at bottom or top? I'm thinking top, because a USB jack on the bottom will go to the Soundplane.
Power?
The module will need roughly 250mA at 5v to power the Soundplane. Brian will correct me if I'm wrong. Then there's whatever computing and display the module needs to do, and the outputs. Do we need our own power supply, or a list of compatible Euro power supplies that we can point people to? Any choices in connectivity to make here?
Finally, we're still looking for a great name…
Hi Scott, thanks—it's been a difficult year! with the coming of Spring and, hopefully, a vaccine on the way I am finding myself more energetic and less distracted. Getting Sumu done is the first step to what will hopefully be a year of progress on all fronts.
Nothing yet, sorry.
I'm definitely interested in hearing other ideas for resonators. I'd like to sneak at least one into a free update, then add some more ambitious stuff with the next major version.
Wind sounds are definitely a gap at present! You can kind of get there with the chime, and I think i have a couple of presets that attempt it. But a real pipe resonator is definitely called for.
The difficulty of the work depends on quite a few things. Even with mathematically simpler resonators, dialing in useful ranges and curves for parameters can take a lot of playing and listening.
I have a list of UI features like this to add to the next major version. This is on there. Thanks for the reminder.
I have verified the problem on my Windows machine and I'm working on a fix to test with Live 11 and release. Thanks for your patience.