Venom Development blog - Chaos Boxes update and new free Venom modules under development

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I really like that gated loop mode idea. Rather than add context menu option(s), I could change the Loop button to a generic Mode button with multiple modes available, one of them being your gated loop option. The modes would be color coded to go along with descriptive text for each mode option.

So the loop gate should not actually trigger oscillation? Instead it only changes the behavior of the AD trigger (loop or not loop)? Should the AD trigger reset (hard sync) while looping?

If I offer more diverse modes, then I am thinking of changing the names of the trigger and gate buttons/inputs to simply TRIG and GATE. The mode option text can briefly describe what the Trig and Gate do.

I am also thinking of renaming ATK and DEC to RISE and FALL.

Both those changes still are informative, yet are generic enough to cover all the possible modes of action.

However, I think I will still call the module AD/ASR Envelope Generator.

Oh yeah, I forgot to say I also like the ratcheting idea. Since the gate length CV is V/Oct, it would be easy to also increase the loop frequency in powers of two increments while looping (ratcheting). So -1V CV give two cycle ratchets, -2V CV four cycle ratchets, etc.

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142

Just what I was searching for as other EGs were starting to drive me a bit batty. Looks like indeed another winner! You are on a roll!

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143

@cubistguitar - I am just about committed to the MODE button with multiple options. So far I have the following modes in mind:

  1. TRIG = AD, GATE = ASR | Retrigger from current level
  2. TRIG = AD, GATE = ASR | Retrigger from 0V
  3. LOOP: TRIG = Start, TRIG held = Stop, GATE = Hold high
  4. GATE low: TRIG = AD with retrigger from 0 | GATE high: Loop with TRIG = hard sync

The 1st and 3rd options are the current behaviors.

The 4th option is my interpretation of your (@cubistguitar) idea, except high gate immediately starts looping. If AD already started, then loop at end of AD

I am also nearly committed to changing the labels to MODE and TRIG, GATE and RISE, FALL

Iā€™m glad I wasnā€™t the only one!

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144

Those two options would be what I would use most, no 2 is the fave, need-wise :slight_smile:

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145

You just solidified my commitment!

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146

I think your interpretation is fine, any way to get more rhythmic fun out of it. I think it is more consistent with your design for the high gate to start looping even without trigger. Looking forward to this and the XM Op.

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147

definitely a choice of where to retrigger from is a great feature!

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148

OK then, changes initiated by @cubistguitar have been implemented, and the documentation updated.

AD_ASR

dev5 binaries for users with GitHub account

Updated documentation

@cubistguitar - It would be great if you can test the new behavior and verify it works well for you.

Generally I am very happy with the changes. But I do have one concern. The documentation was harder to write with the new modes, and my rule of thumb is: If the documentation (or code) is hard to write, then it indicates there may be a problem with the design. Well the code changes were actually pretty easy - it took very little code. So the code design is probably solid. But the documentation being hard to write indicates the design is not as usable as I might have hoped. Hopefully I am wrong on this.

Barring bug reports, I think I am finished with this module. But I am still open to suggestions for further improvements.

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149

Took it for a good test drive and it works as advertised! Thanks for another winner of a module (hmm, all are i guess). Not a bug in sight so far.

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150

Very cool! Does (almost) everything.

Why no end-of-cycle output, though? :slight_smile:

Maybe an option to get triggers for end-of-rise and end-of-fall on the RISE and FALL outputs? - would make more sense to me to have those, for chaining envelopes or other events.

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151

Yeah - I wanted EOC trigger, but ran out of room on the faceplate. I really like the current size and layout, and donā€™t want to increase the size.

EOC trigger can be derived from the Fall gate trailing edge, so I feel like that is sort of covered.

I have toyed with the idea of giving options for what exactly is output at the Rise, Sus, and Fall outputs.

  • Leading edge trigger
  • Gate (currently all that is available)
  • Falling edge trigger

I could give independent control over each output. I prefer faceplate controls, but if I decide to implement this, I will probably make it context menu options.

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152

I think I am too dumb to build from binaries, never done such a thing before. Looking forward to where this all goes for the Venom plugin.

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That is fine, though there is no building involved. You simply need a free GitHub account and then you download the appropriate binary for your platform at the link. Then simply place the file in the VCV plugin folder. Simple and painless, but still, not for everyone.

154

Oh I think I can handle, I thought I needed to do something smart. I will give it try and get back thanks.

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155

I couldnā€™t help myself - Here is a new version with button options next to the labels for the stage outputs. So each stage output can be configured for one of the following:

  • Gate (blue, default) high as long as the stage is active
  • Start trigger (green) trigger upon entry to the stage
  • End trigger (red) trigger upon exit from the stage

The Fall stage would have an additional option

  • EOC trigger (orange) trigger when (if) the fall stage reaches 0V

AD_ASR

dev6 binaries for users with GitHub account: Note that the damn commit comment says it is for dev5, but it really is dev6

Documentation has been updated (same link as before)

I have one more crazy idea that I am pondering:

Ratchet mode (mode 5)

This is just an idea, no commitment yet to code it.

EDIT - bad idea, not going to happen

AD and ASR would function normally if the TRIG or GATE is 10V. Retrigger would be from 0.

If the triggering voltage is >=2 and <10, then the envelope length (both Rise and Fall) would be divided by the truncated value of the triggering voltage, and the envelope would loop.

A loop count for a TRIG would be the same as the divisor.

A GATE would loop at the ratchet rate for as long as the gate is high.

I could take it a step further and for TRIGs, the decimal portion of the triggering voltage would be multiplied by 10 and then truncated again to get the ratchet count. A value of 0 would be the divisor count.

So say the TRIG voltage is 6.3V. The Rise and Fall times would be divided by 6, and it would loop for 3 times. If the voltage is 6.0V instead, then it would loop for 6 times.

I am thinking for this to be most musical, the sum of Rise + Fall time would have to be related to the clock rate. Iā€™m not sure how hard that would be to set up.

So is anyone excited by this idea? Or should I just leave well enough alone and skip it?

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156

Itā€™s very interesting using the voltage to set off different rachetings. A slightly diff voltage could give you an interesting difference in rhythm. Makes it a fun game in my mind.

157

Yeah, I did some experiments, and it definitely has potential.

My plan (if I execute it) is to keep the time dividers at integral ratios.

I am thinking that the trig or gate from a sequencer would pass through a VCA and a lane from the sequencer would modulate the VCA level to set the ratchet level.

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158

Oh, I thought of another modification - add an output mode button for the ENV.

  • Normal
  • Invert (start at 10V and ā€œattackā€ to 0V, and ā€œdecayā€ back to 10V)
  • Bipolar (presumably for looping)
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159

You do think of everything, I always end wasting an attenuverter on the task, seems more envelopes should offer inverted output, the bipolar is clever too. I often vca an envelope for a smaller one to make a nice modulation signal. You donā€™t often need this, most modules have an attenuverter attached to the cv port, but every so often a module does not. Maybe you could use the voltage measurement of the trigger to size the output envelope, perhaps in one of the more typical modes as an easter egg capability. Of course Iā€™m just spitballing another silly idea, but I figure digital is the place to get an uber envelope, cant wait to see what you do with a 4-6 stage envelope.

edit : and while Im being a jerk, if there is a vca in there, seems like an falling saw could get a swell bouncing ball or other shapes could lead to some wild looping scenarios.

160

Using the trigger voltage to scale the envelope is kind of intriguing. But it seems highly unlikely that the correct gate length would also have the desired voltage. I am thinking you would need to use a VCA to attenuate the clock before feeding the TRIG/GATE. I donā€™t see the advantage to doing that pre envelope instead of the more traditional and intuitive attenuation post envelope.

The same goes for my Ratchet idea in ASR mode. It is already easy to adjust the Rise/Fall speed via CV. But the AD ratchet mode with a specific number of loops I think is what makes the Ratchet idea appealing.

Hog wash. You have given me good ideas :smiley:

I briefly thought about implementing something like the esoteric ALM Pip Slope loop modes. One attenuates the envelope magnitude using a down ramp. The other sweeps the loop frequency. But they have already done it, it is available for free in VCV, and I donā€™t really have any ideas to improve upon what they have done without adding additional controls, which I donā€™t want to do.

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