Synthesizers

These modules synthesize sound, so they have no audio input.

The left inlet receives a list of two integers: MIDI note number and MIDI velocity (both 0-127). To play a note, you need two such lists, one for note on, with non-zero velocity, followed by another for note off, with zero velocity. Note off triggers the release stage of the envelope.

• WAVR

  This is a basic wavetable synthesizer with the classic oscillator waveforms: sine, triangle, pulse, and sawtooth. The pulse and triangle waveforms have adjustable duty cycle.

  A vibrato feature lets you use several waveform shapes to add low-frequency modulation to the main oscillator signal.

  Set the amplitude envelope for a note using the attack, decay, sustain, and release (ADSR) dials.

  Set the polyphony to the maximum number of simultaneous overlapping notes you think you will need, taking into account that long envelope release times tend to increase the number of simultaneous notes required. If you set the polyphony to 1, then you can adjust the portamento time, the time it takes to slide between consecutive notes.

• FMODR

  This is a simple FM synthesis instrument. You can think of the sound it makes as the result of extreme vibrato — vibrato made by a modulating oscillator (the modulator) affecting the frequency of the oscillator you listen to directly (the carrier). The frequency of the modulator is much higher than would be appropriate for creating vibrato; the result is the production of additional frequencies (sidebands) surrounding the carrier fundamental frequency. For classic FM synthesis, both the carrier and modulator should be sine waves. Using other waveforms makes the sound much more complex, even noisy in a metallic sort of way.

  Increasing the index parameter (normally called modulation index) increases the brightness of the sound. Changing the harm parameter (harmonicity) changes the structure of the partial frequencies surrounding the fundamental. (The index must be greater than 1 for you to change harm.) Toggling the ‘i’ button lets you set harm to a floating point value, allowing the formation of enharmonic partials.

  The vibrato, envelope, and portamento sections work exactly as they do for WAVR.

• NOISR

  This module generates filtered noise notes using a band-pass filter applied to either white or pink noise. Higher values of Q create narrower bandwidths — narrow enough to result in sound that is close to a sine wave. The pitch of this note depends on the MIDI note number passed to the left inlet, as with the other synthesizer modules.

• STRUMR

  This is a Karplus-Strong plucked string model (or simulation) that produces fake harp, guitar, etc. sounds. These will never be mistaken for the real thing, but the sounds can work well put through certain kinds of effects. The plectrum parameter models the rigidity of a guitar pick, with low values producing a darker sound and high values producing a brighter sound.

  This synthesizer is not so happy with notes in extreme registers and may produce loud feedback-like sounds in response.

Effects

These effect modules accept a single audio channel and output either a single channel or stereo sound.

• 1DELAYR

  This is a simple delay unit with delay, feedback, and wet/dry controls. Changing the delay time does not produce a doppler shift, as happens with some other delays, such as 2DELAYR.

• 2DELAYR

  This module runs the input into two parallel delays, one for each output channel. Delay times for each are adjustable; there is a common feedback control. An optional filter appears in the feedback path between the output of the delay and its input. Freq is the cutoff frequency of this filter. Changing the delay times can produce doppler-shift glissando effects.

• BANKR

  The input enters a bank of parallel bandpass filters with adjustable center frequency and resonance (or Q). Nothing happens unless you send a MIDI note to the module; then it will play that note, with the current attack and release times.

  The pitch of the note sets the center of one bandpass filter. You can play as many as 16 simultaneous notes. Send a note as a list of MIDI note number and velocity, as with the synthesizer modules. Turn a note off with a velocity value of zero.

  Width controls the width of the stereo image.

• COMBR

  This module applies a recursive comb filter to the input, generating a buzzy series of harmonic partials. A lowpass filter with adjustable cutoff frequency lets you tame the buzziness a bit.

• DRIVR

  This is a simple overdrive distortion module.

• ENVELOPR

  Envelope the input audio signal whenever a trigger message arrives at the second inlet (1 to start the envelope, 0 to enter the release stage).

  The curve dial sets the curvature of all envelope segments.

• EQUALIZR

  This is a 32-band graphic equalizer, implemented using an FFT. The sliders control the amplitudes of the bands. The rand button randomizes the amplitudes.

• GATR

  This module provides a gate dynamic processor with adjustable threshold and envelope controls. Hold determines the minimum amount of time the gate stays open once the input amplitude rises above the threshold.

  The second audio inlet is for an optional key, or sidechain, input. Without this, the processor analyzes the signal sent to the left inlet and applies a gate to that same signal. Connect a key input, and the gate analyzes that signal, while applying its amplitude variations to a different signal entering the left inlet.

• REVERBER8R

  This reverberator features room size, decay time, lowpass filter cutoff frequency, and wet/dry mix controls.

  This accepts only mono input, so if you want to reverberate a stereo signal, use two of these modules, and just use one of the output channels of each to generate stereo output.

• REZFILTR

  This is a simple resonant filter module with lowpass, bandpass, and highpass modes, with adjustable cutoff (or center) frequency and resonance.

• REZON8R

  This module provides a bank of parallel comb resonators, with adjustable feedback and comb frequency. A lowpass filter helps mute some of the buzziness of the comb. Width controls the width of the stereo image.

  The pitch of a MIDI note sets the frequency of one comb filter. You can play as many as 16 simultaneous notes. Send a note as a list of MIDI note number and velocity, as with the synthesizer modules. This module ignores non-zero velocity values, treating them merely as a way to start a note. Turn a note off with a velocity value of zero.

• RINGR

  This is a ring modulator. For every sine wave component of the input, a ring modulator generates two other sine waves. The frequency of the upper sine wave is the sum of the input sine and the ring modulator frequency (freq). The frequency of the lower sine wave is the different between the input sine and freq.

• SDELAYR

  This module splits the input audio signal into 32 frequency bands. Each band gets its own delay unit with feedback. The sliders adjust the delay times for the bands. The feedback dial controls feedback for all of the bands. Maxtime is the maximum delay time in seconds. The rand button randomizes the delay times.

• TREMR

  This module performs sub-audio rate amplitude modulation (or tremolo) on the input, with adjustable frequency and waveform shape.