Piano roll with glide - module or VST

Plugins & Modules
1

Does any know if there’s a piano roll module or VST out there that has a glide function? I used to use Caustics 3 that had this pretty awesome glide function in its piano roll:

Caustics 3 Piano Roll Glide Demo

Basically when using a monophonic instrument, if you had overlapping notes, you could assign the following note a glide setting that would interpolate the pitch (V/OCT) between the 2 notes within the interval defined by the overlap. So the larger the overlap the longer the interpolation between the 2 pitches.

I know I can use a slew limiter in VCV rack to create portamento and potentially sequence the length of the slew, but the length is limited, and the Caustics implementation allowed much more creative freedom.

From what I could tell, the piano roll options for VCV are limited, but I would gladly buy VCV Host to run a VST that had that function if it exists. After doing a search online I couldn’t find anything that comes close, does anybody know of such a unicorn?

Help making 0-15min slew
2

What you want is that the time of the glide depends on the length of the overlapping notes, I don’t think there is a module like that in VCV. FL studio can do it with it’s native plugins or with Bendy. I don’t even think you can do it with a plugin in Host.

Maybe the other way around is an option, you could load VCV Pro inside Caustic ?

3

Ha! Yea, Caustics is a 10 year old Android app that hasn’t been maintained in years. Definitely doesn’t have VST support of any kind. I don’t know what happened to the developer, but wish they would contribute to VCV Rack with some of the functions they included in their app.

It might be wishful thinking to hope that there is a solution that works within VCV completely. I see what you’re saying with VCV Host not supporting a piano roll, I don’t see how a plugin would be able to output a velocity channel, unless it includes the velocity as a separate channel in a polyphonic signal that you would have to split?

I think VCV Host should be able to handle a glide though, because the plugin would simply be outputing a single monophonic V/OCT signal in the end. Of course a native VCV module would be ideal.

4

A glide would be possible in Host but the time will be constant, not variable like the Caustic/FL Studio piano roll.

5

the host cv out expander has “vel”.

1 Like
6

Maybe worth a read/download.

https://www.image-line.com/fl-studio-learning/fl-studio-online-manual/html/plugins/Minihost%20Modular.htm

I think the most important function (slide) is missing but…

7

Oh wow, I had no idea FL had this kind of extensibility. Yea no glide, so close. It would be hilarious to run a whole DAW just to have access to the piano roll, but the UI seems perfect.

Just for fun, here’s a piece I made in Caustic 3 a while back, just to give you an idea of what can be done with a glide function piano roll, especially the long slide at the end of the song (50 sec): 170419 RSITF 07.wav

8

I have FL Studio myself and I know what a joy the piano roll is :smiley: :sunglasses:

1 Like
9

Apparently this video shows how Glide works in Caustic:

Advanced Tutorial - Glide

First of all…

Using a piano roll sequencer/editor is pretty uncommon in modular. There are options in VCV Rack though, e.g. Squinky Labs Seq++

About Glide…

For glide in Caustic two (monophonic) notes must either be played consecutive or overlapping. The Glide time is the time between the end-of-note of the first note and the start of the second note.

Apparently, if there is no overlap between notes, the Glide time is ‘minimal’ (should be zero). Any overlap time will be added to the glide time (also unusual). Not sure about the modulation curve (linear/exponential).

In modular pitch/note (V/Oct) and note on/of (GATE) are controlled seperately.and live their seperate independent lives.

The equivalent of the MIDI note is the modular V/Oct. The equivalent of the MIDI piano roll note length is the modular GATE length. But using the GATE length to control Glide time is a bit of a challenge.

Using a slew limiter is generally the way to go to have gradual transitions from one value (in this case V/Oct) to another. But…for the per note variable Caustic kind of Glide you need control over the Glide time for each note (V/Oct). And as said, using GATE length for that would be a challenge.

One way to solve for per note varying Glide times (from zero to t) is simply using 1 sequencer(row/channel) for V/Oct (pitch/note) and a second sequencer(row/channel) to control the slew rate via CV.

You could use Befaco Slew Limiter (polyphonic) or similar. It offers control over slew rate via CV inputs for rise and fall. Also offers general and fixed control over the shape of the rise and fall slew curve (lin to exp).

But…you can also simply use a Sequencer that supports Glide/Slide, e.g. the Impromptu - Phrase Sequencer (16 or 32). But…no piano roll.

Or even have the synth included as well…

https://library.vcvrack.com/ImpromptuModular/Semi-ModularSynth

Here’s a demo/instruction video including Glide/Slide using Impromptu Phrase Seq by @Omri_Cohen

Let’s build the Roland TB-303 in VCV Rack - YouTube

3 Likes
10

As @kwurqx said above, this can be done if you just approach it differently:

glide
glide829×815 183 KB

Top row is pitch, second row is glide length (note overlap).

3 Likes
11

Wow, thanks for the suggestions. I tried Squinky’s sequencer, but unfortunately the interface is really fiddly and I couldn’t get it to work. Instead I used RCM’s piano roll, it’s a lot smoother.

I put together this crayon eating patch:

I’ll give those Impromptu sequencers a shot!

12

Nice, yea I figured there was a way to modulate the slew on top. I’m new to this, so maybe I just need to wrap my head around controlling the slew parameter.

13

outch!

14

Sorry man :slight_smile:

15

haha, no problem :wink: