Load WAVs with Preset manager?

[Spogg]

Hi all

I've searched the forum and there are some discussions about getting samples (WAVs) to load based on preset contents.
However, unless I've missed something, I haven't yet found a way to do this.

I'm currently working on a sample-and-synthesis project inspired by my old Roland D-50. This synth was the first of its type to use this method of sound creation. It had a fixed set of attack samples stored in ROM so the programmer simply specified which sample to use in up to 4 PCM playback "partials". The 4 partials could alternatively be specified to be basic VA synths instead of sample players.

What I have at the moment is a Wave Array Prim where I load a WAV into 1 of 100 slots. This is then stored "in" the Prim. In Flowstone edit environment I can build a "ROM", in effect, and the WAV's index value can be stored in a preset.

It would be nice if the user could load WAVs into memory from the VSTi and then save presets with the paths embedded in the preset. Then, when the preset is changed, all the WAVs are loaded automatically again.

So, there could be 0-4 WAVs that need to be loaded for any preset, into 4 different wave player modules in their Wave Array's indexed slots. I would be happy if the WAVs had to be in the same folder as the VSTi.

I know this can be done with a VSTi because, for example, Kontakt can do this, as can many samplers and drum machines. I would love some sort of general module to achieve this and I'm surprised there doesn't seem to be a Prim available since sampling theses days is the Big Thing.

Any ideas or solutions guys?

Cheers

Spogg

[adamszabo]

I am actually on the same problem myself, but with text files instead. I have 10 text files lets say in a folder, and my presets will open and load a specific one. If the file is deleted and cant find the file then instead it says file missing or something. Im still thinking about this...

[tulamide]

The real problem is that preset strings are restricted to 255 chars (VST restriction, not FS). You can get away with relative paths (for example by forcing the user to save everrything to a folder located where the plugin resides.

Other than that - no chance. Or you develop your own preset system that is not compatible with VST 2.4.

[Spogg]

The real problem is that preset strings are restricted to 255 chars (VST restriction, not FS). You can get away with relative paths (for example by forcing the user to save everrything to a folder located where the plugin resides.

Other than that - no chance. Or you develop your own preset system that is not compatible with VST 2.4.

Fascinating!

Then how does Kontakt do it? You load a .NKI file (NativeInstruments Kontakt Instrument) and this file contains pointers to the wav files' locations (plus a lot of other parameters). The VSTi then obeys and loads up all the specified samples to the correct "locations". If you make a change you can save the change to the preset for future use.
My guess is that a lot of code would be required for FS to achieve this behaviour, yet it's such a useful thing to have it might be in the next Flowstone version

Let's see what Santa brings us...

Cheers

Spogg

[kortezzzz]

@Spogg,

I know that kontakt a like system would be great for storing waves with the preset system and I've discussed about it a while a go with trog. Back then, while I've been working on my drum sampler, I needed a similar solution to load\save single drums wav. files into 20 separate slots in my sampler (that create a full kit). Trog suggested to use the SFZ parser to load each of those samples separately by creating a simple text patch for each. My sampler is also able to "import" new wav. files into it, but it's not a "real" importing but a kind of cheat, because once it uses the "wave file" prim to load a wav. file, it actually creates automatically a text patch for it as well that would be shown in a graphical "radio selector" menu (based on trog's code). By that, your preset system is able to use the "radio selector" to call the text patch that calls the wav. file you need.

Take a look at the example picture here:

http://postimg.org/image/z475sg7nv/

You can see how it works:

The left button group ("select kit") is connected to preset manager and calling for presets by using the radio buttons method.
The "TYPE" menu allows you to target a specific pre-made folder (kicks, snares, cymbals, etc.)
The "ELEMENT LIBRARY" menu is calling single drum wav. files into the slot from the specific type folder you choose.
The "IMPORT FILE" button allows you to import new wav. file from any location into one of your plug-in's system folders (in this case, one of my "TYPE" folders) and then it creates a text patch for it automatically (based on the wave. file's name).
Ones the text patch is created, It would be shown in the "ELEMENT LIBRARY" menu, and will be ready to be saved as a part of the preset (in this case, as a part of the new drum kit).

Is this kind of solution would be helpful for your project?

[tulamide]

I may have found a workaround to store strings of any length in the preset manager. Here's a first prototype. I will try to allow multiple strings per program now.

[Spogg]

@kortezzzz
First off, that's a lovely looking GUI. I wish I had even 10% of your talent!
The scheme you describe sounds excellent and is obviously perfect for a drum machine. It may be more than I would need for my Q-50 which would only ever need a maximum of 4 samples loaded per preset. Assuming you have made this with Flowstone you have at least proved that it's possible even though I'm sure the coding and design would be well beyond my capabilities.

@tulamide
I really do appreciate you spending time to think about this and what you've made so far could lead to something that fulfills the need. I don't have Ruby knowledge so it's hard to contribute, but I imagine the silent hundreds who read this forum would also appreciate having a general system to use in a sample-based project.

Cheers

Spogg

[tulamide]

@tulamide
I really do appreciate you spending time to think about this and what you've made so far could lead to something that fulfills the need. I don't have Ruby knowledge so it's hard to contribute, but I imagine the silent hundreds who read this forum would also appreciate having a general system to use in a sample-based project.

You're welcome.

Here's version 2. Multiple strings per program.

[Spogg]

Here's version 2. Multiple strings per program.

Wow! You been working all night on this?

In its present form I can use that for adding a better comment box for displaying info about each preset. I did this for my DEVILISH project but you couldn't have carriage returns (newline).

This is not important but I saw that if I had an empty line, i.e carriage return twice, then everything below is ignored. Like I said, not important in any way, just a feature

At the moment I could possibly see a way to use this manually for loading. You locate the file in Windows Explorer, copy the path from the navigation box, paste it into some sort of text input box, click a load button and the job's done. Maybe?
The path would then be saved with the preset so when the preset is recalled the user would have to just click the load button to achieve the reload. Maybe?

Very flexible but not very elegant, but it might work. Unless you have more wonderful tricks up your sleeve...

Cheers

Spogg

[kortezzzz]

Here's version 2. Multiple strings per program.

Beautiful, tulamide. Really useful trick. I've been recently using flowstone for building presentations (much interesting than a standard PDF...) . This little smart schematic would be very helpful in this (or any) case. Thank you

Spogg, Thanks for the compliments but I don't really deserve them because I'm an awful coder
My talent is to find interesting ways to combine those wonderful cool tricks that the gang "cook" here in some practical schematics. This forum is a really fun place be at after an hard working day and by the way, can't wait to see how the new features in version 3.0.9 would become into brand new inventions