save wav recorder

[gvalletto]

Hi all! I want to add to my Stand Alone synths a module to record to wave file about 1 hour. I tried to modify the "save wave" module that is in the toolbox of FS to raise its time limitation, but no results... Do any of You have one to share or sell?

[Spogg]

This is the one I made and use.

I hope you can adapt this to your needs.

[trogluddite]

I hope you can adapt this to your needs.

In short, 'Save Wave' (in FS version <= 3.x.x, at least) is nowhere near up to the job.

I think we have discussed this here before, but to reiterate: the maximum recording time using that method is about 6 minutes at 44100 Hz sample-rate. After that point, the precision of the'Wave Writer' sample index's 24-bit float mantissa is exceeded, such that it's no longer possible to reach every single sample index (adding one to the index after this point just returns the value that you started with). In addition, the 'Save Wave' primitive requires that the whole recording be present in one contiguous block of RAM, which for a hour-long stereo recording is over a Gigabyte!

What's needed here is Direct-To-Disk (DTD) recording, which AFAIK no-one has implemented for FS yet. I managed to get a very crude sketch of it working in Ruby ages ago, but it was nowhere near efficient enough to handle the real-time audio buffering that's needed. Unless the Dev's add a DTD primitive, the only way forward would be a custom DLL.

In the mean-time, the only work-around is to use a simple VST host that implements DTD.

(Caveat: I'm not sure if the latest alphas would allow a better solution or whether there may be an FS-compatible DTD DLL that I'm not aware of.)

[tulamide]

(Caveat: I'm not sure if the latest alphas would allow a better solution or whether there may be an FS-compatible DTD DLL that I'm not aware of.)

The for Flowstone accessible Windows API offers the "audio capture graph" with a wavdest FileWriter filter to write to disk. But I never understood the basic concept. https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/win32/directshow/creating-an-audio-capture-graph
CSound come with the fout opcode that allows streaming to disk. CSound was made with PortAudio, so there could be a way. http://www.portaudio.com/
BASS is also capable of streaming to disk, comes precompiled (.dll) and lightweight. https://www.un4seen.com/

There are lots of others out there, like irrKlang (also precompiled), but the biggest issue I see is the selection of a device. It's mandatory on pretty much every engine I studied so far. But for Flowstone we basically want to just route an audio stream to the file writing routine, omitting the device selection, and I wouldn't know how. But maybe you do? All links (and irrKlang) come with a comprehensive documentation.

[gvalletto]

This is the one I made and use.

I hope you can adapt this to your needs.

Thanks Spogg! It works up to 15 minutes fine in my system. It is enough for me for now, due I will use it to record small performances with Stand Alone FS synths. I tried to record more time but it makes the system too slow. Then I will try to design a reset function so I can make more that 1 recording without the need for close the scheme. (Now, in a second recording, the first one stays in the same file). When I solved it, I will post the scheme here.

[gvalletto]

Thanks Trog and Tula, your explanations are important and clear. Sadly My brain is burned, perhaps by overdose of activities, including Flowstone works...

[k brown]

I'm curious - what's the advantage of using a Stand Alone?

[gvalletto]

I'm curious - what's the advantage of using a Stand Alone?

Hi K Brown! I rediscovered your creations... you still being a machine of make wonders with FS! I admire you.

I enjoy from many years ago making synths in software and hardware. Now I have a new need: to start to play live (better than before) the instruments that I make. You know about the quantity of software involves make and/or play VSTis. And to learn to use them is not enough... due the need to update all of them. If we no update, the life time of our creations is short, and the ability to share it, too. Several times I spent more time tweaking the system than playing music... furthermore, I payed attention to Version of vsts, version of DAW, version of Windows, version of audio driver... each new PC implied installations and tweaks from scrach. I want to minimize my dependency of sofware without abandon it because I love Flowstone.
Using Stand Alone helped me to focus in music, due I no use DAW in this way when playing live, my system is more light, more trustworthy. And mainly, my mind works better.
Another reason: I am building a synth that works as instrument and effect at the same time. It is working as Stand Alone, but if I export the Dll to use it in a DAW, it does not work in that way. It will be an effect or an instrument, but no both. I don´t found any way to do it...

[k brown]

Have you tried VSTHost? - I think it will run a plug in as both effect and synth. Every synth I've done with external audio inputs, and exported as an instrument, the ext ins will accept audio from another plugin.

[Spogg]

If a project has only midi input it should be exported as an instrument. If it has audio input it should be an effect, even if it has a midi input as well (like a vocoder with built-in synth).

The only DAW I know that can’t deal with an effect with midi input is FL Studio. Reaper can handle it with no problems. Adam once told me it was actually possible, but not how, and I don’t use FL myself.

I’m glad you’ll find my recorder of some use. Its usage was intended to capture a sound or short performance clip from a synth. To record longer performances you could consider what I do for my videos. I take the audio out from my USB audio interface (running ASIO) and put it into the motherboard’s line in and record from that. Then you can use Audacity for example to record as long as you want. I find that the motherboard sound is perfectly acceptable, but I’m no audiophile!