SoloRack v2.2 Release, CLAP support and new modules

[Genetic_Junk]

Thanks. The different feedback ranges on the S321 are really useful for finding those interesting sounds just before a patch turns into noise.

[S0lo]

The feedback ranges switch was an after thought that was added in latter versions. The S321 is probably the most misunderstood module in SoloRack. Well, operator FM/PM in general is often misunderstood. I guess thats why Yamaha's DX7 and most that came after it just used fixed algorithms, Instead of giving a total control modulation matrix to the user.

The most important thing to remember (in order not to get confused). Is that each feedback knob works in conjunction with it's corresponding feedforward knob. Dialing one without dialing the other will NOT yield any feedback.

Example: The (OP1,OP2) feedback knob works in conjunction with (OP2,OP1) feedforward knob. (OP2,OP4) feedback knob works with (OP4,OP2) feedforward knob. etc....

Feedback knobs at the diagonal work alone. Since that's the same operators feeding into them selves.

[Genetic_Junk]

Yeah, that makes sense. I tried automating the S321 ratio in Reaper, but I'm not quite getting it to work. Automation is recorded but when played back the ratio value doesn't change. I haven't tried it another host so it might be a Reaper thing.

Here's another weird sound using the S321 and the time parameter on the S500. https://drive.proton.me/urls/2KBH1TDY0G#OS0GkCXdktEe

[S0lo]

Good sporadic weirdness. I have automation of ratio working here in FLstudio. Reaper does have it's own way of doing things. So may be it's just a setting or something. Note that in the case of Ratio, it's not the ratio little screens that are modulated but the up/down buttons beside them. The automation is for those button presses. So you may need to look for that.

[Genetic_Junk]

Turns out it is the CLAP version that doesn't playback the automation of the buttons. Automation has worked fine for all other parameters I have tried with the CLAP version.

The VST version does play back the automation of the ratio buttons, but it doesn't work as expected at least in Reaper. For example, if I record automation of pressing the up button seven times, then on playback the value increases by a number greater than 7. With the same automation data, sometimes it increases by 52, sometimes by 45, sometimes by 49, etc.

If I use a Reaper's built in LFO (set as a square wave) to modulate the button up automation, then it correctly increments. So maybe the problem is how Reaper is dealing with the nodes it creates while writing automation.

Edit: I guess I'll simplify the automation data and do some more testing tomorrow. Maybe I can find a pattern and determine how to get Reaper to work as expected with the VST.

Edit 2: For some reason, the automation of the VST version in Reaper is working as expected this morning. Not sure what changed. But the CLAP version doesn't read automation in Reaper or FL Studio.

[S0lo]

I can confirm that the CLAP automation doesn't work with those buttons. Further more, as you described Reaper does have a problem when playing back those button recorded automation. As if the buttons were pressed multiple times.

May be I'll provide a more robust way to automate those ratios. Should be fixed in the next release.

[Genetic_Junk]

Oops, I was editing as you responded. I'll repeat my edit above in this post.

For some reason, the automation of the VST version in Reaper is working as expected this morning. Not sure what changed. But the CLAP version doesn't read automation in Reaper or FL Studio.

[S0lo]

Here is a quick update to fix the automation problems: https://www.solostuff.net/wp-content/up ... 22.x64.zip

The fix will not work right away, because it's specific to some hosts, so I don't apply it by default. You have to do the following:

Open the file named config.ini you will find in "Documents\SoloRack" folder.

Add the following line under the [Options] section:

automate_only_on_change=1

Save the file, then start SoloRack.

Details:
First, CLAP automation for none knob params never worked. That was a clear bug in SoloRack. This is fixed now even without adding the line above.

Second, It seams that some hosts like Reaper send repeated values for parameter automation even when the parameter doesn't change!!. Also It seams that Bitwig sends "in between" never recorded values!! in CLAP version. The above line will fix that.

I find that for CLAP in Reaper, Write for recording and Read for playing works best. Touch mode seams to have issues.

If for any reason you want to disable the config line above do the following:

automate_only_on_change=0

Or you can just remove the line. Note that I haven't thoroughly tested on other hosts yet.

[Genetic_Junk]

Thanks for the fast fix. I'll test it out this evening.

[Genetic_Junk]

Works nicely. Although, there is one case where it doesn't work. If the button is pressed too fast, Reaper only records two low values and one high value. When read, this doesn't change the ratio. If a second high value is added manually, it works fine. Thanks again for the quick fix.

[S0lo]

Try this in Reaper, After recording the automation. Right click and Select All Points. Then right click again and Select shape for selected points -> Square

This seams to eliminate the play back problems in Reaper.

sq.jpg

ps. SoloRack sends only one point to the DAW on each param change. Every DAW does what it wants to do with that. Some create linear curves, others may add more points etc.

[Genetic_Junk]

Thanks for the tip. Yeah that helps, but for some reason it doesn't always work. Reaper seems to be weird about automation for this type of parameter. What I wrote above about the one high point being the cause of the read problem isn't always true. But it works fine for the vast majority of events I've recorded, so it's not really a problem.

[S0lo]

I'm glad that it at least does better.

I guess it just makes more sense to design those ratio screens to behave like knobs too, not just depend on the buttons. Unfortunately, doing this will affect presets and re-saving old projects. So it requires more careful attention. May be in the next major update. Will think about it.

[Genetic_Junk]

Oh yeah, much better. It would be nice to be able to automate big value jumps with less automation data by having direct access to the ratio value in the automation lane instead of button press.