[FR] MSoundFactory - Modulation, Generator Feedback, Copy+Paste

[E_Anderson]

Generator Feedback:
Polyphonic feedback effects arising from nested filters+saturation in the feedback path, or custom chains inside of comb filter paths, can be played in wide open chords featuring very complex and spectacular tones resulting from carefully-tuned feedback paths. Monophonic feedback makes a great example of how good just one voice can sound. I recognize just how CPU intensive this could potentially be, but in the context of MSoundFactory's capabilities and CPUs getting better and better, I harbor all hopes this feature will come through at some point. Why not TurboFilter? One, for more flexibilty with parameter modulation and two, "visual programming" is much easier to grasp for most users than text editors.

Modulation Workflow:
It's a lot easier to move quickly when you don't have to either remember things from variably long ago, or click through (multiple) windows to see which modulator is affecting a target/what other targets it's affecting. Below is a very poor mockup, but something like this that gives both visual feedback that we can more quickly relate to what we're hearing and tie (by memory) to certain activities within the sound, with some quick controls like speed/ADSR would be super, super useful for making patch design more transparent, which is probably what I and I imagine most others (who may struggle with using the software) hope for.

I hope that reducing effort spent navigating the software, and increasing speed at which users can take ideas and render them in the software, and providing more visual information to guide the user in doing what they want to do, might help more people feel less intimidated and more empowered when faced with the kind of power available in MSF.

MSoundFactory mockup.png

It's nice to be able to move as fast as possible. This is part of what makes MSoundFactory/other Melda plugins seem opaque to people, is where menu diving is necessitated by a lack of informational presentation/curation/availability.

Related, faster modulation workflow might include the following:

- Ability to access a modulator target from the modulator screen itself. Utility modulators list their targets and allow for adjusting range/transformation from there - it would be a workflow improvement to also include that information on the polyphonic modulators, and further to be able to go to the parameter itself from that modulation screen as well. Currently there is a map button, but this is slower and is another task that takes one out of sound designing and into navigation.
- In an arrangement like the above, ability to minimize modulators in the bottom modulation row, and for them to glow or otherwise indicate that they are the modulator of a given parameter when hovering mouse over that parameter.


Quick Copy+Paste:
Lastly, it would be a nice QOL improvement when building preset modules involving a lot of repetition (comb filter banks for example) to have a mouse modifier shortcut for drag-to-copy for modules, rather than right click --> copy --> click on menu --> paste, with spaced-apart mouseclicks. Or to otherwise have Ctrl+C, Ctrl+V work with selected modules (but where would it paste, lol)

Being able to ctrl+shift+drag to copy a module immediately, for instance, would be one solution I'd enjoy.

Thank you very much for reading!

[smadger]

Not sure how possible feedback in the generator section would be, I can imagine it being particularly tricky to implement, but I love the idea, add my +1. Something similar to ctrl+shift+drag also sounds like a win if possible.

[E_Anderson]

Having MComb in the generator section by itself would be cool, but I think the whole feedback module would get so much more mileage when you could chain filters + allpass filters, saturation and whatnot inside of that Comb feedback path. I would take MComb in addition, though...

I tried the GenerateCustomMod modulating Set technique, and it does create feedback within the generator section, but it does not sound nearly as clean as the feedback module lol. I am not even sure it's intended behavior, but it's the best option currently available inside of MSF. I am not sure if Feedback Machine in Falcon nor whatever Kilohearts eventually releases are able/ever going to be able to achieve the same 1 sample buffer feedback as in MXXX, but if anything even close can make it to the generator section, it would be amazing!

*Falcon's feedback machine is a delay that goes down to 2ms. I wonder how low poly feedback can go?

[jmg8]

You may be interested to know that Resonator IS the comb filter. By default, it follows pitch, but you could turn this off. In the feedback loop are a low-pass, two all-pass and a saturator. Maybe full feedback will be possible one day , but this can be a lot of fun for now.

[E_Anderson]

You may be interested to know that Resonator IS the comb filter. By default, it follows pitch, but you could turn this off. In the feedback loop are a low-pass, two all-pass and a saturator. Maybe full feedback will be possible one day , but this can be a lot of fun for now.

It is although it is minus the highpass, minus the inversions and minus the 3 (or X?) extra bands to make the whole process a little quicker, ...which is very valuable.

Having the all passes and saturation in resonator is great, for sure. I like it, ... there are just inconsistencies between modules like this that have me scratching my head sometimes. Just with MComb alone, awesome cinematic basses and pads are possible; some of what gives that character is suddenly not available in an otherwise more advanced module?

TurboFilter too isn't the same as poly feedback, either, really... The FX chains are "freed" in the latter. I really would love generator feedback.