Obxd synthesizer

[layzer]

I also think that the patch navigator menu could be placed in the same location as the logo, maybe with a small button to show/hide it. This way, it would not mess up with the current GUI and will be fully functioning nevertheless, when we need it.

Guyz... What you're commenting about is just experimental. When programmers mess around with new features, they'll throw something on some free area of the GUI just to experiment. What you're seeing is in no way representative of the final implementation.

and here i was hoping the patch manager controls would hide the logo so i wouldn't have to worry so much about getting it perfect!

[kbaccki]

+1 on that! It's a remarkable instrument and the fact that it's free is a mystery to me.

@Layzer: I'd also like to officially recant concerning my somewhat grumpy posts about the new OBXa GUI. Now that I've seen the finished version, I think that it looks really good.

Any chance of a Mac OS compatible version?

/Joachim

thanks, spitfire. glad it grew on ya

sadly, i do not utilize mac hardware for any computer uses.
so, if someone wants to compile obxd with this skin for mac, feel free to
pm me for the bitmaps.

Does anybody "own" the mac build? The github master only has a VStudio project, and I saw one old branch from that by Oli Larkin, and then one or two other random .zip distributions. Does 2DaT want merges back into the master, or is he doing thr OSX compile, or anybody know?

I have the facilities for building and basic testing on 10.6-10.9, but I think more branches = more confusion.

[fmr]

+1 on that! It's a remarkable instrument and the fact that it's free is a mystery to me.

@Layzer: I'd also like to officially recant concerning my somewhat grumpy posts about the new OBXa GUI. Now that I've seen the finished version, I think that it looks really good.

Any chance of a Mac OS compatible version?

/Joachim

thanks, spitfire. glad it grew on ya

sadly, i do not utilize mac hardware for any computer uses.
so, if someone wants to compile obxd with this skin for mac, feel free to
pm me for the bitmaps.

Does anybody "own" the mac build? The github master only has a VStudio project, and I saw one old branch from that by Oli Larkin, and then one or two other random .zip distributions. Does 2DaT want merges back into the master, or is he doing thr OSX compile, or anybody know?

I have the facilities for building and basic testing on 10.6-10.9, but I think more branches = more confusion.

I think I downloaded it sometime ago, and it was working OK, AFAIR. Can help you testing, if you want (10.9 and 10.10)

[Breeze]

Does anybody "own" the mac build? The github master only has a VStudio project, and I saw one old branch from that by Oli Larkin, and then one or two other random .zip distributions. Does 2DaT want merges back into the master, or is he doing thr OSX compile, or anybody know?

I have the facilities for building and basic testing on 10.6-10.9, but I think more branches = more confusion.

All very valid questions and concerns. I suggest you contact 2DaT directly via PM about this.

[Breeze]

Since OBXD is on the cusp of a major revision with new useful parameters, I figure this would be a good time to post a list of addons that occured to me while using current version. These are not engine-related but about usability. The simple ones are just that, but the complicated ones are likely not even for this next version, though they would be nice. Apologies to those who discussed the first two items in the complex section: I don't remember who it was...

Simple Addons:

Semitone Transpose: Some sounds just end up offset by a number of semitones and can't be corrected to concert pitch any other way without altering the sound. In principle the main Transpose function could be used for this (CTL + mouse for semitone tuning), even if it only affects Osc pitch, and not filter cutoff. Most adjustments are small.

+10 dB Volume Boost Switch: some sounds end up so low in volume, especially when using the softer triangle waves, maxing out the Master Volume isn't enough for them to be at an acceptable level, again, without changing the sound of the patch.

Remove CC1 tie to Vibrato: the choice of doing this had to do with respecting the original hardware. I'd say we're way beyond that now and it should be treated as any other modulation destination and replaced at will. The default for an initialized voice could still be CC1 to Vibrato, and the "Vibrato = 0 = OFF" workaround would no longer be necessary.

More Polyphony: do we want more polyphony within a single instance of OBXD? I know I do. 16 would be more "comfortable". This can always be limited with the "Voices" setting. Yes, I know: 16 pan knobs? Bring it on! But they could also be 16 horizontal sliders...

Right-Click = Fine (or mouse wheel = fine, or...): don't know if this is possible, but one of the problems with "CTL + Mouse = Fine" is that if you're editing with one right hand and playing notes with the other, it would be nice to have a way to switch to fine mode without having to use the keyboard.

Complex Addons:

Polyphonic Unison: this would create a unison effect that would allocate "n" number of voices to each unison note, preserving polyphony as much as possible. Example: With 8 available voices, 2-voice unison = 4 notes polyphony; with 16 available voices, 3-note unison = 5 notes polyphony. Of course this is more interesting with more total available voices. This was mentioned by someone on this thread before.

A Modulation Matrix: (also discussed before) One of the most powerful features of the Matrix-12 and Expander is their Modulation Matrix which allows selecting a source and destination and setting how much effect in either direction the source will have on the destination from the destination parameter's default setting in the patch. I would love to have access to a few of those for use with internal parameters as src and dest., to scale the control and direction of external CC on a parameter (rather than take complete control of it as in automation), and to use CC to scale the degree of internal src mod to dest.

Polyphony Handoff: as an alternative to more polyphony within one instance of OBXD, this would send any notes that can't be played on one instance to a second instance, with note-priority managed by the first. An advanced scenario could have multiple instances in unison and played polyphonically...

That's it... for now...

[zerocrossing]

As usual, I'm late to the party, but I just had some time to play with the latest build and wow! Great little synth. I do have one pet feature I'd love to see though... could you have it respond to aftertouch when it's in the learn mode?

[fmr]

A Modulation Matrix: (also discussed before) One of the most powerful features of the Matrix-12 and Expander is their Modulation Matrix which allows selecting a source and destination and setting how much effect in either direction the source will have on the destination from the destination parameter's default setting in the patch. I would love to have access to a few of those for use with internal parameters as src and dest., to scale the control and direction of external CC on a parameter (rather than take complete control of it as in automation), and to use CC to scale the degree of internal src mod to dest.

That, and 5 envelopes, 5 LFOs, ramps, lags, 15 VCAs, 15 types of filter configuration, complex mixing of sources, etc.

The matrix modulation is important, but is just a very small part of the complex beast the Xpander/Matrix-12 is, when compared to the OB-X series (I think the only thing in common they share is the name, and a certain concept on the sound).

[CrazyLittleSomething]

Yeah, and it had a monitor, right?

yes, every Oberheim synthesizer of that time came with a
CGA monitor for also playing the Synth's built-in Leisure Suit Larry game on.

I was talking about a GUI which will hurt your eyes when staring too long at it. However, if people want to hurt their eyes, who am I to stop them? I am not my brother's keeper. After all.

[Breeze]

The matrix modulation is important, but is just a very small part of the complex beast the Xpander/Matrix-12 is, when compared to the OB-X series (I think the only thing in common they share is the name, and a certain concept on the sound).

Of course, but the essential mod cell is replicated throughout those systems' mod matrices, and as you've pointed out, with the addition of additional mod sources not part of the sound generating path, which of course make them monstrously complex.

In reality the basic cell is rather simple, and can even be created externally from OBXD using CCs (I've done this in Bidule). I don't see a super elaborate mod matrix in OBXD, but rather a few modulation cells that allow choice among the existing parameters and sources, not additional ones. Like maybe 4 to 8 of them, enough to be create performance-oriented variations from multiple controllers and allow parameter modulation and adjustments of existing parameters. A useful simple feature would be to allow a multiplier to exceed its range by allowing a multiplier > 1, with all natural limits being capped of course. The cell could look something like this:

Source -> CC Source -> CC Multiplier -> +/- Range -> Destination
Source = off or parameter
CC Source = off or CC#. If off, only parameter affects destination. If CC# is chosen, CC Multipler is on.
CC Multiplier = X 0 to 1 (1 = off...). Used to manually control effect of src. parameter on dest.
Range: from patch parameter position, -2 to +2 (multiplier)
Destination: parameter

Another useful feature from the Matrix and Expander is that these cells are added if the destinations are common. That shouldn't be overlooked. But like I said originally, this is likely for a future version.

I do have one pet feature I'd love to see though... could you have it respond to aftertouch when it's in the learn mode?

Good call: Channel Aftertouch should be added as a control source. I could even use Poly Aftertouch...

[Maomoondog]

The matrix modulation is important, but is just a very small part of the complex beast the Xpander/Matrix-12 is, when compared to the OB-X series (I think the only thing in common they share is the name, and a certain concept on the sound).

Very true.

[Breeze]

The matrix modulation is important, but is just a very small part of the complex beast the Xpander/Matrix-12 is, when compared to the OB-X series (I think the only thing in common they share is the name, and a certain concept on the sound).

Very true.

I was thinking: baby steps...

[Maomoondog]

The matrix modulation is important, but is just a very small part of the complex beast the Xpander/Matrix-12 is, when compared to the OB-X series (I think the only thing in common they share is the name, and a certain concept on the sound).

Very true.

I was thinking: baby steps...

Almost like owning a Casio VL-1 and upgrading to a Yamaha CS-80

[fmr]

The matrix modulation is important, but is just a very small part of the complex beast the Xpander/Matrix-12 is, when compared to the OB-X series (I think the only thing in common they share is the name, and a certain concept on the sound).

Very true.

I was thinking: baby steps...

Almost like owning a Casio VL-1 and upgrading to a Yamaha CS-80

Well, that is exaggerating in the caricature. I would say more like evolving from the CS-10 to the CS-80

[kbaccki]

sadly, i do not utilize mac hardware for any computer uses.
so, if someone wants to compile obxd with this skin for mac, feel free to
pm me for the bitmaps.

I will update this skin and the original OBX skin for v2. and plan to make the SEMV variant also. so
stay tuned

@layzer, sent a PM a few days ago, but haven't gotten a reply. Maybe your in the middle of some guy hackery, but I can get an OSX build out to folks if you're interested. Or if you want to wait that's cool too.

Was able to reverse engineer the jucer file (which IMO should be checked in), compile with latest JUCE (3.08 vs. 3.02), build for AU, VST, and VST3, 32+64 bit universal. Have not yet brought the same source to windows to compile under VC++. 2DaT doesn't seem to concerned with keep the repo updated across forks etc., but personally I think having all relevant builds source from a single branch would be ideal, including any skin tweaks, jucer file, etc.

BTW, for patch manager, would be nice to have maybe some matrix style glowey glyphs? Also, I think layzer's GUI shows that even with the current size there's plenty of real estate on the left side to squeeze in a minimalist patch UI. Maybe something like this:



Rather than having up/down buttons for bank, patch, etc., drop down a bank/patch menu.

[2DaT]

BTW, for patch manager, would be nice to have maybe some matrix style glowey glyphs? Also, I think layzer's GUI shows that even with the current size there's plenty of real estate on the left side to squeeze in a minimalist patch UI. Maybe something like this:

That will be pain to implement

Rather than having up/down buttons for bank, patch, etc., drop down a bank/patch menu.

It's implemented as a drop down menu.