One Synth Challenge #159: Surge XT (j5v Wins!)

[baconpaul]

Wow this is great! Very nice that you joined forces with the Bitwig team.

Btw. how do I enable CLAP support in 4.3b2?

There’s a config file (config.json) at different locations based on os where you put clap : true.

https://github.com/free-audio/clap

About 3/4 the way down that page toh can find them (that says 42 but it is true for 43 beta also)

[kylebenjamin]

First off, my apologies if this (possible) bug has already been addressed. Here's my issue:

After loading an instance of the VST3i version of XT in my daw (Reaper 6.57 running on OSX), any time I reopen the plugin, the GUI window size is tiny (54%). I've set the default zoom to different values (125%, 150%, etc), but when I go to reopen the plugin, it defaults back to 54%. This specific problem resolves itself if I use the AU instead.

I fully admit that the issue may be with me and not the synth, so I welcome any insights. Thanks.

Update: it seems that what triggers this issue is when I pull up the plugin specifically from the mixer panel in Reaper (as opposed to the track control panel).

In case anyone thought of replying to this, you may disregard; it's an issue with Reaper, not Surge.

[jemaudio]

Managed to create a little something with Surge XT; what a powerful synth! Here is my entry for this month; time to let it shine across cyberspace. Hope you enjoy it.

https://soundcloud.com/jemaudio2/orange ... al_sharing

Made in Reaper 6.57 with 27 instances of Surge XT and the following FX.
Reaper Stock FX:
ReaEQ, Transient Controller, ReaLimit, ReaDelay, Volume Adjustment, Ping Pong Pan

3rd party FX:
Tukan: Dis-Treasure, SumThing, LA-1A
Geraint Luff: Droplets
Saike: Nostalgizer
D16 Frontier
Nitsuj ReEQ
lkjb: Luftikus, ReFine
Airwindows: StereoFX, Air
TDR Nova, Limiter No6, Kotelnikov
Xfer OTT
Valhalla Supermassive, FreqEcho
Dragonfly: Room Reverb, Hall Reverb

Analyzers:
Voxengo SPAN
Youlean Loudness Meter 2
Goniometer

[] Peter:H []

Second question: I'm curious about CLAP. Would it be possible to build a per-voice Modulator for Bitwig with it?

I missed this question

The answer is "yes". https://youtu.be/uIN8DhAytgw shows polyphonic modulators, and [...]

Hey Paul and Evil thanks for your answers,

I think my second question was not really clearly put:
I was asking you guys, as experts in using the CLAP API, whether it would be possible to create a new Bitwig Modulator plugin like ADSR or Random by using the CLAP API. Or is CLAP only able to crreate Audio/Midi plugins in a more "traditional" sense.

The questions background is: A per-voice MSEG modulator is missed by some BW users. And if it would be possible to add one in form of a CLAP plugin that would be great. It would open the door for 3rd party modulators ... I read through the CLAP API and some of the examples but I wasn't able to find the answer myself...

[baconpaul]

Hey Paul and Evil thanks for your answers,

I think my second question was not really clearly put:
I was asking you guys, as experts in using the CLAP API, whether it would be possible to create a new Bitwig Modulator plugin like ADSR or Random by using the CLAP API.

Or is CLAP only able to crreate Audio/Midi plugins...

I get it. So this is a bitwig question as much as a clap one. The short answer to your question is no, at the 1.0 release point I expect clap hosts will treat claps as more traditional plugins.

The longer answer is more “yes, but”. Nothing stops a program from using clap and the extension mechanism this way but the host program would have to write that code, the plugin would have to implement a custom extension, and today the host programs use clap in a more traditional plugin sense.

We’ve chatted in the clap group about uses beyond a single bulk plugin and have made sure the design of clap doesn’t forbid that. A daw could write a custom extension for a non plugin use, a clap plugin could implement it, etc. Similarly we want to make sure we can use clap in other less traditional or non-daw contexts. The architectures and api allow that, but both the hosts and plugins would have to exist around an extension which isn’t a goal for the next month or two that I know of!

[Rahodees]

Alright this may be the final-for-the-month version. Don't know if I need to explicitly say this but I'm submitting for the single INSTANCE challenge as well as the one synth challenge.

https://soundcloud.com/kris-rhodes-8525 ... al_sharing

Made in Reaper using a single instance of Surge XT*, as well as Reacomp, Realimit and MEqualizer.

*And approximately one metric bazillion automation envelopes

[Rahodees]

(The present post is accidental, can be deleted)

[zipidowski]

My entry
https://soundcloud.com/zipidowski/moody-rollercoaster

28 instances of SurgeXT

DAW:
Studio One Professional

FX:
Studio One Pro Eq
OTT by Xfer
Panflow by Audiomodern
Wider by Infected Mushroom
LoudMax64 by Thomas Mundt

[Double Tap]

https://soundcloud.com/taptapdoubletap/ ... co-bakchod

Ableton Live

16 instances of Surge

Ableton Effects:
Compressor, EQ8, Device Randomiser
and Utility + Limiter on each track

SurgeXT effects x 10

Actually I did also use YouLean which says it's -14.9 Lufs.

[jemaudio]

Hello all,
I was made aware on the Discord that I was using Limiter 6 GE which is a paid plugin in my effects. I used this limiter inadvertently as it remained in the master chain from a previous track where paid plugs were allowed during that round. I swapped the limiter for the free version Limiter No6 and adjusted the parameters to match the original level. I also tried the "chain oversampling" option in Reaper and liked the results so the uploaded version of the track also has the chain oversampling turned on.

Good luck to everyone on the challenge!

[doctorbob]

Hello everyone. Here's the latest track from DoctorBob. This time it's an ambient track.

DAW: Reaper
Track details: 23 * SurgeXT, ReaEQ, Oril River, Bass Professor Mark 2, LFX-1310, TAL Dub Delay, Twin Delay, OTT, Surge XT FX
Master: TDR VOS SlickEQ, Ferric TDS, MSED, Limiter No. 6
Meter: SPAN, Youlean Loudness
Stats: LUFS: -14.1, DR: 7

Image (c) Doctorbob, Green Striped butterfly on an opening Allium flower.

https://soundcloud.com/doctorbob/anothe ... f-ambience

[j5v]

Greetings! Here's Surge Storm.

https://soundcloud.com/user-128602629/j ... inRkKEhpnV

26 instances of Surge, with all effects in the Surge patches.

Cakewalk DAW processing:
- Gain on buses, for mixing.
- EQ on final bus: High pass, low pass, small bump at 3kHz.
No compression, etc.

Most instruments use physical modelling features, with some synth sounds.
More description on SoundCloud.

[Boy Wonder]

My entry for OSC #159, Daddy's Little Android, a track which begins as reggae before morphing into electro dance.
https://soundcloud.com/robin-ray-151222 ... al_sharing
DAW: Cubase 12
Synth: 24 instances of SurgeXT
FX: SurgeXT and Cubase 12 built-in

[Leonard Bowman]

If I can just find some time might even join in. I did the other two Surge rounds, first with 2 instances, then one instance. this time fx only? hmmm...
2 mins of silence - with heaps of delay, distortion, chorus and reverb!

Doesn't have to be silence; Airwindows Voice Of The Starship and Tape's degrade settings generate noise, which is all you really need to build a track.

Since i don't have anything else cooking at the moment, I might try to make a 0-instance/fx only track this round

[nenneb]

Hi folks,
again I went for a single-instance-track as this great synth allows quite a lot. Here is my entry:
https://soundcloud.com/nenneb/singlesurgeaffairwav
I made it on MuLab9 using only one instance of SurgeXT plus some Reverb, Delay, EQ and Limiter. Please find details on Soundcloud.
Hope you like it! And good luck to all of you!