Groc Update: New Hardware Revision

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"We are in process of finalizing the Groc circuit board and getting some units up and running for beta testing. In this video we show the hardware we have developed and worked with over the last two years and demo the new time-frequency visualization."

Hands on with Groc: Layers, Effects, Time path

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"I received some new samples from a fantastic musician/producer. This was was good motivation to make an example using multiple layers. In this one I take a beat, mess with a bunch of parameters to create effects and store the patch. Then I create a second patch on layer two where I use Groc's time path envelope to move through the first few notes of the sample before sustaining. Again mess with some stuff, the re-start the beat on layer one to hear the two together. Enjoy!"

0:00 Beat on Layer 1
0:14 Add Bass with HPF
0:24 Random variation
0:50 Filter
1:06 BPM-sync'd Echo 1
1:26 Chorus with Echo 2
1:57 Save Patch
2:10 New Patch on Layer 2
2:30 Time Path
3:05 Circle the Head
3:35 Fidelity and Filter
4:05 Multiple Layers
4:20 Mixer Mode
4:44 That's a wrap

Hands on with Groc: Basics of Pitch Shift

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"Join our resident Sound Scientist for our longest and nerdiest video yet! We walk through the basics of how you can shift the pitch of a sound without changing its speed, then we take our closest look at yet at Groc's many grains parameters and how they can be used to achieve different timbres and effects."

0:00 Intro
0:25 First Granular Processing
0:38 Pitch Down w/o Slow Down
1:09 Using Grains!
1:30 Grains Up Close
2:58 Now Let's Slow Down
3:51 Grains: Speed, Size, Overlap, Shape
7:40 Grains: Secondary Functions
8:42 Synchronous vs. Asynchronous
10:40 Nuances of Overlap and Size
12:24 Grains: Tuning, Placement, Filter, Fidelity
15:11 Sunset

Sound Design with Groc: syncopated fiddle

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"In this sound design example we take a fiddle sample and use beat-sync'd grain intervals to create a syncopated loop. After dropping in a beat we adjust playback speed and sample positions to improvise and create some variety."

Sound Design with Groc: inverted modulation connections

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"In this sound design example we show off the resonant low pass filter and how to make an inverted modulation connection."

Sound Design with Groc: DX5 with evolving tremolo

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"Another sound design example illustrating some of Groc's many knobs and functions. Here we start with a sample recorded from a Yamaha DX5 that has a nice portamento. Using Groc's time path we can tweak the portamento timing. We then show how to use the grain filter to create a bit of separation between the notes (in frequency and in the stereo field), and end demonstrating how to create an evolving tremolo effect."

Sound Design with Groc: piano sample and time path, etc.

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"The first in a series of sound design examples illustrating some of Groc's many knobs and functions, here we start with a long piano sample and use Groc's time path envelope to create a nice sustaining voice without freezing on the harsh note onset. We then modulate the sample position to create movement through different chords while playing the same notes from an arpeggiator. Finally we walk through some of Groc's filtering options to create a nice, dynamic loop.

Learn more at oddment-audio.com"

Groc Synth - Pre-Superbooth Patch Tour

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"We are flying to Berlin today for Superbooth 24! Come and see us at table Z064.

We just announced a pre-order list for a small, refundable fee, so no reason to wait...order your Groc now and it will ship in 2025! @c1sao3nbvzbvdohqm6thci5coji5ml

Groc is still in development which means the list of parameters available is growing and changing over time. With a touch screen we can keep iterating on the most intuitive ways to offer these secondary parameters. In this video I take a tour and play with some patches I made with the current set of parameters and modulators. We have also made a lot of progress on offering multiple layers. We plan to offer four that can be used as a multi-timbral synth, a multi-track looper and all kinds of other combinations."

Groc Granular Engine: Filter and Placement

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"One of the great benefits of working on a 4-core ARM A72 for granular synthesis isn't just producing a lot of grains, it is having the compute to do signal processing on the grains - like binaural spatialization, filtering, bit crushing and so on. In this example we show how to adjust Groc's grains filter bandwidth, center and introduce random variation per grain. We also demonstrate how to use the placement and scatter parameters to create a spinning effect and to increase the width of a sound. At the tail end we show a couple of the extra LFO parameters and then how to modulate a secondary parameter via the orange encoder."

Canoodling with Groc Granular Synth

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"Polishing, polishing, polishing our prototype before we head to Superbooth 24 in less than 2 weeks!

For the patient ones among you... find out how to: change samples, set the amplitude envelope and time path, use a second envelope to modulate a destination parameter, connect pitch bend to the tuning knob and mod wheel to the grain size, connect an LFO to the resonant low-pass filter, and mess with secondary parameters of one of the echo paths."

Oddment Audio Groc Demo at AES University of Michigan Chapter Tomorrow Apr 5th

For those that can make it, Oddment Audio's Groc will be demo'd at the University of Michigan tomorrow. Details follow.

"This month we were lucky enough to meet Trevor Reed, another local in our little Michigan town that was enthusiastic enough about Groc and Oddment to join us in the development effort. With both a software and music background, we think Trevor can help us accelerate Groc’s workflow and user interface. It has also been great to put our first real Groc into someone’s home studio and let them explore on their own.

John will give a presentation on Groc for the Audio Engineering Society’s University of Michigan chapter on Friday April 5 at 1-2pm (tomorrow!). If you happen to be near Ann Arbor, the event is open to the public and we have included all of the details below. A huge thanks to Nick West, the student AES chapter chair, and Dr. Jason Corey with the Performing Arts Technology faculty for helping to organize this event. We also expect Justin Van Slembrouck from Modern Sounds to join us and share a bit about what they have been working on lately. This should be a lot of fun, and as an alumnus of the department, John is anticipating a lovely trip down memory lane.

In preparation for Friday, John had a chance to present Groc to the Northwestern Michigan College audio technology students. Thanks to Brady Corcoran for arranging this and to all the students that had really great questions and seemed enthused about granular synthesis. We hope these local audio enthusiasts can help us record samples, create patches and maybe even help to produce and test Grocs before shipping them to you!"

Groc Granular Engine: Speed and Size Controls

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"From Gabor's early thinking and experiments, one of the core ideas of granular synthesis is independent manipulation of time and pitch. Commercial time stretch, auto-tune, pitch shift and harmonizing algorithms are all closely related to granular synthesis. So all good granular synths should have a "speed" control that can slow down or reverse a sound without pitch shift, and should enable pitch shifts (e.g. playing different keyboard notes) while preserving playback timing.

The idea of a granular synth, as opposed to a time stretching algorithm, is to provide additional controls to impact how grains are selected, their length and many other attributes.

In this example we show Groc's playback "speed" and grain "size" controls. We demonstrate independent control of the playback direction and speed from the "direction" and size of the individual grains. This creates all kinds of interesting possibilities and reveals some surprising attributes about speech perception. Near the end of the example we can still perceive the macro structure of the sound (the words) in spite of the micro-sounds being time reversed."

Groc - from train announcement to wavetable synth

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"Can Groc do wavetable synthesis? Oh yes.

Here’s how: (1) pick a sound, (2) set the speed near 0, (3) turn the overlap all the way up, (4) use small grains, (5) have fun playing with speed and grain size to seamlessly move between the original sound and your wavetable synth!"

Groc Granular Synth - Vibraphone manipulation with time path

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"This is an example of using Groc's time path to get an infinitely sustaining note from a staccato vibraphone sample. Then we use our new sound in a fun, little cover...who can name that tune?"

New Groc Granular Hardware Synth from Oddment Audio

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Playlist: 1. Groc granular synth - modulating fun

Here we have simple note sustain while modulating grain bandwidth, overlap, placement (in stereo field), distortion drive and filter cutoff frequency. Oh, and our first reveal of the delay unit!

2. Violin and ambience with Groc granular synth

Here we are editing sample loop points, ADSR envelope and Groc's unique "time path" to create lush sustains from a short violin clip.

3. cool fall day + warm groc tones

walking on a cool fall day, accompanied by warm tones produced by groc granular synth

4. Groc - LED sequence with spatial sound

This video shows the first testing of the groc interface board, and includes the first audio demonstrations of spatial sound overlaid. Headphones recommended!

5. Groc Demo - Grain parameters

First demo of groc's grain parameters with a guitar loop as audio sample.

"Sculpt sound. Modulate everything. Do you groc?

Stunning, yes.

Slim, yes.

Powerhouse, also yes.
quad core 64-bit ARM processor
1GB RAM, 4GB of user storage
vivid DSI touch screen
cutting edge signal processing
fits in a bread box

Not like the others.

Groc demonstrates that a compact form can deliver unparalleled functionality. Access dozens of parameters in the custom granular synthesis engine with 4 grains encoders. Achieve one-of-a-kind manipulations of playback speed, shape multiple envelopes, edit audio sample crop and loop points, adjust 4 LFOs, 3 macros and morph between patches with just 8 more encoders. Add in an entire world of effects, accessed with just 4 more.
The large and vivid touch screen provides rich information and beautiful visualizations of your sounds, and enables deep functionality within just a touch or two. Is this where we mention the placard at Oddment HQ that reads, “Down with menu diving!”?

Patch without limits.

Every parameter on groc is a modulation destination, and connecting modulation sources is as easy as plugging in a patch cable (w/o the need to search in your closet).

To go with its myriad destinations, groc has a bounty of modulation sources: 4 LFOs, 4 envelopes, MIDI velocity, key tracking, polyphonic after touch and all the rest.
In the event you were hoping to use a physical patch cable, yes, you can use groc’s modulation sources to wiggle analog voltages via the 4 control outputs. Or configure them as inputs to control any of groc’s parameters with CV from your other gear, a sustain pedal or you name it.

Did you want to sequence a parameter, or draw a custom modulation curve on the touch screen? That seems reasonable and groc will support you. Do you want to connect a dozen or more modulation sources to the same parameter? That is far less reasonable, but that’s just, like, our opinion."

Learn more about Groc and Oddment Audio: www.oddmentaudio.com