Eventide DSP4000B+, DSP7500, DSP7000 User Manual
Programming Manual for
Orville and the DSP7000 family
of Harmonizer
Brand Effects
Processors.
( covering Orville™, DSP7000/7500™ and DSP4000B+™ )
Part No: 141035 Manual Release 1.2.1 17 May, 2001
©1999 Eventide Inc., One Alsan Way, Little Ferry, NJ, 07643 USA
Harmonizer is a registered trademark of Eventide Inc. for its audio special effects devices incorporating pitch shift.
Orville, DSP7000, DSP7500, DSP4000B+and Ultrashifter are trademarks of Eventide Inc.
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The Harmonizer
Programmer’s Manual
Table of Contents
GENERAL PRINCIPLES____________________________________________________________________________4
VERVIEW ..................................................................................................................................................................................................................4
O
Different Kinds of Si gnals 6
H
OW A PROGRAM INTERFACES WITH THE PARAMETER AREA...................................................................................................................7
Simple Interface 7
Custom Interface 8
M
ODULES................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 10
The IN and OUT “Modules” 10
The Characteristics of Modules 11
W
RAP UP ..................................................................................................................................................................................................................15
VSIGFILE ________________________________________________________________________________________ 16
System Requirements and Background Knowledge Required 16
C
OMMUNICATIONS.................................................................................................................................................................................................16
Establishing a MIDI Connection 16
Establishing a Serial Connection 17
B
ASIC FUNCTIONS .................................................................................................................................................................................................. 18
Adding Modules 18
Connecting Modules 19
Deleting Modules 19
D
ISPLAY FUNCTIONS ............................................................................................................................................................................................. 20
Selecting Modules 20
Moving Modules 20
Re-Positioning Modu les 20
Aligning Modules 21
Zooming 21
View 21
E
DITING...................................................................................................................................................................................................................22
S
ENDING PROGRAMS TO THE HARMONIZER................................................................................................................................................... 24
TUTORIAL 1 -A SIMPLE PROGRAM....................................................................................................................................................................... 24
DVANCED FEATURES ..........................................................................................................................................................................................27
A
The Specifier Display 27
Repeating Fields 31
Editing “Special” Module s 33
Updating the Parameters from the Harmonizer 33
Getting Programs from the Harmonizer 34
Creating the User Interface 35
Viewing Menupages and Menupage Modules 35
Interface Modules 36
Parameter Adjusters 37
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Simple “Parameter Adjuster s” 40
Menupages and Parameter Placement 45
T
UTORIAL 2 -PRETTY IN DEPTH..........................................................................................................................................................................48
NTER-DSP COMMUNICATION FOR ORVILLE...................................................................................................................................................56
I
S
UPERMODULES.......................................................................................................................................................................................................57
T
UTORIAL 3 -USING SUPERMODULES .................................................................................................................................................................57
F
ILE FUNCTIONS .....................................................................................................................................................................................................62
“ *.sig” Files versus “ *.sif ” F iles 63
PATCH EDITOR __________________________________________________________________________________64
G
ET COMFORTABLE BY DOING...........................................................................................................................................................................64
The IN and OUT “Modules” 67
T
HE PATCH EDITOR AREA DISPLAY...................................................................................................................................................................68
Front Panel Controls 69
The Patch Editor Area SOFT KEY Functions 70
T
HE <MODIFY> SOFT KEY...............................................................................................................................................................................76
Modifying a delay module 76
Modifying Complex Modules 79
I
NTER-DSP COMMUNICATION FOR ORVILLE ...................................................................................................................................................80
Programmer’s Manual
C
REATING THE USER INTERFACE........................................................................................................................................................................81
Viewing Menupages and Menupage Modules 81
Interface Modules 83
Simple “Parameter Adjusters” 87
Menupages and Parameter Placement 91
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The Harmonizer
Programmer’s Manual
This manual covers Orville
TM
DSP4000B+
. In the following text these will, for convenience, be referred to as 'Harmonizers'. Much of its contents also
TM
as well as the DSP7000TM family of Harmonizer Brand Effects Processors, as well as the
apply to the older 4000 family, but the reader is not advised to view this publication as an exhaustive reference for these models.
This manual does not cover the Eclipse
TM
or the H3000 family of Harmonizer Brand Effects Processors.
One of the reasons Eventide’s effects units are so versatile is that their effects programs are “modular." A
single program is composed of many smaller “modules." Modules might best be thought of as good old
fashioned “guitar pedals” (except, of course, that unlike guitar pedals, the modules in the Harmonizer are 24 bit, crystal clear, high-end audio
processors!)
. Imagine you have a gym floor covered with guitar pedals and a coat rack draped with patch cords.
You run around connecting pedals, a delay pedal to a pitchshifter pedal, the output of that pitchshifter pedal
to a compressor, the output of that compressor into a filter, etc. The end result of all that patching is, to the
Harmonizer, a program.
Although that picture is oversimplified, it does capture the essence of what’s going on inside VSigfile and
the Patch Editor area. You’re just connecting modules (guitar pedals) to each other to produce a desired
overall program.
Without going into details, the example cited above, “a delay pedal into a pitchshifter into a compressor into
a filter” is shown to the right as seen in the Patch Editor. The little
boxes represent the modules and the lines between them
represent “patch cords."
(Digital Signal Processor) running the program,
delay module,
psh represents the pitchshifter module, cpr
represents the compressor module,
IN represents the inputs to the DSP
dly represents the
flt represents the filter module and OUT represents the outputs from the
DSP running the program.
Of course, if things were going to remain this simple there would be no need for this separate Programmer’s
Manual. But conceptually, things are this simple! We’ll muddy things up by implementing “control” features
that will make your programs easier to use in the
PARAMETER area. We’ll further muddy them by making
large programs that utilize many modules connected in ways that defy the “serial/parallel” paradigm. So the
details may get a little complex, but the main idea should remain crystal clear: we’re just connecting a bunch
of 24 bit, full bandwidth guitar pedals!
The first chapter in this manual, General Principles, will cover the underlying concepts involved in
constructing programs either in VSigfile or the Patch Editor area. It is essential reading. The second
chapter will discuss the mechanics of creating programs in VSigfile, and the third chapter will discuss the
mechanics of creating programs in the Patch Editor area. It is suggested that you only read the chapter
pertaining to the construction “environment” you will in fact use. The Appendix, Modules Manual, will be
indispensable in all of your programming adventures. It lists the Harmonizer’s available modules along with
their specifications.
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Programmer’s Manual
GENERAL PRINCIPLES
OVERVIEW
This section will describe in general terms just what goes into constructing a program. Return to this
section if you ever feel like you’re being mired down in details later on.
First, the primary “stuff” of program construction is the “module." Modules are small, functional “chunks."
Some modules may have names that will be familiar to you, such as delay, reverb, filter,
pitchshifter, and eq. As you would expect, a delay module delays the signal at its input. A
reverb module adds reverb to the signal at its input. A filter module filters the signal at its input.
And so on.
Before going any further, let’s say you wanted to construct a program that delayed and filtered a signal. You
would begin either in VSigfile or the Patch Editor area with a “blank slate” that contained nothing but
representations of the inputs and outputs of the DSP that would run the program. You would then add a
delay module and a filter module. Lastly, you would connect one of the DSP’s inputs to the delay
module, the delay module’s
one of the DSP’s outputs. The result, as seen in VSigfile, is shown above.
Most modules, delay and filter included, have “control inputs” that allow you to change parameters
associated with a given module. For example, a delay module has a control input that allows you to
change the delay time for the module (will it delay the signal 20ms or 1000ms?). A filter module has
three control inputs: one for the cutoff frequency, one for the resonance at the cutoff, and one to select the
type of filtering done by the module (lowpass, highpass, notch, or band).
We normally construct programs so that parameters such as the ones described above can be altered in the
PARAMETER area of the Harmonizer (like the factory presets you’ve probably already played with). Some things called
“userobject signals” are used in the construction of a program to create and organize menu pages of
parameters in the
The three paragraphs above capture the three cornerstones of program construction in the Harmonizer.
1. We must connect appropriate modules to achieve a desired, overall audio effect.
2. We must control the parameters of the modules in a program so that the desired audio effect is
achieved.
3. We must make some of the parameters available in the PARAMETER area so that the user can “tweak”
the program to fit a particular situation.
PARAMETER area.
output to the filter module, and the filter module’s output to
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Much complication will now be heaped upon the three cornerstones, but all of the complication is
introduced in order to achieve the goals set out in the three cornerstones! Don’t lose sight of the three
cornerstones, as they motivate everything that follows! Get it - cornerstones !
To gain a greater appreciation for what we are doing when we construct an the Harmonizer program,
consider the following analogy:
Computer programs basically compute things. The computer user however, is not directly involved in actual
computation (tha nk goodness). The user does direct the computer regarding what computations it should carry
out and receives the results of those computations through a “user interface." The user interface on a
computer is typically a monitor, a keyboard, and a mouse. The lucky individual who designs a computer
program on the other hand, needs to cons ider both the actual computations that the computer performs and
the way those computations will be controlled and displayed at the user interface.
By analogy, when you construct a program for the Harmonizer you must consider the actual audio
manipulations carried out by the program
controlled and displayed at the user interface
PARAMETER area in conjunction with the front panel keys and display. Don’t worry, constructing programs for the
Harmonizer is decidedly easier than even the easiest computer programming!
(cornerstones one and two) and the way those manipulations will be
(cornerstones two and th ree). In this context, the user interface is the
Unfortunately, we must discuss these two charges “bass ackwards." with user interface coming first and
actual audio manipulations coming second. The latter can’t be properly understood without the former.
you’ve ever learned a computer language, the first thing they teach you is how to print “Hello” on the monitor!)
But first we’ll take a brief detour and look at the different types of signals that interconnect modules in the
Harmonizer. After that, we’ll talk about the user interface.
(If
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The Harmonizer
Different Kinds of Signals
To achieve the goals set out by the three cornerstones, we must employ four signal types. Signals connect
modules together. The four signal types are:
Audio Signals Used to pass full bandwidth audio between modules in accordance with cornerstone
one. Audio signals are represented numerically by a value between -1 and +1.
Control Signals Typically used to pass parameter values between modules in accordance with
cornerstone two. Control signals are low speed and are updated at a variable rate,
depending on how busy the Harmonizer is. Control signals are represented
numerically by a value between -32768.0 and +32767.999.
Mod Signals Used to pass “modulation signals” between modules. A “modulation signal” is a 1/4
bandwidth audio signal. Mod and audio signals may be interconnected, but not
without a loss of signal quality.
Although mod signals look like audio signals, they actually work to achieve
cornerstone two (controlling the parameters of a module). In some cases, control
signals are too slow to alter a parameter without “clicking” or “stuttering." For
instance, if you wanted to alter a delay time quickly to produce a flange effect, a
control signal might not be equal to the job. Thus certain modules (moddelay for
instance) come equipped with a mod input. Other modules (such as the low
frequency oscillator (LFO)) come equipped with a mod output. By interconnecting
the two, fast, smooth parameter adjustment can be executed that would defy control
signals.
Userobject Signals Used to pass
cornerstone three.
There exist module inputs and outputs for each of the four signal types. They are named (logically enough):
• audio inputs/outputs
• control inputs/outputs
• mod inputs/outputs
• userobject inputs/outputs
Only inputs and outputs of a similar type may be interconnected
module will only have those types of inputs/outputs that are pertinent to its function.
PARAMETER area menu page information in accordance with
Programmer’s Manual
(except for audio and mod inputs/outputs). A given
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HOW A PROGRAM INTERFACES WITH THE PARAMETER AREA
Simple Interface
Because you really shouldn’t be reading this manual if you haven’t
already read the User Guide, we’ll assume you’ve seen menu
pages in the
PARAMETER area.
A menu page, with an associated
SOFT KEY, is created by connecting a module’s userobject output to a
userobject input on something called the “head” module. Every program has one (and only one) head
module. The actual parameters that will appear on a menu page created this way depend on the module
being connected. They will usually be the values of all unconnected control inputs..
For example, consider the simple delay module connected to a filter module we started this chapter
out with
for these modules
we’ve connected their userobject outputs to the userobject inputs on the head module
the lower right corner. The observant user will spot that t he head “module” doesn’t really look like the other modules)
(again, as shown in VSigfile). Now that you’ve learned a little more, we’ve “unhidden” the control inputs
(the unconnect ed ones on the left) and the userobject outputs (the ones on the lower right). As you can see,
(the disembodied “1” and “2” in
.
If we run this program and go to the
PARAMETER area, we see
the screen to the right. A menu page exists for each module that
contains parameters pertinent to its functioning.
Note that the order of the connections to the head module’s userobject inputs dictates the order of the SOFT
.
KEYS
Constructing programs this way is fast and easy. Just concentrate on the audio connections and then
connect every modules’ userobject output to the head module. However, the user interface isn’t very “slick”
and may be cumbersome to use. That’s where “custom” interface construction comes in. . .
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Programmer’s Manual
Custom Interface
There is one very special module that is used to create custom menu pages. It’s
called (appropriately) the menupage module. It has any number of userobject inputs
(the example shown to th e right has only one) and a single userobject output. The menupage
module will create a menu page out of the userobject outputs that are connected to it.
The menupage module is typically used with a special group of modules called the
“interface” group. Most of the modules in the interface group have a userobject output and
either a single control output or a single control input. The interface modules that have a
control output
(like the “knob” module shown to the right) are connected to the control input of
another module. The interface module then “takes over” that control input. Similarly,
interface modules that have a single control input
(like the “monitor” module shown to the right) are
connected to the control output of another module to display the value of that control
output.
create a user interface. Still others exist to manipulate control signals.)
(It should now be clear that not all modules exist to deal with audio. Many, such as the interface modules, exist to
For example, we could utilize two knob modules and a menupage module in the program we’ve been
working on. One knob module will take over the delay time control input on the delay module. The
second knob module will take over the
frequency control input on the filter module. The userobjects
of both knob modules are connected to the menupage module, which is in turn connected to the head
module.
When we run the program on the Harmonizer, the screen shown
to the right appears in the
PARAMETER area. Notice that the
order that the knob modules’ userobject outputs are connected to
the menupage module dictate their order on the menu page in
PARAMETER area.
the
Also notice that because the second knob module “took over”
the filter module’s
frequency control input, that parameter
no longer appears on the filter module’s menu page.
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The menu pages found in the factory presets were almost exclusively made with interface modules and
menupage modules.
Now that you have some understanding of audio signals, control signals, and userobject signals coupled with
an understanding of how they all play a role in making a program both functional and accessible from the
PARAMETER area, we can discuss modules in a little more depth.
Programmer’s Manual
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MODULES
Modules are the magic that make the Harmonizer shine. They are signal processing “nuggets” that are
interconnected (via the signals discussed above). Before we discuss aspects of the typical modules like the
delay module, the filter module, the pitch shifter module, etc., we need to look at the more
specialized IN and OUT “modules."
The IN and OUT “Modules”
Orville
Orville’s programs are loaded and run one at a time on a given DSP. The DSP running the program
provides the program with four channels of input audio
(where that input audio comes from is a function of the
routing configuration, see the Harmonizer’s User Manual).
The DSP running the program also takes the four channels
of output audio from the program (where it is subsequently
sent is again a function of the routing configuration).
DSP7000
The DSP7000’s programs are loaded and run on its single DSP. The DSP provides the program with two
channels of input audio and takes two channels of output
audio from the program. The remainder of this manual will
show Orville-style four channel processing, but the idea is
the same with the DSP7000’s two channels. If you send a
program that has more than two inputs or outputs to your
DSP7000 from VSigfile, it will not be accepted.
The input audio and output audio connections to the program are handled through
a pair of pre-defined modules called IN and OUT.
The IN module has up to four signals to send to the program, labeled 1, 2, 3, and
4. Since these signals are coming from the module, they are called
outputs of the
module. A small amount of confusion might result because the IN module has
outputs. Similarly, the OUT module has inputs labeled 1, 2, 3, and 4. This
difficulty is minor compared to the gain in consistency created by using the word
output to refer to all signals that come from a module, and using the word input
to refer to all signals that go into a module.
In the simplest of conceivable programs, the IN module’s
outputs are connected directly to the OUT module’s inputs
(this is the
Thru’ program in bank 0). Normally, other, optional
modules are inserted in-between the IN and OUT modules.
The IN and OUT modules always remain as part of the program.
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The Characteristics of Modules
There are several characteristics associated with any module. All modules have:
• a module type
• a module name
Modules use memory and processing resources that can be divided into the following groups:
• audio memory
• signal processing
• user interface and control signal memory
• control processing
Different types of modules use different amounts of these resources.
Modules that have audio inputs and outputs introduce a six-sample delay in the processed signal.
More complex modules have some or all of these items:
• specifiers
• audio inputs (and/or mod inputs)
• audio outputs (and/or mod outputs)
• control inputs
• control outputs
• userobject outputs
• userobject inputs
The following sections will discuss all of these attributes in depth. . .
Programmer’s Manual
M
ODULE TYPE
There are many kinds of modules at our disposal. The “module type” simply defines a module as being a
particular kind of module. When a module is added to a program, it is selected by module type. Once
added, the module type cannot be changed. If a different module type is needed, the “offending” module
must be deleted and then the correct module type must be added anew.
The Modules section in this manual is sorted by module type. When a module is mentioned in this
document, it is referred to by module type. For example, a module whose module type is “samphold”
would be referred to as a samphold module.
MODULE NAME
The module name is a text string that is stored with a particular module. It is
helpful to change the module name immediately after adding a module so that
modules of the same type can be told apart. Choose a name that reflects both the
purpose of the module within the patch, and the module type. The name may be up
to 18 characters in length. To the right we see gate type module named “Ch1 Hiss
Gate."
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Programmer’s Manual
ESOURCES
R
A resource is something that is needed for the operation of a Harmonizer program -there are several
different kinds of resources. A program cannot run if it needs more of a particular resource than is
available.
Audio memory
Modules that store audio for brief periods of time use audio memory. Modules that use audio memory
include modules in the delay, filter, pitch shift, and reverb groups. Some modules contain “specifiers”
(see below)
that increase or decrease the amount of audio memory used by either varying the number of audio channels
or by specifying the amount of delay explicitly.
Signal Processing
Modules that perform operations on audio use signal processing. The amount of processing performed by a module can only be changed via specifiers (see below.) This is important, as the amount of signal processing that can be done in any given period is finite. Modules that perform complex effects on audio use more processing than those that perform simple effects. For example, the reverb_a module uses more processing power than the delay module, even though the delay module might use more audio memory.
User Interface and Control Signal Memory
Interface memory includes memory used to store text, adjustable range limits, default values, control inputs,
control outputs, and any data used by “control” modules. Modules that use text fields consume a large
amount of this kind of memory. For instance, it is possible to use up all of the user interface memory with
just two textblock modules if each contains enough lines of text (See the Modules Section for a closer
look at the textblock module).
Control Processing
Control processing is a resource that cannot be exhausted, though it can be strained. The Harmonizer will
repetitively process everything that comes under the control process category as often as possible. Control
operations will get slower as more operations are required. For instance, if a single menu page has eight
values displayed that are all changing rapidly, the display may appear to update slowly. Typically, control
values are updated about 100 times a second.
PECIFIERS
S
A specifier is a control that affects a module's behavior. For example, a delay module might have a specifier
that sets the maximum delay time a user can enter. A pitchshifter module might have a specifier that
sets the number of pitchshifting voices used by the module. A module may have several specifiers.
Specifiers are only
PARAMETER area). There is no input or output for specifiers; they reside “inside” a module (you’ll learn how
adjustable in the Patch Editor area or in VSigfile (i.e. specifiers can never be altered in the
to access the “inside” of a module in the VSigfile or Patch Editor chapters).
Specifiers have the following features:
• they are extremely efficient in terms of resources. (A module with a specifier for a given characteristic is
more efficient than a module with a control input for that characteristic.)
• they can change the amount of resources that a module needs.
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• they can change the number of audio, mod, and control inputs and outputs, or even the number of
other specifiers (!) for a module.
• they can be numerical, multiple choice, or text.
The Modules Section in this manual lists all of the module types and their associated specifiers.
UDIO INPUTS
A
An audio input is used to pass high fidelity audio into a module. An audio input can be connected to at
most one audio or mod output. Unconnected audio inputs are actually attached to a special “null signal”
provided by the Harmonizer's operating system. The null signal simulates a zero voltage, noise-free audio
source. Audio signals range if value from -1 to +1, or full negative to full positive. Audio inputs are always
found on the left side of modules.
A
UDIO OUTPUTS
An audio output is used to pass high fidelity audio out of a module. An audio output may be connected to
any number of audio or mod inputs. Audio outputs are always found on the right side of modules.
ONTROL INPUTS
C
One module can control the parameter of a second module by connecting to the second module’s control
(as we saw the knob modules doing in the “Custom Interface” section). The range of values a control input can accept may
input
be set by a specifier, by fixed internal programming, or even by another control input. A few notes concerning
control inputs:
• Control inputs are always found on the left side of a module.
• The value of a control input cannot change the amount of resources used by a module.
• The existence of a control input takes up processing and memory resources. In modules with a variable
number of control inputs (like the c_switch module), reducing the number of inputs reduces the amount
of resources used. (In such modules, specifiers control the number of control inputs.)
• Control inputs can be connected to only one control output.
CONTROL OUTPUTS
A control output sends a numerical value to another module by connecting to one of the other module’s
control inputs. A single control output can connect to any number of control inputs. Control outputs are
always found on the right side of a module.
OD INPUTS
M
A mod input is used to pass a high performance modulation signal into a module. A mod input may be
connected to at most one audio or mod output. Unconnected mod inputs are actually attached to a special
“null signal” provided by the Harmonizer's operating system. The null signal simulates a zero voltage,
noise-free audio source. Mod signals range if value from -1 to +1, or full negative to full positive. Mod
inputs are always found on the left side of a module.
Although mod signals are high performance modulation signals, they kind of stink at passing audio signals
(they were never really meant t o! Remember, they act to achieve cornerstone two - to control the parameters of modules). An audio signal passed
through a mod in/mod out on a module will lose fidelity. This is because the sampling rate used for mod
signals is 1/4 that used for audio signals.
signals might be right up your alley!)
(Of course if you go for that retro, “aliasing." dawn-of-the-samplers kind of sound, mod
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OD OUTPUTS
M
A mod output is used to pass a high performance modulation signal from a module. A mod output may be
connected to any number of audio or mod inputs. Mod outputs are always found on the right side of a
module. See the comments made immediately above concerning the “low-fi” status of mod signals.
U
SEROBJECT OUTPUTS
Most modules have a userobject output. The userobject output can be connected to the userobject input on a
menupage module, the head module, or a gang module. Such a connection will allow the module’s
parameters to be accessible in the
PARAMETER area. The existence or use of a userobject does not affect
system resources or memory. This means that menu pages can be created without using much in the way of
resources or program memory.
In VSigfile, userobject outputs are always found on the right side of a module. In the Patch Editor area,
userobject outputs are not explicitly shown.
SEROBJECT INPUTS
U
A handful of modules (gang, head, and menupage) have userobject inputs. This means that these
modules can accept as inputs other modules’ userobject outputs. For instance, a menupage module may be
used to create a
PARAMETER area menu page by accepting the userobjects of other modules.
In VSigfile, userobject inputs are always found on the left side of a module. In the Patch Editor area, userobject
inputs are not explicitly shown.
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The Harmonizer
OK, so that completes our birds-eye view of the program construction process. Recall that all of our
constructing is done to satisfy the three so-called “cornerstones”:
1. We must connect appropriate modules to achieve a desired, overall audio effect.
This is achieved by connecting audio-manipulating modules via audio signals. The “heart” of the
program lies in its audio construction.
2. We must control the parameters of the modules in a program so that the desired audio effect is achieved.
This is achieved by using mod signals and control signals to alter the parameters of the audiomanipulating modules.
3. We must make some of the parameters available in the PARAMETER area so that the user can “tweak” the program to
fit a particular situation.
This is achieved by connecting userobject outputs to the head module. Additionally, menupage
modules may be used in conjunction with interface modules to create custom menu pages.
That completes the theory of program construction, but much remains in the way of execution. We’ll cover
that in the VSigfile Chapter and the Patch Editor Chapter. You should now proceed to either the VSigfile
Chapter or
can use with VSigfile, you really ought to use it (see the VSigfile Chapter for system requirements). VSigfile is decidedly
easier to use than the Patch Editor area, especially for constructing large programs.
the Patch Editor Chapter, depending on which you plan to use. If you have a computer that you
Programmer’s Manual
WRAP UP
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Programmer’s Manual
VSIGFILE
System Requirements and Background Knowledge Required
To run VSigfile, you will need a PC-compatible running Microsoft Windows 3.1, 3.11, 95, 98, NT3.51, or
NT4.0, fitted with a minimum of 8M ram (16M for NT). Macintosh users have had some success running
Vsigfile under the "Virtual PC" Windows emulator, but Eventide is unable to assist in replicating this
operation.
To communicate with the Harmonizer you need either a Windows supported MIDI interface (typically
Creative Technology’s “Soundblaster”) or an IBM PC type RS232 serial port. You can create programs on
VSigfile without the Harmonizer connected, but you can’t run them on the Harmonizer until they’re
uploaded (and this, of course, requires connecting the Harmonizer to your computer!).
This chapter assumes that you’re familiar with the operation of a PC and with the Windows operating
environment and that you’ve read the User’s Manual and the General Principles Chapters in this manual.
COMMUNICATIONS
You will create programs in VSigfile and then send them to the Harmonizer to be run, or you will receive
programs from the Harmonizer to edit in VSigfile. Either way, there needs to be a communications link
between VSigfile and the Harmonizer. You have your choice of a MIDI connection or a serial port
connection. We’ll look at each in turn.
Establishing a MIDI Connection
Assuming you’ve launched VSigfile, choose Comms under the Preferences menu. Choose
MIDI as the Comms Type in the dialog box that opens.
Then choose MIDI config.
The dialog box that opens allows you to select an input
interface and an output interface from the possibilities
that exist on your particular computer. Select the
interface(s) you want to use. Make sure that the output
goes to the external MIDI socket, not to the internal
(usually wavetable) synthesizer.
You will need to connect the MIDI Output on the Harmonizer to
your chosen MIDI Input interface on your computer and vice versa
One way communication is not sufficient.
.
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On the Harmonizer, ensure that MIDI is enabled and system
exclusive
menu page in the
is on. You will find these parameters on the [midi]
SETUP area.
If you find that your PC is “unhappy” about the speed of
transmission (as in “it’s too fast!”), lower the
parameter on the “second”
[midi] menu page in the SETUP area.
sysex speed
This will dumb down the Harmonizer’s transmission speed.
Establishing a Serial Connection
Assuming you’ve launched VSigfile, choose Comms under the Preferences menu.
Choose Serial as the Comms Type in the dialog box that opens.
Choose Serial Config to select the comms port you would like to use.
You must also ensure that the
Harmonizer and VSigfile. These parameters are found on the “third”
baud rate, the data bi ts, the stop bits, and the parity agree on the
[midi] menu page in the SETUP area
in the Harmonizer (as shown above right) and in Serial Config under the Preferences menu in VSigfile (as
shown above left) . The higher you set the
baud rate the faster the communication will be between the
Harmonizer and your computer. However, most computers have a ceiling above which errors occur. You
should set the baud rate as high as you can (on both machines) without incurring errors. On the
Harmonizer, ensure that
on the
[midi] menu page in the SETUP area.
serial is enabled and system exclusive is on. You will find these parameters
Connect your computer’s serial port to the Harmonizer’s serial port and ensure that no other device on your
computer is hogging the comms port (the modem is a common offender on the author’s computer).
If VSigfile is unable to access its assigned comms port, you will get the
message shown to the right. It means that there is a device (or another
program) hogging the comms port or that there is something wrong with
the selected comms port. Either way, you’ve got a problem to ferret out.
VSigfile will itself hog the comms port. To “disconnect” VSigfile from the comms port (so that you can
use another device), choose Disconnect from the Midi menu.
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The Harmonizer
BASIC FUNCTIONS
All right, so now you have VSigfile communicating with the Harmonizer (you do,
don’t you?). Now we can take a look at how we actually add, connect, and
manipulate modules in VSigfile.
Before we look at anything, verify that the View menu is “checked” as shown to the
right. That way, the structures we describe will be visible to you.
In VSigfile, signals are color coded:
• audio and mod inputs, outputs, and signals are coded green.
• control inputs, outputs, and signals are coded blue.
• userobject inputs, outputs, and signals are coded pink.
•
The black and white (damn!) screen capture shown to the right is similar to
Programmer’s Manual
what you should see if you were to begin a new file (by pressing the
button). The green
to the DSP that will eventually run the program. The blue
the left correspond to the “global” control
corresponds to the first userobject
Use the Add Module command found under the Edit
menu to add modules to a program. The dialog box
shown to the right opens. The left side of the box
selects a group (a collection of similar modules) and
the right side selects a module type inside that group.
Additionally, you can change the Num field to insert
more than one instance of a particular kind of
module. Go ahead and insert a IIR module from
the “Filter” group as shown above.
“ins and outs” correspond to the audio inputs and outputs
“1, 2, 3, and 4” on
outputs. The pink “1” on the right
input on the head module.
Adding Modules
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To connect an input to an output simply click on the input
or output you want to start with, drag to the output or input
you want to connect to, and release. Go ahead and connect
the IIR module to the other stuff as shown to the right.
Also note that when you “hover” the pointer over an input or output for
a second, a “bubble” appears that describes what that input or output is.
Additionally, the lower left corner of the VSigfile window displays the
Module type you are hovering over, its name, the input/output name,
and what it is connected to (if anything).
Programmer’s Manual
Connecting Modules
Deleting Modules
To delete modules, first select the module slated for deletion by
clicking on it (its module type name will turn red). Then press the
“Delete” key on the keyboard or select the Delete Module
command from the Edit menu.
To delete more that one module at a time, just click and drag over
the area that contains the modules you would like to delete (in the
screen capture to the right, the multiply and the peak modules are being selected)
the modules that you select will have red module type names.
Then press the “Delete” key on the keyboard or select the Delete
Module command from the Edit menu.
UNPLUGGING CONNECTIONS
To unplug a connection, click on the input that terminates the connection and
press the “Delete” key on the keyboard. Away it goes. . .
. All of
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DISPLAY FUNCTIONS
Now that you can add modules, we can discuss a few of the display-related features of VSigfile. These
functions don’t have anything to do with the actual construction of a program; they simply make it easier to
view and manipulate the display.
Selecting Modules
A single module can be selected by clicking on it. Several
modules can be selected simultaneously by clicking and
dragging over the area on the screen that contains the
desired modules
(as shown to the right) or by clicking on all of
the desired modules while pressing the “Shift” key on the
keyboard. The selected module or modules will have red
module type names
.
names)
(modules that aren’t selected have gray module type
Moving Modules
You can move modules around on the screen at will. Doing so can help to make a patch more “viewable."
Simply click on the module you want to move and drag it to its new position. All of a module’s connections
will stay with the module.
To move more than one module at a time, first select the modules you would like to move. All of the
selected modules will have red module type names. Then click on any one of the selected modules and drag
the whole bunch to its new location.
Re-Positioning Modules
To make a patch more “viewable." a function under the Edit menu exists
that automatically re-Positions all of the modules on the screen. There are
times when this is very useful; particularly when you’ve downloaded a
program from the Harmonizer to work with on VSigfile. There are other
times where using re-Position will just make things less “viewable."
Trouble is, the re-Position function is not “Undoable” (see below). As a work-
around, Save a program just before you use the re-Position function. If the
result is worse than the original, simply reopen the saved version.
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You can align a group of modules either along their top edge
or their left edge. First, select the modules you would like to
align. Then select either Top or Left from the Align menu. The
add and bound modules have been selected to the right.
The result of Top aligning them is shown below. Nice, eh?
You’ll find that as a patch gets very large it’s hard to see the names or input/outputs of
individual modules when the whole patch is in view. A zoom function exists to let us
zoom in or zoom out. Under the Zoom menu you’ll find four choices:
In Get closer relative to the current display.
Out Get further away relative to the current display.
to Fit Zoom such that the entire patch just fits on the screen.
Selected Zoom such that the currently selected modules just fit on the screen. Modules are
selected by clicking and dragging over the area that contains them.
Programmer’s Manual
Aligning Modules
Zooming
View
As your programs become more complicated, you’ll often want to “hide” certain
kinds of signals to make a patch more “viewable." A check mark next to an item
under the View menu indicates that that sort of signal is shown. The absence of a
check mark next to an item indicates that that sort of signal is “hidden."
Audio
Shows or hides all audio/mod
Control
Shows or hides all control
Misc
Shows or hides all userobject
Unconnects
Shows or hides all unconnected inputs and outputs. Hiding all the unconnected inputs and outputs is useful
when trying to follow the logic of a patch.
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(green) connections, inputs, and outputs.
(blue) connections, inputs, and outputs.
(pink) connections, inputs, and outputs.
The Harmonizer
One of the benefits of using VSigfile over the Patch Editor area is that
Editing patches in VSigfile is considerably easier than editing patches in the
Patch Editor area (despite its name!).
Select All
Selects every module in a program. This is the same as clicking and
dragging over all the modules in a program, only easier.
Cut, Copy, and Paste
VSigfile makes use of the standard “clipboard” associated with the Windows operating system. The
clipboard is a temporary holding area for text or modules. The Cut, Copy, and Paste commands work with
the clipboard as follows:
• The Cut command deletes the currently selected text, module, or modules and places what it deletes on
the clipboard
connections exist between those Cut modules, then those connections will exist on the clipboard as well.
(if something was already on the clipboard it will be overwritten!). If more than one module is Cut and
Programmer’s Manual
EDITING
• The Copy command copies
it copies on the clipboard
Copied and connections exist between those Copied modules, then those
connections will exist on the clipboard as well. You can also Copy by pressing
the
• The Paste command places the contents of the clipboard into the patch. A
version still exists on the clipboard so that you can Paste more than once. If
text is selected
with the contents of the clipboard. You can also Paste by pressing the
button.
Undo
Selecting the Undo command under the Edit menu reverses the last change that was made to the patch. You
can Undo many times in a row.
button.
(as shown to the right), the Paste command will replace the selected text
(does not delete) the currently selected text, module, or modules and places what
(if something was already on the clipboard it will be overwritten!). If more than one module is
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Context Dependent Menus
By right clicking the mouse, a “context dependent menu” will
appear as shown to the right. The available commands will
depend on what’s going on in the “vicinity” of the right click.
Once you get more familiar with VSigfile, using context
dependent menus will save you time.
Shortcut Keys
There are several “shortcut” keys that perform menu commands. They are listed next to their command in
the various menus. For example, the Cut command can be accomplished by holding down the “Ctrl” key
and the “x” key simultaneously. Once you get proficient with VSigfile, these shortcut keys will save you
(and you know what they say about time. . .).
time
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Programmer’s Manual
SENDING PROGRAMS TO THE HARMONIZER
Once you’ve constructed a program in VSigfile, you’ll want to send it to the
Harmonizer so that it can be run. This is accomplished by selecting the Send
command under the Midi menu. Make sure that the Harmonizer is in some area
other than the Patch Editor area when you Send, lest errors occur! Be warned:
the program running on the currently displayed DSP will be “bumped out” by the program you Send! Save
any changes before you Send!
→ Your compute r mu s t be communicating with the Harmonizer f or this to work! See Communications on page 16.
TUTORIAL 1 -A SIMPLE PROGRAM
We can couple our new found knowledge of VSigfile with the material we learned in the General Principles
Chapter to create a simple, but meaningful, program. We’ll create a modulating filter.
To begin, start with a clean slate by pressing the
button. You should see a
work area that looks like the one shown to the right. The green “in1 >” and
“in2 >” on the left represent the inputs 1 and 2 on the DSP that will eventually
run the program
(we’ll learn how to do quad programs for Orville later, but the idea is the same).
Similarly, the green “> out1” and “> out2” on the right represent the outputs 1
and 2 on the DSP that will eventually run the program. The blue “1, 2, 3, and
4” on the left represent the “global inputs” (these only have meaning for Orville’s d ual DSPs,
and we’ll learn about them in “Inter-D SP Communication” on page 56)
. The pink “1” on the right
represents the first userobject input on the head module. Recall that the
userobject outputs of modules are connected to the head module so that their
menu pages will appear in the
PARAMETER area.
To create a “modulating filter” program, we’ll
need just two modules: an LFO (low frequency oscillator)
module and a modfilter module. Go ahead
and add these modules to the program by using
the Add Module command from the Edit menu.
You’ll find the LFO module in the “Oscillator”
group and the modfilter module in the
“Filter” group.
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After adding both modules, the screen should look similar to the one
at the right. The modules are overlapping and nothing is yet
connected. Move (by clicking and dragging) the modfilter module to
the right so that both modules are clearly in view. Note that the
DSP outputs and the head module input “move out of the way."
The screen should now look similar
to the small one at the immediate
right.
Now connect
the modfilter module
over an input or output for a second, a “bubble” will appear that describes the
input or output)
• Connect
out1
(“low” is the lowpass output of the filter).
• Connect
>out2 (“high” is the highpass output of the filter).
• Connect
modfilter module.
cutoff frequency will vary as a function of the signal applied to this input.)
in1 > to in on the modfilter module by clicking on in1 > and then dragging to in on
(recall that if you “hover” the pointer
. Similarly,
low on the modfilter module to >
high on the modfilter module to
out on the LFO module to fmod on the
(“fmod” is a modulation input. The filter’s
The result should look similar to that shown right.
Let’s take a moment and analyze these connections. A signal comes into the DSP’s input 1 and then into
the modfilter module. We refer to the Modules Section to learn what exactly the modfilter module
will do with the signal. It reads:
Modfilter:
This module implements a classic state-variable audio filter. It provides simultaneous lowpass, bandpass, highpass,
and notch outputs. It has variable Q. . . and frequency and has mod rate frequency and q factor modulation inputs.
So, not surprisingly, it will filter the signal applied to its input. All of the frequencies in the input signal that
lie below the cutoff frequency will be output at
the cutoff frequency will be output at
high. Furthermore, the LFO module’s output signal will modulate
low, and all of the frequencies in the input signal that lie above
the cutoff frequency. We’ve now satisfied “cornerstone one” of program construction: We’ve connected
appropriate modules to achieve a desired, overall audio effect.
The second and third “cornerstones” of program construction state that:
• We must control the parameters of the modules in a program so that the desired audio effect is
achieved.
• We must make some of the parameters available in the
PARAMETER area so that the user can “tweak”
the program to fit a particular situation.
• In our simple program these will be one in the same. We will arrange to have the parameters for both
modules available in the
PARAMETER area by connecting their userobject outputs to the userobject inputs of
the head module.
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First click on the head module’s userobject input 1 (the
pink square below the DSP outputs). Then select the Add
Repeating Field command from the Edit menu. A second
userobject input should appear.
Connect the modfilter’s
head module’s
userobject
userobject
userobject
output to the head module’s
input 2. The screen should look similar
userobject
input 1 and the LFO’s
output to the
to the one on the right.
OK, now we’re ready to send the program to the Harmonizer to be run. Make
sure the Harmonizer is in some area other than the Patch Editor area and then
select the Send command from the Midi menu.
→ If you aren’t connected to the Harmonizer, read “Communications” on page 16.
The Harmonizer should flash “coding file from remote” and
loading progra m." You should then find yourself in the
then “
PARAMETER area with a screen that looks like the one to the
right. After turning the
0.0Hz, mess with the [modfilte] /freq and freq mod parameters.
[lfo] /freq to something other than
And that’s basically it. You can create simple programs by concentrating on “cornerstone one” and then
satisfying the other two “cornerstones,” by liberally connecting userobject outputs to the head module. Now
that you’ve been introduced to the basics and have some hands-on experience, let’s move on to more
advanced topics in program construction.
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The Harmonizer
ADVANCED FEATURES
The Specifier Display
Some mention was made in the General Principles
Chapter of “Specifiers." The astute reader will note
that no mention has been made of these creatures
since! Well, now’s the time. Go ahead and add a
delay module from the “Delay” group.
Once it’s added, doubleclick on it. You will call up
the “VSigfile Specifier
Display” shown to the right.
We’ve entered the “guts” of
the module. Here we have
access to all kinds of cool
stuff. Cells that contain
black type can be altered,
while those that contain gray
type cannot. Let’s take each row in turn. . .
Programmer’s Manual
Title Line
The first row gives a general description of each column (more or less).
• The type column describes what type of input or output a row pertains to
inputs or outputs (like the first two shown above), the ‘type’ column is of little value)
• The MODULE column contains most of the alterable information in the Display. The title of the column
(in this case, “DELAY”) is the module type.
• The description column gives a marginally useful description of each row.
• The min and max columns list the minimum and maximum values that can be entered in the MODULE
column.
• The visible column allows you to “hide” input or outputs in the normal VSigfile display.
Module Name
The second row, MODULE column cell allows you to alter the name of the module. The module name is a
text string that is stored with a particular module. There is a default module name that is usually the same as
the module type. It is helpful to change the module name immediately after adding a module so that
modules of the same type can be told apart. Choose a name that reflects both the purpose of the module
within the patch, and the module type. The name may be up to 18 characters in length, and no two
modules in a given patch may share the same name.
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.
(if a row doesn’t have anything to do with
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Programmer’s Manual
Additionally, you can change the name of a module from the normal
VSigfile display by double clicking on the name.
If you plan to use multiple copies of a particular
module type, it’s wise to tack a “1” onto the end
of the first instance and then Copy and Paste that
instance. The subsequent copies will be
numbered sequentially, as shown to the right.
Specifiers
The third row contains a “specifier” for the delay module. Remember specifiers from the General Principles
Chapter? It read:
A specifier is a control that affects a module's behavior. For example, a delay module might have a specifier that
sets the maximum delay time a user can enter. A pitchshifter module might have a specifier that sets the
number of pitchshifting voices used by the module. A module may have several specifiers. The range of
permitted values for a specifier is fixed.
Specifiers are only
PARAMETER ar ea). There is no input or output for specifiers, they reside “inside” a module
adjustable in the Patch Editor area or in VSigfile (i.e. specifiers ca n never be altered in the
Whadaya know? We’ve got a delay module here, and the specifier at hand sets the maximum delay time for
it. By looking at the min and max columns, we can see that the minimum delay time is 1 (millisecond) and
the maximum delay time is 32500 (milliseconds). The maximum delay time is something you set as the
program’s creator; the user will not be able to alter it. This is important, because, like most things in life, the
amount of delay the Harmonizer has available is finite. As a result, it is necessary to divide this among the
modules, so that each has enough. Setting the maximum amount that each module can use in this way,
makes sure that there is enough left for the others.
Different types of modules will have different types of specifiers; some may have no specifiers at all and some
may have many. The Modules Section describes what the specifiers for a given module do. Let’s look at the
VSigfile Specifier Display windows for a few other types of modules to see what sorts of specifiers they have:
• Here we see the single specifier
for the IIR module. This
module is a resonant filter and the n_sections specifier selects the number of “poles” used. The number
of poles used is something you set as the program’s creator; the user will not be able to alter it. Here the
number of poles controls the behaviour of the filter, but it also determines the amount of DSP
resources the filter will use.
• Here we see the single specifier
for the easytaps module. This module produces a tapped delay line and the taps specifier selects the
maximum number of taps that the user can select. As with all specifiers, the maximum number of taps is
something you set as the program’s creator; the user will not be able to alter it.
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