FXpansion releases Cypher2

[pdxindy]

You also need to go and find the mod source in a 'mod matrix' type of design. Is this clunky as well? There is no getting away from having to select a mod source, but once its done, it's plain sailing as you apply modulation to anything you see in from of you on the main synth panel. I haven't found a quicker mod system yet, bar the one implemented in Alchemy (a reverse of Transmod), where we go to the mod destination instead and then apply a mod source, but yet again, we need to select the mod source from a drop down menu with so many options. There is no escaping this. It's not clunky, it's options.

I think it feels worse because double click reset doesn't work. Also for me because I am using my laptop and trackpad. So I am constantly needing to use 2 hands. Cypher is too right click heavy. A single click should pull up the mod sources.

Those are not the problem of the Transmod concept... just the not very good implementation in Cypher.

There is no visual feedback of what is being modulated. You have to either hover over a slot or select it to see what it is modulating. I think an option to show a mod list in the area where the browser is (swappable) would be very helpful.

[pdxindy]

With the second part of your post, are you refering to the 'via' option in a mod slot? Simply give it a constant value of 1 to return it to its original state (one which is not modulated by a secondary modulator). But you are right, the visual cue there isn't very good. Cypher 1 had a more clear representation/division of the mod source and the 'via' mod, the secondary one.

One should be able to remove the via source... currently there is no way to do it without removing the primary source.

.

There is. Both the mod source and the secondary mod ( the 'via) are fully independent. See the manual.

So how do you remove the Via source? Also, I have no idea how to set scaling for the Via Source.

[pdxindy]

I still prefer drag and drop modulation and still find the transmod a huge challenge, but some love it.

But what is so challenging? Select a mod source and paint the mod amounts anywhere you please?

Drag&drop slows down the workflow and simply aids in developing RSI, as you are asked to constantly click on the mouse and drag it with the value pressed via the mouse click. If I'm sitting with a synth 24/7 this constant dragging can be felt...

I agree... I like the transmod concept. It is my overall favorite. The weakness in Cypher is you cannot see what is being modulated except by selecting or hovering individual mod slots. And the Via slots is confusing.

That is how Bitwig works... what is great with Bitwig is that if you select your device, the inspector shows every modulation source and all the targets. You can either display the list sorted by source or by target.

[zvenx]

I still prefer drag and drop modulation and still find the transmod a huge challenge, but some love it.

But what is so challenging? Select a mod source and paint the mod amounts anywhere you please?

Drag&drop slows down the workflow and simply aids in developing RSI, as you are asked to constantly click on the mouse and drag it with the value pressed via the mouse click. If I'm sitting with a synth 24/7 this constant dragging can be felt...

It slows me down since I need to go to a mod source, click on it, drag it to a mod destination, then - and this is the crucial bit - if I desire to work with this mod source - I need to go back to it, drag again to another mod destination, and go back, and drag, and do it again...and again...it's this very method which is clunky.

With the TransMod, once I select a mod source, I am then free to assign as many modulations as I wish. I don't have to keep going back to my mod source and drag anything. This is the crucial difference.

So as an example, when I work with velocity, to make the sound respond nicely to note-on dynamics, I select the TransMod slot with velocity (always available by default) and then I just paint modulation as I please. My sound becomes dynamic in half the time it would take to drag&drop an equivalent amount of mod assignments.

So, look at TransMod as canvas and paint: select a mod slot (a colour) and then paint onto the canvas (assign to any and every knob and slider in front of you).

if indeed it was the end all be all, other developers would have started to use it since SS1. You mentioned maybe Alchemy to some level? (edit: actually I just looked back at alchemy and I actually find that one easy to use as well...)
Different strokes for different folks.. some ppl love Live, I can't figure out why.. ...
I prefer either the drag and drop of u-he or the right click assign of omnisphere..
or probably the best of them all is xfer serum.....
those work better for me.....not for you clearly....
I find transmod, live, reaper and quite a few others confusing ... some love it...ppl have different work flows.


rsp

[yellowmix]

What is the purpose of the dual LFO? It appears to be 2 single LFO's but with a couple of shared parameters. I would assume it means you can create complex shapes by blending main and sub together. Doesn't seem to do that though. Am I missing something?

It does get some interesting results to modulate PW and Phase of the LFO by itself. I'm getting some lovely tones in general! But man, that GUI is tough to like

Each Dual LFO has a main LFO and a sub LFO with a rate that is a division or multiple of the main LFO and a possibly different shape. They share the same gate, phase, swing, and pulse width. This divide-down probably doesn't make much difference from a development viewpoint but it's musically advantageous as modulation is often pleasing when it is mathematically related to each other. And since the sub LFO is always related to the main LFO, you can modulate the main LFO and affect both rates proportionally, simultaneously.

So you can have a LFO1 modulator and a Sub-LFO1 modulator acting on the same target to create interesting LFO shapes, or on different targets such that one is modulating at a rate half as fast as the other target. I've also been using it at the same rate (1) with one set to a Sin and the other to Cos, then assigning them to the X/Y controls on the Euclidean modulator to create circle and spiral paths (you need to use Maths to create a spiral).

[lastmessiah]

I've also been using it at the same rate (1) with one set to a Sin and the other to Cos, then assigning them to the X/Y controls on the Euclidean modulator to create circle and spiral paths (you need to use Maths to create a spiral).

Cool, thanks for the tip

[Elektronisch]

1. I installed the Demo.
2. Launched FL Studio
3. Opened the plugin.
4. Played few presets. Sounds gorgeus.
5. Moved some faders in FL mixer, same bug as with Strobe 2.
6. Uninstalled the demo.

Why fxpansion? Why you dont fix the existing problem since V1? :-O

[softska]

I agree... I like the transmod concept. It is my overall favorite. The weakness in Cypher is you cannot see what is being modulated except by selecting or hovering individual mod slots. And the Via slots is confusing.

That is how Bitwig works... what is great with Bitwig is that if you select your device, the inspector shows every modulation source and all the targets. You can either display the list sorted by source or by target.

+1. Great during programming, not so great trying to figure out what to modify or how you programmed it.

Alchemy also suffered the same problem when all the mod require a bunch of clicks to find out what is behind, but they do have a very robust set of macro controls

Used to think it is a good trade off but have to admit not a fan anymore for synth. For their effects range I thought it was bloody good thou (Etch/Bloom/Maul) - and of course they discontinue all of them

[Tj Shredder]

@himalaya, just assuming you are responsible for the majority of the factory sounds...
May I express my deepest appreciation for the quality of your 5D sounds?
If the transmod system allows to quickly create that expressivness, I don’t need any other argument to support and learn it...
It is just fun to play those sounds with a Linnstrument, maybe even more than with a Seaboard. Any standard, non expressive controller cannot even come close. Only this technique can make a synth sound become to be alive...

[himalaya]

There are a few people involved with the 5D presets, Rory and Mayur and myself. But thank you for the compliment. It means a lot, mostly because it's not easy to make playable 5D presets, that in the end, have to be understood by many people of various experience with MPE controllers. The 5D presets stand to be the most misunderstood...

The 5D presets are finely tuned to the Seaboard RISE, so I don't know how well they translate to the Linnstrument. Hopefully you will have found enough that play well.

There are some cool presets with lots of harmonic movement. Try the Dirt Ribbon patch as an example. It uses multiple ring-modulators for a poweful, rich sound.

[Tj Shredder]

To adapt Seaboard optimized sounds to the Linnstrument is easiest with Equator because without even touching a manual, the expression curves jump in your eyes...; - )
In the end I only need to adapt the cc74 curve a bit. With the Linnstrument I bend my finger across the y axis, whereas the Seaboard has a much longer path to travel. Its easier on the Linnstrument and thus you tend to have sometimes too much cc74 expression...
I am still fiddeling with the demo, have to wait a bit to finally buy it... ( I certainly will...)

[svart]

love it so far
(random test with blackhole) https://soundcloud.com/savrt/cyph

[KingTuck]

Hoping to hear from Angus soon about the memory leak. This is a great sounding synth but I'm a bit surprised such a large issue hasn't been addresses yet in almost a week since launch for a $200 product. Come on guys! This synth is too good to be burdened by this kind of issue

[zvenx]

See first post.. He took some much needed days off.
Also is it currently preventing you from working with it?

Rsp

[KingTuck]

See first post.. He took some much needed days off.
Also is it currently preventing you from working with it?

Rsp

I know he's taking some time off, it's just been almost a week.

To that strange question, yes. Of course. It bloats up my memory usage when flipping between presets until I need to reload the project. Why such a weird question? A memory leak like this is a major bug, name me one currently supported product that's left a leak like this in the software because people were somehow not prevented from working with the software despite it.

I'm just hoping for some support for the product soon because I like it.