Introduction Hello, I have updated the Wilderbeast ensemble to the new Reaktor version 4 and have included some changes to the look of the Wilderbeast and have added 128 new presets. I wanted to build a synth that was alot like the Prophecy (sbank in the Trinity)in that it would have every possible modulation routing with depth and frequency.Also I wanted a synth that would have differing filter routings like my Chroma(and like the Prophecy and Z1) for vocal like effects. I also wanted a synth with three Oscillators Like all of these great synths, well, I couldnt fit all of the controls into the ensemble because Reaktor wouldnt let me, so I did what I could do in creating my dream synth and I am happy. I would like to see NI increase the amount of controls you can fit into an ensemble because I dont mind scrolling. What took me an hour to create on the Prophecy or the Chroma because of the small display and or page after pages now takes me five minutes on this "Wilderbeast Super". The features of the "Wilderbeast Super" include: A sample and hold module for all oscillators, a frequency divider for all 3 osc's, Amplitude modulation, Pulse width modulation "PM", FM on all osc's , pitch modulation via envelopes for all osc's,invertable saw waves in the LFO 2&3 blocks, FM amount modulation via LFO 1. Also included is a brand new GUI of Gold and Purple*.
* Note: The “Signature Edition” has Yellow Buttons.
Getting to know your Wilderbeast LFO Blocks:
1. 3 LFO blocks with four independant waves each(LFO 1 has:sine,tri,pulse,random)(LFO 2 has:sine,tri,pulse,saw("z")
"new addition")(LFO 3 has:saw("z")"new addition",tri,pulse,random) each block contains mod routings for: osc. 1,2,3, Filters 1,2,3,4,5, PWmod osc 1,2,3 and the independant LFOs of the same block : frequency&litude. example: LFO1(left corner top second from left) has 68 modulation routings and each of them has an abbreviation: "So1" is the first button and it means "sine wave LFO Modulates oscillator 1"(button is on or off like them all) "Rt1a" means "Random wave LFO modulates Triangle wave LFO1's "a"mplitude(amplitude)(in LFO3s block that would be Rt3a) So the first letter is the source LFO, The second letter(s) is the destination: "f" filter, "pw" pulse width, "t" triangle,"s" sine, "p" pulse, "r" random, "o" oscillator,"z" saw. The number indicates destination also, o1 o2 o3(oscillator 1,2,3), f1,f2,f3,f4,f5(filters 1-5), pw1, pw2, pw3, (pulse width of pulse waves in oscillators 1-3). And of course all of the blocks own(self) LFO waves like , t1, p1, r1 However there is no ss1a or pp1f (same to same modulation) Each wave has control knobs fo amplitude, frequency and width(exept random). You may tune the range to suite your need. Also LFO 2&3 blocks contain an "INV" switch for each of the saw("z") LFO's to invert the saw wave. LFO to LFO
In order to modulate the amplitudes and frequencies Of LFOs with LFOs of differing blocks I made "LFO to LFO "boxes.(but only one)"changed from 2 on "Wilderbeast" to make room for more control. "LFO to LFO1" corresponds to LFO 1 so… The first letter represents the source "Ss2a" in the "LFO to LFO 1" box means Sine Wave(1) modulates sine wave 2 amplitude… "Pr3f" is Pulse wave(1) modulates random wave 3 frequency. VCALFO:(or VCALF as it sometimes appears):
There are 3 buttons which select one of the VCA envelopes(far right) as the modulator for 14 destinations and a knob for the depth of that control, So, "3" is lit and "2sf" is selected, so envelope 3 will modulate sine 2 (LFO block 2) frequency over time as determined by the envelopes shape…"1ta" = LFO1 triangle amplitude etc.
Sample/Hold:
The sample and hold module beneath the VCALFO module pitch modulates all three Oscillators and frequency modulates three filters(filters 1,2,3). The clock source for the S/H (Sample/Hold) module are selectable independant LFO's exclusive to the s/h.The LFO clock sources are sine,tri,pulse,saw and 'one' can be chosen.The sample sources for the s/h are LFO 1's Waves and all or none can be selected. Also the clock source waves can be synced to LFO1's output via the "sync" button and the whole sample out can then be quantitized via the "qua" button (the step of the quantitization is controlled via the "step" knob). In addition to the four sample sources provided by LFO1 the VCA3 switch can be enabled providing a sample source from VCA3 the amount of which is controlled by the "level" knob. And of course the 3 filter switches (F1,F2,F3) and the 3 Oscillator switches (Osc1,Osc2,Osc3) control the destination of the sample and hold….all can be activated. Frequency Divider:
There are 3 frequency dividers in the "fd" block which divide the frequencies of the three Oscillators by activating 1 or all three of the Osc switches(Osc1,Osc2,Osc3). The audio inputs are switchable for each of the oscillators via the Freq1,2,3 buttons Which switch between the outputs of Osc1,2,3 and the outputs of the 3 "fd" modules(1D,2D,3D) depending on which oscillator is the source and destination. Freq1 is the audio source for Oscillator 1 , Freq2 is for 2 and so-on. The frequency division factor control knobs are adjustable from 2-40. A frequency divider is often used as a Sub oscillator. Oscillator 1,2,3:
Oscillator 1&2 have the same 3 waves, saw, triangle and pulse With control of phase on the saw and pulse of Osc 1&2. Osc 3 has 4 waves, saw, parabol, noise and pulse. each oscillator has a Semitone control for pitch and a fine tuner. Osc 1,2&3 have LFO buttons that will cause the oscillators to Low Frequency oscillate.(that was an idea from my prophet 5). Oscillators 1,2,3 have "sync" buttons that will cause the number of the oscillator on the switch to be the slave. So, the "S1" button in Osc3 will cause Osc 1 to be the slave of Osc3. All 3 Osc's have fm knobs which control the amount of frequency modulation from the other Oscillators (1fm3 is the amount of FM from the output of Oscillator 1 to 3….3fm2 is the amount of FM from the output of Oscillator 3 to 2) and all of their waves except for the Osc3 noise source. In addition, in the Osc 1&3 blocks the FM amounts from those sources(the sources stay the same) can be modulated by LFO1's LFO's when the Lfm1 switches are enabled, Also the LFO waves are selectable between the sine,tri,pulse,random waves of LFO1 via the "wave" switches(s1,t1,p1,r1). All Oscillators have a "FMeg" toggle switch that toggles between the FM amount knobs(…2fm3,3fm1 etc.) or VCA's 1,2 and 3 to control the amount of FM in addition to the LFO controls. So, if the "FMeg" is switched to the lower positon on Osc3 the VCA2 knob labled "FM3D" will control the depth of FM the envelope shape applies over time to Osc3. VCA1 controls Osc2 FM and VCA3 controls Osc1FM, However, these only control the first FM source listed in each Osc block, i.e Osc1:2fm1, Osc2:1fm2, Osc3:1fm3. All Oscillators have 2 "PM" knobs which control the amount of Pulse modulation from the other Oscillators to the Pulse waves in each. So, PM2 in Osc3 block controls the amount of "PM" being applied to Osc3's Pulse wave from Osc2. Both knobs can be used in each Osc. Oscillator 2 has the addition of a "Key" switch which will either enable or disable the effect of keyboard scaling applied to Osc2(like on the prophet 5) The pitches of all 3 Oscillators are of course modulated by all 3 LFO's and all 3 VCA's(as they are labled). Ring Mod:
Ring 1,2,3 buttons turn on the ring mods for oscillators 1,2,3 and with the small buttons you can choose which will modulate which, i.e. 2+1=Oscillator 2 output is multiplied with oscillator 1 output(so tune 2): also 1's total output after being multiplied with either 2 or 3 is then input into the 1+2 and 1+3 and the output of 3 is input into the 3+2(but not the 3+1)if the 3+1 is input into the 2+1+3+2+2+1+3 obviously there will be trouble. Don't even get me started about 2+1+3+2+3+2+1+3+3. Filters 1,2,3,4,5:
There are 5 independant filters which can be linked serial or parallel or can be independant, 1 prophet 52 filter, 2 ladder filters and 2 four pole filters. On filter 1 there are 2 FM switches with 2 FM depth knobs:1fm1 and 2fm1. The first(1fm1) takes the output from filter 1(yes, the output of F1) and inputs it back into itself as frequency modulation. 2fm1 is Oscillator 2's total output modulating filter 1's frequency. Filters 1,2,3 also have key span velocity control. of course when the buttons are lit the functions are on and the knobs control the depth. Filter 2 has a 1fm2 switch and a depth control for controlling the amount of FM from Osc1 output(no...not filter 1). Filter 2 has a button 1+2 which routes the total output from filter 1 into filter 2. Filter 3 has a button 2+3 that routes the output from filter 2 to 3, and yes if all of the "+" buttons are on in the filters the signal will route through them all(but not back to 1, I tried that with a mixer and its not good…yikes) And filters 4 and 5 also have filter routing switches that will route in the filters before themselves.
Filter 1: Prophet 52 filter
Filter 2: Ladder filter
Filter 3: 4-pole filter
Filter 4: Ladder filter
Filter 5: 4-pole filter
VCF Mixers:
OSC VCF1,2,3,4,5 mixers control how much is coming from each oscillator to each filter. By having filters 1&2 linked you can still hear the out put from filter 1 and you can hear the output from 2 by adjusting the VCF mixers. The three knobs in each of the mixers are the volume controls of OSC 1,2,3.
Portamento:
In the portamento block there is a "rate" control knob for the speed of portamento and a quantitize switch("quan") which will add a quantitizer with step control via the "step" knob. VCA's 1,2,3:
All 3 of the VCA's (as I like to call them) have controls for each of the 5 filters final output levels to each of the VCAs(5 channel mixers).Each of the VCA's have a velocity button that will activate velocity. You can also control the pitch of Oscillators 1,2,3 with the envelope of VCA's 1,2,3 respectively: o1, o2, o3. and the depth of pitch change are the os1,2,3 knobs. VCA1 is an ADSR envelope whereas VCA2&3 are 4 ramp envelopes. VCA1 has an "AM" switch that will enable amplitude modulation via Osc2, the amount of which is controlled by the O2am knob.(be careful with the AM amount!lower levels!). All VCA's contain a "FM*" depth knob which controls the amount of "FM" depth the respective envelope controls. So, the "FM1d" knob in the VCA3 block controls the amount the envelope affects the depth that FM from Osc2 is affecting Osc1….Ha,ha,ha…It's late, try to figure that one out. Also: Warning! Watch the levels of the 4-ramp VCA stages, i.e. L1, L2 if you want to change their ranges.(changing their ranges by clicking on the L1 knob for instance and putting in new values)…It can ruin your speakers. Delay:
There is a delay unit, blah…
Warnings!!! Here are the only warnings: Watch your FM depth and increase it slowly if the depth knob in osc2 is already up and you want to apply envelope 3. Watch your overall levels as you try filtering serially or filter fm. Watch your levels at all times when you hit the "AM" switch!!!(lower levels first) If reaktor starts to feedback, restart it. Final note: I really am jazzed about Reaktor, My idea of an ultimate synth is not possible yet, I would like to wire anything and everything together and have a knob for it, oh well. I hope you enjoy my little creation.This new "Wilderbeast Super" is very cool in my opinion. If you end up changing it or writing patches I would like to see them. Also it may be if you do not have "Altivec" and a G4 mac you might get the "Wilderbeast Super" has too many controls" warning, in which case I don't know what to do because no one has yet explained it to me. However it works fine on my mac G4.
David
Please send me feedback or questions at: enarke@mac.com
