Cytomic "The Scream" stomp box distortion plugin

[Funkybot's Evil Twin]

Can we set the overall depth of the randomization beyond just the 1x or 5x option? TAL does a nice thing on their synths (in the SC panel) where the randomization depth is controlled by a single continuous knob, then pressing random gives you a new seed.

[andy-cytomic]

Can we set the overall depth of the randomization beyond just the 1x or 5x option? TAL does a nice thing on their synths (in the SC panel) where the randomization depth is controlled by a single continuous knob, then pressing random gives you a new seed.

You get 0 to 100% scaling from the sliders, which is then boosted up to x5. Are you after more randomisation than that?

PS: it would be easy enough to change the x5 to x10 instead, and then set each fader to 50% if you want x5 with 100%, and that way there is a higher maximum depth of randomisation. Past that if you use mutate you can get /10 and x10 every single press, so your values can be up to /1000 and x1000 with 3 presses of mutate.

PPS: pressing the randomise / mutate buttons use a new set of random values that you can then adjust both the x1 x5 and % faders to adjust the depth those numbers are applied

[farfadetfarfelu]

Interesting new features, for my needs the possibility to just slightly alter the components value on one or both side of the stereo image to give a little more stereo depth would probably be useful.

[Funkybot's Evil Twin]

Can we set the overall depth of the randomization beyond just the 1x or 5x option? TAL does a nice thing on their synths (in the SC panel) where the randomization depth is controlled by a single continuous knob, then pressing random gives you a new seed.

You get 0 to 100% scaling from the sliders, which is then boosted up to x5. Are you after more randomisation than that?

By sliders I'm assuming you mean the Depth 100%? If so, then that'll do it. I was watching early in the morning and on my phone and either didn't make out the label or just wasn't fully alert yet. They don't look like faders either, but I would've figured it out if I was watching on a bigger screen. So I guess Mono depth sets the "baseline" value to be used in the model and on mono/left signals, then the Stereo depth sets how much of an offset there is on the right channel? Makes sense!

[andy-cytomic]

Interesting new features, for my needs the possibility to just slightly alter the components value on one or both side of the stereo image to give a little more stereo depth would probably be useful.

In actual stomp boxes everything is pretty much 10% tolerance, so setting both faders to 10% will do the trick to get physically realistic results and have a subtle stereo spread.

[andy-cytomic]

By sliders I'm assuming you mean the Depth 100%? If so, then that'll do it. I was watching early in the morning and on my phone and either didn't make out the label or just wasn't fully alert yet. They don't look like faders either, but I would've figured it out if I was watching on a bigger screen. So I guess Mono depth sets the "baseline" value to be used in the model and on mono/left signals, then the Stereo depth sets how much of an offset there is on the right channel? Makes sense!

Yep, the horizontal faders with % are for mono and stereo depth. The algorithm generates two random numbers, r1 and r2 which are in the range [-1, 1], then then combines them:

left = mono*r1 + stereo*r2
right = mono*r1 - stereo*r2

So it sounds like you're covered, but I think I will still make the x5 a x10 instead to allow for more sound exploration.

[andy-cytomic]

Not shown in the video, but you can also click on any component and edit their value, and you can enter values in stereo with a "," between them, eg: "10.1u, 0.98u".

I'm pretty sure this is the first time in any analog modelling audio software you can manually enter in stereo, or randomise in stereo _all_ parameters of an analog model. Some software allows you to edit in mono a few limited component parameters, but this is next level stuff and will be the focus of Cytomic going forward so each instance of the plugin can be slightly different, which is what happens in the analog world and really helps with increasing perceived stereo width and making things sound richer.

[vitocorleone123]

Not shown in the video, but you can also click on any component and edit their value, and you can enter values in stereo with a "," between them, eg: "10.1u, 0.98u".

I'm pretty sure this is the first time in any analog modelling audio software you can manually enter in stereo, or randomise in stereo _all_ parameters of an analog model. Some software allows you to edit in mono a few limited component parameters, but this is next level stuff and will be the focus of Cytomic going forward so each instance of the plugin can be slightly different, which is what happens in the analog world and really helps with increasing perceived stereo width and making things sound richer.

I always thought it would be interesting to have an option for analog modeled plugins where the user can choose to click a button (etc) to randomize those kinds of tolerances and it would lock in and be unchangeable and unique, just like analog hardware. And then allow trades. Maybe a small fee to the developer to unlock it.

Of course, just being able to change them is great, too! Still leads to uniqueness. And, really, it takes a developer willing and able to create those individual component differences to empower any of it.

Quite exciting.

[bmanic]

Anybody know what the latest beta release is? I'd love to try this out again after many years of not using it!

Also, have there been any issues with it running on Mac M1 processors? I see the official 1.0.8 release works just fine in Rosetta translated mode but I'd like to get my hands on the latest release.

[andy-cytomic]

I always thought it would be interesting to have an option for analog modeled plugins where the user can choose to click a button (etc) to randomize those kinds of tolerances and it would lock in and be unchangeable and unique, just like analog hardware. And then allow trades. Maybe a small fee to the developer to unlock it.

Of course, just being able to change them is great, too! Still leads to uniqueness. And, really, it takes a developer willing and able to create those individual component differences to empower any of it.

Quite exciting.

I'm all in for customers having unlimited randomisation potential, and being able to save any variation they think sounds good and being able to share them with anyone they want.

[andy-cytomic]

Anybody know what the latest beta release is? I'd love to try this out again after many years of not using it!

Also, have there been any issues with it running on Mac M1 processors? I see the official 1.0.8 release works just fine in Rosetta translated mode but I'd like to get my hands on the latest release.

I've not updated the beta in ages. I recommend holding off for another couple of weeks until the new skin and all the randomisation stuff is ready. It will still be Rosetta 2, but the installers / copy protection will be updated to be more reliable.

[bmanic]

Anybody know what the latest beta release is? I'd love to try this out again after many years of not using it!

Also, have there been any issues with it running on Mac M1 processors? I see the official 1.0.8 release works just fine in Rosetta translated mode but I'd like to get my hands on the latest release.

I've not updated the beta in ages. I recommend holding off for another couple of weeks until the new skin and all the randomisation stuff is ready. It will still be Rosetta 2, but the installers / copy protection will be updated to be more reliable.

Ok! Will do.

Besides, 1.0.8 seems to work very well. I've already created some fantastic mods with it and as long as it runs well in Reaper under Rosetta translation, I don't really mind using it.

[vitocorleone123]

Just wanted to say I'm having fun with The Scream.

I was messing with OPS7 tonight, using the randomize feature and it produced something that was fairly electric guitar like (with a little distortion). So Icopied A to B and tweaked some parameters in both so it sounded like two different "guitars" and then panned one left and the other right like it's double tracked. I then slapped on The Scream, and now it sounds very electric guitar (esp. with some TriceraChorus, Dr Phase, and Valhalla Delay tacked on after).

[andy-cytomic]

News: The Scream Beta v1.1.4 is out. There are many changes here, so there could be lots of issues that may need sorting, so if you run into a problem first please email support@cytomic.com your system setup details (macos / win / daw / and versions of all). Also post here if you want, but I will conduct support via email. I still need to do the manual, and presets, but wanted to get this out so people can have fun with it, and be able to give some feedback for the final release.

https://cytomic.com/products/scream
v1.1.4 (22 Nov 2022)
• New: user interface update (green)
• New: MD mode (selected when the HD switch is off)
• New: Randomisation and Quick Mods page (with undo bar)
• New: schematic based value editing
• New: undo / redo buttons for VST parameters

[jtsterays]

First thing i noticed was the HD mode is a CPU hog ,went from 3% to 30-50% (5800x/W10/FL Studio 20). Is this normal?