Synthmaker bundle

[cakebox]

I was thinking of proposing maybe a survey of those following this thread to vote for one synth for me to go through and do all this preset naming, etc. to make the preset functions compatible with most hosts. Personally I think it should be one that's not otherwise available in the soft synth world, or at least poorly represented, AND is also one that I was able to do a fairly accurate and complete emulation of

A great idea - though maybe take it a step further: Vote for one synth to complete to a v1.0 'official' release.

With just one synth (at a time!) to concentrate on, those willing to help in any way are more likely to do so - thoroughly testing, commenting on features, bug-reporting and fixing, suggesting ways to optimise your code or improve the algorithms, and whatever else needs doing.

And when you have a stable release (candidate), where people can be certain that any patches they create will still work in future releases, I'm sure there are one or two talented sound designers who will contribute banks of presets. (Never use presets, myself - but in the consumerised world that VSTs now inhabit, 'soundware' is where the easy money is being made, and synths are more often judged by the sounds they come loaded with than the potential they might offer for creating new ones.)

@ Knob Twiddler
The Chorg seems to behave quite well in vstHost using its parameter mapping - with midi-learn for both VST parameters and CCs. Perhaps you could try it in 'slave' mode (called Legree) in your DAW?
But you're quite right - it's still a big workaround, and it would be much better not to need one!

I might even suggest the Chorg to work (some more) on first - there are fewer than 50 automatable parameters for you to name! - except that I would hesitate to call it 'poorly represented' in the software world (particularly if Korg are listening!). Before they released their own MS-20 plugin, there was a freeware one called Grok SM-02 - and Korg issued some kind 'cease and desist' against the developer, who promptly withdrew it. I wouldn't count on their having mellowed much in the interim.

The synth I would probably most like to see you 'officially' release would be the Weasel with the wavefolding. But I've never (knowingly) been in the same room as any Buchla, so have no idea how accurate your emulation is. And it might be a good idea for you to go through the whole testing-and-tweaking process a few times on something slightly more mainstream (where there are plenty of people with experience of the originals who can help/advise) before tackling anything so esoteric.

[Knob Twiddler]

@ Knob Twiddler
The Chorg seems to behave quite well in vstHost using its parameter mapping - with midi-learn for both VST parameters and CCs. Perhaps you could try it in 'slave' mode (called Legree) in your DAW?
But you're quite right - it's still a big workaround, and it would be much better not to need one!

Thanx for your comment, that made me try again. Indeed, I can map every parameter to a control and it does not make those jumps anymore...something must have gone wrong the last time. I mapped every single parameter this time to make sure they all work.

For the Reaper users, if you want to record automation, map your control to a parameter, set the automationmode correctly (latch/write/touch) and play your sequence while moving your control. Reaper will automatically make a track-envelope for that parameter with the automation recorded to it. It will still have the default naming but it works.

Make sure that "automatically add envelopes when tweaking parameters in automation write modes" is selected under automation in the preferences.

[k brown]

I did an update to OB-2 with enhanced envelopes; they are now exponential and have delay and A/D Loop (when either of these is used the EGs are linear).

More importantly, I gave all the controls unique Preset names - let me know if this makes the Presets work in a DAW, or if more needs to be done.

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/94zkxdb9je9x ... IV5ja?dl=0

OB-2 copy.jpg (89.72 KiB) Viewed 25431 times

[k brown]

Just tried it out in Tracktion - saves and loads presets AOK. But maybe Tracktion is just functioning the same way vstHost/SAVIhost does?

k brown

[Knob Twiddler]

They have names now in Reaper, seems like it is fixed by your changes
Anyway, there are still some unnamed parameters in the list but they don't seem to have a function:

http://i383.photobucket.com/albums/oo27 ... cr7oni.png

If the demo of FS is fully functional, and you can explain how to edit the defaultnames with the correct ones, I am still willing to help.

[k brown]

Thanks for the offer - keep in mind the demo only lasts 7 days.

Every control/knobs/switch,etc. has a Properties box that's accessed by clicking the tiny "P" in a circle at the bottom-right of the box. At the top of the panel that appears there are spaces to type-in the text for the knob's label, the control ranges for it, etc. - There will be a space named Preset and there is where you give each one it's unique name - I don't think it matters what the name is (it could be gibberish) as long as each one is different from all the others.

What someone else needs to chime in about is how to properly set up the Preset Manager that's inside each synth; when using Tracktion, in addition to the save/load boxes for presets, there are spaces that represent the 'Programs' inside the Preset Manager but I haven't been able to change them and have them retained. I don't know if this matters, if each DAW saves and loads presets on it's own.

Thanks again,

k brown

[cakebox]

Just a thought ...

Does the FS demo save the source files in a format that can be read by SM?
Or earlier versions of FS, for that matter?

It might be possible to drum up a few volunteers willing to spend a week naming parameters, but it may not be much use if it means you can no longer work with what they produce.

[k brown]

Good point - no, SM will not open FS files.

I could try putting a Synthmaker installer file in Dropbox for you try to install on your computer, but it's probably not the safest thing for your computer - I suppose somewhere between me and you it could "catch something" (?).

k brown

[Knob Twiddler]

I have 3 pc's here, so that will give me 3 weeks for the demo I suppose.
I loaded b6 in FS and started looking for the parameternames.
First you see the complete synth and when you open it, it gives you all modules, you can open those further, and there you see the different knobs with their connections. But I can go even 4 levels deeper. Anyway, in the end it works. You change it on the last level with a visible knob. After exporting to VST it shows my changes in my DAW

I have a fulltime job but I will see what I can do in the evenings and weekends.

[k brown]

Yes, it's not difficult - just TEDIOUS! I wish I'd known about this when I initially built these; a lot less tedious to do during original construction.

If you've a mind to - take a look at the most recent posts over at the German website Music-Society regarding this (just search for "k brown synths" - it should be in the top 4 or 5 results); they seem to think that this naming of parameters isn't necessary just to do presets - only for DAW automation (I'm not even sure I know what that means).
FWIW.

I'm sure all here will appreciate your efforts. Now begs the question how/where to post your versions. I was thinking about trying to get maybe one a day done and putting in dropbox folders of the same names as the originals, but with the suffix 'p' (for presets). For example, "Chorg PS-20p".

Since you're going into these schematics, it would be cool if you could do what I'm going to do, which is look out for any de-zippers that have 'green' (float) inputs rather than stream inputs; just a matter of deleting them and replacing with the standard ones that come in the toolbox. Spogg noticed some glitchy behaviour caused by these and replaced them in the synths he worked on.

Thanks so much for 'pitching in'.

k brown