Aly James Lab VSDSX 2.0

[DrGonzo]

A master clock is what runs the whole systems and is always subdivided or scaled for many operations.
Without getting too technical this also means that the sampling rate needed to output a special note/key is created from a division of the Master Clock and it is not linear, you will loose some resolution at some point and the note's frequency is not always perfect.
CMI version IIX can sample in 10bits with a clever trick (a rare option did offer a 12bit format compressed with companded rule) but the sampling rate is around 32Khz Max(do read the maximum sampling rate allowed to actually sample the outside world).
The other important thing is that the playing rate can be way higher than that, as the machine will clock the data at whatever sample rate the tuning/key implies and this is a crucial point.

I love reading stuff like this. Send me a PM if you want help with factory presets when you're getting close to release! I'd gladly be a part of something this cool

/C

[Aly James]

A master clock is what runs the whole systems and is always subdivided or scaled for many operations.
Without getting too technical this also means that the sampling rate needed to output a special note/key is created from a division of the Master Clock and it is not linear, you will loose some resolution at some point and the note's frequency is not always perfect.
CMI version IIX can sample in 10bits with a clever trick (a rare option did offer a 12bit format compressed with companded rule) but the sampling rate is around 32Khz Max(do read the maximum sampling rate allowed to actually sample the outside world).
The other important thing is that the playing rate can be way higher than that, as the machine will clock the data at whatever sample rate the tuning/key implies and this is a crucial point.

I love reading stuff like this. Send me a PM if you want help with factory presets when you're getting close to release! I'd gladly be a part of something this cool

/C

Want some more? The Qasar M8 (Fairlight CMI as it was before Fairlight actually license Tony Furse's creation in 1975) was capable of working with 128 Harmonics instead of 32 which was the later standard for Fairlight FFT synthesis or analysis.

[DrGonzo]

Want some more? The Qasar M8 (Fairlight CMI as it was before Fairlight actually license Tony Furse's creation in 1975) was capable of working with 128 Harmonics instead of 32 which was the later standard for Fairlight FFT synthesis or analysis.

That's actually really impressive for being back in the 70s. Must be fun to go through all those old documents and reverse engineer stuff! Today we solve our problems by sheer power, but back then you had to find ways to solve things.

/C

[electro]

Aly James is a treasure providing some of the most meticulously emulated difficult-to-obtain vintage hardware ITB for relatively little money. You must ignore the naysayers and support this business model SO IT CAN CONTINUE!

The asking price for VSDSX 2 is extremely low and the upgrade is nothing. Wouldn't you prefer talented indie developers not need to hold a separate day job and be able to put out several times more product in shorter dev cycles?

[XpanderDude]

I'm using this on Logic Pro X - I put the presets in the correct folder, and click on the 'presets' button on the actual instrument, but nothing happens. Am I doing something wrong?

[tigralaegis]

I'm using this on Logic Pro X - I put the presets in the correct folder, and click on the 'presets' button on the actual instrument, but nothing happens. Am I doing something wrong?

Did you figure this out? I'm having this problem in ableton.

[Aloysius]

I'm using this on Logic Pro X - I put the presets in the correct folder, and click on the 'presets' button on the actual instrument, but nothing happens. Am I doing something wrong?

Yes! Try using Reaper instead.

[djmino02]

Sweet! I love vprom and vsdsx!

Regarding the piracy of plugins, how would a developer even know if their plugins are being pirated?

I used to download "pirated" music and tried on a few plugins that didn't have demos, but it's not worth the hassle to me. Plus, I don't like the whole idea of stealing someone's intellectual property that they choose to share with the world. Especially if it's for a "donation".

[tigralaegis]

Turns out I had placed the presets in the wrong presets folder. All good now thanks to AlyJames.

vsdsx and vprom are awesome! Well worth the price!

[starla*]

At least there is some development going on!

It all seemed slowed down to zero.
As an example: his Samplight Fairlight simulator still has the status "comming out soon", exactly like it has been for a couple of years now.

Yeah. It's a shame. But I think that when a child expands the family, all your plans goes out the window. But I still think he'll release something eventually.

/C

I had a loooonnnnnggggg adaptation time to set a new environment to work with, good news is that its done so I can restart everything that was on hold
SamPlight is my biggest project to date.. started as a simple Fairlight CMI voice reader to become a full blown CMI IIX system.. did you ever read the original manual with 200+ pages, do not ever read the service ones
Reverse engineering lots of voice and params structures (notably instruments files and FFT synthesis saved params) was done the old school way, looking at the memory state of a real CMI IIX system..
At some points I was able to transfer disks between SamPlight and the real CMI IIX system to fine tune.
Even the graphics were done the same way, trying to keep the original behavior and look which is IMO part of the experience.
If you ever tried a real one you could tell for example how it behaves when you are drawing harmonic curves, look at the scaling of the FFT...
I can say it is 90% done and will be released in 64bit and Win/Mac
here is an old quick demo

Beta soon?

[VariKusBrainZ]

I see that he hopes to have a release of SamPlight for this Christmas !!!
To coincide with Fairlight's 40 years celebration

[EdSfer]

V2.0.2 Update
Includes updates for VSDSX and CLaptrap

Fixed wrong status on MIDI Map after a Map Reset.
Better support for Direct-X graphics (fix crashes on older systems).
Hihat fix wrong velocity always affecting Hihat bend instead of sensitivity.
Multi Out switch will stay consistent even on patch change througout the life of the instance.(it now resets to off on Project recall so don't forget to put it back on if it was, this is a tradeoff to avoid the annoying resets on preset change)
GUI fixes and color changes.
New keyboard control mode (claptrap).
Fix control voltages limit in key control mode(claptrap).
Catalina / Big Sur fix (Mac)
Auval fix (Mac)
Automation and preset system fix (Mac)
Now signed and notarized by Apple (Mac)

So, basically only bug fixes. What bothered me though:

I Need YOU again

Well Piracy happened again, after VProm I recently got aware that VSDSX got the same fate. This is still a BIG deal for a one-man business as every sales count. For years I have been offering super low access prices, I never really followed economics, taxes increase etc... while I understand piracy and the free for all concept, economic reality is what it is and I always need to adjust quickly if things got tight.
I decided to request support for the 2.0.2 update which will be the first and last paid update for VSDSX before v3.0.
While new things are in the R&D stage, past work is what feeds the actual work and like I said before I am now throwing piracy into the equation. I hope this won't force me in the end to turn on permanent paid updates...time will tell.
I am releasing publicly the last VSDSX 2.0.2 update for a support fee starting at 5 Euros, those who can afford to support more than the minimum are very welcome to do so.

As you probably know, Aly James Lab is only me, there is litteraly nothing between me and the end user.

So, yeah, it's happening again, 5 euros for a minor update. I'm all for supporting small developers, against piracy and all, especially I love Aly James plugins, but I think it's getting quite ridiculous. And I think this kind of attitude could do more harm to his business than piracy. I'll pass on that one and might pass on future Aly James products. Sorry for the rant.

[briefcasemanx]

Yeaaahhhh the plugins sound good but I'm not paying for minor updates, sorry.

If you need to charge more for the plugins do so, don't bait and switch after someone's bought your plugin.

I'm super into 80s drums, especially Linn, but I'll stick to my other drum plugins unless this changes. Also don't currently own any Waves plugins but at least with them you know what you're getting at the time of purchase.

[Goony]

Same here, love the plugins, but I will not pay for minor updates/bug fixes.

He will lose more customers than gain by this method.

[Aly James]

Same here, love the plugins, but I will not pay for minor updates/bug fixes.

He will lose more customers than gain by this method.

I get it might be misleading but let me put this in perspective:
The only time I asked for small support (5€) for an update which was not for a major version change was:

• Vprom 2.0.4 in 2018

So between 2014 and now, this is the only time that it happened.
now I ask for another small support(5€) for

• VSDSX2.0.2 in 2021

For both of them I clearly stated that these are the last support request for an update until next major version upgrade.
I am willing to think that I won't need this in the future.

I used very low pricing since I started (as low as 15€ a plugin), I never do sales as the price is low enough and never change.

So between 2014 and 2021 I asked for a 10€ support...calling this "punishing"?
does it look like I am robbing somebody?
should I have just up the asked price? maybe, I choose not.

I am accepting critics, even bashing, that's the game, you don't do anything public if you don't expect to be trashed and loved at the same time.
I try to be fair and deliver good sounding stuff without breaking the bank.