Beam by Lunacy Audio - Multi Effect plugin

[Sampleconstruct]

I don't understand the limitation that a given parameter can only be modulated by one modulation source, so if you have e.g. LFO1 modulating filter cutoff, adding LFO2 to the same parameter will substitute LFO1. That the doesn't make sense, does it?

It's a good question! Multiple modulators on a single parameter can lead to a lot of weird audio edge cases and generally doesn't result in very useful sound design. You can absolutely modulate LFOs with other LFOs in BEAM for some fun and wacky variability, but we made the design choice to only allow one modulation assignment per control to keep the UI tidy. We don't think you're missing much with this limitation

Sorry, but that is simply not true, I use multiple modulation sources on parameters all the time in my sound design work for synths and effects and it’s a very, very useful and very common feature available in most plugins I have worked with.

[Lunacy Audio]

I don't understand the limitation that a given parameter can only be modulated by one modulation source, so if you have e.g. LFO1 modulating filter cutoff, adding LFO2 to the same parameter will substitute LFO1. That the doesn't make sense, does it?

It's a good question! Multiple modulators on a single parameter can lead to a lot of weird audio edge cases and generally doesn't result in very useful sound design. You can absolutely modulate LFOs with other LFOs in BEAM for some fun and wacky variability, but we made the design choice to only allow one modulation assignment per control to keep the UI tidy. We don't think you're missing much with this limitation

Sorry, but that is simply not true, I use multiple modulation sources on parameters all the time in my sound design work for synths and effects and it’s a very, very useful and very common feature available in most plugins I have worked with.

We definitely hear you! However, you can achieve nearly all the same results with a more complex LFO pattern at a slower rate or by using another LFO to modulate the rate of the first. Our system also maintains better performance with this design choice and helps keep the interface easier to understand. Hope that makes sense!

[zerocrossing]

I don't understand the limitation that a given parameter can only be modulated by one modulation source, so if you have e.g. LFO1 modulating filter cutoff, adding LFO2 to the same parameter will substitute LFO1. That the doesn't make sense, does it?

It's a good question! Multiple modulators on a single parameter can lead to a lot of weird audio edge cases and generally doesn't result in very useful sound design. You can absolutely modulate LFOs with other LFOs in BEAM for some fun and wacky variability, but we made the design choice to only allow one modulation assignment per control to keep the UI tidy. We don't think you're missing much with this limitation

Sorry, but that is simply not true, I use multiple modulation sources on parameters all the time in my sound design work for synths and effects and it’s a very, very useful and very common feature available in most plugins I have worked with.

Isn't modulating the modulator pretty close to what you'd end up with by adding two modulations? I get what you're saying, but I wonder if creating something like a mod matrix where modulations are summed would not be worth the CPU cycles.

[kraster]

Isn't modulating the modulator pretty close to what you'd end up with by adding two modulations? I get what you're saying, but I wonder if creating something like a mod matrix where modulations are summed would not be worth the CPU cycles.

Technically yes but in workflow terms I think individually adjustable sources for the same destination is much easier to keep track of.

[UltimiGiorniRecords]

Gave it a spin. Unfortunately still license bug in my machine. At every pc reboot it gets unregistered on win 11

[aMUSEd]

Wish it was possible to use keyboard arrow keys to change presets - and I hate that the arrows in the GUI disappear and only reappear when you hover over them

[Ah_Dziz]

I don't understand the limitation that a given parameter can only be modulated by one modulation source, so if you have e.g. LFO1 modulating filter cutoff, adding LFO2 to the same parameter will substitute LFO1. That the doesn't make sense, does it?

It's a good question! Multiple modulators on a single parameter can lead to a lot of weird audio edge cases and generally doesn't result in very useful sound design. You can absolutely modulate LFOs with other LFOs in BEAM for some fun and wacky variability, but we made the design choice to only allow one modulation assignment per control to keep the UI tidy. We don't think you're missing much with this limitation

Sorry, but that is simply not true, I use multiple modulation sources on parameters all the time in my sound design work for synths and effects and it’s a very, very useful and very common feature available in most plugins I have worked with.

I'm assuming that you've looked but do the modulators (lfo in particular) have an amplitude parameter? It's not as good as having regular additive modulation (which is incredibly useful and should be included in any modular system) but it gives you multiplicative modulation.

I'd strongly disagree with the developers that multiple separate modulations to a single parameter doesn't generally lead to good sound design. Pretty much every filter in every synth has multiple modulations of just the cutoff parameter..... That's not an edge case or anything esoteric. I can see how they may have programmed themselves into a corner with the way their parameters and the modulation works though. The obvious workaround would be to make a combinator/ math modulator that would allow for multiplying, dividing, averaging, adding, subtracting etc any 2 or more modulators. Then the output of that could be sent to the parameter and they'd not have added another input per parameter.

[kraster]

Two new effects for Beam in collaboration with Benn Jordan.

Taps, a multi tap delay with pitch shifting with individual tap control, different spacing modes and tape effects and Portals a utility device that allows you to set up feedback loops within beam.

The delay is very cool but Portals has my attention. Beam is already very strong in the routing department and this only takes it to a new level. You can have feedback loops within feedback loops... Each portal has its own gate, delay time and feedback level.

[Dirtgrain]

Portal is going to be so much fun. I'm in.

[aMUSEd]

Awesome update - I was thinking it would be a delay next but this exceeds expectations

[osiris]

Can't wait for Taps. I use Beam and Haze all the time.

[pekbro]

Interesting to find out this is created with Java Scrpt.

[aMUSEd]

One thing I think is really needed is for each module is to have its own presets - the standalone plugins do, but these do not seem to be available from the full Beam and they should

[pekbro]

Man I’m loath to pay for this during Black Friday times when moneys tight. Time limits bug me as well. Grrr… money pit… ymmv.

End rant…

[joradn]

One thing I think is really needed is for each module is to have its own presets - the standalone plugins do, but these do not seem to be available from the full Beam and they should

Click the magnifying glass next to the module name after placing it down and opening it.