Melda freebies and step sequencer

[mabian]

Hello,

I am trying to use the freebies step sequencer (I have registered them so I should have the sull featured versions).

In particular, I would like to use MTremolo with its step sequencer to modulate volume in steps instead of using the standard shape controls.

Is it possible? I have pushed the arrow button under "Shape" and I can see the step sequencer, but I don't seem to understand how it works.

Also, why changing step number the grid doesn't change accordingly? It's a bit hard to design a step sequence when the grid is not aligned to the bars...

Am I missing something?

Thanks,
Mario

[mabian]

Uhm maybe I figured it out, I was using the "harmonics" section instead of the step sequencer one, anyway the harmonic grid has the problem I mentioned...

EDIT: the MFree suite is amazing and so underrated...

- Mario

[MeldaProduction]

Hi Mario,

ok, I'm a little lost here, can you send me some screenshots or something? Step sequencer is pretty straightforward and you don't need the advanced settings at all. Just set the step sequencer to 100% and number of steps say 8. Then you need to synchronize to the host probably, choose for example "1", as 1 bar.

[GaryG]

I think mabian is referring to how if you set the number of steps to anything other than twelve (or a multiple/factor of twelve), the bars you draw don't align exactly with the background grid graphic.

Can't say I personally see it as a problem, always assumed the grid was 'eye candy' nothing more.

And, yeah, the free suite is a great bundle, thanks!

[mabian]

Yes, I think I messed up things a bit.

Now that I think I'm ok with the step sequencer, even after watching the various videos (had to put my jaws back up a couple time at least ) there are a few things I don't seem to get:

1) This is what I reported before: the background grid - vertical - lines for step sequencer and harmonics panel do not resize when number of steps is changed - I expected them to change, but as GaryG pointed out they are there probably just there for eye candy - currently.
Please consider an FR to have them adapt to step number (and another for vertical values snap to user definable steps).

2) What do the two panels that show up when you click "harmonics" represent?
I seem to understand this is an alternate mode compared to shape, but
I haven't yet found docs about it...

3) What does the bottom arrow button between "Shape" and "Harmonics" do? I guess it does some kind of transfer from shape to harmonic, but I'm missing some details.

4) I don't understand how the "Mono+Stereo" mode can process separately mono and stereo content (as mentioned in the help), given that there's just one set of controls...

Probably there's some connection in points 2, 3 and 4, but I'm sure I'm missing something.

Using version 7.04.

Thank you,
Mario

[MeldaProduction]

Ok Mario, so:

1) Yes, currently it's just a grid, that's all. I'll add it to to-do list.

2) The thing is, every shape can be expressed as a set of harmonics. E.g. sine is just the main fundamental. Saw contains all harmonics etc. Sometimes it is useful to control the shape not using "shape" itself, but using the harmonics. It is probably useless for tremolo or autopan, but great for oscillator.

3) The arrow converts your current shape to the harmonics representation. It won't be a match, because only a few harmonics are used, but that's kind of a point too.

4) M+S simply processes the signal by using Mid and Side channels instead of L and R. If you want to process M and S separately with different settings, just create one instance in M mode and the other in S mode.
Btw. :

[mabian]

Hi Vojtech,

thanks for the explanations, actually question 4 came out just after seeing the video you linked

I think got it now, M+S allows processing the M and S channel instead of L and R, so that they can be separated (shift) them apart by using the Phase control.

Now the only unanswered question is why there are two different bar sets for harmonics section, are them one for L and one for R (or one for M and one for S in M-S mode)?

Thanks!

- Mario

[MeldaProduction]

Well, M+S processes M and S channels, and the truth is this is more like a creative thing, usually you won't do that as these 2 channels have quite different meaning, while L and R have more or less the same, just different output.

About the 2 bars - the first one is magnitudes and the second one is phases. I think the best is to just take MOscillator and play with it to see how it sounds. It's not very useful for tremolo and alike.

[mabian]

Ok, thanks again, looking forward for the next update

- Mario