Link: Venom VB-303 VSTi (Beta release)

[mztk]

might not be a bad idea to have a little temporary
'pre'-beta, to check out functions, all running smoothly,
in-context feature requests/refinements???

nb: have had occasional trouble with two etc instances
running, including 'song load lock-out'(eg instant crash),
on non-multi-core CPU ;-/

[mudpeople]

Yeah, I agree you should release an RC version

Im vibrating in my chair in anticipation...



When I click the 'waveform type' switch (1 or 2 not saw/sq) sometimes the audio spikes and, well idk what you'd call it, its like it burnt out but still works slightly with gnarly distortion (not a good thing). I bet you've already fixed the issue, I figure too much feedback is better than not enough . (Win7 x64 running Ableton 8.2.2, also happens in Renoise, and i think i recall it happening on teh old x86 desktop too)

Im having more fun with the thing by the minute I was rocking the env mod knob at my buddy's place with just teh trackpad and surprisingly it was pretty good for that... Now Im wondering if I can map the trackpad to the x/y somehow....?

[antto]

uhm, maybe record an audio sample of the spike
but i suspect it's normal audio buffer underruns
since the square wave algorithm usually is much more complex than the sawtooth

i don't know about this "trackpad" thing
the X/Y control in the beta versions is simply linked to the cutoff and envmod knobs

in the v1.0 release, eventually, both saw/square waveforms will be generated all the time, so, cpu usage will be the same as if you're using the square wave, but at least it will be "constant" cpu intensity, not so "spiky"

during my week-off, i managed to make some more progress:
PitchMode - works great, only need to fix some LED behaviour, minor stuff
TimeMode - almost done, waiting some info for this one..
Pattern Manipulators:
- Shift
- Reorder
- Approximate Notes
- Randomize
- Manipulator-MASK (sets a "mask" which is used by the modifiers)
- Manipulator-KeyList (sets a list of note Keys which are used for the Randomizer and "Approximate Notes" algo)
- Manipulator-RandomProbability (todo) (tweak the probabilities for the randomizer)
- Transpose (todo)
- Mutate (todo)

then, the two TAP-write modes and it looks like the whole PatternEdit mode is complete? (yeeey)
right now, this thing cannot save or load neither patterns nor memory
gotta do something about this too ;]
that's all for now

EDIT: well, i recorded two silly demos, in case you wanna hear em
http://www.box.net/shared/if6of0r4i4tu9uoh1qcx <- first test of the Randomizer on a chain of 4 patterns (equivalent to a pattern of length 64 steps) sounds odd, it's all notes from the black keys on the piano (and some 707 drums)
http://www.box.net/shared/q708ht3s61g6lvcucaqs <- was testing a "clicking" module i made, it produces a clicking sound when i press the buttons on the sequencer (and the sound is supposed to be like real button clicking)
you can hear how i go thru PitchMode there, and then, i mess with the Reorder manipulator and some other stuff i forgot

[mudpeople]

I mean the mouse thing thats part of laptops



OMG... I was drooling before in anticipation...


I dont know what im doing now buts more than drooling....



Ive shared the VB with everyone I know who would like it, and everyone loves the sound, I just have to reassure them the GUI isnt final yet Thats the only complaints Ive heard


edit;
http://www.livelab.dk/touchpad2midi.php

thats what i was thinking of, controlling the x/y

[mztk]

think switches would be good as click, rather than click n drag
(2 position ones, eg saw/square)
if you use *png (you use bitmap), you can have a 'hit area' that
has a transparency of 1(out of 255), which you won't see but will
let you grab:click in that area. if you see what i mean..

[antto]

i use both bmp and png
and in SE, BMPs can also have a mask (as a sepparate bmp file)
i've already made all the buttons have a HUGE hit area, altho you would rarely use the mouse to click on them
the rotary switches (BANK and FUNC selectors) and the waveform switch would use my new RotarySwitch module, you'll see ;]
erm, so the waveform switch will not be "click=toggle" but the mouse sensitivity would be "better" as well as the "visuals" (i mean, it will visually look like you are applying force to make it switch)
don't worry about these ;]

[mztk]

that demo sounds absolutely fantastic (er, what mods have you
done on your x0x?...), so probably best to have faith in
whatever it is you're doing

[antto]

the two audio demos were not from the x0x ;]
i _did_ mod the x0x tho, desoldered a bunch of transistors here and there and soldered sockets, and trying out different transistor models ;P~
also had to replace the original cables (which connect the io board with the main board) because they got torn out of the PCBs (oops)
but it works (damn the x0x is SOLID)

[mztk]

yeah yeah, i mean the plugin is sounding really good,
so if your x0x was the reference...well at least you
managed not to destroy it then

[mudpeople]

isitreadyyetisitreadyyetisitreadyyetisitreadyyetisitreadyyetisitreadyyetisitreadyyetisitreadyyetisitreadyyetisitreadyyet???????\


Im still drooling.

And by no means do I want you to rush; the longer we wait, the longer you have to make it PERFECT.

Used the last beta to play along with a dj set in Live, and I managed to not crash it once

[antto]

hi, i just completed Time and Pitch mode
this took quite some time (i was a bit depressed, then ill.. then i got on my feet again)
i wanted to make sure i fully understand how these work on the 303, because the pattern format and buffer mechanism is the foundation on which i'll be building more complex stuff, i wanted to get it right ;]

[mztk]

2cv has an interesting video on the tap mode entry.
he inputs notes first, then taps the rhythm.
i'd be inclined to do it the other way around, but..
look it up. i think it is part of the essence of the separation
of time and pitch modes ;]

[antto]

yes, this is the "Tap-write" mode (with the metronome)
you write some notes, then you go to tap-write to "tap" the time data on the go
so this is essentially like going to TimeMode but here, the sequencer generates the time data depending on how you tap the buttons
and as i mentioned, i plan to make a tap-pitch-write
--------------------

yesterday i figured there is a problem
i saved as VST just to see if it works on my older machine
and something ugly happened - it didn't work
it gave errors about not being able to load 4 of the modules
why.. i don't know
but i recently updated my GCC compiler, and these 4 modules i've been recompiling them with it
that's the only thing that makes sense
there is no reason for it not to work on my other machine, and i was shocked

why it does this with the newer versions of GCC - i don't know (can't find answers anywhere)
so i'll try installing an older version of GCC and recompiling the modules with it
cross your fingerz

[mztk]

while you do...

thee mc202: seem to remember you can tap in the
rhythm first, then go in and edit the notes after
(including duration, accent, slide etc.) check that
with rv0. the principle shoul dbe similar on both
machines; not guaranteed though.(202 is a PITA, bcs
you lose all sequence data each time you switch it off,
and only get one sequence/pattern to work with. it is
the great flaw in that machine)

can you it this way round with the 303? eg: rhythm first,
notes after?(since you define acc+slide after, also...)

[antto]

yes, on the 303 you can enter notes first or time first
but there is a side note
if you enter the notes first, then select another pattern - the notes you entered *might* get rewritten by the other pattern (depends on pattern length)
this is due to the way the buffers work on the 303