Eightfold feat Orca's Heart v2 - now in library!

what started as a new version of Orca’s Heart became a whole new plugin with 2 other modules (and more planned) - i’d like to present Eightfold, a collection of modules centered around the concept of generating and processing eight voices.

Orca’s Heart v2 is the flagship of this collection, an algorithmic sequence generator that can generate up to 8 sequences and 8 CV/gate modulation voltages. while working on the new version, i realized some ideas would work better as separate modules, and i also wanted to have more ways to process 8 related signals in different ways - so that’s what this plugin is about.

three modules are available now:

  • Orca’s Heart v2
  • Lines - a simple poly voltage visualizer
  • Formation - a module that converts a single voltage into a swarm of 8 related voltages

the plugin is free and open source: GitHub - scanner-darkly/eightfold: orca's heart and other vcvrack modules

subscribe to it here: VCV Library - eightfold

download links for new betas:

2024-03-30 beta 1

some video demos here: Orca's Heart / Collection One is now available - #20 by scanner_darkly

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I built from source on Mac ARM64 - no issues. Currently giving Formation a try - using it on a melody line to vary the voices a little. Seems to be having a nice effect.

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I downloaded the mac-x64 plugin version 2.0.0 from Github. I’ve run all your examples from Instagram. All good here.

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All good fun on linux here so far. Would be nice to be able to choose modulation CV ranges.

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thank you all for testing - i’m on windows, so all platforms have been tested now.

i’ve found a couple of minor bugs, will post a new beta later today.

@contemporaryinsanity - i’m planning to add a module that will allow scaling/offsetting multiple voltages at once, would that cover what you have in mind?

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posted new beta: Release v2.0.0-beta2 · scanner-darkly/eightfold · GitHub

fixes/changes:

  • Transpose input fixed (wasn’t 1V/Oct)
  • max Gate Length reduced from 4 to 2 seconds
  • scale presets are disabled by default
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here is a neat use for the Transpose input:

if you use the Rack VST plugin, you can use Orca’s Heart to sequence other VST plugins. to keep it in sync, connect the MIDI > CV module CLK/N output to OH Clock input.

if you then connect 1V/Oct output to Trans input you can use a MIDI track in your DAW to transpose OH sequences:

https://www.instagram.com/p/C48mZTVu7NT/

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A reset for the A/B switch would be nice. When I start a melody with another module, e.g. Process, everything is synchronised. Only Orca’s Heart starts the A or B or B or etc. This problem is also present in the first version. Otherwise a cool module with potential. No other problems found.

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makes sense, i think instead of a reset there should be trigger inputs to select scale A and scale B, which would also work as a reset but with the ability to choose either scale.

the module is pretty packed though, so it might have to be something for a future expander.

another option is to interpret the A/B switch input so that A is selected if the voltage is low and B if it’s high. this could be easily added and would be selectable between the regular behaviour and this through the context menu.

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teletype is great for creating sequence variations, especially when using orca’s heart to sequence drums:

https://www.instagram.com/p/C5C3T-ULrs5/

This should help if you can easily implement this. Looking forward.

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Great update and big winner, thanx a lot! Perhaps the only thing I find severely missed compared to the first version is the lack of an information screen. Is there any chance that it could appear again, at least as an additional extension (module)?

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it didn’t serve any practical purpose since you can easily grab the current parameter values, and i wanted to keep the size the same for the new version, but yeah i might add an expander that will visualize the inner algorithm workings.

Well, I don’t quite agree with your first statement, because now I can’t keep track (visually) of e.g. algorithms changes (and space too), which helped me a lot earlier while I was modulating them ). Anyway thanks again and please consider adding such an extension.

fair point - i agree it’s nice to see what the actual values are with modulation taken into account. i’ll consider adding it in a future expander.

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the plugin is now available in the library, you can subscribe here: VCV Library - eightfold

i do recommend subscribing to the plugin instead of individual modules - this way you will get new modules automatically.

i also have a new beta: Release v2.0.1-beta1 · scanner-darkly/eightfold · GitHub

a couple of small improvements, and now you can switch the scale toggle input between the trigger mode (it will toggle between the scales when a trigger is received) and the gate mode (scale A selected when the gate is low, scale B when it’s high).

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I have tried your Orca’s Heart pluggii. I’m still using here the old one but it also has these scale A/B reset problems. I have not found a solution, not even with the new beta. Maybe I’m doing something wrong. Here is an example from the old Orca’s Heart.

i’m on a road trip for the next week and a half, so i can’t check your patch until i’m back, but if i understand correctly what you’re trying to do, you can just set the scale switch input to gate mode and then use something like VCV Library - Bogaudio FLIPFLOP - connect A to the scale switch input, and plug your trigger and reset to flip flop.

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