i’ve recently purchased spectra and have been trying to “wrangle” the envelopes from it by using compressors, i wonder if there is a better way to do this. sometimes i want to take an envelope that isnt that high in amplitude and make it more extreme of a range, but limit the upper and lower range, so it never dips below a certain threshold, and same with the upper range. any things i could try besides the clamp module and a compressor? or perhaps i’m not using those two modules together in the best way… what do you think?
So, basically: Offset + Clamp? Maybe vary behaviour over the amplitude range (top/bottom)?
A compressor (vary threshold, ratio + knee, pre/post gain) could be an approach. Except for the offset?
Maybe try using seperate modules to get more control over the desired aspects.
Here are some concepts/modules to consider:
Offset: add fixed/constant voltage to a signal
VCV CV Mix
Specifically meant for CV modulation. Stick a CV signal into 1 input, set knob at desired level (attenuverter), offset with another knob (no cable connected).
Clamp: Set min, max. Can also attenuvert.
Bark - Clamp
Set lower and upper limits. Set gain.
Maybe add a mapper if you want behaviour to vary over the amplitude range.
NYSTHI - MAPPER
There are many other ways/modules to achieve similar goals.
I guess introducing Shapemaster as the ultimate multitool might be overreach
Mindmeld - ShapeMaster
Thanks! I just put my signals thru a scope and looked at what clamp was doing in my patch and now I understand where I went wrong. I was thinking the module did something else. I think I need to scale or compress and then offset.
I’ve only used compressors with audio range stuff in the past, they work the same with CV? Specifically envelope followers like spectra? I’ve imagined that they would…
The function mapper by nysthi looks interesting, am I understanding it right that you can change he the curve of the signal passing thru it? Like if I want a sharper or more exponential looking dip to zero volts (or maybe change zero volts to something slightly higher like 0.5 so it stays there and doesn’t ever go lower) it could do both of those things?
Wow, I just watched this:
All my problems are solved now
The concept of a compressor is the same for analog and digital compressors. Attenuation (according to some ratio) of a signal above a threshold.
You can effectively map/transform an incoming voltage/amplitude to an outgoing voltage. A diagonal 45 degree upward line means: in equals out. Any deviation from that diagonal will remap by the distance from the diagonal. Either attenuating or amplifying. Since we have the full range (bipolar) we can also do asymmetric transformations (unlike most compressors).
For example: a tanh / S like curve is often used on an audio signal to create an ‘overdrive’ effect. Gradually but ever more attenuating as amplitude rises, until attenuation approaches infinity (a horizontal line). Thus also effectively setting an upper limit, but with non-linear effects on the spectrum all over the amplitude range, while it changes the outgoing waveshape.
The same transformations can be done on CV signals, since modular (in principle) does not distinguish between static cv levels, low frequencies (unipolar or bipolar) and audio frequencies.
Hope this helps?
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