Buchla 259e Twisted Waveform Generator for modular

[shroom81]

Guy's use the tools you feel comfortable with and like using instead of bickering on the internet about things that matter f**k all, party on

I suppose I have no right to express my frustration when Softube releases a single module at a price close to the host application, especially when their previous modules were considerably cheaper. I'll make a note to myself not to express any negative feelings in the future, lest someone on the internet take offense.

Spend your time doing what you want, I know I'd much rather have fun in my Daw then whining online on forums

but how will i win teh internet if i cant claim i have teh bestest stuff?

With making amazing music

[scook]

Why wasn't there a browser built in?

FWIW, the 3 other Softube plug-ins I have lack preset browsers too.

[S0lo]

Is the Buchla architecture by nature extremely complicated to replicate in software (and thus MUST have a high CPU load)? I only ask because Madrona Labs Aalto is also a serious CPU killer on my quad i7.

As far a I know the 259e is a digital module. Since they have licensed it, they only need to take the code from BEMI and port it into their platform with a few changes here and there to optimize and calibrate. Just like VCVRack did with open source modules. It takes some time, but It's not rocket science. CPU will be high if the original code wasn't heavily optimized. Or was specifically optimized for that modules dedicated hardware.

If the module was analog, then it's a totally different story. They need to resolve the math behind the components and the overall circuit and do loads of more work, or at least model the output. Much more complicated process.

Aalto's oscillator is inspired by the Buchla 258. Which is analog as far as I know (may be I'm wrong). But the manual still states thats it not an emulation.

[aMUSEd]

Why wasn't there a browser built in?

FWIW, the 3 other Softube plug-ins I have lack preset browsers too.

Yeah I just think they had no experience with them, up to Heartbeat they were mainly a mastering fx company - generally presets are not used or needed much so wasn't a priority. But with instruments it's different and they should have realised that.

[Urs]

here's my question. if ACE, which is old, is multi-core, then how come Modular, which isn't old, isn't multi-core?

Because it wasn't coded to use multiple core?

I think ACE gets away with it because it's only semi modular but several devs including Urs and NI have stated how hard it would be to make a fully modular synth multicore - which is why Zebra and Reaktor aren't either.

ACE has voices. Voices can be calculated independently on separate cores, hence multicore. Modular can't necessarily because in a voice-less architecture each module can be connected to anything else, and therefore there's no chance to process sets of modules independently.

It's a design decision. Softtube went for "as Eurorack as possible", which pretty much rules multicore out. A different design with a voice-enabled architecture, while less "authentic", might have been possible.

[spunkmuffin]

Actually, I think the kind of math and DSP coding required in some recent synth modeling, both analogue and digital really is as difficult as rocket science. No joke!

[Daags]

here's my question. if ACE, which is old, is multi-core, then how come Modular, which isn't old, isn't multi-core?

Because it wasn't coded to use multiple core?

I think ACE gets away with it because it's only semi modular but several devs including Urs and NI have stated how hard it would be to make a fully modular synth multicore - which is why Zebra and Reaktor aren't either.

ACE has voices. Voices can be calculated independently on separate cores, hence multicore. Modular can't necessarily because in a voice-less architecture each module can be connected to anything else, and therefore there's no chance to process sets of modules independently.

It's a design decision. Softtube went for "as Eurorack as possible", which pretty much rules multicore out. A different design with a voice-enabled architecture, while less "authentic", might have been possible.

How feasible would it be to design a eurorack-esque modular, but one in which you could 'freeze' the configuration so that you could avail of multi-core support ?

so for example, in single core you would use the modular environment as normal, adding and removing modules, adding and removing cable connections between the modules .... until you've got a patch you like. Now you hit the 'freeze' button, and the plugin/app locks the cable configuration and 'builds' a version that can avail of multi-core ... which would allow you to tweak the knobs and faders of the used modules, as you'd expect, but wouldn't allow any changes to cable connections or adding/removing modules .... until you 'unfreeze'


Wishful thinking, or eureka moment ?

[BasariStudios]

This is not surprising. There is a license involved, a license of a product that itself is super expensive, just like all Buchla stuff.

Yes, you are right...except this Module besides the look of it has nothing else to do with a 259e.

[PapaG]

This is not surprising. There is a license involved, a license of a product that itself is super expensive, just like all Buchla stuff.

Yes, you are right...except this Module besides the look of it has nothing else to do with a 259e.

I hardly think Buchla would have licensed it if this was in fact the case.

[Daags]

They didn't just license it, one of the Buchla engineers was part of the development (Todd Barton)

[spunkmuffin]

Sounds great to me.

Softube Modular Buchla 259e Twisted Waveform Generator. First Look, Demo with Sounds

[pdxindy]

Sounds great to me.

indeed... sounds excellent!

regarding the people complaining about the price... it is quite a complex module with an Osc that includes wavetables, plus the modulation Osc and various modes. Does not seem out of line price-wise to me.

[justin3am]

They didn't just license it, one of the Buchla engineers was part of the development (Todd Barton)

I've met Todd Barton at NAMM, I don't think he's an engineer for BEMI. He's a performer and composer who uses a lot of Buchla gear and does promotional stuff with them. Not that it matters, I'm sure since its licensed, there was some cooperation.

The 259e is an interesting signal generator. 2-Op FM and wavetable stuff in the same module. But it's just one part of a well thought out system. Sequencing patches with the Arbitrary Function Generator and the Preset Manager. The Multi-Dimensional Input and it's touch controller. It's an incredibly expressive and interactive system. I'm sure it would be a lot of fun playing the 259e in Modular, with the Roli Seaboard.

[himalaya]

This is not surprising. There is a license involved, a license of a product that itself is super expensive, just like all Buchla stuff.

Yes, you are right...except this Module besides the look of it has nothing else to do with a 259e.

Even if this module has no other relation to the original hardware, and does not capture the sound, let's suppose that, Softube still had to pay the licence for the official use of the name.

[lnikj]

This is not surprising. There is a license involved, a license of a product that itself is super expensive, just like all Buchla stuff.

Yes, you are right...except this Module besides the look of it has nothing else to do with a 259e.

Are we assuming then that if Todd Barton is not a BEMI engineer he is a paid corporate shill for endorsing it? I somehow doubt it.

Softube are analog modelling experts and I doubt this is just a code port; it's not their style.

I guess sooner or later we will see some comparison on Youtube (with crappy audio) that seeks to establish how close the sound is.

Or does anybody here have the real thing?