Quilcom Wavemaker 2: Make waves and save as .txt

[Spogg]

Hi all

This is a new version of something I knocked up a while back. The idea is to create waveforms that can be loaded into the wave-draw oscillator. This oscillator uses wavetables saved as text files.

The Wavemaker has a bar graph for creating a Fourier Series based on a fundamental and 30 harmonics and in effect mixes Sine waves to create complex waveforms. In addition there are now 3 banks of knobs which can mix other basic waveforms; Triangle, Square and Sawtooth up to fx6. And finally there is a User Waveform using the wave draw module for freehand wave creation and this can also load and save waveforms as txt.

The resulting wave file can be saved in a freely selectable table size. The optimum I found is 512 samples.

The resulting wave can be played polyphonically via MIDI and there is a basic ADSR to help audition the sounds to help visualise the likely result when used in a synth.

Tip: Right double-click on the graph or wave draw window to zero the wave. There is a button to reset all the rotary knobs to zero which can help when starting from scratch.
Tip: The Wavemaker uses normalisation to avoid clipping. This means that the first wave introduced will be at maximum. As further waves are mixed in, the resluting wave will be a mix which is relative to their proprtional levels.

This is an ideal companion to the Quilcom Blender and is included in the zip package. See its own topic.

I do hope someone finds this interesting and/or useful. I find mixing waves and hearing the result to be fascinating!

Cheers

Spogg

EDIT: version 2.03 now works at different sample sizes correctly ( I hope).

[djbrynte]

I love this thing. I checked it out before. gona tyr it now again. But knobs where little bit to slow but its easy to fix ur self thank you spogg for great stuff!

[djbrynte]

It has some buggs. I changed to 256. and i see waveform half. And 256 on the other one to.

Also U have float connected to init.

Still very usefull when works 100%.

Also the sine souns distorted. I got some bad noise on low octave on 256 xD

[Spogg]

It has some buggs. I changed to 256. and i see waveform half. And 256 on the other one to.

Also U have float connected to init.

Still very usefull when works 100%.

Also the sine souns distorted. I got some bad noise on low octave on 256 xD

DJ thank you so very much! This is the exact type of feedback I always hope to get but it's so rare on this forum. You told me it's a good idea and you've found problems but encouraged me to fix them!

I messed up

The original one I made worked fine at any sample size so I added the new features but neglected to re-test at different sample sizes. I've fixed that now.

I did use a float to set the Interpolation to 2, you are right. I've changed it to Int now but I don't think it matters as long as the value is correct, but well spotted sir!

The distorted sound issue you mention is a bit of a puzzle. I can't reproduce this even on a pure sine wave at low bass frequencies. Maybe your hearing is more sensitive than mine and it's a fact that at lower sample rates there will be more temporal quantisation artefact which will affect the lower ranges more. At 20Hz fundamental with a sample size of 256 this should produce very low level background signal at around 5kHz but I can't hear it. Maybe you could tell me more about this distortion and possibly upload the Wavemaker set up to demonstrate it for me so I can possibly reproduce the sound.

I have to thank you once again for this feedback.

I'll upload the newer working version to my original post and maybe you can test it for me and let me know...

Cheers

Spogg

[djbrynte]

I will check this tool now or tomrow i need sleep

I will try figure out what causing it. But then i tell you and mybe hoprefully u can fix it

Will be cool if this tool works. Very easy to make ur own waves without any problems

But i dont know if u already have this bvut could be very good.

If i wana make a waveform that goes in the top i will show u an example.

mybe its called pwm the thing im wana do

http://pcbheaven.com/wikipages/images/pwmmodulation_1236720219.jpg here is an image.

So u can make wave forms liek this ///////// this is how i im trying to explain a pwm lol? how idiotic am i

|||||||| pulse something like repeating So u can make nasty/Distorted bassline sounds

ok i go check the Module now see if i can find something.

[djbrynte]

Holy Shi. Spogg i need ur help here. Its the oscilator connected to Normalize making this noise i had this trouble before with this thing. It makes this disted sound. Realy crap.

I was going inzane on this sound. And found out the problem is the normalizer.

So u need to connect something else there.

And inside this osc knobs. Its wierd to. Its 512 size there and end out in 256. Hmm i will check thoose osc knobs more to understand this. this is strange. Not uch make sense here.

It seem like ur trying to make a moprh? some how?

I have a morph in ruby working 100% + 4 diffrent pwm modes.

I did get help by nubeat for this module so i cant just give it out like this. If u ask nubeat about the morph and told him i sent you. Mybe u can have it. And do something.

But that thing works. 2 knobs for editing the waveform. And then PWM i will show u an image.

Hmm Mybe i dont need this tool Mybe its better using that one O: This makes all u need :D

But im not sure if nubeat wana give it out like that just.

Tlk with him mybe give him a little donation and he will give u I also have a ruby keyboard form him u load BMP files and it works like the pro ones hehe

[Spogg]

Hi DJ and thanks for testing again.

I am unable to re-create any distortion in any mode of use so I don't think I can modify the schematic to improve it for you, since I can't find any problem!
What you do get is noises when you are altering levels. This is down to the green prims in use for the sliders and normalisation, but this is only while you are changing levels. The idea behind the project was to create waves for other synths, not to perform with this tool. Somehow I don't think that's your issue though.
Since you have found the normaliser is producing distortion I must ask what version of Flowstone are you using. This one is made with the latest 3.08.1 and I wonder if you are using an older version which has compatibility issues, like a dodgy normaliser for instance.
Regarding the rotary waveform knobs: Inside each one there is a basic waveform (created with another program) and saved with 512 samples. The resample prims then convert to whatever is set on the front panel as the number of samples desired.
Finally these float arrays are added together at the summing input of the Normaliser prim which then creates a table with outputs lying between -1 and +1. If you remove/bypass the Normaliser the resulting wave arrays will then vary in amplitude outside these limits which may not be an issue, if you want to adjust the output level (in the ADSR) as you mix.

if you can set the Wavemaker up so you hear distortion, save it in that state and then upload it I can test it in the exact same state and let you know what I hear. That's the only way forward I can think of at the moment...

Cheers

Spogg

[djbrynte]

Omg thnx spogg. Ye im on 3.06. Im not after using this in vsts (its to big) just making waveforms it can be very usefull.

If u ask nubeat my thing is much easier.

Im not very good with ruby. But u can prob connect 10 knobs to this ruby to. And u have output waveform u can save that makes the exact sound thats why. Ur 15 waves + PWM cant get better to get what u want.

If its personal use also would be much easier to get nubeat agree this

Ok spogg i go ask nubeat if this is ok for him then check hes stuff. Its amazing thing.

Mix hes with urs and we have best waveform genereator.

And btw it doesent matter if there is some kind of little dist. I just thinking it would be good without because u can hear clearer what kind of sound ur producing. Before u save the waveform do u have any mail i can contact u i will ask nubeat.

[Ricciardo]

Nice work, i created an optmized Oscillator using your idea.

i picked up your principles and made 3 lines of knobs with different phases, Square, triangle and Saws to morph with the harmonical osc, i also made a default button to make the knobs back to zero very quickly as it can be anoying to turn all the knobs back again...

it uses only 2500 components wich is ok for an Oscillator, most of the weight is obviously caused by the knobs, and it can be lightened out in a more optimized built

[Spogg]

Nice work, i created an optmized Oscillator using your idea.

i picked up your principles and made 3 lines of knobs with different phases, Square, triangle and Saws to morph with the harmonical osc, i also made a default button to make the knobs back to zero very quickly as it can be anoying to turn all the knobs back again...

it uses only 2500 components wich is ok for an Oscillator, most of the weight is obviously caused by the knobs, and it can be lightened out in a more optimized built

Hi Ricciardo

I like this very much

The graphical osc is unusual but useful; I expected harmonic addition for partials but it's a quite different beast and makes some nice sounds on its own.

I picked up a couple of issues:
Triangle 1f seems to be a square wave and Saw 4f is silence! This is born out by looking into the strings making up the waveforms. Maybe you could sort that and then it would be brill!
A quick question, if you don't mind... how did you create the table values for the string prims?

Anyways, well done and many thanks for sharing.

Cheers

Spogg