New toy : simpleSynth

Nu Audio Science · 10 Jul 2005

WOOHOO, I have bin waiting for this 😀

beno · 10 Jul 2005

Looks great, downloading it now! Thanks, Ben

Tom7777 · 10 Jul 2005

Looks nice, just about to download, thanks shifrin 🙂

lalo · 10 Jul 2005

wohoo! great work man!

i'll check it out 😉

lalo

lalo · 10 Jul 2005

the GUI design is beautiful..right the kind of gui i like !!

the sound is beautiful too 🙂 filter are smooth and pleasant 🙂

i tryed it in EXT ...quite a lot of obvious problems....automation brings the CPU usage at..100% and does a lot of stutter...and other stuff... the 'switching' affaire 🙂

when you switch filter types you have a short buzz everytime 🙂..but this is a well known design detail of SM framework

and i wanna tahnk you a lot Shif!! really thank you man!

cause this is the start of the discussion about SM performance in the 'real-world' usage...

in the nex days i'll post a lot of opinions 🙂 😉

great work again Shif!

lalo

infuzion · 10 Jul 2005

pretty nifty, sounds good! Plus, the shadow look for the knobs then having the indicators being flat is a neat idea.

However, though I like minimalism, I can't tell from the GUI what those groups of knobs do. E.G. I can't really tell what each of the ADSRs affect, unless I look into the code. Although it is refreshing to see a less-cluttered design, I have like 50+ VSTis, & can't really remember what each one does, let alone how to use them to their max. At least have popups for each knob describing what it does, or grouping titles, etc...

Also, the PW knobs (assuming PulseWidth) don't seem to have an audible effect.

Shifrin · 10 Jul 2005

lalo wrote: i tryed it in EXT ...quite a lot of obvious problems....automation brings the CPU usage at..100% and does a lot of stutter

Yeah I noticed that too, I'm also running EXT. Perhaps this is because the automation is forceing to many redraws - I may see if there is a way to get redraws to happen using a timer - should be possible. It's something to try!

lalo wrote: when you switch filter types you have a short buzz everytime

Yep, and also when you change LFO wave shape. I do intend to try to get around this problem - perhaps ramp volume down then up again very quickly when a switch is operated - so essentially muting (without any clicks) the output while a switch is operated. Something to play around with!

infuzion wrote: I can't tell from the GUI what those groups of knobs do. E.G. I can't really tell what each of the ADSRs affect...

Funnily enough I had intended on adding some more to the gui to distinguish the various parts, but I guess seeing as I made it - it was obvious to me what everything did, hehe. But you're right, tooltips would be a good idea if nothing else was changed.

infuzion wrote: Also, the PW knobs (assuming PulseWidth) don't seem to have an audible effect.

To really hear the pulse width change you'll need to have the shape "Shp" knobs all the way to the left - creating a pure square wave. As you move it right and change into a sawtooth the pulse width/pwm is less audible - although I can still hear it change 😉

Thanks for the comments guys, very useful feedback 😀

Shif.

infuzion · 10 Jul 2005

Shifrin wrote: infuzion wrote: Also, the PW knobs (assuming PulseWidth) don't seem to have an audible effect.

To really hear the pulse width change you'll need to have the shape "Shp" knobs all the way to the left - creating a pure square wave. As you move it right and change into a sawtooth the pulse width/pwm is less audible - although I can still hear it change

Ah OK... for some reason my instinct said that full-left Shp was sine. BTW, that's a neat idea, having a Square<->Sine module.

Shifrin · 10 Jul 2005

infuzion wrote: Ah OK... for some reason my instinct said that full-left Shp was sine. BTW, that's a neat idea, having a Square<->Sine module.

I think I said something about the square->sawtooth shape in the little readme file with the .osm 😉

Interestingly I have a bunch of oscillators I've been working on, sine->square is something I've done - but it's not in this one, it's in a sine waveshaping osc 😉

Shif.

lalo · 10 Jul 2005

Shifrin wrote:

lalo wrote: when you switch filter types you have a short buzz everytime

Yep, and also when you change LFO wave shape. I do intend to try to get around this problem - perhaps ramp volume down then up again very quickly when a switch is operated - so essentially muting (without any clicks) the output while a switch is operated. Something to play around with!

..but in thi way..it won't be possible to do 'musical' automations of i.e. filter type changes... i think this is an area to improve the SM framework 😉

lalo

Shifrin · 10 Jul 2005

lalo wrote: ..but in thi way..it won't be possible to do 'musical' automations of i.e. filter type changes... i think this is an area to improve the SM framework

Indeed. It is possible to, for example, run all three filters (Lowpass, Bandpass and Highpass) and then simply crossfade between their outputs. A sort of 'Blend' knob - instead of the 'Type' knob. The downside is more cpu usage unless using a SVF like Stefans.

Hmmmm, I'm wondering it there would be a way to use one filter kernel and use the selector to choose the coefficients for the kernel. Or to blend from one set of coeffecients, for exmple those computing a lowpass filter, to another set, perhaps a highpass. Time to play around methinks...

Shif.

Shifrin · 10 Jul 2005

Oh yeah, there is a definate bug with the LFO 'Wave' selector and Filter 'Type' selector not being updated when changing to preset that has a different value for those knobs than the previous one. I will try to fix this, and the clicking too as well as adding tooltips 🙂

Shif.

lalo · 11 Jul 2005

yeah shif 🙂

i wonder what's the strategy about 'switching' operations in plain C++/ASM/Delphi good coded VST/i...would be a neat suggestion about the strategy to take... probably having 4 or more filter types running at the same time won't be a good solution 'cause the CPU will increase noticeably.....

i remember some word from jorge on the subject..but i don't remember its exact opinion about it 🙂 ..i'll have to search the forum.....

another thing i've noticed with simpleSynth in Ext....when you save the .ext song the simpleSynth presets are kind of 'scrolled' and all the controls follow the preset changing

keep up the good work 🙂

lalo

malc · 11 Jul 2005

Great stuff Shif, thanks for this!

Shifrin wrote: lalo wrote: i tryed it in EXT ...quite a lot of obvious problems....automation brings the CPU usage at..100% and does a lot of stutter

Yeah I noticed that too, I'm also running EXT. Perhaps this is because the automation is forceing to many redraws - I may see if there is a way to get redraws to happen using a timer - should be possible. It's something to try!

I was talking with Jorge about this recently. We think that one solution to this problem would be to have a trigger restrain component that only allows redraws at an acceptable rate. You may actually be able to create a module to do this but it would be better implemented as a primitive we think. Will try and get some action on this.

Shifrin wrote: lalo wrote: when you switch filter types you have a short buzz everytime

Yep, and also when you change LFO wave shape. I do intend to try to get around this problem - perhaps ramp volume down then up again very quickly when a switch is operated - so essentially muting (without any clicks) the output while a switch is operated. Something to play around with!

I'm pretty sure Jorge has a solution to this. I'll ask him.

lalo · 11 Jul 2005

cool reply malc 😉

yeah

lalo

cbit · 11 Jul 2005

beautiful gui shifrin!

I guess some folks will be looking for 'group'/'module' labels to help understand what all the bits are doing..

if you added labels like that maybe you could draw them in low contrast with the dark background to maintain the peaceful effect you already have.

edit: looking at your design again, one option would be to have labels for the knob groups but tip then onto their ends (90 degrees) and place then just to the left of the group they were talking about, that way you would hardly need to alter the lovely spacing you have.

infuzion · 12 Jul 2005

cbit wrote: edit: looking at your design again, one option would be to have labels for the knob groups but tip then onto their ends (90 degrees) and place then just to the left of the group they were talking about, that way you would hardly need to alter the lovely spacing you have.

That is a neat idea!

lalo · 12 Jul 2005

cbit wrote: edit: looking at your design again, one option would be to have labels for the knob groups but tip then onto their ends (90 degrees) and place then just to the left of the group they were talking about, that way you would hardly need to alter the lovely spacing you have.

yeah bro 😉

Shifrin · 12 Jul 2005

cbit wrote: edit: looking at your design again, one option would be to have labels for the knob groups but tip then onto their ends (90 degrees) and place then just to the left of the group they were talking about, that way you would hardly need to alter the lovely spacing you have.

Sounds like a good idea to me, I've tried a few different things to make the gui clearer. At the moment I'm concerned with fixing (if possible) the clicking when changing filter type/lfo wave shape (and a few other projects!).

Cheers,

Shif.

Shifrin · 14 Jul 2005

Updated 0.1 -> 0.2

I made the modifications malc suggested plus a few others, more details in the readme. It's quite a bit more efficient now. The gui has changed too to make it clearer, I tried the vertical text but to my eyes it didn't look right 😉

Feel free to use it (pull it apart) as you wish.

There are definite bugs with changing filter type and lfo waveform - clicking, sticking, glitching - hopefully these can be put right in time 🙂

Oh yeah, the automation/cpu issue is fixed too. No crazy jumps in cpu usage when I automate parameters - cheers malc 😀

Shif.

Nu Audio Science · 14 Jul 2005

Will try it in a mo Shif 😉

lalo · 14 Jul 2005

yeah Shif!

did some test in eXT with the new version...

1. if the envelope in Ext is setted to 'Hi-Res' the automation CPU usage goes very high and crackles are heard

2. if you turn the filter type knob while playing all right the synth stops sounding

lalo

beno · 14 Jul 2005

Great Job shif. This is an awesome sounding little synth. Lot's of fun. Ben

malc · 14 Jul 2005

'Hi-Res' ?

Ok, so I didn't know that existed. All the other hosts seemed to cope just fine. I'll check that out lalo.

Shifrin · 14 Jul 2005

lalo wrote: 1. if the envelope in Ext is setted to 'Hi-Res' the automation CPU usage goes very high and crackles are heard

Hadn't tried that 🙁 I'm sure it can be fixed though 😉

lalo wrote: 2. if you turn the filter type knob while playing all right the synth stops sounding

Yeah I know, this didn't used to happen as much, but there definitely seems to be some bugs with the selector and poly data. The knobs update to reflect the change in filter type, as does the index to the selector - but the selector seems to have a mind of it's own!

Thanks for the comments guys!

Shif.

lalo · 14 Jul 2005

malc wrote: 'Hi-Res' ?

Ok, so I didn't know that existed. All the other hosts seemed to cope just fine. I'll check that out lalo.

Hi malc,

yes eXT has 2 modes for its automation envelopes

the Midi-mode is a curve with 128 steps (0 to 127)..too low for 'serious' sequencer based automation..

the Hi-res mode is the standard VST automation with a 32 bit resolution...so it fit the needs of precise sequencing...

all the other hosts use the standard 32 bit mode AFAIK... including Bidule wich can also map incoming Midi CC and OSC to the full 32 bit automation range 😉

lalo