Valhalla Space Modulator is now FREE as a bird

The Valhalla Space Modulator plugin was originally released back in 2016. Until recently, it was offered as a free download to existing ValhallaDSP customers only (you had to purchase another product from the developer first). As of now, anyone interested can download it and use it completely free of charge.

Valhalla Space Modulator features eleven modulation algorithms and an intuitive set of controls to shape the depth and type of modulation that is applied to the signal. The user can adjust the modulation rate and depth, the feedback amount, and the mix of dry and wet signals. It is also possible to add a fixed pre-delay to the modulated signal. The eleven included algorithms are accessible through the Mode selection menu, and each mode includes a brief description that explains its modulation type.

 
 

Valhalla Space Modulator is available for free download from the product page – no registration or activation is required. The software is available in VST, AU, AAX, and RTAS plugin formats for compatible DAW software on PC and Mac. Both 32-bit and 64-bit plugin hosts are supported.

More info: Valhalla Space Modulator (2.66 MB download size, ZIP archive containing EXE installer, 32-bit & 64-bit VST/AU/AAX/RTAS plugin format for Windows & macOS)

Fed up of struggling with unorganised projects? Template them

Until I discovered Post Haste I created the framework for each new project folder by folder. Using Post Haste from Digital Rebellion has saved me about 15 minutes for each new project.

Post Haste is a free project management tool for PC or MAC that allows you to setup file and folder templates for audio, video, graphic design, web design or client management projects. Then, with a few mouse clicks your folder structure is organised ready for you to start work including any standard files that populate specific folders.

You can create an unlimited number of templates for different project types and name them appropriately such as "Youtube HD", "Motion Graphics" or "Website".

It is the perfect tool to keep your project and assets organised.

Overview

The first thing to do is to create templates for the types of project you are going to need.

In the left pane use the 'Add' 'Remove' buttons to maintain projects and in the right pane you can maintain the folder structure, adding new folders and including files used for each new project e.g. a DaVinci Resolve template to start a new video editing project.

Export your Davinci Resolve Template to get a DR project file (.drp file) which you can then place into your Post Haste template folder structure

In the New Project tab you can define the parameters used to build the project name. An example of the project name is shown at the bottom. Blank fields are unused and the order can be changed as required.

You can specify where new projects should be created.

In this pane you can change the order (small up/down arrows) of the project naming parameters, request a sub-folder before a selected parameter, etc.

This is a great little tool. Watch out, the user guide is from 2014 and includes some features which were clearly too ambitious and have now been removed, but it's all fairly self explanatory.

More info: Post Haste (1.47 MB download size, Zip file, formats for Windows & macOS)

Caelum Audio free cassette tape emulation

Caelum Audio has introduced Tape Cassette 2, an updated version of their freeware tape emulation effect in VST3 and AU plugin formats for DAW software on PC and Mac. The software is also available as an app and AUv3 plugin on iOS and iPadOS.

 
 

Since version 1 Caelum have added a Type 1 Cassette Impulse Response (IR) and improved the saturation algorithm, wow & flutter engine and implemented real sampled tape noise, giving a wonderfully warm vintage sound.

More info: Tape Cassette 2 (4.99 MB download size, EXE installer, 32-bit & 64-bit VST3/AU plugin formats for Windows & macOS)

San Francisco Golden Gate bridge sound - angelic and peaceful or eerie and mournful?

Perplexed Bay Area residents have reported hearing an ominous ringing noise emanating from the Golden Gate Bridge, which can be heard in videos taken miles away.

“Can someone explain me why is this eerie sound has been going on for an hour in #SanFrancisco #presidio #sound #eerie #whatisthis “ one Twitter user wrote.

As part of the wind retrofit project, a length of the west side bicycle path railings have been modified with thinner slats to reduce wind resistance. The engineers identified the potential sound problem during wind tunnel tests but decided it would not be a common occurrence, however recent windy weather has amplified this new sonic feature of the Golden Gate Bridge.

See also The Windsor Hum

Ton-Geraet 1 (SyS TG1) is now freeware!

Ton-Geraet 1 (Sound Device) was a big hit 10 years ago because of its unconventional feature set. Now the VST plugin for Windows-based DAW’s is being given away completely free of charge.

The instrument features a dual-voice architecture and a beautiful wave-morph sequencing which draws inspiration from the legendary SID sound chip which was used in Commodore 64 home computers.Other features include a 12-bit low-pass filter inspired by the Akai S-1000 hardware sampler. A dual LFO unit is installed for handling modulation, along with per-voice DADSR envelopes. Things get even more interesting with the Kraftwerk inspired Stoerstrahlung (Interference or stray radiation) button (found on the Setup page) which emulates the unstable behaviour of analogue gear.

Kraftwerk used to leave their analogue synthesizer gear running whilst they went out to the cinema. After they returned to the studio, due to the slow internal heating of the analogue circuits, they found the sound to have changed, sometimes drastically.

More info: SyS TG1 (12.9 MB download, ZIP archive containing EXE installer, 32-bit & 64-bit VST plugin format for Windows)

Oblik Lines releases free Reaktor synthesizer - Misty Valley

Misty Valley is an unstable synthesizer inspired by Boards of Canada, Aphex Twin, Rival Consoles, and similar artists. Pitch modulation, layered noise, and a few other sound design techniques are employed to generate sounds that can be described as being more organic and “human” than what you’d typically expect to hear from a synthesizer.

Presets

Misty Valley, includes 75 presets that are split into 4 sound banks:

  • Blurred noises: an overload of noisy sounds

  • Unstable textures: dreamy / soaring sounds with a touch of noise

  • Almost clean: classical analog sounds with some noise

  • Noise beds: atmospheric noise pads

Misty Valley takes inspiration from the analogue synths from the late 70s/80s and uses subtractive synthesizer with just two oscillators. Other functions within modules are then added to emphasize this blurring effect. These include: the Drifter, which replicated the pitch instability of tape machines; and the Tape Sampler to add tape noise in the signal chain to reinforce the LoFi/Organic feel. (62 MB download size, ZIP archive, requires the full version of Native Instruments Reaktor)

Misty Valley can be downloaded completely free of charge via Gumroad. Name a fair price of your choice and proceed to checkout. There is no minimum required amount to complete the checkout process.

Planning Outputs and Inputs for a Patchbay

I have been working on the future studio layout and having finished the hardware positions I turned my attention to the cabling and patchbays.

This is want I want to avoid

For patchbays I have an ART P16 Patch Bay, and two NYS-SPP-L1 Neutrik Patchbays. The ART P16 is simple as it will be used for Microphone inputs feeding directly to the Allen & Heath mixing desk MIC inputs.

The Neutrik patchbays have a default half normalised setting, but when the PCB is turned they allow a ‘straight through’ connection which is useful for some equipment.

The Configuration and the planning for Patchbay 1 and Patchbay 2 is shown below as planned today; I’m pretty sure that something will change somewhere.

Planning the design and build of a sound Recording Studio

Thank-you social isolation! I have finally had enough time to begin the re-design of the #recording studio. Whilst I have tried many high tech methods in the past, using design software and 3D modelling, this time I have gone for a low tech and tactile approach using a scale model and up-cycling some of the cardboard that has acumulated of the last few weeks.

The result so far is shown here.

2201 Recording - studio design model

The blue bottom right is the glass door into the studio and the large black square is the mandatory black leather chair. The model is a 10:1 ratio which represents the 6m x 4m studio space. I haven’t yet planned the acoustic panels.

 
thon studio side rack xl 10U.jpg

The Thon Racks hold various rack mounted equipment including power conditioning and patch bays. See my previous article about patch bays here.

The large Thon Studio rack with the Roland TR-808 on top includes two power conditioning units and a patch bay which includes control voltage (CV) jacks to supply the analogue synthesizers on that side of the studio.

Currently I’m working on the power supply layout coming from the four power conditioners and backup power supply. After that I’ll check that the audio and digital signal flow (the path an audio signal must travel through your gear, from beginning to end) is feasible with the various cable looms that I have.

Signal flow between sound cards and Mackie Big Knob

Signal flow between Allen & Heath 168 mixer and (mainly) analogue equipment

In the future I will cover

  1. Structural and acoustic design

    1. I have tried to get as close to ‘The Golden Ratio’ as possible which is nicely explained here https://www.mathsisfun.com/numbers/golden-ratio.html

      The golden ratio (symbol is the Greek letter "phi" shown at left) is a special number approximately equal to 1.618. We find the golden ratio when we divide a line into two parts so that:

      the whole length divided by the long part

      is also equal to

      the long part divided by the short part

      e.g. Studio size of 6000 x 3710 is good (=1.618)

  2. Construction and fit

  3. Air conditioning design - how it integrates with acoustic and interior designs