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Post by jeremiahpena on Oct 3, 2021 22:02:03 GMT
Greetings folks! I've been looking to build a Spring Reverb+Filter+Effects box, after wanting to get a Vermona Retroverb Lancet but wanting more flexibility (and a delay). It would be an outboard unit to send synths/VSTs/audio into from my DAW.
I've put together a starter build plan: The main trio of effects are the filter, delay, and spring reverb, then LFO/VCA/Attenuator to do some basic modulation. Would a 2ENV module be more useful than a 2LFO to start with?
Then here's a fully filled case as an end goal system: The 2OSC would probably be a pretty late addition to make it work as a full synth in addition to effects.
Does this seem like a reasonable idea/build? The biggest thing missing would be an envelope follower, but there doesn't seem to be a module for that yet.
(Also, not sure if this question should go instead in the tangible waves subforum, but: All of the starter build components are in stock at Noisebug except for Narrow Bus Cables. Would it work to get Standard Bus Cables and then cut them down with scissors to fit the narrow case?)
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Post by solipsistnation on Oct 3, 2021 23:20:02 GMT
That seems cool, yeah. That looks like a nicely focused little system.
It should be fine to get a longer cable and cut it. They're just ribbon cables.
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Post by pt3r on Oct 4, 2021 4:48:17 GMT
If you must choose between a 2ENV and an LFO then the 2ENV is more flexible than the LFO since it can act as an LFO (but no squarewaves) whereas an LFO is not that possible to generate a ones-hot envelope.
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pol
Wiki Editors
Posts: 1,349
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Post by pol on Oct 4, 2021 19:38:49 GMT
Greetings folks! I've been looking to build a Spring Reverb+Filter+Effects box, after wanting to get a Vermona Retroverb Lancet but wanting more flexibility (and a delay). It would be an outboard unit to send synths/VSTs/audio into from my DAW.
I've put together a starter build plan: The main trio of effects are the filter, delay, and spring reverb, then LFO/VCA/Attenuator to do some basic modulation. Would a 2ENV module be more useful than a 2LFO to start with?
This looks a good start to me, just in case you are thinking about producing stereo you may want 2 lo-fi delays. Also be aware you have 2 audio/cv/trigger I/Os on the master unit, if you need more you will need a 4 I/O module, for stereo you will need 4..... not knowing how many separate audio tracks you can have with your interface of course. I personally would stick to the 2LFO, the Envelope will need a trigger and LFOs are great for doing stuff not in time with the music!
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Post by jeremiahpena on Oct 4, 2021 19:39:18 GMT
If you must choose between a 2ENV and an LFO then the 2ENV is more flexible than the LFO since it can act as an LFO (but no squarewaves) whereas an LFO is not that possible to generate a ones-hot envelope. That's a good point, and it would be very useful to be able to trigger a filter envelope via MIDI for rhythmic patterns. And I didn't realize the LFOs had no CV input for rate which is a pretty big limitation.
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pol
Wiki Editors
Posts: 1,349
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Post by pol on Oct 4, 2021 19:40:18 GMT
If you must choose between a 2ENV and an LFO then the 2ENV is more flexible than the LFO since it can act as an LFO (but no squarewaves) whereas an LFO is not that possible to generate a ones-hot envelope. That's a good point, and it would be very useful to be able to trigger a filter envelope via MIDI for rhythmic patterns. And I didn't realize the LFOs had no CV input for rate which is a pretty big limitation. Proof of why you need both eventually!
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Post by jeremiahpena on Oct 4, 2021 19:51:49 GMT
Considering the price I might as well get both to start out with! And it will be mono at first, but I will get the 4I/O later. Plus, while the narrow case is the widest I can go for the space it will occupy on my desk, there should be room for a third row on top. But I don't want to get too far ahead of myself!
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Post by keurslagerkurt on Oct 4, 2021 21:11:46 GMT
I pretty much agree with everything above here, just wanted to add that i'm curious to hear the results once your mAEgic box arrives 😃
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Post by admin on Oct 4, 2021 21:20:58 GMT
I personally would stick to the 2LFO, the Envelope will need a trigger and LFOs are great for doing stuff not in time with the music! I just wanted to add that the 2ENV can self trigger by patching the END output into the Trigger input. wiki.aemodular.com/pmwiki.php/AeManual/2ENV
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Post by Kyaa on Oct 4, 2021 22:34:53 GMT
The biggest thing missing would be an envelope follower, but there doesn't seem to be a module for that yet. I was considering developing one after my current WIP module is wrapped up. 😉 Other than that, if you have an audio interface with some spare outputs you could probably set up an envelope follower in your DAW and route the output to your rack via the master module ctrl I/O. (Quite easy in Bitwig, but maybe harder in others...)
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Post by keurslagerkurt on Oct 7, 2021 7:38:54 GMT
The biggest thing missing would be an envelope follower, but there doesn't seem to be a module for that yet. I was considering developing one after my current WIP module is wrapped up. 😉 Other than that, if you have an audio interface with some spare outputs you could probably set up an envelope follower in your DAW and route the output to your rack via the master module ctrl I/O. (Quite easy in Bitwig, but maybe harder in others...) The Grains module has a Envelope follower firmware, so there is really one in AE, just seems like we haven't unpacked it yet
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Post by pt3r on Oct 7, 2021 7:58:44 GMT
Sure, but GRAINS has no dac circuit so that envelope follower will not be able to output discrete voltages, only pwm approximations of the envelope's cv values.
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Post by keurslagerkurt on Oct 7, 2021 16:39:21 GMT
Sure, but GRAINS has no dac circuit so that envelope follower will not be able to output discrete voltages, only pwm approximations of the envelope's cv values. Wouldn't that be enough to drive a VCA? If it can approximate sinewaves & other oscillators, I would think that it works fine for envelope following too. Unless you want a super snappy, short envelope, but that's mostly not the case for An envelope follower anyway. Should test it when I find the time
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Post by moruial on Oct 7, 2021 16:42:05 GMT
I have to ask, but.... what is an enveloppe follower?
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Post by keurslagerkurt on Oct 7, 2021 17:59:02 GMT
I have to ask, but.... what is an enveloppe follower? Basicly a voltage that follows the volume of an audio input. So for example you play a note on guitar, and with An envelope follower you can create An envelope that follows the volume of that audio note. And then of course you can use that to 'control a synth with your guitar'.
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pol
Wiki Editors
Posts: 1,349
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Post by pol on Oct 7, 2021 20:31:13 GMT
I have to ask, but.... what is an envelope follower? They are sometimes called postmen...
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Post by pt3r on Oct 7, 2021 20:40:44 GMT
I have to ask, but.... what is an envelope follower? They are sometimes called postmen... Tadum! Tssss.
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Post by moruial on Oct 8, 2021 8:31:38 GMT
Basicly a voltage that follows the volume of an audio input. So for example you play a note on guitar, and with An envelope follower you can create An envelope that follows the volume of that audio note. And then of course you can use that to 'control a synth with your guitar'.
So it "remember" the volume you played and played it afterward? or it is just trigger after you played a note?
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Post by keurslagerkurt on Oct 8, 2021 8:40:04 GMT
moruialIt plays the envelope while your audio is playing. So in the image below here, the black is an audio waveform, the red is the output voltage of an envelope follower that has the audio as input. If you would just use your waveform as CV in for a VCA, you'd get a very quickly varying signal, and you'd basicly be doing AM synthesis. If you use the envelope follower, you can have a synth voice 'follow' another audio voice, by using that envelope follower to control the VCA.
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Post by pt3r on Oct 8, 2021 9:43:26 GMT
An envelope follower will basically consider every value from the wave that lies above the center of the waveform.
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Post by moruial on Oct 8, 2021 11:40:08 GMT
I see, thanks!
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