DSP Robotics Support

Spogg wrote:I was wondering where we’re at with the Delay itself.

I assume I wasn't pointing it out strong enough, but I informed you that graphics would be my priority currently, to find out the limits. I know and understand that you love what you do, and that you are eager to continue. But the same is true for me as well. So that's a dilemma

I will interrupt my own work and have a test run in the next 2 days and then report!

No problem!

Please don’t interrupt your work tulamide. I know what it’s like to be deflected from something that’s absorbing.

I’ve got plenty of other stuff to be going on with, so just follow your interest and I can pick it up when you’re ready.

I hope you're prepared, Spogg, because here comes a load of tasks

Gate:
Almost perfect. But, if I select "bypass", I expect it to bypass all settings and immediately. Currently it still opens the gate with the slew settings applied (so when set to 5 seconds, it needs 5 seconds to fully open, although it's bypassed)

Output section:
The addition of stereo widening is great, the addition of a kill feedback is handy. Let's keep both.

Delay section:
Now comes the workload:

Pitch shifter
I'm not sure, but I think I want the pitch shifter to behave differently. When I set it to "3 semitones", I want it to raise from wherever it is to +3 semitones over the length of the current delay repetition. Currently it shifts each delay repitition right from the start by +3 and then keeps that new pitch.

Swap feature
Either it doesn't work as I expected, or I didn't understand the underlying concept. I couldn't really tell a difference, wether it is applied or not. Please elaborate on it. And also on inv L and inv R. I thought they would reverse the delay signal, but that's not what they do (but that would be a great feature!)

The cuts:
I want one cut section, that I can freely route to either before or after the distortion. Two of them is not as meaningful as I thought.
But I also spoke about "lowcut" and "hicut" for a reaon. I want them to act like that. Not like a lowpass and a highpass. In other words, one knob named lowcut is on neutral counter-clockwise, then when I dial in clockwise it gradually cuts the low end. The other knob named hicut also is on neutral counter-clockwise, then when I dial in clockwise it gradually cuts the hi end. The range can stay as it is, so I guess it is more cosmetics than any actual filter changes.
Unfortunately, while the distortion section works brilliantly in automatically adapting the volume, the cuts don't. Since it would be very difficult, if not impossible to automate this, I propose a "makeup" knob similar to those found on compressors, which enables me to increase or decrease the signal strength right after the cuts have been made, but before the signal reaches the next tool. So, if I set the cut controls to pre-distortion, the makeup knob changes the signal after the cuts but before the distortion. If I set it to post-distortion, it changes the signal after the cuts but before it reaches the filters.

The svf:
I wanted two filters, one for the left channel and one for the right channel, similar to how I can set different delay times for left and right. The filter module itself is absolutely sufficient, no other filter techniques needed (I especially like the existence of the notch filter, that will help doing nice effects). But, two of those, for each track of the stereo signal

Last, but not least: I want a bypass switch for the whole delay section as well. At first this might seem strange, but if I switch on the gate and switch off the delay section, I can use the plugin as a simple but effective, midi-controlled gate for applications like a trance gate and the like.

I'm pretty sure I sound like an arrogant arse, but I don't mean it! I just tried to be at most on point as I could. Also, I probably overlooked something or forgot about something. In which case, I will post here again

My comments in italics

Gate:
Almost perfect. But, if I select "bypass", I expect it to bypass all settings and immediately. Currently it still opens the gate with the slew settings applied (so when set to 5 seconds, it needs 5 seconds to fully open, although it's bypassed)
Well spotted! Fixed.

Pitch shifter:
I'm not sure, but I think I want the pitch shifter to behave differently. When I set it to "3 semitones", I want it to raise from wherever it is to +3 semitones over the length of the current delay repetition. Currently it shifts each delay repetition right from the start by +3 and then keeps that new pitch.
I’m not sure but it seems like you’re describing a pitch envelope for the shifter. As the delays can easily become very complex I’m not how sure this would or could work. The pitch controls could be automated in the DAW of course, or by the LFOs. However, I’ve provided an option to have the pitch shift feeding the delay input so you get ONE shift which is repeated with no more shifting, or the original which puts it in the feedback loop for ascending/descending pitches for each repeat.

Swap feature:
Either it doesn't work as I expected, or I didn't understand the underlying concept. I couldn't really tell a difference, whether it is applied or not. Please elaborate on it. And also on inv L and inv R. I thought they would reverse the delay signal, but that's not what they do (but that would be a great feature!)
The SWAP changes the feedback routing so when swapped left is fed back to right and right to left. This only makes a difference if you have a stereo source and/or different settings (such as delay time) between Left and Right on a mono source. It’s more apparent on headphones. The effect of phase inversion will be more noticeable with short delays and high feedback settings.
The pitch Shifter has the option to reverse the sound so I added switches for separate left and right reversal.

The cuts:
I want one cut section, that I can freely route to either before or after the distortion. Two of them is not as meaningful as I thought.
But I also spoke about "lowcut" and "hicut" for a reaon. I want them to act like that. Not like a lowpass and a highpass. In other words, one knob named lowcut is on neutral counter-clockwise, then when I dial in clockwise it gradually cuts the low end. The other knob named hicut also is on neutral counter-clockwise, then when I dial in clockwise it gradually cuts the hi end. The range can stay as it is, so I guess it is more cosmetics than any actual filter changes.
Unfortunately, while the distortion section works brilliantly in automatically adapting the volume, the cuts don't. Since it would be very difficult, if not impossible to automate this, I propose a "makeup" knob similar to those found on compressors, which enables me to increase or decrease the signal strength right after the cuts have been made, but before the signal reaches the next tool. So, if I set the cut controls to pre-distortion, the makeup knob changes the signal after the cuts but before the distortion. If I set it to post-distortion, it changes the signal after the cuts but before it reaches the filters.
I think I’ve complied with this. You can now select between pre and post DRIVE for the Lo and Hi cut. I’ve added a Makeup knob but only to increase the level (in dB). My thinking is that if you apply a cut you only ever reduce the overall volume, so it currently goes from 0 to +24dB. It’s easily changed in the knob parameters since the min and max are dB values.

The SVF:
I wanted two filters, one for the left channel and one for the right channel, similar to how I can set different delay times for left and right. The filter module itself is absolutely sufficient, no other filter techniques needed (I especially like the existence of the notch filter, that will help doing nice effects). But, two of those, for each track of the stereo signal.
I complied with this: 2 completely separate SVF filters now in place. I’ve also added a Link button (>) so you can optionally adjust Freq and Res for the Left and Right using just the Left knobs.

Last, but not least:
I want a bypass switch for the whole delay section as well. At first this might seem strange, but if I switch on the gate and switch off the delay section, I can use the plugin as a simple but effective, midi-controlled gate for applications like a trance gate and the like.
Makes good sense. I renamed the gate module to AUDIO GATE and provided a selector to choose between Trance Gate and Delay. The whole delay section is now bypassed in Trance mode (no CPU) and the gated audio goes to the Volume and Width module which is still active. I’m not sure if I got this right so just say if you want the Trance gate bypassing done a different way.

I'm pretty sure I sound like an arrogant arse, but I don't mean it! I just tried to be at most on point as I could. Also, I probably overlooked something or forgot about something. In which case, I will post here again.
Of course don’t! I told you I’d do what I can to get a delay you really like and can use. If you don’t tell me I won’t know if you’re not satisfied! I’ve really enjoyed doing this and if I can do more there’s even more fun to be had!

For others: I believe this to be fully working, but I haven’t paid too much attention to layout and GUI (even less than normal ) because I understand tulamide will make a nice front panel and when the delay itself is finished I shall look forward to seeing a much nicer looking release.

I am looking forward to Spogg's excellent explain video because right now I don't fully understand what it does exatly. You guys seem to be quite excited about it, though, so there must be more to it than I am currently able to appreciate.

I think it’s tulamide’s turn to make the video!

Seriously though I will do it, but for now the concept is to allow a signal (audio gating) into the delay’s input, based on whether a specified midi note is played. So in the DAW you can add delay to a sound exactly when you want. So for example you record a vocal and add delay to just the last word sung. This could be done live or, more likely I think, in post-production.

The rest simply involves adding effects to the delay itself to satisfy what tulamide thinks would be useful and creative for him and hopefully others.

As a result of having a midi-controlled audio gate, the option to use it as a trance gate (with no delay) has been made available too.