Monthly Archives: May 2015

Vectorspace: Gestural Sequenced Sampler for Reaktor

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Vectorspace is a CPU friendly sample based ensemble for Reaktor whose sound at any given time is a superposition of gestural sequencers and effects. It also includes a sequeggiator – a probabilistic sequenced arpeggiator – that plays staggered chords as polyphonic sequences, creating a constantly evolving blend of rhythm and harmony.

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Vectorspace is ideal for transforming an acoustic instrument or synth sample plus a simple chord progression into the rhythmic and harmonic scaffolding of a track – just add some drums and bass.

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It can also be played as a more traditional sampler, a soundscape creator or as a physically modelled synth using the sampled material as an exciter and the resonator effect as a body. The resonator is polyphonic and responsive to note and chord changes. Its partials can be tuned, damped and skewed to create bell, percussion and drum sounds, or abstract reverberations.

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The sample position, sample length, grain spacing and envelope parameters can all be automated, as can the resonator, growl, filter and delay effects. Each XY fader can run in smooth or quantized mode, and quantized mode allows you to set individual clock speeds and sequence lengths for the X and Y axes of each automated fader. Quantized mode also gives you the opportunity to edit and fine tune the level of each step in a fader’s X and Y sequences. This makes it easy to create gated rhythmic filter effects or gradual changes. Sample position and automated fader controls can be controlled by MIDI (see mappings on panel B) or OSC.

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It is impossible to predict precisely what sounds will be produced when you have various effects activated with different sequence lengths on different parameters. But at the same time, the gestures and sequence settings are under your control, so the end result will be a blend of your intent and the superposition of the cycling sequences. Think of it as an “inspire-o-graph” for sound, a machine collaborator to bounce back your ideas transformed. What it’s not good for: wobble basses, control freaks, type “A” personalities. Loosen up!

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Vectorspace also features a compressor to even out the sound, and a microtuning macro that allows you to define any equal tempered tuning in either cents or Hz. Set a 5 or 7 tone scale for an easy exotic sound with no wrong notes or choose a 17 note octave division as the basis for an Eastern tuning.

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Update: Vectorspace 1.0.1 is now on the server – download notifications to existing users will follow shortly. New features include an intensity control for the Growl macro, allowing you to set a more moderate upper limit to the sound mangling while still using the pad’s full range of travel:

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1.01 also includes mappings for Antonio Blanca‘s Lemur template The Ring, which you can download at Twisted Tools, and a few new snapshots created by warping parameters with The Ring. Here’s how I’ve mapped the parameters:

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…and one of Antonio’s other great templates, SQU4R-3

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The Lemur templates are meant to control Vectorspace strictly in OSC mode. You may want to turn off MIDI output from Lemur to Reaktor, especially with The Ring which sends a note on touch.

Speaking of control surfaces, here’s how the Vectorspace parameters are mapped in Konkreet Performer, and some updated Performer templates. (these ones are prettier, like in the picture below)

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Konkreet Performer is almost always the first control surface I map my ensembles to – it’s simple, elegant, quick to configure and yields awesome leverage over sound.

Please note: Vectorspace requires the full version of Reaktor 5 version 5.9.2 or better, not just Reaktor player. Full versions of Reaktor 5.9.2+ acquired with Komplete will also work, of course.

Vectorspace comes with a detailed 11 page manual you can download here: Vectorspace Manual 1.0

Buy Vectorspace here for $39.75 $26.50 USD by using the discount code VECTORSPECIAL:

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Please use a valid email address to receive Vectorspace and updates! Immediately upon completion of payment, you will receive a link to an archive containing Vectorspace, the manual, and control templates for Lemur, Konkreet Performer and QuNeo.

[Press Kit]

Sequenced Ensembles by David Elson

Reaktor friends, you should check out what David Elson is up to in the user library.

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David has taken my Roux sequencer macro and run with it, and is doing things with it that are very interesting. Sequencing granular parameters? Sequencing beats? Hell yeah, that’s what you do with it. His choice of sampled material and sound design for the Slicer ensemble is particularly nice, too.

Fixed Filter Bank

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I’ve been meaning to make a fixed filter bank in Reaktor ever since I saw a few videos on Youtube of what they could do. They’re a blast for messing with filtered white noise, especially with some modulation and delay effects later in the chain, but they can also add some real character and dimension to instrumental sounds, bringing out tones that a plain old single band filter can’t match.

In this next one the filter bank action starts at around 2:20 –

My version adds one refinement – you can sweep the overall range of the filter up and down to better match your source material and project. Taking a look inside, you can see that there are only two filter modules, but they’re polyphonic, with each voice accounting for one filter band. This makes a neater structure, and one that’s easier to modify.

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Front panel controls are tool-tipped and should be self explanatory.

It’s free, and you can get it here:

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By the way, please use a real email address not “mrstinky@qwertyuiop.com” because this and Ghost Shift are going to receive updates and I want to notify users when that happens. Apologies to mrstinky if that is in fact a real address.