the deputy
Mark II
VST™ Polyphonic Ensemble
Version 1.1
© 2012-2015 by Björn Arlt @ Full Bucket Music
http://www.fullbucket.de/music
VST is a trademark of Steinberg Media Technologies GmbH
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Table of Contents
Introduction................................3
What's New With Version 1.1?........3
Architecture.................................4
The Poly Section...........................5
Generator Banks............................5
Filter............................................5
Envelopes.....................................6
Amplifier.......................................6
Resonators....................................6
The Mono Section.........................7
VCO.............................................7
VCF..............................................7
VCA.............................................7
ENV and LFO.................................7
The Main Section..........................8
Keyboard......................................8
Ensemble......................................8
Phaser..........................................8
Output.........................................8
VST Controls................................9
Program and File Menu..................9
The deputy.ini Configuration File.. .10
Skinning Support.........................10
MIDI Control Change Messages......10
Parameters................................12
Main — Keyboard.........................12
Main — Ensemble.........................12
Main — Phaser.............................12
Main — Output............................13
Mono — VCO...............................13
Mono — VCF................................13
Mono — VCA...............................14
Mono — Env................................14
Mono — LFO................................14
Poly — Generator 1 & 2.................14
Poly — Speed..............................15
Poly — Amp.................................15
Poly — Filter................................15
Poly — Global Env........................15
Poly — Voice Env..........................16
Poly — Resonators.......................16
VST Controls...............................16
Frequently Asked Questions.........17
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Introduction
The deputy Mark II is a VST™2.4 software instrument for Microsoft® Windows® in the
tradition of classic string machines and early “polyphonic” synthesizers, written in
native C++ code. The main features are:
● Polyphonic string/synthesizer (Poly) section and monophonic synthesizer
(Mono) section
● Built-in Ensemble and Phaser effects
● Flexible keyboard assignment for Poly and Mono section
● Poly section:
○ Up to 61 voices polyphony
○ Two band-limited frequency divider-driven oscillator banks
○ Sawtooth and PWM waveforms
○ 2-pole multi-mode filter and ADS envelope per voice
○ Global ADSR envelope for paraphonic modulation
○ Resonator bank (3 zero-delay feedback filters)
● Mono section:
○ Single VCO plus suboscillator and noise
○ 4-pole zero-delay feedback lowpass filter
○ ADSR envelope and LFO
○ Output of Poly section can be send to filter input
● Double precision audio processing
● All parameters can be controlled by MIDI controllers
● Skinning support
● Plug-in comes in 32 bit and 64 bit versions
● Fully compatible with SM Pro Audio's V-Machine™
The deputy emulates an instrument that might have been built this way in the 1970s.
Due to technical and economical reasons it would have been a compromise between
which features a musician expected, what he was willing to pay for it, and what fitted
in a single box. The Digital Revolution already lured around the corner and manifested
itself in frequency dividers and sophisticated keyboard controllers, but sound was still
shaped in the good old analog fashion (if you ignore some ingenious machines like the
PPG Wave Computer for the moment). As a conclusion, the deputy is (technically
speaking, and as to nowadays standards) a fairly limited instrument. However, I
strongly believe that technical limitation can be a source of great creativity. Prost!
What's New With Version 1.1?
Version 1.1 of the deputy is fully compatible with the previous version 1.0; it should
be safe to replace the old plug-in with the new one.
● Reworked paraphonic note scheduling
● Improved internal processing architecture
● Double precision audio processing
● All parameters can be controlled by MIDI controllers
● Added File Management dialog
● Rudimentary support for skinning
● Built-in alternative “dark” skin
● Minor bug fixes
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Architecture
The deputy consists of three major blocks: the polyphonic Poly synthesizer section,
the monophonic Mono synthesizer section, and the Main section hosting global effects,
the mixer, and keyboard-related controls. Apart from that the deputy Mark II VSTi has
an additional section containing controls for program management and “tweak”
parameters.
Each voice of the Poly section features two “generators” feeding a 2-pole multi-mode
filter. The generators are driven by independent master oscillators and deliver
sawtooth and/or pulse signals derived from frequency divider banks. Two simple LFOs
are used for frequency and pulse width modulation. The amplitude and/or the filter
cutoff can be controlled by an ADS envelope (per voice) or by an additional global
ADSR envelope (for all voices). A resonator bank consisting of three 4-pole multimode filters is available to process the signal of the Poly section.
The Mono section features a single VCO plus suboscillator and white noise, a 4-pole
lowpass VCF, an ADSR envelope, and a LFO offering four waveforms. The output of the
Poly section can be sent to the VCF input as well.
Finally, in the Main section the Poly and Mono parts can be assigned to one or both of
the two keyboard ranges while pitch and modulation wheels can be routed to several
modulation targets. Furthermore, an Ensemble and a Phaser effect are available as
well as an overall output mixer.
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The Poly Section
The Poly section is the heart of the deputy Mark II: A fully polyphonic synthesizer (upto 61 voices) plus a three-stage resonator bank. Its architecture resembles that of
many well-known instruments like the Polymoog or the Korg PS series which also
used electronic organ and classic string machine technology.
Generator Banks
The Poly synthesizer section follows a common, yet (at that time) highly discussed
pattern of 1970s polyphonic keyboard designs: The tone signals are not generated
directly by individual oscillators but by using overall “Master” oscillators driving a
cascade of frequency dividers. While this design is rather cost-effective — in this case
only one Master oscillator and a “Top-Octave Synthesizer” followed by octave dividers
are needed to create a fully polyphonic generator bank — it also means that the
waveform signals of different octaves of the same key (i.e. C to B) are totally
correlated. Purists never stopped to point out that such an arrangement sounds “cold”
and “unnatural”, many even simply rejected it because this technology was used in
(and originally developed for) electronic organs. Some 40 years later purists will
assure you that this is absolutely necessary to reproduce the “warm” tone of, for
example, famous string machines like the Eminent Solina etc.
A nice feature of such generator banks is that one gets the upper and lower octaves of
a played key (almost) “for free” — think of choirs in (again) electronic organs. The
Poly section provides two different waveform outputs (sawtooth and pulse) and three
such octave signals (16', 8', and 4') which are individually selectable per waveform. To
mitigate the static character of the generated signal it is possible to modulate the
width of the pulse waveform by a dedicated LFO. However, the “real synthesizer
feeling” is introduced by a second, identical generator bank which can be (de)tuned
with respect to the first bank; this at least produces the famous “beating” when
signals undergo a periodical phase cancellation.
Finally, frequency modulation of the generator banks by a separate LFO (vibrato) is
available as well.
Filter
In contrary to other early polyphonic synthesizers (e.g. the Polymoog but also the
later Korg Poly 800), the Poly section offers a multi-mode filter (lowpass, highpass,
bandpass) per voice. Thus, each voice (in fact each of the 61 keys!) has its own filter
in place — an enormous amount of additional hardware! To reduce the costs, the filter
layout follows a simple 2-pole design which is not capable of self-oscillation (today an
absolute No-Go). The filters' cutoff frequency can be modulated by key tracking,
velocity (an uncommon feature in the 1970s), and the Voice or Global envelopes (see
below). Here, it should be mentioned that both positive and negative modulation is
possible.
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Envelopes
There is a dedicated envelope per voice (the Voice envelope) which can be used to
modulate the amplifier and/or the filter. To save costs, this envelope has a reduced
control set, namely Attack and Decay plus a switchable Sustain level (On or Off)
where Decay also controls the release time.
An additional Global envelope featuring the full ADSR control set is available as well.
However, there is only one such envelope for the whole Poly section resulting in a
paraphonic playing mode. Thus, the trigger mode can be changed from Single (a new
note only triggers the envelope when all previous notes have been released) to
Multiple (the envelope is triggered for each new note).
Amplifier
The amplifier section offers modulation by velocity (!) and a selectable envelope
(Voice, Global, and Gate, a simple rectangular-shaped envelope). Again, there is one
amplifier per voice, a luxury and only possible due to progress in large scale circuit
integration.
Resonators
The deputy is equipped with three independent 4-pole multi-mode filters (lowpass,
highpass, bandpass) working in parallel mode on the overall output of the Poly
section. Although it is not possible to modulate their cutoff frequency, these
Resonators become very handy when it comes to create fixed formants.
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The Mono Section
Many keyboards of the 70s were in fact “assemblies” of multiple instruments, e.g.
String, Brass, Synthesizer, and Organ sections combined in one box, sharing a
common keyboard controller; examples are the ARP Quadra, the Moog Opus, but also
the Siel Trilogy, to name a few. Along with the Poly section the deputy “just” features
an additional monophonic synthesizer, the Mono section. Following a very basic
VCO/VCF/VCA design, there is nothing spectacular about this little buddy except that
the output of the Poly section can be routed through the Mono's VCF as well.
VCO
The VCO offers three waveforms (sawtooth, pulse, sine) in four octaves (32', 16, 8',
4'). The pulse width can be modulated by the LFO, and it is also possible to tune the
VCO in a range of ±7 semitones.
VCF
This 4-pole lowpass filter is capable of self-oscillation and takes the outputs of the
VCO, the rectangular suboscillator (one octave below the VCO frequency), the white
noise generator, and the Poly section as input signals. Cutoff frequency will be
positively or negatively modulated by velocity, keyboard tracking, LFO, and the ADSR
envelope.
VCA
To modulate the amplitude of the Mono synthesizer, one can select the ADSR or a
simple gate envelope. Furthermore, it is possible to set the VCA into a permanent
“On” mode; this becomes handy when the Mono section is configured to process only
the output of the Poly section. Last but not least, the VCA can be modulated by
velocity.
ENV and LFO
The ADSR envelope of the Mono section is identical to the Global envelope of the Poly
section and is used as a modulation source for the VCF and the VCA.
The LFO features four waveforms (triangle, sawtooth, rectangle, sample/hold) which
can modulate the VCO frequency and pulse width and/or the VCF cutoff.
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The Main Section
This section provides common functionality for both the polyphonic and the
monophonic synthesizer sections: keyboard controls, effects, and mixer.
Keyboard
The keyboard of the deputy has 61 keys (C-1 to C-6), and each key makes up one
individual voice (one can decrease the number of total voices in the VSTi version to
reduce computational load). Thus, only MIDI keys C-1 to C-6 generate a sound when
played.
The keyboard is divided into two zones, the Lower and the Upper zone — the split
point between both regions was originally fixed to C-3 but is variable in the VSTi
version). The Poly and the Mono sections can be assigned to one or both of these
zones independently, allowing for split, layered, or combinations of both modes.
The amount of pitch wheel modulation (2, 3, 7 or 12 semitones) is selectable for both
sections as well; this also holds for the modulation wheel which controls the intensity
of vibrato and LFO respectively. Furthermore, the modulation wheel can be assigned
to manipulate the VCF cutoff frequency.
Ensemble
Many classic string machines like the Eminent Solina are famous (or infamous) for
their modulation effects (often called Chorus, Ensemble, or simply Modulation). While
these effects are very important for the typical sound characteristics, the original
rationale for integrating them into such an instrument was to beef up the rather static
output of the single generator bank. In contrary, the Polymoog (like the deputy)
features two individual generator banks with a detuning option resulting in a “fat”
sound. However (and unlike the Polymoog), the deputy does have a built-in Ensemble
effect that can be individually activated for both the Poly and the Mono section.
Phaser
The Phaser effect modulates the sum of both section outputs. Implemented by a
classic 4-pole allpass filter the Phaser features feedback control and a separate LFO
for modulation.
Output
Last but not least, the Output section sums up the individual Mono and Poly output
signals. There is also a very simple signal limiter (called Clip) which in the signal path
lies before the master volume control. However, for “loud” signals this circuit works
more like an overdrive effect.
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VST Controls
VST related controls live in a section at the very bottom of the deputy's user interface.
Besides the program selector and a switch for linear or circular knob control there are
also some “tweak” parameters: the number of Poly voices (12, 32, 61) to reduce
computational load, the split point between the keyboard zones, and the Ensemble
mode (mono or stereo). Furthermore, two LEDs report the status of the Mono and
Poly sections (on or off).
A quite handy tool is the parameter display: At start-up it displays the software
version while as soon as a parameter is edited the respective value is shown. By
clicking the display the user can select any of the deputy's parameters from a list
menu to determine the current value.
Program and File Menu
When clicking on the File button (disk symbol on bottom left of the screen), a context
menu opens with the following options:
Copy Program Copy current program to internal clipboard
Paste Program Paste internal clipboard to current program
Load Program Load a VST program file containing a patch to the deputy's
current program
Save Program Save the deputy's current program to a VST program file
Load Bank Load a VST bank file containing 64 patches into the
deputy
Save Bank Save the deputy's 64 patches to a VST bank file
Init Program Initialize the current program
Reload Configuration Reload the deputy's configuration file (see section The
deputy.ini Configuration File)
Alternative Skin Switch between alternative built-in skins
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The deputy.ini Configuration File
The deputy is able to read some settings from a configuration file (deputy.ini)
located in the same directory as the deputy VST DLL (deputy.dll or deputy64.dll)
itself. After you have edited this INI file in a text editor, you have to reload it using the
Reload Configuration command from the File menu (see section Program and File
Menu).
Skinning Support
The deputy features some very rudimentary skinning support. Within the INI file, each
of the bitmaps used in the UI can be replaced by specifying the full path to an
alternative bitmap file; bitmaps that you don't want to replace can be set to default
(see example below), or left out of the INI file completely.
[Editor]
Bitmap_Back = C:\myCoolSkins\flashy.png
Bitmap_AltBack = C:\myCoolSkins\nerdy.png
Bitmap_Handle = default
Bitmap_Button = default
Bitmap_Knob = default
Bitmap_Switch1 = default
Bitmap_Switch2 = default
Bitmap_Switch3 = default
Bitmap_Switch4 = default
Bitmap_Switch5 = default
Bitmap_LEDOff = default
Bitmap_LEDOn = default
Important: The replacing graphics need to have the same size and control placement
to work correctly. Also knob/slider graphics need to have the exact same size and
number of frames to work correctly. It is not possible to alter the placement of
controls, as that is handled by code in the plug-in.
MIDI Control Change Messages
All parameters of the deputy can be controlled by MIDI controllers, or more precise:
Each MIDI controller (except Modulation Wheel and Sustain Pedal) can control one of
deputy's parameters. The mapping is defined in the deputy.ini for example like this:
[MIDI Control]
# trying to follow GM2 definitions here ;-)
CC7 = 0 # Volume
CC70 = 37 # Poly Filter Mode
CC71 = 39 # Poly Filter Resonance
CC72 = 61 # Poly Voice Decay/Release
CC73 = 60 # Poly Voice Attack
CC74 = 38 # Poly Filter Cutoff
CC75 = 62 # Poly Voice Sustain
CC76 = 13 # Poly FM Rate
...
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The syntax is straight forward:
CC<controller number> = <parameter ID>
Given the above example, controller 7 directly controls the overall Volume parameter,
controller 74 the Poly Filter Cutoff etc. As you can see, comments are introduced by
the Pound sign (#); they are here just for description purposes and completely
optional.
The parameter ID of one of the deputy's parameters is given in the section
Parameters below. Note that the controller number can run from 0 to 110, with the
exception of 1 (Modulation Wheel) and 64 (Sustain Pedal); the latter two are simply
ignored.
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Parameters
Main — Keyboard
parameter ID description
Lower/Mono 4 activates Mono section for Lower keyboard zone
Lower/Poly 3 activates Poly section for Lower keyboard zone
Upper/Mono 6 activates Mono section for Upper keyboard zone
Upper/Poly 5 activates Mono section for Upper keyboard zone
Bend/Mono 8 pitch bend amount (± 2, 3, 7, 12 semitones) for Mono
section
Bend/Poly 7 pitch bend amount (± 2, 3, 7, 12 semitones) for Poly
section
MW/Mono FM 10 mod wheel amount for frequency modulation of Mono
section
MW/Mono VCF 11 mod wheel amount for cutoff frequency of VCF (Mono
section)
MW/Poly FM 9 mod wheel amount for frequency modulation of Poly
section
Main — Ensemble
parameter ID description
Enable/Mono 97 activates Ensemble effect on Mono section
Enable/Poly 96 activates Ensemble effect on Poly section
Main — Phaser
parameter ID description
Enable 98 activates the Phaser effect
Man 99 manual setting (i.e. center frequency)
Feed 100 feedback
Speed 101 modulation speed
Mod 102 modulation amount
Mix 103 dry/wet balance
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Main — Output
parameter ID description
Mono 86 volume of the Mono section
Poly 46 volume of the Poly section
Clip 1 controls if the overall output is unlimited or clipped to
unity
Master 0 overall volume
Mono — VCO
parameter ID description
Porta 68 portamento time (0 to 5 seconds)
Octave 69 octave (32', 16', 8', 4')
Trans 70 transpose (0 to ±7 semitones)
Tune 71 fine tuning (±1 semitone)
FM 75 amount of frequency modulation by LFO
Wave 72 waveform (sawtooth, pulse, sine)
PW 73 pulse width
PWM 74 amount of pulse width modulation by LFO
Mono — VCF
parameter ID description
VCO 76 volume of VCO signal
Sub 77 volume of suboscillator signal (rectangle, -1 octave)
Noise 78 volume of white noise signal
Poly 79 volume of Poly section output signal
Cut 80 cutoff frequency
Res 81 resonance (up to self-oscillation)
Env 82 amount of cutoff frequency modulation by envelope
Key 83 amount of cutoff frequency modulation by keyboard
tracking
Velo 84 amount of cutoff frequency modulation by velocity
LFO 85 amount of cutoff frequency modulation by LFO
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Mono — VCA
parameter ID description
Shape 88 envelope selection (Env, Gate, On)
Velo 87 amount of amplitude modulation by velocity
Mono — Env
parameter ID description
Trig 89 envelope trigger selection (Single, Multiple)
Attack 90 attack time
Decay 91 decay time
Sustain 92 sustain level
Release 93 release time
Mono — LFO
parameter ID description
Wave 94 LFO waveform (triangle, sawtooth, rectangle, Sample &
Hold)
Speed 95 LFO speed (0 to 30 Hz)
Poly — Generator 1 & 2
parameter ID description
Vol 15; 26 volume of the generator bank
Tune 16; 27 fine tuning (±1 semitone)
FM 19; 30 amount of frequency modulation
PW 17; 28 pulse width
PWM 18; 29 amount of pulse width modulation
Saw 16' 20; 31 activates the 16' Sawtooth register
Saw 8' 21; 32 activates the 8' Sawtooth register
Saw 4' 22; 33 activates the 4' Sawtooth register
Pulse 16' 23; 34 activates the 16' Pulse register
Pulse 8' 24; 35 activates the 8' Pulse register
Pulse 4' 25; 36 activates the 4' Pulse register
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Poly — Speed
parameter ID description
FM 13 speed of frequency modulation (0 to 30 Hz)
PWM 14 speed of pulse width modulation (0 to 30 Hz)
Poly — Amp
parameter ID description
Shape 44 envelope selection (Voice, Global, Gate)
Velo 45 amount of amplitude modulation by velocity
Poly — Filter
parameter ID description
Mode 37 filter mode (bypass, lowpass, highpass, bandpass)
Cut 38 cutoff frequency
Res 39 resonance
Env 41 amount of cutoff frequency modulation by envelope
Key 42 amount of cutoff frequency modulation by keyboard
tracking
Velo 43 amount of cutoff frequency modulation by velocity
Shape 40 envelope selection (Voice, Global)
Poly — Global Env
parameter ID description
Trig 63 envelope trigger selection (Single, Multiple)
Attack 64 attack time
Decay 65 decay time
Sustain 66 sustain level
Release 67 release time
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Poly — Voice Env
parameter ID description
Attack 60 attack time
Decay 61 decay/release time
Sustain 62 sustain level (on or off)
Poly — Resonators
parameter ID description
Enable 47 activates the resonators
Mode 1–3 48;52;56 filter mode (lowpass, highpass, bandpass)
Cut 1–3 50;54;58 cutoff frequency
Res 1–3 51;55;59 resonance
Vol 1–3 49;53;57 volume
VST Controls
parameter ID description
Program ─ program selector (programs 1 – 64)
Voices 12 number of Poly voices (12, 32, 61)
Split 2 split point between Lower and Upper zone
Ensemble 104 Ensemble mode (mono or stereo)
Knob ─ knob mode (linear or circular)
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Frequently Asked Questions
How do I install the deputy Mark II (32 bit version)?
Just copy the file deputy.dll from the ZIP archive you have downloaded to your
system's or favorite DAW's VST plug-in folder. Your DAW should automatically register
the deputy VST plug-in the next time you start it.
How do I install the deputy Mark II (64 bit version)?
Just copy the file deputy64.dll from the ZIP archive you have downloaded to your
system's or favorite DAW's VST plug-in folder. Your DAW should automatically register
the deputy VST plug-in the next time you start it.
Note: You may have to remove any existing (32 bit) deputy.dll from your VST plugin folder or else your DAW may screw the versions up...
How do I install the deputy Mark II on the V-Machine?
First of all: Make sure that you have installed the latest V-Machine firmware and VFX
software (available from www.smproaudio.com). The deputy is known to work with
version 2.0.20101204. :-)
Second: I will not take any responsibility if the following install procedure does not
work for you, corrupts or damages your V-Machine, or bores you! :-P
Third: I do have a V-Machine and tested the deputy Mark II against it. Have faith! ;-)
Now to the point: Export the contents of the ZIP archive to a temporary folder on your
PC/Mac, run the VFX software, and import the deputy.dll plug-in from this folder;
make sure to choose the “Don't use a Wizard file” option. The VFX software will tell
you that “there is no guarantee that it will run on a V-MACHINE without a wizard's
help”. That's OK, no magic here. ;-)
Finally, create a preset for your V-Machine using the deputy and you're done!
What is the VST plug-in ID of the deputy?
The ID is T D M 2 .
How can I decrease the deputy's CPU load?
Whenever it does not degrade the sound you need, try this:
• Reduce polyphony, i.e. the number of voices.
• Deactivate a section, an effect, or the resonators.
• If you don't need a waveform/octave to be generated by one or both generator
bank, switch off the respective buttons.
How can I prevent output clipping?
Decrease the sections' Volume levels. Alternatively, switch on the Clip parameter in
the Main section but that might lead to distortion effects. Hey, maybe that's exactly
what you need? ;-)
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There is no sound when I play a key below C-1 or above C-6?
This is by design: The deputy has 61 keys, each making up a complete voice of the
instrument. For keys beyond this range there is no voice left over.
Can I tweak the Ensemble effect parameters?
Yes, but not from the deputy's front panel. Like on the old Solina thy shall seek and
thy will be given.
Your skins suck! How can I change them to something flashy?
By making your own bitmaps and editing the deputy.ini ─ see The deputy.ini
Configuration File.
Seriously, the deputy has never existed as a real “hardware”
instrument...!?
I never said it would! The deputy Mark II is an emulation of a fictive polyphonic
synthesizer from the 1970s of an alternative history. But the point is that an
instrument like this could have been built just this way — see the appendix.
So why did you create the deputy VSTi?
Because I love those weird machines with their strange concepts and technical
designs. They tell us where the sophisticated instruments of today originally come
from blablabla. And because it's fun!
What does “Prost!” mean?
You do not know this famous German word? It means something like “To your
health!”. Typically, German words tend to be indefinitely longer than their English
counterparts but in this case the Germans came to the point.
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