Lilac Loop v2.1.4 adds the Looper Feedback Expander module.
Select “Add feedback expander” in the Looper module’s menu to insert an expander on the right-hand side. The right side of the looper and the left side of the expander must be touching.
Patch a filter between the SEND output and RETURN input to process the feedback loop, or simply attenuate the feedback level with the F.BACK knob, no patching required.
What is the lowest level of attenuation?
And I just suggest you to add a lowpass filter with selectable slope to make this thing ultimate
2 sends,2 returns
3 stereo outs…lowpass feedbacked,mix,high pass unfeedbacked
A mix potentiometer to control feedback on the high via mix out
With a second overall lowpass selectable slope that control the curve of the level of the feedback in the frequency domain
ultimate
Fantastic. I’ve said it before but I’ll say it again here: with this addition you have made the most powerful software looper that I know about. I’ve replaced Augustus Loop with your code in my setups and have really enjoyed the results — things are so much easier and cleaner with lilac looper even with having to run it in the VCV VST plugin.
I think that this is also the best tap tempo delay available in software as well.
I’m not sure what your plans are for your work, but you might take a loop at the Glou Glou Loope for inspiration. It features some functionality from the old Oberheim Echoplex IV software that is really quite something: insert, replace and multiply. If you were trying to attain superstar status among the rarified crowd of live loopers, implementing these features would take you a long way there. I think Heinbach did a nice video about the Loupe… I think these features would really suit a module, to be honest… with all the fancy clocking and clock modulation in the paradigm I could see how features like this could be used.
In any case: thank you for your work on this. Please let me know if I can compensate you in any way, and if you wanted to take this code further, I’d love to hop on a video chat with you and talk about it… I’ve been working with looping as my central instrument since the 80s.
The Feedback knob multiplies the feedback loop by a number between 0 and 1, displayed as 0% to 100%. At minimum (0%) the feedback is silenced after one repeat. At maximum (100%) it has no effect. The feedback CV input accepts a signal from 0-10V. At 0V the feedback is silenced after one repeat. At 10V the knob value is used.
I hope I am understanding your question correctly
That’s a great reference, and completely new to me. The combination of Insert, replace, multiply looks like endless fun. It’s a stretch for me, but I’d love to recreate some of those advanced features if I can find the time and ability.
I’m very glad you’ve found a place for the lilac looper, especially given your history with looping as a central instrument. I will certainly take you up on your offer to chat once I can commit to developing this stuff further.
What about recording a nice ‘basics of looping’ tutorial?
Just to demonstrate the potential for the less educated users. (Like me.) You seem to have the historical references, experience, and knowledge necessery.
Sorry for going off topic, but @robb.monn which instrument(s) do you loop with? I’ve done a bit of ambient guitar looping, but haven’t used Lilac Looper much. Definitely need to experiment with the new feedback expander. Do you have any music online I could listen to?
Cheers.
@VirtualModular I loop a lot of ITB stuff… sample libraries, synths, drones, pianos. And real guitars. I use Agustus Loop, Enso, a Loupe pedal, a vongon polyphrase, an OG Jamman rack, and some crazy bitwig grid based loopers (that use Augustus Loop) that do feedback networks. I’m building my next looping system (4 stereo loopers with feedback network) with Lilac in VCV vst land and it is going to make me very happy. My stuff is on streaming under ‘ohler’ or on soundcloud v user robb-monn or on bandcamp under ohler
Thanks, had a look on Bandcamp and enjoyed the more ambient stuff like ‘choirs’. Is the Jamman the old Lexicon unit? I have a Vortex from around the same time, getting a bit flaky now but a crazy and unique piece of kit. Not really a looper but there was one preset where you could freeze the delay buffer for infinite repeats, I used to do a few looping experiments on that in the 90s. In VCV I’ve been using Prince of Perception recently, still need to take another look at Lilac…
Hello, Hijacking the conversation a bit, but would it be possible to see how you have created the looping system with Lilac module VCV rack, the patch would be an added bonus, pretty please! Much appreciated.
it’ll be a while before I’m done… I don’t have a lot of time to commit right now.
But it is a rebuild of my Bitwig Grid patch. Its mostly about building up a well attenuated mixer and the logic for the controls. Here’s the bitwig patch (not seen here are the Augustus Loop instances that do the looping…)
I have two original Jamman rack units. They can be expanded to 32 seconds of loop time, they have a pretty good MIDI implementation, including sync, and they have some pretty interesting features when used as delays, including the ability to tap tempo and also set the fractional division of the delay vs the tempo… ie tap quarter notes and set it to play 4/5th notes. I like them still but use them less frequently now that I have my bitwig patch. I had a vortex, too. interesting unit in many ways but I always had problems with headroom and felt like a lot of the algorithms were not a good fit for a 12 bit audio processor. The Hologram pedal reminds me a lot of it. Both boxes were well ahead of their time, imo.
Honestly I wish for a vcv implementation of the workflow for a lot of these older processors… including the origninal Oberheim Echoplex Pro which has insert, replace, complex undo, etc along with tap tempo and sync (and tap and sync which would take your tap and sync it to the nearest 1/8 or 1/4 note)
We’ve hijacked Lilac’s development thread, should probably start a new topic in the lounge area! But yeah the Vortex distorts very easily and is almost unusable due to the amount of noise. Still unique though, I’ve had a go at emulating it in VCV a few times and got some similar sounds but nothing exactly the same. I could never find out how it ‘morphed’ from one algorithm to another, whether it was just crossfading parameters or something deeper. Modulation fx are mostly time-based, so you can go from chorus/flanger/echo/resonator just using a few delays and different settings/modulation. I used a module called Transit to fade different sets of parameters, that kind of worked. The block diagrams of alll the presets are in the manual, which gives you a starting point.
I think you could implement most of the echoplex features in VCV too, but it would be a fair amount of effort.
You can’t implement insert without some logic that can’t be cooked up with what we’ve got… but you can do multiply and replace by using toggles and two independent loopers and a fair bit of logic.
