Soundplane + Aalto

Soundplane + Aalto from zach goheen on Vimeo.

"This is a simple patch I made in Aalto controlled by the Soundplane - both by Madrona Labs. Filter and feedback controlled with touch pressure. Inspired by Alessandro Cortini's excellent Forse LP."

via Synth Anatomy

Kyma 7: LinnStrument & MPE Support

Kyma 7: LinnStrument & MPE Support from Symbolic Sound on Vimeo.

"Champaign, Illinois — October 21, 2015 — Kyma 7 now offers plug-and-play support for Roger Linn Design’s LinnStrument and other MPE-enabled MIDI instruments.

Kyma automatically puts the LinnStrument into MPE mode when you connect it via USB-MIDI or MIDI 5-pin DIN (or via your computer, using Delora Software’s Kyma Connect). Once connected, any keyboard-controlled Sound in Kyma automatically sets the polyphony and responds to the LinnStrument — no extra controllers are needed, and you don’t have to select a special mode on the LinnStrument — it’s literally, plug it in and play.

What is MPE?

Traditional MIDI note events have two dimensions — pitch and velocity — neither of which can be altered directly with the fingers once the key has gone down. But musicians performing with live electronics are driving the demand for new electronic instruments — instruments whose touch, reliability, sensitivity, and responsiveness can begin to approach those of traditional acoustic instruments.

Over the last 10-15 years, more and more instrument makers have sought to incorporate continuous control over pitch and velocity and to add a third dimension of continuous control: timbre. One of the earliest entries in this new category was the Continuum fingerboard from Haken Audio (which has had plug-and-play support in Kyma since 2001). More recently, Madrona Labs (Soundplane), Eigenlabs (Eigenharp), ROLI (Seaboard), and Roger Linn Design (LinnStrument) have been offering “keyboard-like” instruments that provide three dimensions of expressive, continuous control per finger.

But how is it possible to send these three-dimensional continuous polyphonic MIDI notes to a sound engine? Haken Audio first used a FireWire protocol before switching over to a proprietary, optimized MIDI protocol. Symbolic Sound and Madrona Labs used Open Sound Control (OSC) for Kyma Control and Soundplane, respectively. But the growing proliferation of new instruments and proprietary protocols was threatening to become a nightmare for soft-and-hardware synthesizer makers to support.

Enter software developer Geert Bevin who, in January of this year, started working with key industry professionals on a new, more expressive MIDI specification called MPE: Multidimensional Polyphonic Expression. The new MPE standard has already been implemented on Roger Linn Design’s LinnStrument, the Madrona Labs Soundplane, the ROLI Rise Seaboard, and several other instrument makers are currently in the process of adding an MPE-mode to their instruments.

With MPE, the music industry now has a standard protocol for communicating between expressive controllers and the sound hardware and software capable of sonically expressing the subtlety, responsiveness, and live interaction offered by these controllers.

Kyma — Interactive, responsive, and live

Kyma, with its legendary audio quality, vast synthesis codebase and deep access to detailed parameter control, is the ideal sound engine to pair with these new, more responsive controller interfaces for live expressive performance, and Symbolic Sound has a long history of working with instrument makers to provide tight, seamless integration and bi-directional communication between these new instruments and Kyma.

In addition to its graphical signal flow editor, file editors, and Sound Library, Kyma 7 also provides several environments in which you can create an instrument where the synthesis, processing, parameter-mapping, and even the mode of interaction can evolve over time during a performance:

In the Multigrid (displayed on the iPad during the video), you can switch instantly between sources, effects, and combinations of the two with no interruption in the audio signal. Perform live, inspired in the moment, with infinite combinatorial possibilities.
In the Kyma 7 Timeline you can slow down or stop the progression of time to synchronize your performance with other performers, with key events, or with features extracted from an audio signal during your performance.
Using the Tool you can create a state machine where input conditions trigger the evaluation of blocks of code (for example, the game-of-life displayed on the LinnStrument during the closing credits of the video is being controlled by a Tool).
Kyma also provides a realtime parameter language called Capytalk where you can make parameters depend on one another or control subsets of parameters algorithmically.
It’s easy to add a new parameter control, simply type in the desired controller name preceded by an exclamation point — a control is automatically created for you, and it even generates its own widget in a Virtual Control Surface which can be remapped to external controllers (through MIDI, 14-bit MIDI, or OSC). This makes it easy to augment your live MPE controllers with other MIDI and OSC controllers or with tablet controller apps.
System Requirements

Kyma 7.04
Symbolic Sound Paca or Pacarana
Computer requirements
Operating Systems:
Mac OS 10.6 or newer or
Windows 10, 8.1, 8, 7 (SP1), Vista (SP2), XP (SP3)
Storage: ~1.7 GB
Memory: 1 GB or larger is recommended
Internet access is required
Availability

Kyma 7.04 is available today as a free update for Symbolic Sound customers who have a registered copy of Kyma 7.

More information

Multidimensional Polyphonic Expression (MPE)
expressiveness.org

LinnStrument
rogerlinndesign.com

Kyma 7
symbolicsound.com"

Audulus to Bring Familiar Rack-Mount Design in Upcoming Release

To the left is the current Audulus interface. According to the Audulus forums those that prefer a more traditional interface for modules have something to look forward to:

"I am building a library of basic synth modules that will bring a more familiar rack-mount modular look to Audulus for those who may be at first a little overwhelmed by building patches from nodes alone.

Some of these are just a node + a standardized package (like the keyboard module). The ones that have my name on them go beyond the simple function of the node itself, like the Bimini Road Dual Dark Delay which has LPF on each delay line, stereo mix outs, and separate outs for delays only to process them independently of the original signal. There are also some others, like the Rotating Clock Divider, that are clones or workalikes of existing analog modules (in this case, the 4MS RCD).

The nodes are small and the UI for each panel is condensed to allow more modules to fit in a single window view while still being easily controllable.

Over time, I will add more and more modules to this collection. If you have a module that you would like have included in this collection (after 3.0 is officially released), try to get it close to the standard "look" of these modules and send it my way via comment below, PM, or biminiroadelectronics@gmail.com. I will tweak the look and layout if I think it needs it, but the functionality will remain unchanged, and you will of course retain credit (i.e. JDRaoul - Amazing Creation Module).

If you have any suggestions for modules, please leave them in a comment below.

All future updates of this library will be indicated in this thread in this top post - if the library is updated, I will leave a comment to push it up in the forum, change the version number in the title, and the newest version will always be available in this top post.

My custom modules will always come with commentary that illuminate my thought process for and execution of each patch. If you'd like your module to be considered for this collection, I'd encourage you to do the same, but I won't make it a requirement.

This isn't *the* standard, it is merely *a* standard. These patches will all be very neatly laid out on the inside so the signal flow is easy to study.

Attached is a screen shot of the growing list of modules. Check back often for more updates.


List of Patch Standards & Practices for inclusion in the Library:

So that all these patches "play nicely" with one another, they need to be standardized. Here is an ongoing list of standards I'm using.

UI Standards:
- All modules must be the same height, unless the functionality of the module requires it to be larger.
- The inputs and outputs define the width of the module (i.e., they are the furthest elements to the left and right).
- If it's a small module, the label goes in the center. For larger ones, the label goes in the far left corner).
- Custom patches are labelled as "[Creator] :: [Patch Name]" The patch name should include its function.
- Inputs and outputs are labeled "In" and "Out" unless they need to be something else for clarity.
- Inputs and outputs that require or produce a polyphonic signal should be labelled "In/P" and "Out/P"

Signal Standards:
- LFOs should output between 0 and 1 (DC). Making an AC signal is easy: just subtract .5. LFO inputs should also be between 0 and 1 (if you need AC signal input for your design [as you'd need for a vibrato], do this on the inside of the patch).
- Modules should adhere to the 1/oct standard. 0 = reference note (440hz, for example). -1 is one octave below 440, 1 is one octave above."

Audio Damage Odio and VST Plugins: Tutorial with AD Filterstation

Published on Oct 21, 2015 Synth Anatomy

"This is the first video [from Synth Anatomy - here's one from Audio Damage] about Audio Damage Odio Eurorack module.
In this video, I show you how to connect the module to Ableton Live and how to use it with the Filterstation Plugin from Audio Damage.

Audio Damage Odio Odio is a 2-in 2-out USB audio interface that runs at modular audio levels, designed primarily for use with iOS devices such as the iPad and iPhone. Easily integrate iPad effects and instruments in to your modular rig for live performance or sketchpad recording, or use a Microsoft Surface Pro or netbook and a simple host to use VST plug-in effects as inserts in your modular."

Buchla Easel - 1st Test

Published on Oct 21, 2015 PaulLawlerMusic

"First (one handed) test of the Buchla Easel, in the typical West Coast Random Style."

New Reactable LIVE! S6

Published on Oct 21, 2015 Reactable Systems

"TOUCH THE SCREEN, PLACE THE OBJECTS, MOVE THEM AND MAKE MUSIC. https://www.reactable.com/live"

Their site isn't loading for me at the moment, but there you have it. A new version of Reactable. Curious if the new software features will make it to the iTunes version: Reactable mobile - Reactable Systems SL - as of now the last update there was on March 19, 2015 in v2.3.12. iPad Pro people. On that note, someone needs to come out with a Buchla Music Easel for the Pro.

Modular Techno

Published on Dec 17, 2013 Peter Trimbacher

"Some ideas on how I will incorporate the modular into my improvised techno live performances. Drum beats/loops sequenced post in Ableton Live. For the impatient, beats start at 7:25. Really digging the filtered output of the wow and flutter, send and return from the dubmix."

Live modular techno : industrial made crystal

Published on Oct 21, 2015 Maxime F

"Basimilus iteritas is the industrial saw
Dinky's taiko is making the low tom sound
Tip top 909 hh and clap
Mutable instruments peaks for BD and SD
Bastl grandpa is used for big factory samples

Oscillators are verbos complex, make noise DPO and intellijel atlantis.

Fx : 2 eventide h9"

VOLTLIFE: Verbos HO plucks and harmonic melodies

Published on Oct 21, 2015 voltlife

"Demonstrating two techniques with the Verbos Harmoinc Oscillator: creating LPG-like plucks with the Width control, while simultaneously playing melodic riffs with the upper harmonics."

Make Noise Telharmonic: Simple Sequences with René and Brains + Pressure Points.

Published on Oct 21, 2015 Ted James Butler

"Simple Sequences with René and Brains + Pressure Points driving the Make Noise tELHARMONIC.

Track title:
'AKB II'

http://twitter.com/tedjamesbutler
http://headdress.co"