Announcing free "mrelwood plugins"

[enroe]

Originally Posted by mrelwood

The biggest issue is though that it doesn't have a name!

Thanks, Mr. Elwood!

I would call this fantastic plugin "refined sculpturer".

Reason: This plugin forms any signal by saturation,
compression and by transient processing. These three
treatments can be summed up as "sculpturing" IMO.

[Pinknoise]

Nice addition ! I would call it Drumstrip.

[sinkmusic]

Rodin?

[bolgwrad]

Satchmo.

[JamesPeters]

I only tested NoName 0.1 on a snare drum proximity mic track (soloed and then blended back into the drum mix) but that was enough to know how well it works. To be able to do all of these things at the same time to the snare track with balance, and with relatively few controls, is impressive:

-make it sound nicely "smashed" with some pumping
-add ambience even with weaker hits (not strictly reliant on threshold)
-have nice control over the ambient sound decay (between compression and saturation settings)
-keep the transient punch and general EQ
-smear the faster transients (moving saturation to the end of the chain helps smooth out rolls of higher hit strengths)
-automatically compensate the volume of the compressed sound

I can do these things with other plugins, but it usually takes 2 or 3 plugins in series. This may not be the compressor I'd use for everything (such as really flat smashed sounds, or cleaner compression tasks) but it's already in my favorites folder after that one test.

[juan_r]

Excellent finds indeed! In particular, I love Sky and NoName. I'd call it DrumBeauty or Beautifier - because it really sounds beutiful, and I think the name is newish.

Do you plan adding these plugs to ReaPack? It would make it so much easier to keep them up to date.

[JamesPeters]

I'd like to add this request: please settle on a name that doesn't include a version number as part of the "desc" field, for your plugins. Please keep the version number out of the "desc" field.

I'm about to make Reaper track templates to include with the DrumGizmo bank that I've made. The templates will include all the routing, levels and effects I use to make particular drum mixes. I want the track templates to work for all OSes, so I plan to use only Reaper native effects and JS effects (and I'll provide download links/instructions for the JS plugins such as yours which aren't included in Reaper).

If I use your plugins in the templates, and you release a new plugin with a version number change, currently that means a change in the "desc" field in that JS plugin. Reaper recognizes that field as the plugin identifier. If any change is made to that "desc" field and someone replaces an old version with a new one, Reaper won't "understand" that an older version of the plugin existed and that a newer version someone installs is meant to replace it; Reaper instead considers it a new/different plugin. People won't be able to load the effects automatically in the Reaper track templates since Reaper will be looking for a particular plugin name (which currently includes text such as 0.1, 0.97, etc. as part of the names of the plugins in the "desc" field).

Likewise if someone saves a plugin preset in Reaper, then updates the plugin to a new version, that preset can't be recalled for the newer version of that plugin. So whether someone is saving track templates, projects in general, or just effects presets, a change in the "desc" field can potentially mess up a project. Backward compatibility wherever possible should be maintained.

[onebaldbloke]

I'm getting a Trojan Alert under Chrome........

Ideas?

Cheers,
Bob.

[onebaldbloke]

Originally Posted by JamesPeters

I don't see how that's possible. It's not compiled code. JS plugins get compiled by Reaper when they're instantiated. On their own they're not executable.

False positive, I'd say.

I disabled Nod32 and Malwarebytes. All good. :-)

[mrelwood]

Wow, I'm surprised by the level of the positive comments on the new plugin!

Originally Posted by JamesPeters

I'd like to add this request: please settle on a name that doesn't include a version number as part of the "desc" field, for your plugins. Please keep the version number out of the "desc" field.

That is indeed something that hasn't worked at all well with my plugins. I will have to try a different approach. But under no circumstances would I want an upgrade to mess up old projects. As only a few of my plugins have reached a state that I would call "ready", I make changes to volume levels and sounds. These kinds of updates shouldn't be updated automatically.

This is not at all an ideal approach, but the plugins shared in this thread have all been beta versions. Maybe I will call the sub 1.0 versions just "beta", and hope that it will convey the message that the sounds may change with an update.

First bug report for NoName 0.1: sometimes when I recall a preset, the 3 strips are jumbled.

Got it. Fixed!


Thank you for the name suggestions! Lets call it:


http://b.link/mrelwood_DynaStrip_0v2


Since the plugin was so well received, I:
- Added EQ module
- Added "Mix" pot for Compressor
- Added Enable switches to Mix module
- Fixed module position loading
- Fixed/Refined Saturation/Compressor auto volume
- Increased max Saturation gain
- Some GFX improvements


Ps. I'm humbled that the anti-virus software considers my coding skills worthy of a warning! In reality, my skills are perhaps 1/1000 of what would be required for such...

[mschnell]

Originally Posted by juan_r

Do you plan adding these plugs to ReaPack? It would make it so much easier to keep them up to date.

And to find them in the fist place (provided some description is included).

-Michael

[mrelwood]

Graphics only update for the DynaStrip. Starting to look like a finished product already!


http://b.link/mrelwood_DynaStrip_0v21


The filename and the description field remain the same, so this will update painlessly.

[mrelwood]

Originally Posted by JamesPeters

as though it can't make up its mind between two different scalings.

You are exactly correct. I was able to find rules for increasing and decreasing the size that doesn't do the "dance" on my Mac, but I guess the font sizes differ enough on Macs vs others that the plugin makes the font size larger too early.

I just now figured out another way to avoid the dance though! Just a moment...

[mrelwood]

Fixed!


http://b.link/mrelwood_DynaStrip_0v22


I also disabled the intro graphics whenever not opening a fresh instance. And some smaller stuff as well.

[JamesPeters]

The animation "freak out" is fixed now, thanks.

Initially each new instance still did the startup animation, but I had loaded a project which used the version 0v21 before I'd replaced it with 0v22. (With a fresh project using new instances of 0v22, that didn't happen.)

One aspect of that startup animation that was weird (when I loaded the project which had info for the previous version 0v21 but replaced with 0v22): the plugin wouldn't process audio until the animation was complete, and the plugin windows each had to be visible for the animation to complete. So the instances of the plugin didn't affect the sound until I opened them all and watched the animation for all of them.

After saving the settings in each plugin instance as presets and reloaded the plugins, those tendencies stopped.

After having tested this a bit more, I can tell it's going to be a go-to compressor for drums on individual channels or on the whole drum mix. I bet it'll sound great on bass guitar too.

[mrelwood]

Yes, the new version stores the status info on whether it has played the animation, and in your case all instances thought they were newly put in place. But that still doesn’t feel quite right that it doesn’t process audio until the animation is done. I’ll try to fix that.

What a compliment on the sound and usability though! I haven’t even tested the plugin with other than drums, but you are right, it could be quite nice on bass as well!

[JamesPeters]

It's not really a concern for me now, since it seemed to be a glitch I caused by changing from one version to another (and I don't expect perfection in that regard). If I use 0v22 in a project now and save the project, and/or save a preset and recall a preset, the animation (and the accompanying lack of processing of the signal) doesn't happen when opening the window. A project with saved settings, upon opening the project, gets sound being processed by the plugin immediately. The animation only happens when the plugin opens on "no preset", so during that time I don't mind (since for the "no preset" setting it's all "off" anyway). The exception is the corner case of someone replacing the plugin with a newer version and loading a project made with a prior version. So it may catch some people off guard but only in that case.

This plugin is probably good for more things too, but it just fits drums so well. I assume it will work well on bass too due to the nature of the signal.

I have a potential request: different types of saturation, or perhaps different curves. Sometimes this saturation seems a bit crackly/spitty when pushed hard, although that might be due to a combination of settings and the source material. If you're looking for different saturation types, I could probably point you in the direction of some (based on some JS plugins that others have made as well as some Airwindows ones).

[mrelwood]

Saturation types (or clipping modes) is a nice and a nicely educated request, and it’s actually something I’ve tested quite extensively for AmpEra, BAMP and Sky. I even made a tester plugin that lets me choose a saturation type separately for each side of the signal for asymmetrical or symmetrical clipping. I only tried a few modes for this plugin, since I didn’t feel that the others would’ve offered a sound I was after. I also felt that the difference in clipping modes was not nearly as prevalent for drums as it is for tonal sources with a longer note duration.

In order for it to be a useful feature, I don’t think a different clipping mode alone offered much in terms of usability. The pre-EQ for the saturation plays a much bigger role for a full bandwidth signal. For a different type of saturation you can use the compressor and set the release to the shortest possible. Or put the EQ module before Saturation.

I think a truly nice saturation is much more involved than a single clipping stage like we have on the DynaStrip. Guitarists know this quite well... Various asymmetrical clipping stages (and much higher CPU utilization) is what would offer a truly different tone, like we see in AmpEra. But it would be a bit too involved for what I was after for the DynaStrip.

[JamesPeters]

Originally Posted by mrelwood

Saturation types (or clipping modes) is a nice and a nicely educated request,

At this point I stopped reading your post because I realized you're going to implement my feature request. Thank you!

[mrelwood]

Originally Posted by JamesPeters

At this point I stopped reading your post because I realized you're going to implement my feature request. Thank you!

Oh come on! Maybe read the last sentence of the post though?

[JamesPeters]

Nope! Get to work!

[mrelwood]

Originally Posted by JamesPeters

Nope! Get to work!

Sigh... Let me just check my donations account first, whether I've gotten any this year.

[mrelwood]

Yeah yeah, I had already started. You know me!

Though it remains debatable whether this is exactly what JamesPeters wanted. But it does offer a different approach of the same basic clipping method.


http://b.link/mrelwood_DynaStrip_0v3


IMPORTANT! As was warned before, the sound and volume of a beta plugin may change. Now it did. A saved 0.2x instance will change in sound, balance and volume.

• The default saturation is now noticeably smoother. The new "Hard" mode is closer to the original, but also a bit smoother.
• Slider curves have been smoothened out.
• Auto-volume levels have been refined.

[JamesPeters]

...you're welcome.

The saturation works better for me now, thanks! On kick drums it's still touchy but that's the nature of any noticeable saturation anyway.

It's really easy to maintain an overall volume level when using this plugin, except of course when pushing certain functions a lot. I don't expect that it could always auto-volume-correct since there are too many variables to account for, but this does a very respectable job on the whole.

Is it my imagination or did you reduce the "duration" control's upper range for the transient section? Or did you change the shape a bit? It seems before I was able to get more punch from it, not that I needed that much. Maybe it has something to do with the auto volume level though, since I wasn't paying as much attention to that before when turning up the "duration" control for transients.

The highpass control on the compressor is a nice touch.

One odd thing: it seems that the compression ratio goes from 0-20 up until the very last increment and then it goes to 100 for that last increment. If that's intentional, don't mind me.

[mrelwood]

Thanks!

If you dial down the bass control on the Saturation, it will cut the bass before saturation, and should tighten things up for the kick drum.

The transient duration and shape have been the same all along, haven't touched them. But it does now lower the volume a bit more when going for longer transient duration. It can definitely be preceived as "less punch". The volume slider should help with that.

Compressor was actually originally just a limiter, and the ratio adjustment is just an added extra. I wanted to keep the limiting behaviour, so it is indeed designed to work as a compressor from 1-20, and as a limiter at "100". It's not really 100, but I thought it would convey the behaviour well enough.

[JamesPeters]

Yes I've got the bass turned down pretty much all the way when I use saturation on kick.

I thought that control for the compressor might be something like that but I wasn't sure. Thanks for clarifying. How I have been using it, I can't really tell that when it is set to 100 it is making some sort of difference in its behavior.

[mrelwood]

Originally Posted by JamesPeters

I can't really tell that when it is set to 100 it is making some sort of difference in its behavior.

The threshold and volume also change accordingly, so I'm sure the behaviour is not at all obvious. And the difference between 1:20 ratio and limiter is not big in itself either.

[mrelwood]

The version 0.3 didn't handle copying the instance properly, and some graphics got messed up. Fixed for 0.31:


http://b.link/mrelwood_DynaStrip_0v31

[JamesPeters]

I like the new feature of highlighting each module and the switch for the "mix" of the module while moving them.

...however...

Move a module around left and right a few times quickly and you'll see they get "stuck together"/overlapped.

Also I notice the "last touched" parameter (to show in track controls or modulate) isn't referring to the correct controls for a lot of them. For instance: if you touch the overall mix control and you go to the "param" menu in the fx browser, it'll say you last touched the volume control instead.

[Eliseat]

JamesPeters keeps the Horses running.

[mrelwood]

James, just to make sure, you are aware that I'm not able to pay you for the relentless and thorough bug hunting for every version of my every plugin? But I shall bow all the way to as deep as my back allows (which is not much, but still a noticeable bow) in gratitude! You make my plugins better.

Originally Posted by JamesPeters

Move a module around left and right a few times quickly and you'll see they get "stuck together"/overlapped.

JP-proofing added.

Also I notice the "last touched" parameter (to show in track controls or modulate) isn't referring to the correct controls for a lot of them.

This was a surprising one. The sliders must be in numbered order, without gaps, or the last touched parameter gets messed up. I'm pretty sure most of my plugins have this very issue. Will report to Cockos.

Meanwhile, I did add a bunch of non-used sliders since they don't show up in the automation menu anyway. So... fixed.


http://b.link/mrelwood_DynaStrip_0v32

[JamesPeters]

I figure if someone makes one of my favorite pieces of software, the least I can do is help by reporting bugs that I find. It's not entirely altruistic either, since I get better software in the process. I hope I don't sound too picky when I report bugs. The compressor was stable from its initial release.

It surprises me that I don't see more bug reports for some of the software for which I've been reporting. People will comment about the software saying that they use and appreciate it, but then that's all they say. I suppose it's about whether people:

- notice bugs,
- care about the bugs,
- assume the programmer already knows about the bugs,
- want to participate in bug fixing,
- or are actually using the software instead of just downloading (and hoarding) it.

Nice changelog, by the way. I swear I'm not really that hardcore of a software tester, trying to find corner cases in extreme ways. I was just reordering the modules while the music was playing, so I could audition the changes in realtime and in context (which can be really helpful, when a plugin like this allows for it). My mouse movements were a bit erratic since my attention was divided, and the result was the jumble of the modules.

[Fabian]

The DynaStrip looks really cool, and will certainly be a useful tool once it is finished.

However, playing around with it I stumbled on a strange thing. I played an mp3 where everything is cut off above 16 kHz, and surprisingly, when DynaStrip is enabled it adds stuff above 16 kHz. And it does this even if everything is set to 0 and turned off.

We see it here (click to see larger animated gif):


When DynaStrip is bypassed, there is nothing above 16 kHz in the lower right corner of the spectrum analyzer, but as soon as DynaStrip is enabled there appears something there. And as you can see, everything is set to 0 and turned off.

EDIT: OK, poking around in the code I see now... there is a built-in limiter that cannot be turned off. And that mp3 I'm playing is really loud, lots of inter-sample peaks (I guess), and this is probably what creates that extra stuff. If a pt a volume FX in front of DynaStrip and pulls it down so the input never goes above 0, then no extra stuff is added. I guess it is fine, but still...

[mrelwood]

Originally Posted by JamesPeters

I figure if someone makes one of my favorite pieces of software, the least I can do is help by reporting bugs that I find.

I hope it's okay that I just ordered a painter to write the above quote to cover my whole living room wall. Your name will of course be mentioned.

I hope I don't sound too picky when I report bugs.

Absolutely not! That's exactly what makes it so worthwhile, as I can't escape the fact that there will always be many things I just haven't thought of. Like rearranging the DynaSplit modules with a passion.

It surprises me that I don't see more bug reports for some of the software for which I've been reporting.

My brother kept demonstrating me some drawing issues he was having with the Reaper 6.00. He stopped once I reminded him that if he had used that time to report the issues to Cockos instead, it would probably be fixed by now! Don't know if he ever did though. He's a coder by trade btw.

I think it comes partially down to laziness, partially to the idea of a distant unreachable company, and partially to the fact that if a software developer is unable to produce good code, someone else will. And probably already has.

Take my plugins for example. I'm sure they are seen as a "nice try" from some people, but with the abundance of plugins from professional manufacturers, many may not have the ear to even consider if free plugins would get the job done. Buying awarded ones can surely at least appear safer.

My brother as an example again, has used a huge sum of money on plugins. To him it was the idea that the costly plugins would ensure that his mixes sound good, or at least get him there easier. DynaStrip was one of the rare plugins of mine that he wanted for himself as well!

[mrelwood]

Originally Posted by Fabian

The DynaStrip looks really cool, and will certainly be a useful tool once it is finished.

If I may, what do you think it would take to be considered "finished"?

Your screenshot actually also showed a few more drawing inconsistencies between OSs. The version number should now show correctly. I also changed the title font, let me know if it shows up even crappier on Windows than the previous one did...

EDIT: OK, poking around in the code I see now... there is a built-in limiter that cannot be turned off.

This is luxurious, you even made the work of bug hunting for me! Thank you!

Not to surprise anyone else, I added a switch for the limiter.


http://b.link/mrelwood_DynaStrip_0v34

[Fabian]

Originally Posted by mrelwood

If I may, what do you think it would take to be considered "finished"?

That you tell us that it is finished

I was really only referring to that the file name had "BETA" attached to it.

A switch for the limiter is a good thing, I think. Thanks.

[JamesPeters]

Originally Posted by mrelwood

I hope it's okay that I just ordered a painter to write the above quote to cover my whole living room wall. Your name will of course be mentioned.

Which will undoubtedly provoke a "...who?" response from anyone who reads it. But I'm not one to tell you know to make interior decorating decisions.

Originally Posted by mrelwood

My brother kept demonstrating me some drawing issues he was having with the Reaper 6.00. He stopped once I reminded him that if he had used that time to report the issues to Cockos instead, it would probably be fixed by now! Don't know if he ever did though. He's a coder by trade btw.

I've mentioned that sort of thing to a few people on these forums who complain about things instead of making bug reports. Their responses are usually in the realm of "the devs should already know this". Um...sorry, you just lost me. Maybe copy/paste your well-thought-out complaints/criticisms to the bug reports/feature request forums, where I will promptly give a +1.

Originally Posted by mrelwood

Take my plugins for example. I'm sure they are seen as a "nice try" from some people, but with the abundance of plugins from professional manufacturers, many may not have the ear to even consider if free plugins would get the job done. Buying awarded ones can surely at least appear safer.

That's part of it for sure.

Originally Posted by mrelwood

My brother as an example again, has used a huge sum of money on plugins. To him it was the idea that the costly plugins would ensure that his mixes sound good, or at least get him there easier. DynaStrip was one of the rare plugins of mine that he wanted for himself as well!

He should also try BAMP if he plays bass guitar. It's another of your plugins that clearly has a lot of effort put into making it holistic and comprehensive.

Good catch on the limiter, Fabian! I wouldn't have noticed since I mix with levels well below peaking. I tested the limiter and I find it's something I probably wouldn't use, since it affects the sound fairly noticeably after it clips a few dB. It can be a nice feature to have for safety purposes though.

[JamesPeters]

A few other things I should mention, this time about your site:

-On the main page it describes the plugins working in Windows and Mac. Don't forget Linux and ARM. Any OS that Reaper works on, so will these plugins.

-ReaJS probably won't work for most of your plugins.

-The page link for FriGate links to the CompLab page instead. (It seems there is no separate FriGate page, upon trying to get there by substituting some text in the link.)

PS. and version 0.34 of DynaStrip has a problem with the modules "freaking out" when I recall a preset. Plus every time I load a new instance, it does the starting animation.

[mrelwood]

Website issues fixed and DynaStrip added, will get into the “Ps.” issues on the DynaStrip shortly. (Didn’t I just fix those exact issues?! Dang.)

[JamesPeters]

Sort of, but this time it seems to be related to loading a preset and not about resizing the window.