randy's Recent Posts
Didn't know that about Circle, thanks for the info.
I think the Korg mini-MS20 controller will let you do that. But I don't know if there's a way to hook it up to other software.
Version 1.2.6 of Aalto is done and updates will be going out tonight. If you're a licensed user, just follow the links in the email, coming soon, to download your software!
Demo versions are available now for Mac and Windows:
Aalto 1.2.6 Mac [10Mb .zip]
Aalto 1.2.6 Win [3Mb .zip]
Changes in version 1.2.6:
improved performance!
optimized patch loading
fixed Logic dropouts, improved Logic CPU spikes
fixed Live 7 UI hangs
fixed Sonar crash
fixed Maschine scan crash
fixed multislider parameter behavior
added debug diagnostics
smaller executable
As always until v.2, this update is free for registered users.
please email support at madronalabs and I'll get you sorted out!
I think that the entry is made automatically when they try it. I'm in touch with those guys and hope to make it work.
I like it! Mandala Bros is also awesome.
I'm aware of this and will look at it for a future update. The AU might treat you better?
Aalto is very CPU intensive. I made no secret about this, and to some extent it has to be, to make the sounds it does.
Your subject "not so optimized" is a little unfair to me, because of all the work I have put into optimizing. The 34% you are seeing would have been about 50% in the previous version, so I feel pretty good about my progress.
The question about constant CPU use is a fair one. Unlike a lot of soft synths, Aalto is modeling circuits that are on all the time, just like the circuits in an analog synth. This is what makes it such a good free-running drone machine, and is also somewhat responsible for the good sound. I can imagine adding code to find out when a voice is making sound, and save some CPU on that voice (while keeping its free-running state), but this is not a trivial thing to do.
I think I have the most customers over at gearslutz. But if you want support from me, remember to post here! I can't always read other online forms. I read this one at least once a day.
You're welcome! Great idea on the T-shirt.
Yeah, the reverb can get tiring. But a special feature to do something about it is not something I would add. You could use your host to learn the reverb knob to MIDI and then keep turning it off every second, or something.
try the update!
Hi,
If you're interested enough to check the forums, maybe you're interested enough to check the Aalto 1.2.5 demo out. This is Mac only at the moment. It should fix the problems with Live 7 and Maschine, and hopefully the dropouts with Logic some people are getting. CPU use in general is about the same, or a couple percent better. Switching between presets should be a lot smoother, especially on Logic.
If you want to try this demo, you can just save your old installer and re-install back over the demo when you're done.
If it's working well I plan to send this update out next week.
Thanks for posting!
re: performance, you may be pleasantly surprised by the next update.
Glad to hear! A bit of testing to do, then will send this one out.
I almost forgot: the new demo prints some debugging information that can help. To open the debug output, click the almost-invisible button in the middle right of the Patcher. There's a button to copy the text. Please send it to me when you get the AU dropouts!
Oh man, sorry for your bad experience. Can you please try the 1.2.5 demo, posted in another thread here, and tell me if it helps?
Also, what OS and what kind of CPU are you using? I can't reproduce these bugs at all, so I'm hoping a pattern will emerge.
Thanks,
Randy
Hopefully you saved the installer for your registered version. You can just install it over the demo again.
I'm finishing up some details with the Windows side of things, and working to push out the release ASAP.
Try the "deep bongo" patch. You'll hear a difference there!
The gate decay controls the time constant of the Vactrol emulation. This is a special kind of low pass filter applied to the level input itself. So you probably won't hear it if the level input is coming from the envelope is longish. Try setting all the envelope controls to minimum to get a 'tick,' put that into level, and adjust the decay control. You should definitely hear a difference then.
Thanks for the nice words!
-Randy
Actually this is a problem with Logic I have heard of, but not before with Live. Can you try the 1.2.5 DEMO posted on the forums here and let me know if it fixes the problem on your system?
I did everything I could about this, but I'm going to have to call it a Logic bug, Works great in Live.
Thanks for the report. Can you try the 1.2.5 demo, posted here, and see if that works?
nice one! always good to see the Aaltoverse expanding. :-)
I think the changes I'm making for next update may fix this. If not, I'll make it a priority and work with Fxpansion on it if need be, they seem helpful. Thanks for the report.
ohmmmmmmmm
You can automate them by drawing an automation curve. It appears that trying to record by clicking on the buttons themselves doesn't work in Logic. Weird, because it works in Live. I'll look into it.
Will have to install Rax and test. I'll see what I can do for the next update.
Hi,
I hope this will be fixed in the next update. Maschine was also crashing in it's own examination process, and that seems to be fixed, so I hope DP is fixed too. Will test next week.
July 5, and it finally feels like it's summer here in Seattle for more than one day in a row. Though after a vacation getaway last week, I'm inside most of the time, back to work here on hardware and software for electronic music. Still, working is nicer when I can walk to the cafe under sunny skies, or pop into the backyard for a strawberry. Mmm strawberries.
I'm devoting half of my time now to finishing the Soundplane project. It's exciting to finally be working again on our centerpiece, the heart of what we're doing.
Meanwhile, Aalto is working great for some users but not so great for a few, so improvements are ongoing. Let me run down the main issues I have been working on:
- Fixed a problem with the GUI freezing in Live 7.
- Optimized multislider to speed up patch changes.
- Added parameter update message on loading a preset.
- Issues with audio dropouts and CPU spikes when switching patches in Logic 9 remain. These seem to be worst on multi-core machines. I'm working on a fix.
- There are problems for some people getting Aalto to work with Native Instruments Maschine. While I work these out, try the forums if you're having trouble, where some people have found ways to get it working.
- Aalto seems to crash Sonar 8.5 on Windows XP. I hope to work on this for the next update.
- FInishing up the manual.
The next update will be a 1.2.x, meaning it's just a bugfix update with no additional features. So those of you waiting on host sync etc. will have to be a little patient while I work on the foundations. I'll roll it out next week at the latest so people using Live 7 can get back in the saddle.
We got another very nice mention in Create Digital Music today, thanks to the work of Sam Greene. Sam was really taken with the weird sounds coming out of Aalto, so he dusted off his site patchdump.com and made it into a really great way to share Aalto patches. Thanks Sam, for this great gathering spot for Aaltophiles! Part of me wants to write a post on why this kind of community contribution is so vital to small companies like ours, and how I hope to encourage it, but for now I'm going to let that impulse slip away and get back to work on making the hardware and software.
Happy patching,
Randy