Quiver: developer asking for beta feedback

[ralphb]

Beta 11 has just been released:

http://straightarrow.dk/quiver/download/

bob bobwood, I still need to remove the extra download link, I know!

[jonahs]

Thanks for sharing! As a digital synth I think it has heaps of potential. I really like the WOSCs! It's like my k5000 crossed with Massive. I'm not too keen on the effects and the filter could use some modes with more character. The ability to name modules is a nice touch.

I listed some changes that would improve the experience for me roughly in order of importance. But basically, more modulation and you've got a winner.

About the GUI I'd like the text to be a bit thicker and have slightly more contrast directly behind it.

Oh, and here's another vote for an AU version. An option to install for all users would be nice since that's where all my other plugins are. I tried copying the vst to the correct directory, but it did not show up.

Functionality:
-Internal modulation of more parameters. I want to assign LFOs to the wosc op controls, etc.
-The MIDI parameter control, I don't even...hex?
-Duplicate individual modules.
-Samples as ops.
-More ops!
-More scaling/spreading options in ops.
-simple 8 or 16 step sequencer as modulation source.
-Mixer with more than 4 ins / An additional column hardwired as mixers.
-Copy and paste effects and modulation between patches.

Usability:
-Alt/CTRL clicking to unwire a module.
-Mousewheel to change parameters while hovering over a knob/slider.
-Drag and drop modules. Especially on the effects and modulation pages there is a lot of free space.
-An on/off switch for the effects and modulation pages.
-Delete to delete a module.
-Shift clicking to select multiple modules.
-Individual bypass options.
-Ability to replace modules.
-Arrow keys to move between selected modules.

Best of luck!

[s_t]

-Internal modulation of more parameters. I want to assign LFOs to the wosc op controls, etc.
-Duplicate individual modules.
- Step seq.

I just wanted to say these are in my list too. Some controls in wosc operator doesn't seem to be "realtime". While they are recalculated there is some clicking in the sound. However, it would add some stunning possibilities if they were real time (IMO).

The latest beta has been working very nice so far.
Good work

[ralphb]

Thanks jonahs and s_t for your thoughts. I'm listening.

jonahs, could you explain what you mean by "More scaling/spreading options in ops"?

Module copy/paste is a high priority, and a step sequencer or similar is a good idea. As for modulating the wosc, as s_t says generating the wavetable is difficult to do in realtime, and downright impossible if you've enabled the paderizer. However, I hear what you're saying and I'll think about it. One pretty straightforward solution would be to generate multiple layers that you can crossfade/morph between, ala massive.

jonahs, most of your usability suggestions are good, and stuff I'll have to try to get around to as soon as possible.

[ralphb]

Beta 13 is out:

http://straightarrow.dk/quiver/download/

[mudpeople]

I dont have any technical feedback just yet but so far Im enjoying Quiver

[akson]

I had a quick run on quiver, here's some notes I made:

- Modulating destination with it's full range without use of gainer in between.

- While in legato mode with long release, you can get 2 or more voices playing at the same time, if you play new key while last note is fading out.

- LFO rate is nasty to drag from knob (works smoothly by midi & modulated).

- LFO & OSC phase reset on key press.

- Drop down menus for filter, osc types + other parameters where it makes more sense to select option from list than press button and see what comes next. Envelope hard/soft release + hold option could also be drop down or maybe on/off button would be more logical.

- While dragging parameters, mouse could disappear or stay where it is so you're not limited by screen size. Also i'd prefer only vertical movement, somehow confusing when parameters are affected by both axis.

- Envelope in global modulators to create ducked delays, verbs, etc.

- No modulation on reverb? Dry/Wet levels at least could be to avoid having extra gainer just for that.

- OSC as modulation source.

- Triangle & sine for basic osc?

- Sample player.

...

Love you're plugin and hope it stays affordable. Have been looking for zebra & alchemy, but can't afford one at the moment.

I'll do some proper testing when I get a change.

[ralphb]

Thanks Akson, that's some really good feedback.

[ralphb]

Quiver 1.0 has been released. Get it here:

http://straightarrow.dk/quiver/

There now also a Straightarrow forum here at KVR. Please feel free to reply and start new topics there: http://www.kvraudio.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=192

Changes:

• Demo mode. Quiver will start glitching after about 15 minutes of usage if no license file is present.
• Significant performance improvements on Windows.
• GUI performance improvements for Windows and especially for Wine. (Reported by Sesse, Thanks!)
• 29 new presets by Ed Ten Eyck, 19 new presets by Punqtured, for a total of 105.
• Had a baby girl, took some paternity leave.

[nay-seven]

Congrats ralphb for your daughter ! don't use this time too much to debug, she need you (the mom too )

[jonahs]

Thanks jonahs and s_t for your thoughts. I'm listening.

jonahs, could you explain what you mean by "More scaling/spreading options in ops"?

Heh, it's been a bit too long to be 100% sure. I usually write these things after I've stayed up all night playing with the program! I think I meant "mathematical" functions. For example, you have "remove every" and "Pow (x)" now and it seems like expanding on this could produce good results. In addition to remove what about half every, or double? I was also thinking more scales and ratios? Perhaps something more complex and possibly Pythagorean? Math often produces musically rich results, but is a pain to create by hand. That's why the ops that you already included were one of the more exciting aspects of the program for me.....I wonder if a simple custom equation op would be feasible.

I discovered that Quiver really wants you to route modules left to right if they are in the same row, which solved my issue with needing more mixers.

Bug? In the effects page you can drag a module onto the voice mix, which will swap them.

About the realtime wavetable issue, maybe could you render all the audio to disk? I wouldn't mind waiting one time.

I forget, is an Audio Unit version in the works?

[Shabdahbriah]

Don't know how I missed this, but just watched your vid and Quiver is marvelous!

Does it load *user* single-cycle waveforms, and/or user created wavetables???

If not, then that is my only request, based on what I have seen and heard.

I'll be purchasing it anyway, as this is definitely a "no-brainer" for the price. Thank you, for THAT!

ATB...

[ralphb]

That's why the ops that you already included were one of the more exciting aspects of the program for me.....I wonder if a simple custom equation op would be feasible.

Thanks for the clarification. I see what you mean, and it's a good point. Actually I'm really happy to hear you say that, I was afraid this approach might be too technical. It should also be possible to save wavetable oscillator settings. As for custom equation, since the wavetables are precalced, it MIGHT be possible. But that's even more geeky than the current approach

Bug? In the effects page you can drag a module onto the voice mix, which will swap them.

Yes, that it is a bug, thanks. It's fixed, will be included in the next release.

About the realtime wavetable issue, maybe could you render all the audio to disk? I wouldn't mind waiting one time.

I don't really think writing all of the possible wavetables to disk is feasible, since that would be a huge amount of data. However, I see a couple of other options, both are variations of wavetable oscillator.

1) It might be possible to update the wavetable in realtime, so you could modulate all of the operator parameters. However, this would NOT work if the paderizer was enabled, so that would have to go.

2) You could setup a number of wavetables and have a crossfade knob to mix them. Kind of like Massive, but you get control over the wavetables. Might be useful in conjunction with oscillator presets. It's still hard to do for paderizered wavetables, since they take up a lot of memory. Each paderized wavetable uses like 30 megabytes of mem as far as I remember.

I forget, is an Audio Unit version in the works?

It's definitely on the TODO list, but it's probably going to be a few months before I get to it.

[ralphb]

Does it load *user* single-cycle waveforms, and/or user created wavetables???

If not, then that is my only request, based on what I have seen and heard.

Not at the moment, but I've had many requests for something like this, so it is high up on the TODO list. Unfortunatly I don't really know anything about sample/wavetable file formats. Pointers/thoughts?

Thanks for the praise

[Shabdahbriah]

Does it load *user* single-cycle waveforms, and/or user created wavetables???

If not, then that is my only request, based on what I have seen and heard.

Not at the moment, but I've had many requests for something like this, so it is high up on the TODO list. Unfortunately I don't really know anything about sample/wavetable file formats. Pointers/thoughts?

Thanks for the praise

I'm not at home, nor able to be on line long enough for a lengthy explanation on "formats", so I'll direct you to:

http://www.camelaudio.com/alchemymanual ... raw-files/

If you keep it simple (for yourself), and stick with a pretty-much industry standard and readily available "fixed" length, e.g. "2048" samples @ cycle, the majority of those who want this feature should be content.

If you develop/integrate "wave-table" functionality, which utilizes these "waveforms", either one which loads "pre-joined" contiguous single-cycles like Alchemy, OR a *look-up table* approach ala *Waldorf* would be AWESOME... a generic brand implementation of the latter might be as follows:

The above "waveforms" reside in folder(s).

The "look-up table" is simply a *LIST* (file) of waveforms which constitute a given "wave-table", and *pointers* to where they are located (formerly in ROM).

A "wave-TABLE" is comprised of a *fixed* (BY YOU) or variable number of waveforms... lets say you fix at 20. The obvious *minimum* waveforms residing in any given folder must therefore be "20", if that is what YOU establish as your practical "limit", and/OR helps with the implementation of this feature. You can LIMIT the number of waveforms 'per folder' also, if this helps.

Some people would most likely want usable number of waveforms to be variable, or at least a choice of several optional lengths (quantities).

A feature to *create* user wavetables, would select/allows FOR the selection (via a 'browser') of those 20 waveforms to be 'played" in a sequence. There SHOULD however, be an option/ability for playing the same "waveform" any number of times, in any sequence or any 'position' within a wavetable.

Typical "options" for play-back are from left-to-right of the waveform - forward, reverse, forward-backward, and random.

Ideally there would be a facility to SAVE that/the 'sequence', for future use.

A "random" or "randomizing" feature for the selection from the available waveforms within any given "folder" would be really cool!!!

[aside] If any of the above would be problematic re: "paderizer", then simply 'auto-disable' (over-ride?) it, when this function is selected/activated.

[2c]

I haven't loaded it yet, so I don't know if Quiver has "audio in" capabilities. If so - . If not, then that would be request #2.

A *SCOPE* to view waveforms would be #3.



[edit] http://www.sonicspot.com/guide/wavefile ... ataformats may be useful to you.

ATB...