DSP Robotics Support

Spogg wrote:Other points (for debate mainly):
(1) My personal preference would be for a Dry/Wet balance knob and an overall volume knob.
(2) I like to see level meters with peak hold to see where I'm at when making adjustments. This would be much more important in a stand-alone export since the host DAW for the VST export would have level meters normally.
(3) I'm not convinced that we really need the additional delay since this can be achieved either with the IRA or from the real IR recording.
(4) If I apply any audio feedback at all the engine squeals and cuts off. I don't understand this behaviour at the moment since it's all just digitised sound, wherever it comes from. Does this mean there is an audio input complexity limit

(1) Actually I'd prefer the greater flexibility of two volume knobs/sliders and a mix knob.
(2) That's in my vision as well. two volume knobs/sliders with two peak hold level meters.
If you don't see the need for (3) why do you try (4) then?

Spogg wrote:(3) I'm not convinced that we really need the additional delay since this can be achieved either with the IRA or from the real IR recording.
(4) If I apply any audio feedback at all the engine squeals and cuts off. I don't understand this behaviour at the moment since it's all just digitised sound, wherever it comes from. Does this mean there is an audio input complexity limit?

tulamide wrote:If you don't see the need for (3) why do you try (4) then?

I guess I'm not sure what the straight delay is intended for in truth.
I tried overall feedback just as an experiment and was puzzled by the result. Maybe Martin can clarify it for me...?

Cheers

Spogg

@tulamide:

If simulating a real word room to get rid of binaural hearing with headphones is your intention, then you should look for the keywords HRIR (Head Related Impulse Response) and HRTF (Head Related Transform Function).

Thanks 4 the info - will have a look...

Here's a first draft of the logo. I'm not totally fine with it, but it shows some things that are important to me.

1) Flowcom. This is the abbreviated "Flowstone Community", of course. I would like to use it as the company/developer name.

2) CP-1. Short for "first community project". This should be changed, I think. I just don't have good ideas. Your turn

3) Impulse Response Processor. This is important for me. It is a convolution engine, but let's face it: Only a few will know what convolution means. But impulse response is well known, and processing impulse responses shows that this vst is not just about reverb, but also cabinets, amps, and any source that makes for creative use of an impulse response.

It may not look like much, but I spent a week on this (constantly changing fonts, arrangement, style, etc.)

Discussion now open

I love it!
You really do have an eye for design

The only thing I would change is CP-1 to CE-1 for Convolution Engine -1. That's just one letter different.
Reason: if we ever get to do another one, and then logically call it CP-2, it would be less clear if it wasn't a convolution system. Plus, Flowcom (a great name) carries the idea of a community so I don't think it needs to be in the product i.d. as well.

Of course I could suggest you use Quilcom and make it far more orange but I think I know where that one's going...

Seriously, great work and much respect from me.

Cheers

Spogg

The logo is OK. I'd suggest a bit more 3D-ish look (shadows in letters, etc.)

tulamide wrote:1) Flowcom. This is the abbreviated "Flowstone Community", of course. I would like to use it as the company/developer name.

+1

tulamide wrote:2) CP-1. Short for "first community project". This should be changed, I think. I just don't have good ideas. Your turn

I like Spogg's "CE" idea.

tulamide wrote:3) Impulse Response Processor. This is important for me. It is a convolution engine, but let's face it: Only a few will know what convolution means. But impulse response is well known, and processing impulse responses shows that this vst is not just about reverb, but also cabinets, amps, and any source that makes for creative use of an impulse response.

I like the name. Though I would say that in music production it is pretty much common knowledge that IR-loader, Convolver and FIR are more or less synonymous. I may be biased though, because in metal/rock production using ampsims and IR loaders is pretty much Lesson #1.

Which reminds me guys... plain convolvers are rather common (keFIR and LeCab, to name the most popular ones). Most DAWs also contain stock convolvers and many of them are rather spectacular (Fruity Convolver for example). We should start thinking about something special to add into it.

Here are some of my ideas, that I'm already "working" (low on time currently) on:
1.advanced stereo-shaper: for panning, widening and rotating stereo field in various different ways (including conversion to and from mid-side configuration).
2.Gated reverb: Basically smoothly cuts the reverb tail once input goes to silence (prevents reverb from washing dynamics from the mix, while keeping the sense of space). It is notoriously annoying to set up in a DAW (requires crazy signal routing and additional busses). Having it built in the reverb is very practical (and easy to setup in FS).
3.Dual mono-mode: Basically having option to load two mono-impulses for LR, instead of one stereo/mono impulse. (might provide powerful control with stereo-shaper)
4.reverse-tail mode: basically reverses the IR to achieve "reverse cymbal" styled build-up effect (you all heard it for sure).
4.b) allow "negative"-predelay (reverb starts sooner than dry). TECHNICAL NOTE: implemented by delaying dry signal instead of wet and using latency compensation to make DAW deal with it.
5.ability to select start-end points for the IR: to cut silence in start/end of IR file or to reduce artefacts.

Another idea I have (though this is quite more advanced and perhaps separate future project) is to have build in Deconvolver (perhaps also available as separate app). Basically, you would load the sweep file (included with the plugin/app) the software would play the sound trough speaker and record the input from mic. Then it would process them and spit out the Impulse Response as a wav.

Any other ideas?

KG_is_back wrote:

tulamide wrote:2) CP-1. Short for "first community project". This should be changed, I think. I just don't have good ideas. Your turn

I like Spogg's "CE" idea.

Not so good, may be confused for CE marking.

KG_is_back wrote:Which reminds me guys... plain convolvers are rather common (keFIR and LeCab, to name the most popular ones). Most DAWs also contain stock convolvers and many of them are rather spectacular (Fruity Convolver for example). We should start thinking about something special to add into it.

+1

KG_is_back wrote:Here are some of my ideas, that I'm already "working" (low on time currently) on:
1.advanced stereo-shaper: for panning, widening and rotating stereo field in various different ways (including conversion to and from mid-side configuration).
2.Gated reverb: Basically smoothly cuts the reverb tail once input goes to silence (prevents reverb from washing dynamics from the mix, while keeping the sense of space). It is notoriously annoying to set up in a DAW (requires crazy signal routing and additional busses). Having it built in the reverb is very practical (and easy to setup in FS).
3.Dual mono-mode: Basically having option to load two mono-impulses for LR, instead of one stereo/mono impulse. (might provide powerful control with stereo-shaper)
4.reverse-tail mode: basically reverses the IR to achieve "reverse cymbal" styled build-up effect (you all heard it for sure).
4.b) allow "negative"-predelay (reverb starts sooner than dry). TECHNICAL NOTE: implemented by delaying dry signal instead of wet and using latency compensation to make DAW deal with it.
5.ability to select start-end points for the IR: to cut silence in start/end of IR file or to reduce artefacts.

Another idea I have (though this is quite more advanced and perhaps separate future project) is to have build in Deconvolver (perhaps also available as separate app). Basically, you would load the sweep file (included with the plugin/app) the software would play the sound trough speaker and record the input from mic. Then it would process them and spit out the Impulse Response as a wav.

Any other ideas?

Those are all great and I'm happy that you are willing to contribute, KG!
Regarding stereo (or 2x mono, for that matter), note that the current design will handle fully meshed routing, i.e convolve a stereo signal with a stereo IR to yield 4 different outputs. You get that for free owing to SIMD, and exploiting various FFT symmetries. This may be something we could leverage upon.

As it seems, Spogg likes it, KG is not very convinced, and Martin didn't say anything at all. Other people didn't comment at all.

@KG I was experimenting with more depth. But it doesn't work well with the flat design of the rest of the UI, I am working on.

Don't hold back. If you think it is not good enough, say it so. But also say, if it is.

What about the product name? CP-1 seems to be a bit lame, CE-1 could indeed be confused with a well known european sign. Any other proposals?

Tulamode, so sorry. I forgot to say that your design is so cool! I admire your sense of clarity and order. So glad we have you for the job! Definitely the right man.

tulamide wrote: What about the product name? CP-1 seems to be a bit lame, CE-1 could indeed be confused with a well known european sign. Any other proposals?

I'd be worried if someone thought the name was a Conformité Européenne safety mark! However, it's also a bit lame and doesn't really roll off the tongue due to the two conjoining vowel sounds.

So, here's a few more to think about:

EC-1 Environment Convolver (also suggests ECho)

ES-1 Enclosure Simulator

ARG-1 Acoustics Re-Generator

IFA-1 Impulse For All

PRC-1 Pulse Response convolver

However, the most obvious and my personal favourite now is

IRP-1 The logo already says it so no further explanantion needed!

Cheers

Spogg