ValhallaRoom 1.5.1 Released. New Electric Blue GUI

[tibah]

I don't even really have the money at the moment but I decided that a good reverb and support for a nice developer is more important than food and all that crap

That's the spirit! Same here but already some days ago. Adorable and affordable reverb. Replaced pretty much everything that I was using. Now I just need to find out what to do with Eos.

[valhallasound]

I finally bought VRoom

I don't even really have the money at the moment but I decided that a good reverb and support for a nice developer is more important than food and all that crap

Just waiting for my licence now

Cheers
Dennis

License and download links just sent! Thanks for buying!

Sean Costello

[valhallasound]

I'm also making progress on the Mix lock and previous/next preset buttons. These are in the GUI, and are mostly working. I'll be putting the last tweaks on these controls in the next few days, and send the 1.0.4 version out to a few testers. Once I get the A-OK, I'll put the new demo links up, and send download links to all customers.

I hope the lock feature is set up so that it prevents preset loading from changing the wet/dry mix, but does not prevent the user from adjusting the balance. In my mind, the intention is not to prevent the user from accidentally moving the slider! The idea is to support the workflow: <load preset>, <tweak mix>, <load preset>, <tweak mix> ... etc. without the load screwing up the mix balance. I mention this because I have another reverb that locks the UI control, and I find it frustrating to work with, and I'd hate to see the 'wrongness perpetuated'. (((Unless my opinion is against all the other users)))

The current functionality is that it locks the balance. However, you make a good argument for the mix lock allowing the user to adjust the MIX level, but keeping the presets from adjusting it. I'll make that change in the code - it should take about 2 minutes to delete a few lines of code (that enable and disable the slider) and recompile. Thanks for the good suggestion!

Sean Costello

[valhallasound]

I just put up a blog post, about the use of "Early Energy" in ValhallaRoom, as opposed to early reflections:

http://valhalladsp.wordpress.com/2011/0 ... ly-energy/

ok, read that. i was was wondering why no density knob

i like would still like to be able to control density. sparse spaces have a cool sound in certain situations

i guess i am correct when i say you can't totally separate the ERs from the tail and that's why i can't delay just the tail

Sparse spaces can be cool, but the existing architecture won't allow for a Density control. Putting in a density control (or a separate tail delay) would require adding more parameters, which would break existing projects for all of the current ValhallaRoom customers.

Generally speaking, when a plugin goes live, there are only certain changes that can be made to it without messing things up for existing users. The Mix lock and previous/next preset buttons I am adding will work fine with existing projects, as they just add elements to the GUI, as opposed to the low level parameters. Any time you add new parameters, existing DAW projects will simply assign the stored parameter values to whatever parameters happen to be in line in the project, which causes horrible sounds at best, and crashes at worst. This is the sort of thing that plugin developers deal with all the time during the development process, so it would be unfair to subject paying customers to this.

In general, I try to create plugins with as few controls as I can get away with. Under the hood of ValhallaRoom, there are several hundred parameters that are being adjusted. I could expose more of them, and create something that is super tweakable, and where 95% of the settings suck. Instead, I've decided to expose a few higher level parameters, put most of the specific settings into the different Reverb Modes, and create a plugin where it is hard to get into a bad sounding state with the majority of parameter settings.

Sean Costello

[krankyone]

Yes I like this better also. When you have to unlock the mix slider to adjust for the sound you are auditioning, and then relock it to try another preset, you interrupt the flow too much.

Cool!

[popmoney]

Just bought it .Great work Sean.

[Klemperer]

In general, I try to create plugins with as few controls as I can get away with. Under the hood of ValhallaRoom, there are several hundred parameters that are being adjusted. I could expose more of them, and create something that is super tweakable, and where 95% of the settings suck. Instead, I've decided to expose a few higher level parameters, put most of the specific settings into the different Reverb Modes, and create a plugin where it is hard to get into a bad sounding state with the majority of parameter settings.

Sean Costello

That's exactly what users can wish for - superb sounds, a well thought of design that makes a difference, and no clustered parameters so that you are, as a musician with some knowledge about reverb but no technical degree /university, left alone.
I own the shimmer now, Eos (made for audiodamage of course) and room, and all three are simply wonderful reverbs.

[kcisANDderit]

In general, I try to create plugins with as few controls as I can get away with. Under the hood of ValhallaRoom, there are several hundred parameters that are being adjusted. I could expose more of them, and create something that is super tweakable, and where 95% of the settings suck. Instead, I've decided to expose a few higher level parameters, put most of the specific settings into the different Reverb Modes, and create a plugin where it is hard to get into a bad sounding state with the majority of parameter settings.

Sean Costello

hey, no reverb has it all. some ppl were calling this the most versatile out there so I was exploring that

it does indeed sound nice. Good job!

[Bronto Scorpio]

Damn. Why haven't I purchased this earlier?
I really love it!

I've quickly thrown a beat from a track I'm currently working on through VRoom:

http://soundcloud.com/bronto-scorpio/vroom-beat

VRoom comes in after 4 bars

Cheers
Dennis

[valhallasound]

Damn. Why haven't I purchased this earlier?
I really love it!

I've quickly thrown a beat from a track I'm currently working on through VRoom:

http://soundcloud.com/bronto-scorpio/vroom-beat

VRoom comes in after 4 bars

Cheers
Dennis

That is a VERY USEFUL demo. I like the glitchy sounds from a musical perspective. From a reverb perspective, the loops are full of ticky little impulsive sounds, that can really bring out the flaws in reverberators. So this is a great example of what ValhallaRoom sounds like on drums. Thanks!

Sean Costello

[Bronto Scorpio]

Damn. Why haven't I purchased this earlier?
I really love it!

I've quickly thrown a beat from a track I'm currently working on through VRoom:

http://soundcloud.com/bronto-scorpio/vroom-beat

VRoom comes in after 4 bars

Cheers
Dennis

That is a VERY USEFUL demo. I like the glitchy sounds from a musical perspective. From a reverb perspective, the loops are full of ticky little impulsive sounds, that can really bring out the flaws in reverberators. So this is a great example of what ValhallaRoom sounds like on drums. Thanks!

Sean Costello

Thanks

Other reverbs usually don't sound really good on this kind of sounds. That's the reason why I was so amazed and instantly had to upload the example

Cheers
Dennis

[valhallasound]

OK, a question for anyone who has been reading this so far:

Should the presets EVER set the Mix level?

I have a Mix lock button enabled, but trying to get the logic correct as to whether to load the Mix level from a preset versus a saved project state is a bit confusing. Now I am wondering, since the whole point of a Mix lock button is to keep the same mix level while scrolling through presets, if it even makes sense for the Mix level to be recalled from a preset.

What I am thinking of is simply ignoring the mix level setting in any preset, and only using the mix level set in the GUI. The mix level will be saved with the DAW project, of course.

Feedback appreciated. My leaning is to just ignore any mix level settings in the presets, in order to have the "right" behavior while keeping the UI simple, but others might feel strongly.

It is worth noting that the ValhallaShimmer factory presets didn't include mix settings, so whatever was set in the GUI was the mix level. It is also worth noting that the ValhallaShimmer preset system kind of sucked, as it was really hard to add factory presets, but I'll revisit that in the future.

Sean Costello

[Funkybot's Evil Twin]

Here's how I see it working:

1. If Mix Lock is on ignore mix levels in the preset
2. If Mix Lock is off, load mix levels from preset

[valhallasound]

Here's how I see it working:

1. If Mix Lock is on ignore mix levels in the preset
2. If Mix Lock is off, load mix levels from preset

The question is, when would users actually want to load mix levels from the preset? It seems to me that, in general, people will pick a mix level for a track and stick with it, or adjust it, and the mix levels in the presets aren't tremendously useful.

For example, if you are using a send, how often will this situation arise: "You know, I normally have my Mix level set to 100% for sends, but, by golly, this preset with 32% wet really makes this track!"

Or, the converse: "For this insert track, I want about a 20% level, but hey, this 100% wet preset is GREAT!"

Mind you, I have a mix lock mechanism almost entirely figured out, and it is working in the GUI and all that. However, as I am working with it today, I have to admit that the functionality of it seems less elegant than "just ignore the preset mix level at all times."

Sean Costello

[Funkybot's Evil Twin]

Let's say I create a preset that I know sounds awesome on a piano at 32.5% wet and call it "Piano Hall." Now, three months later, I'm working on a different song and want that same really sweet piano sound, so I load up Valhalla Room as an insert and load my "Piano Hall" patch, and suddenly it's 100% wet. Now, it's been months and I can't remember how wet I originally had that insert set to, but nothing's sounding right. If Mix Lock was off, and the Wet value I saved on my insert was loaded, I'd have saved some time.

Another example...I ask on a forum for how to get a particular vocal reverb sound. Someone posts a Valhalla Room preset that works as an insert. I paste the preset right into Valhalla Room and again, I'm struggling to get the mix level right. Loading the wet level would have resolved this.

There's a bunch of small scenarios where I can see loading the mix level as being important. It's not how I generally use reverb, but it's something I'd occasionally want. No point in removing existing functionality if you ask me.