Le Masque :Delay: [Xils-Lab] [ Version 1.5 Released]

[xavier]

um.. first post.. there is no link to the plug in demo or webpage??

Hi ttoz ,

Here you are

Win 32
http://www.xils-lab.com/download_files/ ... _setup.exe

Win 64
http://www.xils-lab.com/download_files/ ... _setup.exe

Mac 32
http://www.xils-lab.com/download_files/ ... _setup.dmg

Mac 64
http://www.xils-lab.com/download_files/ ... _setup.dmg

The web pages will be online as soon as they are proofread.

Best regards
Xavier

[ObsoleteAcc99]

ok thank you.

[Lotuzia]

um.. first post.. there is no link to the plug in demo or webpage??

Yes i'll add the links to the demo installersin the first thread

[alexfalcao]

Why there's no link to the Xils-Lab web site on the Delay information first post?

[Lotuzia]

i guess this is aimed at ppl who use loops a lot, not ppl who use single hits

good idea, but not useful for my workflow.

Hi Krim,

Not only, just have a listen to the Electro Sitar or Shaftesque EP audio demos in the second post of this thread :

The Mask can also add subtle particular delay based modulations to single instruments tracks. Also, even placed on bus or insert for drums with separate inputs, it can process only the first and last hit of a snare break for example, and you'll still get the Xils filter flavor and a lot of modulations.

So Le Masque can as well become your Go To delay if you enjoy it's sound : It can behave just like a regular delay, ( just put a single Mask on the entire grid, and there are a lot of presets wich use this feature to help you getting started ) with, like some other advanced delays from other brands, its "own sound" and the addition of unique features.

Note : Demo Installers links in post 1, audio demos in post 2 of the thread

[Echoes in the Attic]

While I'm not so much a fan of step modulation within a plug-in (since you can do the same in a host with infinite variations rather than just one pattern), I am still interested in the sound. Some of the demos do sound nice. I also notice that there is a resonant filter. Am I correct that this is indeed within the feedback path? If so I would be interested as this is fairly rare. I still am not 100% satisfied with my delays for tripped out dub washes. The best way I find is to use a simple delay on a return bus going through a band pass filter and then a limiter with a nice character (L1 or Yohng's free W1 clone), feeding back to itself. But I'm interested in achieving the same result with a single plug-in as well. The closest I've come is with Ohmboyz delay but you have to be very careful with it, it turns nasty very easily. So I'm still looking for one with a smooth degradation when a filtered signal is feeding back through a limiter. Kore could get close as well. I'll check out this demo.

On another note, just curious what you're using for the electric piano sound. Xils synth? Built-in reverb? Sounds nice.

[Lotuzia]

While I'm not so much a fan of step modulation within a plug-in (since you can do the same in a host with infinite variations rather than just one pattern), I am still interested in the sound. Some of the demos do sound nice. I also notice that there is a resonant filter. Am I correct that this is indeed within the feedback path? If so I would be interested as this is fairly rare. I still am not 100% satisfied with my delays for tripped out dub washes. The best way I find is to use a simple delay on a return bus going through a band pass filter and then a limiter with a nice character (L1 or Yohng's free W1 clone), feeding back to itself. But I'm interested in achieving the same result with a single plug-in as well. The closest I've come is with Ohmboyz delay but you have to be very careful with it, it turns nasty very easily. So I'm still looking for one with a smooth degradation when a filtered signal is feeding back through a limiter. Kore could get close as well. I'll check out this demo.

On another note, just curious what you're using for the electric piano sound. Xils synth? Built-in reverb? Sounds nice.

Thanks Echoes,

The filters are Xils-Lab zero-delay feedback multimode ones, inherited from Xils synths. They are self resonating in all modes. They have drive.

They can be controled by LFO and (looping) enveloppe, while Lfo and Enveloppes can be themselves triggered/resetted by the left locators of the Masks (or bars, or freerunning etc ) wich not only adds some flexibility, but also leads to unheard possibilities. They can also be static, or controlled by Midi CC but I only used Midi CC automation on one of the demos ( the soul funk one ) and even be cntrolled live with mod wheel ( cos Le MAsque has a Mod Wheel )


I made the EP sound with NI FM8. Its part of the Gloss Spells Add On soundbank.

I included a kind of "making of" for each demo on the Xis site, ( insert, bus, wich synths used if any, reverbs used pre or post, automation or strict preset browsing, etc ) The pages should be live very soon (if they are not already )

LtZ

[Lotuzia]

Why there's no link to the Xils-Lab web site on the Delay information first post?

Alex the site pages are not ready they are int he process of beeing proof read by the English editor.

I'll post the links asap.

Cheers,

LtZ

[Echoes in the Attic]

While I'm not so much a fan of step modulation within a plug-in (since you can do the same in a host with infinite variations rather than just one pattern), I am still interested in the sound. Some of the demos do sound nice. I also notice that there is a resonant filter. Am I correct that this is indeed within the feedback path? If so I would be interested as this is fairly rare. I still am not 100% satisfied with my delays for tripped out dub washes. The best way I find is to use a simple delay on a return bus going through a band pass filter and then a limiter with a nice character (L1 or Yohng's free W1 clone), feeding back to itself. But I'm interested in achieving the same result with a single plug-in as well. The closest I've come is with Ohmboyz delay but you have to be very careful with it, it turns nasty very easily. So I'm still looking for one with a smooth degradation when a filtered signal is feeding back through a limiter. Kore could get close as well. I'll check out this demo.

On another note, just curious what you're using for the electric piano sound. Xils synth? Built-in reverb? Sounds nice.

Thanks Echoes,

The filters are Xils-Lab zero-delay feedback multimode ones, inherited from Xils synths. They are self resonating in all modes. They have drive.

They can be controled by LFO and (looping) enveloppe, while Lfo and Enveloppes can be themselves triggered/resetted by the left locators of the Masks (or bars, or freerunning etc ) wich not only adds some flexibility, but also leads to unheard possibilities. They can also be static, or controlled by Midi CC but I only used Midi CC automation on one of the demos ( the soul funk one ) and even be cntrolled live with mod wheel ( cos Le MAsque has a Mod Wheel )


I made the EP sound with NI FM8. Its part of the Gloss Spells Add On soundbank.

I included a kind of "making of" for each demo on the Xis site, ( insert, bus, wich synths used if any, reverbs used pre or post, automation or strict preset browsing, etc ) The pages should be live very soon (if they are not already )

LtZ

Sounds cool. My main question was actually whether the filters are within the delay feedback path. Ie. are the delay sent through the filter at each repeat. Or does the filter simply work on the entire wet signal. Big difference to the sounds you get.

thanks

[Lotuzia]

Sounds cool. My main question was actually whether the filters are within the delay feedback path. Ie. are the delay sent through the filter at each repeat. Or does the filter simply work on the entire wet signal. Big difference to the sounds you get.

thanks

yes sorry I forgot to answer to this one ( Always the same when they are several points to adress )

The delay is not in the feedback loop, because after a few iterations in LF for example, the Hi Freq content would be very poor, and also very probably the filter would self oscillate very quickly, depending on the values. ( wich is -probably- one of the goals you want to achieve with filter in the feedback pass )

I'd say that in theory, as all the filters are self oscillation capable, its not such a problem because the resonnance can be modulated so that self rez is reached when you want.

But its a question who arose a few times when we designed the plug in (ie a switch to put the delay in the filter path ) and so its not beyond imagination that this could happen in a future major update. Keep in mind though that this can lead very quickly to rather wild signals, wich therefore implies that people would have to use this with a limiter on the bus or channel to protect their speakers and ... ears.

[Echoes in the Attic]

Oh that's too bad. It's crucial for a certain sound. The ideal thing to do would be to put a limiter in the feedback path as well. I'm surprised nobody has done this yet with a delay.
Oh well, thanks.

[Lotuzia]

Another demo with this time a bit of automation of a few Le Masque parameters via Midi CC.

The idea is that by combining a "simple" preset with a bit of automation ( only the left delay parameters + filter via Mod Wheel ) you can achieve quickly some "everchanging" subtle or more drastic pattern changes.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vE8s1z3pDBQ

Note the volume is a bit low on this video so you might have to raise it a bit on your speakers.

[ObsoleteAcc99]

Hmm i just can't get my head around it.

first the bad news.

the 32 bit AU causes after a few seconds and a couple of preset changes, the ENTIRE audio path of studio one to go silent. You just hear this pop and click and until the plug in is removed no part of any audio on any track will play.

This is a bug that has affected only another plug in or two in many years of testing, and i am sure it will affect logic too then, but it is an awful bug that can cause discomfort listening also. But i guarantee it's a bug in the AU.

the vst so far seems ok.

there is something really delicious in the sound happening with the filters that i haven't heard sound quite so "organic" in previous delays.

The problem i am having is, as gorgeous and easy to use as the gui is, and i am testing on some drum loops, i actually can't get my head around how to operate the thing to strike on the certain beats.

[xavier]

first the bad news.

the 32 bit AU causes after a few seconds and a couple of preset changes, the ENTIRE audio path of studio one to go silent. You just hear this pop and click and until the plug in is removed no part of any audio on any track will play.

This is a bug that has affected only another plug in or two in many years of testing, and i am sure it will affect logic too then, but it is an awful bug that can cause discomfort listening also. But i guarantee it's a bug in the AU.

the vst so far seems ok.

Thanks for testing and reporting this ttoz.
I will check it and fix it asap (there must be a "not a number" somewhere which pollutes all the audio path

Best regards
Xavier

[Lotuzia]

the vst so far seems ok.

there is something really delicious in the sound happening with the filters that i haven't heard sound quite so "organic" in previous delays.

The problem i am having is, as gorgeous and easy to use as the gui is, and i am testing on some drum loops, i actually can't get my head around how to operate the thing to strike on the certain beats.

Hi Theo glad you like the sound ( well I'd say its THE essential part of a musical unit )

So to create the mask, just look at the beginning and end of this video :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vE8s1z3pDBQ

In this video the idea was to process only the snare drum out of a drum beat, and make live variations with it. So I choose only 1 bar for the lenght of the grid, and then I created two short masks on the second and 4th beat of the bar ( wich you can see on the video )

Creating a Mask : Just Left click in an empty area of the Grid, and drag to the end of the new Mask.

Deleting a Mask ; Just right click on it

Moving a Mask : Click in its area and move it in real time. This might be the best way to determine the area where it should act "by ear"

Editing a Masks : You can change its lenght by freely moving the left and right locators, again all this is done in real time while your loop or recorded material plays. You can also quantize the locators by using the Snap function.

I'd suggest you begin with some multi masks presets, these presets can be found in the IMS category ( Insert Multi Mask Sync ) or BMS one ( Bus Multi Masks Sync ) Then delete the maks you dont want, and eventually keep only one, and move it, then edit it, until it does what you want. Then eventually create some other masks to process other events in your loops.

Frequency Selection : To create standard delays use one of the LPF filters with a hi cut-off. To process only bass drums or toms try LPF with lo/avarege LPF settings. To extract snares, use BP filters, then to process only HH or similar events in a loop use the HP filters.

Hope this helps.

LtZ