Fathom Synth Development Thread

[newluc]

Hi Everett,
For me vst3 means that the plugin perform better in my system(Cubase as DAW) respect to his vst2 counterpart, plus the things already told.
Thanks
Luciano

[haphap]

https://www.steinberg.net/en/newsandeve ... -4727.html

VST 2 coming to an end - May 16, 2018

Late 2013 we announced that the Software Development Kit (SDK) for VST 2 would no longer be maintained and would only be available as subset of the VST 3 SDK. Five years down the line and this transitional phase is now also coming to an end.

From October 2018 onward we are closing down the second version of VST for good. While the VST 2 SDK has been unavailable, and so have maintenance and technical support, the subset within the VST 3 SDK will also be omitted.

VST 2 compatibility with Steinberg VST hosts will remain, however, we recommend to root for the latest version of VST. VST 2 was introduced in 1999 and since then the technology has evolved dramatically. Since 2008, the SDK for the third iteration of VST, VST 3, has been available and since then efforts are focused entirely on the further development of VST 3.

“We appreciate that developers and users alike gravitate strongly toward the VST 3 interface that comes with many technological advancements. By bidding farewell to VST 2, we hope to offer everyone a clear direction,” comments Yvan Grabit, technology lead at Steinberg.

[FathomSynth]

I was sort of hoping someone could tell me the technical reason we need VST3.

"Possibilities" is a bit vague.

Also, more importantly, Steinberg has simply decided that we now use VST3. They are a good company so I'm OK with that.

But just out of curiosity I looked up the features which VST3 adds over VST2. Among them are ...

VST3 effects only perform processing when there is a signal present.
===> FathomFX already does this with VST2.

VST3 has more organized and dynamic automation parameters.
===> Fathom already provides dynamic automation parameters in VST2.

VST3 offers resizable GUI.
===> Fathom already provides this in VST2.

VST3 provides sample accurate modulation.
===> Fathom already provides this in VST2.

VST3 allows Synths (MIDI Input) and Effects (Audio Input) to exist in the same plugin.
===> OK, That is a good one. Yes that is worth it.

In fact I can build VST3 right now with the flip of a switch, so next release will include VST3.

[WasteLand]

I was sort of hoping someone could tell me the technical reason we need VST3.

"Possibilities" is a bit vague.

Also, more importantly, Steinberg has simply decided that we now use VST3. They are a good company so I'm OK with that.

But just out of curiosity I looked up the features which VST3 adds over VST2. Among them are ...

VST3 effects only perform processing when there is a signal present.
===> FathomFX already does this with VST2.

VST3 has more organized and dynamic automation parameters.
===> Fathom already provides dynamic automation parameters in VST2.

VST3 offers resizable GUI.
===> Fathom already provides this in VST2.

VST3 provides sample accurate modulation.
===> Fathom already provides this in VST2.

VST3 allows Synths (MIDI Input) and Effects (Audio Input) to exist in the same plugin.
===> OK, That is a good one. Yes that is worth it.

In fact I can build VST3 right now with the flip of a switch, so next release will include VST3.

indeed 'possibilities' is a bit vague, that is why i used the term. because well, here is your answer.
because i knew, most things already could done. but i am no developer.

[FathomSynth]

OK, Fair enough. I will try to add VST3 in the next release.

[RPH]

I wonder what's next on the Fathom roadmap, GUI processing?
Am asking this because while designing sounds notice there are some workflow stuff I'd like to see added or more fine-tuned.

We've had contact about the Oscillator re-trigger, but these things would also be really nice:
- Several macro knobs to assign parameters to (negative or positive).
- A bigger workspace: where we e.g. can both see the Oscillator settings and modulator settings at the same time.
- Wavetable Osc: switch between slot numbers in the wavetable edit view (and able to copy/paste in that view as well). Notice while editing the slots am constantly going in an out of that view.
- A simple delay (like kilohearts delay). Often a simple one helps for quick results, as I really like the simple Reverb and Chorus.
- Distortion module, with several modes (soft clip, tube, sine fold, etc)
- Resynthesis: e.g. sample the waveform of the metamorphic to be used in the wavetable Osc.

[FathomSynth]

Some excellent ideas. They have been added to the high priority feature list.

I particularly think it is brilliant your idea of being able to stack the modulator and component panels. The interface is resizable so I don't see that would be a problem. I could make it a setting.

People keep asking me for a separate distortion module. I don't yet have any alias free algorithm for distortion. If you mess with the waveform after it leaves the oscillator it will cause massive aliasing which is why all Fathom's distortion is built into the oscillators. If people want that they will have to point me to an algorithm for that, not counting the typical amplitude curve method which is really just overdrive and not really distortion.

Next on the horizon is double floating point audio and analog emulation.

[TommyC81]

Some excellent ideas. They have been added to the high priority feature list.

I particularly think it is brilliant your idea of being able to stack the modulator and component panels. The interface is resizable so I don't see that would be a problem. I could make it a setting.

People keep asking me for a separate distortion module. I don't yet have any alias free algorithm for distortion. If you mess with the waveform after it leaves the oscillator it will cause massive aliasing which is why all Fathom's distortion is built into the oscillators. If people want that they will have to point me to an algorithm for that, not counting the typical amplitude curve method which is really just overdrive and not really distortion.

Next on the horizon is double floating point audio and analog emulation.

This right here. I'm constantly impressed by Chris from AirWindows and Fathom, and Fathom is turning into both AirWindows and synth in one! Surge, stand back for a a second!

All said with the best of intentions, to recognize the truly amazing sound techies roaming these forums! I'm using all the masterpieces from Fathom, AirWindows and Surge on a regular basis.

[glokraw]

Surge has an audio input capability, maybe a bit convoluted, and maybe from a time when Bitwig had not even been on a dreamers wipeboard? But it would be very very cool to have a real distorted guitar output able to be kicking around amongst the fathom modules and effects
(before pressing the post-reply button, it dawns on me that this might be part of what the Fathom Effects version does, so I'm prepared to be recognized as uninformed )

[RPH]

People keep asking me for a separate distortion module. I don't yet have any alias free algorithm for distortion. If you mess with the waveform after it leaves the oscillator it will cause massive aliasing which is why all Fathom's distortion is built into the oscillators. If people want that they will have to point me to an algorithm for that, not counting the typical amplitude curve method which is really just overdrive and not really distortion.

Don't think there is such an algorithm (freely) available, if it even exists.

Everywhere you see digital distortion is being oversampled x amount to minimize aliasing as much as possible.
Wouldn't that be sufficient enough? Am not playing melodies on a keyboard, so a small amount of latency is OK.
Some patches i'm making require softclip or something to push/overdrive the sound and the noise at the same time.
The built in distortion works fine for the Oscillators, can get some nice tones out of it, but not for the noise.
Can do it outside of Fathom for now, that does give me what I want.

[Scrubbing Monkeys]

Yeah that distortion thingy is what drives the whole Amp sim world crazy. There are a few guys that did some open source stuff that was fairly good. I'll see if I can dig that up for ya. AXP comes to mind but not sure if they are open source.

[RPH]

I guess ..for me it's all about using it for electronic dance music. Techno and DnB.

This video shows what I mean, I skipped the first part of building the patch (detuned bass sound). So you start at the point he's adding noise and distorting the whole.

Detuned bass with noise

[Scrubbing Monkeys]

Hey Everett.

Check out Airwindows plugins. Chris has several saturation, overdrive, and distortion that are open source. May be a place for some inspiration. They are usually light weight and no latency.

[jocphx]

OK, Fair enough. I will try to add VST3 in the next release.

Hi,
Fathom is featured on kvraudio.com front page, and advertising for sale at KVR's marketplace for $32.00 but I cannot find anywhere what is the version of Fathom that is being sold for $32.00. Is it the Pro, or is it the Vector?

Thanks.

[RPH]

Hi,
Fathom is featured on kvraudio.com front page, and advertising for sale at KVR's marketplace for $32.00 but I cannot find anywhere what is the version of Fathom that is being sold for $32.00. Is it the Pro, or is it the Vector?

Thanks.

I think it's for the pro version, Vector is more expensive.