Muff's Modules & More

Navs · Posted: Fri Sep 18, 2009 6:21 am Post subject: Silent Way VCO Calibration

Hi,

I'm trying out the demo of SW 1.3 with the headphone out of my RME Fireface400.

Calibration works perfectly from C1 - F4 (absolute revelation to hear my M15 tracking so well! hihi

) but then things go awry.

The calibrate graphic on the plug-in seems to confirm this (see attachment).

Am I doing something wrong or is this maybe a limitation of the FF400's outs?

I also got a similar result with my Cwejman VCO-2RM ...

Cheers,

Navs

os · Posted: Fri Sep 18, 2009 6:36 am Post subject:

That looks fine to me - the jaggy line at the top is where you hit the max voltage and it wraps round the top octave.

If you need more range, use an input that's adjustable and not fixed 1v/octave. E.g. If you can set the VCO to 0.5v/octave then you'll double the reachable note range.

wetterberg · Posted: Fri Sep 18, 2009 7:38 pm Post subject:

os · Posted: Sat Sep 19, 2009 1:21 am Post subject:

I have to give Graham at http://www.hinton-instruments.co.uk/ credit for suggesting that feature.

Navs · Posted: Sat Sep 19, 2009 4:27 am Post subject:

Thanks for the confirmation os!

I tried multing and then boosting the CV (A-133) but got the best results using a positive offset of about 2.5V via an A-138 mixer: five perfect octaves smile

os · Posted: Sat Sep 19, 2009 6:37 am Post subject:

Sounds good!

What's the oscillator you're using? I'd like to add it to the chart:
http://www.expert-sleepers.co.uk/siwacompatibility.html

Navs · Posted: Sun Sep 20, 2009 2:22 pm Post subject:

I can add a Cwejman VCO-2RM and Cyndustries ZO to your list (C1 - C6), with the caveat that the Zero wobbles a bit in the lower registers and, once you start applying FM indexes in excess of 100%, pitch becomes a relative issue wink

I also got a Cwejman MMF-1 filter to track perfectly from C1 - C6.
Doepfer's A-105 is a little less stable (+/- 1-2 cents) over the same span, but easily close enough for rock 'n' roll.
Malekko/ Wiard Borg didn't fare as well: +/- 15 cents, but I didn't expect it to.

Two wild cards:
Bananalogue/ Serge VCS, C1 - C5, up to 6 cents off, but hey!
Plan B Model 10 EG, C2 - C4, +/- 20-40 cents. Also surprising.
The tricky part here is figuring how much Timebase modulation to apply.

With the VCOs and filters that are calibrated for 1V/O maybe these results shouldn't be too surprising.
I guess the real issue is that there are still only two (three if you count the RME's phones out) compatible audio interfaces ...

os · Posted: Mon Sep 21, 2009 6:10 am Post subject:

Thanks for all those, that's great information.

For the more 'wobbly' modules, I could probably add a more accurate (but much slower) calibration process that fine tuned each note in turn. Do you think that's worth doing? Would users be willing to sit through such a process?

Btw you more than qualify for the bounty, if you can get something on YouTube:
http://www.expert-sleepers.co.uk/index_files/silent-way-bounty.php

Navs · Posted: Mon Sep 21, 2009 10:04 am Post subject:

If it's an easy to implement option, then yes. I'd be happy to test it for you.

The current calibration routine seems to work fine for VCOs and filters with 1V/O inputs though.

Out of interest, how slow is 'much slower'?

Thanks for the bounty tip-off!

os · Posted: Mon Sep 21, 2009 10:13 am Post subject:

OK, I'll add it to the "to-do" list.

You can hear the current calibration routine stepping between pitches, and how long it spends on each one. Imagine that stepping over all 128 possible MIDI notes.

1nput0utput · Posted: Mon Sep 21, 2009 11:46 am Post subject:

Navs · Posted: Tue Sep 22, 2009 12:56 pm Post subject:

You're absolutely right.

I should have written 'two or three brands' i.e. MOTU, Alesis (& RME).

os · Posted: Tue Sep 22, 2009 1:13 pm Post subject:

And Terratec, apparently.
http://www.kvraudio.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=256572

Navs · Posted: Wed Sep 23, 2009 2:27 pm Post subject:

os · Posted: Wed Sep 23, 2009 2:37 pm Post subject:

No, but bear in mind this is the only way I've ever controlled a modular - I don't have any history with MIDI/CV etc. to compare against.

Analog>Plugins · Posted: Sat Sep 26, 2009 3:31 am Post subject:

I would certainly be happy with a high quality calibration mode for sure.

Don't worry about the time it takes....3 mins would be fine for me.

Loving the updates OS.

antenne · Posted: Sat Sep 26, 2009 12:30 pm Post subject:

you can add a Serge DSG (dual slope generator)
to the list - just calibrated one for tracking over 6 octaves

i also am loving the updates - thanks os

kim

antenne · Posted: Sat Sep 26, 2009 12:45 pm Post subject:

you can also add a Serge VCFQ ( variable q filter ) patched to
self-oscillate

and ofcourse
the "regular" Serge oscillator modules:

PCO ( precision oscillator )
NTO ( new timbral oscillator )
FREQ ( frequency shifter )

kim

os · Posted: Sun Sep 27, 2009 12:54 pm Post subject:

Thanks for the info!