KVR Audio

antto · Post by **antto** » Mon Jul 23, 2012 6:48 am

electro wrote:Is this any improvement over the d16?

well.. it's different i guess
i have concentrated in bringing the actual sequencer interface of the TB-303 which i think is not the case in none of the existing "clones" or "emus"
of course my sequencer interface won't be 1:1 (since i'm not reverse-engeneering the actual code) but the behaviour of the sequencer is similar, slightly improved maybe
you basically have something that looks like a TB-303, and the same things PitchMode / TimeMode.. same rules apply to patterns, yet the transpose range is extended with one octave as in most emus/clones, blah blah..

d16's has a sequencer too, but as far as i've seen it's interface hasn't been "derived" from the TB-303
while you can do the same kinds of patterns as on a TB-303 with it - it gives you a different feeling/workflow compared to a different sequencer interface (be it a x0xb0x, or a FR revolution, or ABL)

also, the TB-303 has triplet patterns
i don't remember whether d16 has triplet mode?
x0xb0x has it only since recently, i don't know about the hardware clones
..ReBirth doesn't have it
ABL2 has it
so maybe this goes on the "improvements" list

the way you play the sequencer is also an important aspect
for software emus (VST plugins) it's a bit different since the environment is different and you got piano rolls and midi all over the place

on the TB-303 you got PatternPlay mode, where you can chain up to 4 patterns and transpose them, and it's "live" so you can use this for jamming and recording.. you can change the patterns on the go
there's also the Track mode, where you can pre-program what pattern plays when (and with what transpose) so you can construct a whole song

obviously the software emus don't need Track mode, because they are already sitting in a DAW which has sequencer.. or do they?
as for PatternPlay mode most of the emus have also changed how it works.. a common way is to trigger a pattern with a midi note (like ABL and Venom beta does it)

now the new Venom actually goes a little crazy you might say.. it behaves like the TB-303
PatternPlay and PatternEdit are the same as on the 303
so you hit RUN and the sequencer starts playing, then you can chain up to 4 patterns.. you know
Track mode in Venom is not going to be implemented (maybe in a next version some day)

and excuse my long posts

antto · Post by **antto** » Mon Jul 23, 2012 6:52 am

to put it simple: the new Venom would be oriented to people who love the whole TB-303 together with it's "limitations" and "quirks" (specifically the sequencer)

geoslake · Post by **geoslake** » Tue Jul 24, 2012 9:34 pm

antto wrote:to put it simple: the new Venom would be oriented to people who love the whole TB-303 together with it's "limitations" and "quirks" (specifically the sequencer)

I do love limitations and quirks

mztk · Post by **mztk** » Wed Jul 25, 2012 7:08 pm

antto wrote:mztk: c0nb0x is for connecting to the x0xb0x, flashing firmware, import/export patterns, and pattern editing (basically it's an alternative to the c0ntr0l app)

tap-write - no, i don't have it in n0nx0x, i implemented it in Venom after i "freezed" the n0nx0x firmware project

mods: i have reso-boost (R97 replaced by 10K pot) C29 reversed (as in 303) and calibrated envelope minimum decay time to rv0's 303 (desoldered a resistor and soldered another one with specific value)
i've also desoldered a bunch of other interesting components and soldered sockets (like Q8 Q9 Q10 and a few capacitors..)
the poor thing survived all this abuse ;]

dinsync: hm..
the mode "PATTERN (DINSYNC)" is Pattern Play using dinsync input
thus in this mode the x0xb0x is slaved, and since the DinSync port is just one, it is interpreted as an input
so the x0x syncs to dinsync and also converts it to midisync

in the stock firmware the "PATTERN EDIT" mode is just using internal sync, for some reason they didn't implement slave mode
sokkOS did, so maybe check it out
i think i also did implement slave mode for pattern editing in n0nx0x, but i don't remember, and specifically the dinsync in n0nx0x could be non-working since i haven't had any way of testing it myself (i don't have any dinsync device)

much thanks for making alternative to control01 app

x0x sends out dinsync as master in play mode no problem; not tried in slave.

i like your accent decay parameter on the venom beta. have you done that on your
machine? essential mod, imo.

antto · Post by **antto** » Thu Jul 26, 2012 12:07 am

no, actually that was a bad idea
the accent sweep (that famous "WOW" sound) is based on the actual cutoff envelope, thus changing the decay time impacts on the type of "wow" you get
the decay time on accents better remain fixed, as it is on the 303
it just sound wrong if altered

mztk · Post by **mztk** » Thu Jul 26, 2012 6:25 pm

if you're going for strictly 'purist', yes.
but it adds some nice variation in the beta2's
sequences. parameters that i think do not work
are pulse width on the square, for example.

antto · Post by **antto** » Thu Jul 26, 2012 8:04 pm

all these things went in the garbage
2nd oscillator, PW, acc-decay, slide curves

so basically imagine the functionality of a stock x0xb0x, with fairly no mods
well, there ARE some of the internal trimpots as on the x0xb0x thus this can be considered as tweakability
TM3 - adjusts VCF's cutoff tuning (as in Roland's manual about calibration)
TM4, TM5 - adjusts the VCO's octave width and offset
and some tiny "mods" now:
R97 pot (reso boost mod) - who wouldn't love this ;] MAH CAT?

slide adjust - since the slide is actually a RC lowpass filter, i will add an adjuster to cover the usual range where it might differe from unit to unit

my point is.. imma add those "internal" tweakable things which are either a "must" or are important to cover the tolerance between different units, or are part of the calibration process (ehm except the PSU and 5.333V and that kinds of stuff)

rola · Post by **rola** » Fri Jul 27, 2012 5:19 am

Any plans on releasing the sonogram?

antto · Post by **antto** » Fri Jul 27, 2012 10:07 am

yes, originally i wanted to release it, but..
it has some nasty bugs, which makes it unreliable

for sound input i used winMM / waveInOpen() or whatever it was..
the app also crashes/freezes on exit (i kill it with device manager)
and the scrolling isn't very smooth in some situations (it seems when the audio buffer skips (when CPU is too busy doing other things))
also, there are no kinds of options or settings, it just uses the "default" audio device at 44100/16bit

on the other hand, now i do have some experience with the Allegro library, so maybe i could try and re-write the app..
i was really frustrated that there isn't such a stereo sonogram app made yet, it's THE tool for comparing 2 different signals which have to be identical (in realtime)

xybre · Post by **xybre** » Sat Jul 28, 2012 10:50 pm

The video sounds awesome. I like that we get all the different betas with different features, its like having different synths entirely. You've done a lot of awesome work on this, I'm looking forward to playing with the next beta.

fischkopf · Post by **fischkopf** » Sat Aug 11, 2012 11:45 pm

Any news on a new beta version?

mztk · Post by **mztk** » Mon Aug 13, 2012 6:54 pm

read above

sleek · Post by **sleek** » Mon Sep 03, 2012 7:33 pm

Really looking forward to this!

emef · Post by **emef** » Fri Sep 07, 2012 6:32 pm

any news on a new beta version?
i made this track with the current venom beta
great 303 clone

http://soundcloud.com/michael-forshaw/m ... onkey-dont

JoaCHIP · Post by **JoaCHIP** » Tue Sep 11, 2012 6:53 pm

I just tried it. Excellent! Highly recommended.

Link: Venom VB-303 VSTi (Beta release)