Category Archives: granular sampler

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:

Add to Cart

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]

Mirage 1.9.6.1

Here is the new version of Mirage featuring OSC control mappings for the awesome Konkreet Performer iPad control surface.

Note: Mirage works just fine on its own without KP too, just map some MIDI controllers or use a mouse. A TouchOSC template will follow

Update: Download link now goes to version 1.9.6.1 which is the same as 1.9.6 except the Mirage instrument header is set to visible, making it easier to get into instrument properties and change the number of voices. It arguably looks “neater” with the header bar hidden but isn’t as noob-friendly.

This version is free for owners of previous versions. Download here – your existing password will open the archive.
The new version includes extensive feature enhancements and numerous bug fixes, and carefully thought out, tested and integrated Konkreet Performer mappings. Mirage snapshot recall will also recall node positions and transmit them to Performer on your iPad.
mirage 196 diagram
This time out the sample material is mostly one-shots to work in conjunction with the added pitch correction. Adding longer phrases and snippets of songs works well too but with the one-shots you can do something more deliberate and compose a part for a pre-existing track. I find with long phrases there are only a couple of note combinations that work well and what you come up with will have a mind of its own and suggest its own composition.There are a couple of trashed piano field recordings in here that rattle beautifully – nothing like hitting the harp directly on a piano that’s sat out in the weather for a few seasons.

To use Konkreet Performer with Mirage, set up a 4 node layout with visible node labels, activate trigger hold, and set inertia to 30. When touching and moving the central node, the other nodes will slowly track and follow, creating a sort of manual LFO that slowly snaps back to the snapshot’s original settings.
The Mirage package includes a separate translator ensemble that can be run in Reaktor standalone, parallel to a host using Mirage as a plugin, to translate Konkreet Performer’s native OSC signals to MIDI. Use MIDI Yoke on Windows or the IAC driver on Mac to reroute MIDI from the translator to your host.
Mirage is $15 and a license can be purchased here:Mirage Add to Cart

Or, save $$ and buy the sampler pack which includes Loupe and ParamDrum.

Any questions? Ask away!

Loupe 1.5 for Reaktor – now with bidirectional OSC mappings for TouchOSC

From now on, buying Loupe on this page also gets you a copy of Loupe 2!

Here’s the release version of Loupe 1.5, with some added features, bugfixes, and a new layout for TouchOSC.


Changes include:

  • Added copy / paste slice (fixed since beta)
  • Added duplex OSC mappings for TouchOSC
  • Added two page OSC iPad template 
  • Fixed release envelopes cutting off prematurely

You may download it here. Update is free for owners of Loupe 1.0 – same license info will unlock Loupe 1.5. Don’t have a license? It’s $15 USD and can be purchased here:

Loupe Add to Cart

Here’s a better look at the TouchOSC layout.

Above is the slice page. Each of the sliders gets updated from Reaktor when you trigger a new slice. This lets you see the loop area, filter settings, envelope settings, etc. of each slice and adjust them. Copy and paste buttons let you copy slice parameters to a different key – handy if you want the same thing on a different key except for panning, or reverse playback.

There’s no way to get the sample waveform to display in TouchOSC, but the large green XY pad works the same way as the Reaktor Loupe GUI – X position sets loop position, Y sets loop length. I actually prefer working with my ears this way instead of looking at the display – it’s a more hardware-y approach.

Above is the global page. This selects the sample, global position offset, position LFO and other global variables. You can use this as a performance view once the individual slices and keys are adjusted to your liking.

In order to get this fully working with Reaktor, it’s necessary to set up bi-direcitonal OSC addresses. Reaktor has to talk to TouchOSC. Here’s how to set that up in Reaktor:

The identifier “ipad” is necessary – that’s what all the OSC send terminals in the instrument are mapped to. Take note of the ports and addresses. Reaktor’s receive address should be TouchOSC’s send address and vice versa. Here’s what it looks like on the TouchOSC side:

That will get the OSC connection going both ways. But wait, there’s more! You also need to set up a WiFi MIDI session between your iPad and computer. Here’s what that looks like on my Mac:

Selecting your iPad and hitting “Connect” should be enough to enable the session, as long as you have CoreMIDI enabled in TouchOSC. Windows users can use rtpMIDI.

Whew! This may seem like a slog at first glance, but it becomes clearer when you sit down and set up the connections, and the result is worth it. It’s magical in a dark room late at night, just you and your headphones and the controls and samples. Let me know what you think, how it’s working for you and any suggestions for a better layout.

If this is your first look at Loupe, you might also be interested in the other two instruments in my sampler pack, Mirage and Frame 2.

Update: here is a download of the TouchOSC template on its own, if you don’t have Loupe and just want to check out the mappings and naming conventions I used. I didn’t know at first that leaving a TouchOSC control’s OSC address pattern as “auto” named it according to /pagename/controlname. Quite handy for homing in on the address you want when you’re trying to select from a long dropdown menu in Reaktor.

May 15th minor update: Loupe version 1.5.1 uploaded – fixes OSC address patterns for copy and paste buttons.

Introducing Loupe 1.5 Beta

I’ve added some enhancements and fixed some bugs.

  • Most notably, there is now a key/slice copy and paste function. If you want to start with a key/slice, copy it to a new key and modify it, here’s what you do: press the key (middle C for example) that contains the settings you want to copy, click the copy button, then press the destination key (C sharp for example) and click the paste button. Then you can make the new copy as subtly or vastly different as you please. 
  • I’ve nailed down a crash problem that some of you may have been encountering when playing different slices very quickly from a MIDI keyboard (or the computer keyboard for that matter).
  • All the parameter IDs have been sorted and compressed to aid VST automation in a host.

The 1.5 beta can be downloaded here. The archive password you received previously will work with this new version. 1.5 should work perfectly but I’m calling it a beta until more people than me have tested it!

For more information and to purchase, click here.