pachde (#d) HC-One

pachde · September 6, 2023, 7:11pm

I’m pleased to announce that the pachde (#d) HC-One is ready for download and testing on all supported VCV Rack platforms (Windows, Linux, Mac and Mac ARM (M-1)).

HC-One is a plugin with modules for working with Haken Audio’s Eagan Matrix hardware devices. These devices include the Haken Audio Continuum, ContinuuMini, and Eagan Matrix Module (the Eurorack module), and Expressive E’s Osmose. If you don’t have one of these devices, this plugin is not for you.

As you can see from the screen snip, You have instant access to any preset on the device, with the ability to create your own list of favorites, whether they’re custom User presets or System presets. You can save and load different Favorite files, making this suitable for managing set lists for performing with your Continuum or Osmose.

In addition to preset management, there is CV automation of Macros, the Recirculator, and the Master volume (with muting).

I plan to add extender modules for access to most of the functionality of Eagan Matrix devices (except for editing presets). Let me know what settings are the most important for you, so I can build what you need. Some planned future features are noted in the docs.

If you want to know more, read the HC-1 module documentation on github.

You can download the plugin from the pachde HC-One Releases, which also has installation notes, and beta support info.

I update the plugin regularly, so I recommend using the latest working build. See Installing, from the repo README.

Imaginus · September 22, 2023, 5:38pm

Hi! I am excited about this plugin and wondering if it is open source? I would love to see it as a part of Cardinal. This way I could use it standalone as a plugin with my Mod Dwarf.

pachde · September 22, 2023, 10:23pm

The GitHub project is here: pachde-hc-one.

It is currently open under GPL 3. or later, so compatible with Cardinal as far as I understand. I reserve the right to relicense at any time, which might be necessary to fund the work at some point. There is a lot to cover before it’s ready for release, so porting to Cardinal might need to wait until then, but that’s up to Cardinal folks. I don’t know what their process is, and this isn’t the right place for the discussion.

I haven’t tested how well it works in a DAW or other plugin-within-a-plugin scenario. Working with an Eagan Matrix device depends on a direct high-quality bidirectional multichannel MIDI connection to the instrument, which might be difficult to achieve in a DAW or other plugin context. Then again, it may just work ;-).

Squinky · September 24, 2023, 1:30am

With all these runtime platforms it takes a lot to get a free plugin ready for release!

pachde · September 27, 2023, 4:58pm

The HC One Beta 2 release has arrived!

Now includes the HC-2 and HC-3 modules. For details, see the release page, repo, and documentation.

HC-1 has a lot of functionality built into it. I think I’ve nearly maxed out what’s possible in this module’s form factor. It’s already probably too dense. HC-2 is a WIP. What’s there is solid, but there’s a lot more in the Eagan matrix yet to cover – it is wide and deep. I’m sure there will be more modules than HC-2 once it’s fully built out. HC-3 is essentially complete,

Links:

pachde · October 5, 2023, 4:47pm

I’ve just added 2 more HC-1 companion modules: Pedal 1 and Pedal 2:

These provide:

Pedal function control (the knob), The knob is clicky like the other knobs in my plugins and offers a hierarchical menu for function assignments.
Virtual pedal (the slider), which supports mouse wheel and extensive keyboard controls when hovered. The slider is “motorized” - reflecting the current value of the physical pedal. It works both ways.
Text for the current pedal value.
Image showing the type of pedal currently plugged into the device (if any), as reported by the device.
CV input (for CV-driven pedal functions).
CV output for direct pedal control of whatever you have in your patch.
The blue line to the left of the slider will become min/max controls for pedal range. Next on the to-do list.

In other news, I’m thrilled to have received a replacement ContinuMini for one with a broken USB port and (as it turns out) flawed surface. Haken Audio does great product support! Here it is alongside HC One running on an old Surface Pro 4 under Linux Mint. I’ve verified that I can run two instances of HC One to support two EM devices simultaneously in the same patch (both Windows and Linux), something that you just can’t do with the Haken Editor (much less virtual CV control of device parameters).

pachde · October 28, 2023, 5:50pm

Beta 3

Beta 3 of pachde HC One is now available: Beta 3 Release.

HC One is a plugin for VCV Rack, for use with Eagan Matrix devices, including Continuum, ContinuuMini, and EaganMatrix Module for Eurorack from Haken Audio, and the Osmose from Expressive E. See the README for an overview, and links to the documentation: README

If you want to see it in action, I’m using two instances of HC One along with my Imagine module for VCP 77:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q9q0bO8lx48

pachde · November 14, 2023, 8:49pm

Beta 4 of pachde HC One is now available. Download and read the release notes here:
v2.0.0-beta4

See the README for an overview, and links to the documentation.

pachde · November 17, 2023, 12:14am

Beta 5 of HC One is now available. Quick turnaround to add prebuilt System preset lists for faster startup (thanks to Richard Kram), and hopefully get past some of our Windows issues. Also added TiltEQ (in HC-2), reliability fixes, updated documentation, and more.

The release is here: https://github.com/Paul-Dempsey/pachde-hc-one/releases/tag/v2.0.0-beta5

See the README for an overview, install instructions, and links to the documentation: https://github.com/Paul-Dempsey/pachde-hc-one#hc-one

pachde · November 30, 2023, 7:52pm

I’ve added a rolling “Nightly” release, so that the latest build is easier to access (including to those without a github account).

Latest Nightly include 2 new modules: Round and Compressor for accessing these features of the EaganMatrix.

pachde · February 17, 2024, 1:12am

Release!

I’ve just opened the issue to submit HC One to the VCV Rack library.

If you want to get it right away, you can download it from Github: Release v2.0.0 · Paul-Dempsey/pachde-hc-one (github.com). Hopefully, VCV will not ask for additional changes and we’ll go straight to the Library. It should be in pretty good shape for doing so.

When it appears in the library, I recommend subscribing to the plugin (not individual modules). Then you’ll automatically get updates. Nightly builds will keep running if you want/need to stay at the bleeding edge.

If you’ve previously downloaded a beta, you may need to delete the local pachde-hc-one plugin folder before you subscribe.

pachde · March 1, 2024, 4:13pm

HC One is now available for subscription.

I noticed that the summary on the library says 8 modules, but that includes HC-2 which is marked hidden. I use HC-2 for prototyping and diagnostics, so it isn’t useful for users. The only thing it still has is the ch1 and ch16 CV maps.

I will be driving across the country to present HC One (and VCV Rack) at this year’s ContinuuCon in Pittsburg PA, April 26-28.