Fathom Synth Development Thread

[thecontrolcentre]

Of course if you want me to get crazy with this thing, I can. But I'd need to get an okay from you to do that. Because I don't want to create a lot of "unnecessary" work for you depending on how crazy you yourself want to get with this thing. I mean do you REALLY want to start getting into making math modules, slew limiters, and, shudder the thought, Buchla style oscillators?

Then youll love Audulus, its a technical synthhead's dream, cross platform and affordable.

Though you probably couldnt monetise it as the user community isnt geared that way

http://audulus.com/

or free check out AnalogBox

https://sites.google.com/site/analogbox2/download

Awesome. Thanks for linking

[FathomSynth]

People, lots of stuff today. Sorry for the delay, I got immersed in coding all day yesterday.

Wagtunes, I’ll try to get the simple ADSR modulator and new multiply modulation type into the features right after the MAC release.

VariKusBrainZ, Thanks for the suggestions. Both Furthrrrr Generator and Audulus look really really cool. Monsters like that make me realize that while Fathom may have modular signal flow, it cannot be called “Modular” to the same degree as those synths. I’m putting those on my short list of synths to try along with Serum, Avenger and uHe’s Diva.

Elassi, You are absolutely right about the modulation curves. Currently there is no modulation curve and this feature is really needed. This too will also go on the short list of features to be done after the MAC release. Specifically in regard to the mod range on the frequency dial, the frequency dial on the filters is a non-linear dial since the frequency scale is logarithmic, meaning that you want essentially the same dial range from zero to 1000 as you want from 1000 to 10K. This means that the same modulation amount will appear to cover a larger amount of the dial range at low frequencies than at high frequencies even though internally the modulation range over the frequency is linear and not curved in any way. This is by design. That being said, it still needs to have mod curves as part of each modulation slat, which I will try to add soon.

Scrubbing Monkeys, That sounds like a real bug. The issue being “Note velocity selected as the modulation source is having no effect when modulating the modulation amount for a modulation which targets the filter cutoff frequency.” I will make sure that is fixed in the next release.

Elassi, I’m pretty sure that the purchased zip file is not password protected because I did not want people to have to look for a password when they first buy the product.

Also, just a heads-up, the next release will have a resizable UI.

[elassi]

Specifically in regard to the mod range on the frequency dial, the frequency dial on the filters is a non-linear dial since the frequency scale is logarithmic, meaning that you want essentially the same dial range from zero to 1000 as you want from 1000 to 10K. This means that the same modulation amount will appear to cover a larger amount of the dial range at low frequencies than at high frequencies even though internally the modulation range over the frequency is linear and not curved in any way.

Ah, I see. Thanks for clarification.

[Scrubbing Monkeys]

Also, just a heads-up, the next release will have a resizable UI.

Wow! the worlds best GUI just got flexible.

Why is this so easy for some Devs and an almost un climbable mountain for others?

[FathomSynth]

Because I planned ahead and made it a data driven resizable interface from the start. I just had to find time to change a few hard coded graphs to resizable also before releasing it officially.

[Scrubbing Monkeys]

Because I planned ahead and made it a data driven resizable interface from the start. I just had to find time to change a few hard coded graphs to resizable also before releasing it officially.

[Scrubbing Monkeys]

Spending some more time with note velocity as a modulator, I noticed....

Currently it is not possible to delete note velocity as a modulator.

Note velocity does not function when used with other modulators on same target. I should say that I only tried one example.

I assigned a adsr envelope to the filter cutoff. Then assigned note velocity to the filter cutoff as well. It does change somewhat depending on type (add, mult, bipolar etc ) but not in a way you would expect.

for example

When you combine an adsr envelope with key tracking to a oscillator volume, both modulate the volume together. The envelope shape is maintained but the overall volume follows the keytracking settings.

What does the send knob on the delay do?

[FathomSynth]

That's odd, I tested note velocity with other mods and it seemed to be ok.
But I will test all your scenarios more deeply here when I debug it.
I will also test the keytracking and ADSR combination.
I will make sure it is all fixed for 1.0.16.

If you expand the note velocity mod slat and hit the Delete button it should delete it. I just tried it now and it works, give me more detail on when it's not deleting.

On the Digital Delay audio effect unit, the Send Mix dial sends the signal for that channel to the other channels. This gives you the ability to bounce and multiply the delay effect from one channel to the other, which is important for ping pong effects.

Specifically the Send Mix dial controls how much of the channel dry and wet mix is sent. All the way left sends only the dry, all the way right sends only the wet, the middle sends both in equal amounts.

The two dials under it control where it goes.

For example you could turn the Dry Mix on the left and right channels to zero, then put a delay on the middle and send it to the left, add an additional delay in the left and send it to the right, and finally the additional delay on the right, then put on your ear phones and enjoy.

[wagtunes]

Quick question. What actually controls polyphonic/monophonic modes on this synth? I am asking because I had one patch that was playing polyphonically and then all of a sudden went to monophonic. I looked at the polyphony control and it was still set to 16 and yet I could not play more than one note at a time. Very strange.

[FathomSynth]

Fathom can not yet run in polyphonic mode if Glide is enabled, so if you move the global panel Glide dial up from off it will all change to monophonic.

This will be changed in the near future so that it stays polyphonic for glide and can do glide-able chords, but it will be a little tricky so I will have to do it after the MAC release. The reason it is tricky is because, to do a polyphonic glide you have to match the notes from one chord to the next to each other in keyboard order and and then glide the pairs, and also handle the case when the number of notes is not equal.

If it changes from poly to mono for some other reason then it is probably a bug, in which case email me the patch and I will check into it, and make sure it is fixed for 1.0.16.

Goodness! I just noticed your sound bank list, did you really do factory presets for those synths? For Avenger, Synthmaster and Omnisphere?

[Scrubbing Monkeys]

The set up for the note velocity combined with another is:

Master velocity set to default = 0

insert basic oscillator
assign adsr 1 to osc volume
insert VA ladder filter
assign adsr 2 to cutoff

all is good

assign note velocity to filter cut off.

at this point the note velocity shows up with multiply selected. There is no volume. Adjusting the note velocity modulation strength has no affect.

change the note velocity type to add

volume returns but note velocity has no affect at any strength.

If you expand the note velocity mod slat and hit the Delete button it should delete it. I just tried it now and it works, give me more detail on when it's not deleting.

It all makes sense now....... I had accidentally deleted my filter a few times because the note velocity wasn't expanded. With other modulators there is something to see on the page (envelope or lfo or keyboard). With note velocity it stays on the filter page but the center text changes to note velocity.......GOT IT . Thanks

On the Digital Delay audio effect unit, the Send Mix dial sends the signal for that channel to the other channels. This gives you the ability to bounce and multiply the delay effect from one channel to the other, which is important for ping pong effects.

That makes sense

This is still one of the coolest delays out there. Any plans to release it separate?

[wagtunes]

Fathom can not yet run in polyphonic mode if Glide is enabled, so if you move the global panel Glide dial up from off it will all change to monophonic.

This will be changed in the near future so that it stays polyphonic for glide and can do glide-able chords, but it will be a little tricky so I will have to do it after the MAC release. The reason it is tricky is because, to do a polyphonic glide you have to match the notes from one chord to the next to each other in keyboard order and and then glide the pairs, and also handle the case when the number of notes is not equal.

If it changes from poly to mono for some other reason then it is probably a bug, in which case email me the patch and I will check into it, and make sure it is fixed for 1.0.16.

Goodness! I just noticed your sound bank list, did you really do factory presets for those synths? For Avenger, Synthmaster and Omnisphere?

Yes, I've done 55 sound banks in all so far, releasing one for FM 8 today. I'm hoping to one day do a set for Fathom when it's "officially" released as a non beta.

[wagtunes]

Oh, one last question. How do you get back to a blank screen? I don't see a default preset anywhere or any kind of initialization function. I guess I could just save the opening screen as an init patch but if something already exists, that would be great.

[Kumi_27]

I just noticed your sound bank list, did you really do factory presets for those synths? For Avenger, Synthmaster and Omnisphere?

Wagtunes will make soundbank for almost every synth if only the GUI is readable
But in most cases they're not the "factory" presets.

[wagtunes]

I just noticed your sound bank list, did you really do factory presets for those synths? For Avenger, Synthmaster and Omnisphere?

Wagtunes will make soundbank for almost every synth if only the GUI is readable
But in most cases they're not the "factory" presets.

The only VST where my sounds were included in the factory set was for The Mangle.