Is there any way to modulate parameters without a little triangle next to them?

Apologies if this seems like a stupid question - I’m assuming the answer is no but you never know with Drambo!

Is there any way to modulate (e.g. with an LFO) parameters of modules which do not have the little “modulation triangle” next to them? There are some I’d like to modulate, e.g. feedback on a comb filter, that I cannot (I could P-lock them but I like to have unsynced LFOs to add movement).

If not, is there a technical limitation why only some parameters can be modulated? I’d love to modulate anything really, heh.

Incredible app if you read this Giku, literally almost rendered all other apps obsolete overnight (until you added AUv3 hosting so they can all play nice!) - can’t get over how easy it is to make great sounding stuff despite the incredible depth of it.

Comments

  • Yes, the technical limitation is that full modulation capabilities on every parameter would eat considerable CPU if it had to work at audio rate. This has been a common request though and a solution is in the works.

    Until this comes true, you might try to duplicate these modules with different settings and "modulate" by either X-Fading or N-to-1 switching between them. The N-to-1 switch can be modulated and it has a smooth mode that will crossfade between any number of inputs. You can also modulate its index input by an LFO. Not seamless but effective.

  • edited May 2021

    Alternatively, you can host Drambo within Drambo. In the host Drambo, convert your modulation signal to CC with the Midi CC Gen module, and route that to the hosted instance of Drambo. You can then use midi learn to assign that CC to the selected parameter. A bit cumbersome, but I’ve used it to modulate the scene crossfader, for example.

    In fact, looping back midi with something like Midi Tools or FreEwi would work too, so you wouldn’t need to host Drambo in Drambo. But you’d have to be careful with the routing.

  • edited May 2021

    Nice, both very creative solutions! I think I can survive without for now - great to hear that a solution is in the works.

    I work with programming audio software (nothing as cool as Drambo lol) so can appreciate what a technical feat it is to have all this running so efficiently!

  • Well, you might be interested in the fact that Drambo's cpu hungry DSP code is written directly in ARM assembly language, taking advantage of the specific CPU features for implementing DSP most efficiently.

    Not many developers are ready to do that.

  • Damn that’s hardcore 👌 explains a lot about how Drambo can do so much. Genuinely the best sounding iOS app too. Big up Giku, I feel like I should be paying a lot more than the asking price lol, hope you get the success you deserve from it!

  • How i wish everything could be modulated. Especially because I tend to make ‘interfaces’ for parameters of all tracks on the master channel for easy hands on acces. Now I sometimes reluctantly midi map, say, unison of the wavetable to a cc, add a midi cc generator, a midi output to AUM, in Aum route back to Drambo and hit play. Can’t imagine this is more efficient as doing that solely in Drambo but it works. I’m missing it on the ADSRs too. Sampler decay is another one… Wondering how all this mapping affects performance. Having a 14 track drum box works, kinda. Loading that project into another instance inside another Drambo and adding a bunch of tracks makes me enviously looking at the new iPad Pro’s 😝


  • @frank303 There's more to come in the future.

    Your control panel looks good!

  • I am delightfully playing with this fantastic creature, for me I’m extremely happy as it is, but can’t deny being excited to wonder what may come!

  • edited June 2021

    I think making custom control panels / racks would be much more convenient if there was also the option to hide specific parameters. Just like we can chose to hide a module in compact mode, I also want to be able to hide a parameter (knob, etc) in compact mode.

    This would be especially useful on the colored knobs which appear when you add a mod source to a parameter. They can really mess with the balance of an interface when you're trying to build something custom.. so then the option is to use the 'knobs' module and use that as your front end, but then you lose parameter feedback, like different divisions on a retrig module, frequency on oscillators and filters..

    To make the point, I'm faced with this every time I want to open Model 15 to adjust delay time.. not a single one of those exposed parameters or mod knobs are to be adjusted in the project. It just takes up a godly amount of space. Just want to be able to hide those knobs in compact mode.


    That brings me to a second point actually. Knobs already allow you tap set min and max voltage values. It'd be great if you could set 'increments' and 'range' as well. That way we would be able to get feedback on the knobs as to what they are controlling.

    E.g for range: From 1.3hz. To: 20,000hz

    E.g for increments: the arp module has 15 timing divisions = 15 increments.

    Or maybe a smarter way to do it would be for the Knobs module have the option to display the value type of the parameter its modulating automagically. It'd certainly make it easier to make custom racks.

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  • edited June 2021

    @Gravitas Cheers for the response. I do use the graphic shaper heavily for these purposes as well. What I meant about increments was purely aesthetic, so that when a Knob module is controlling a parameter, that the knob reads from 1-15 (or any defined range) instead of 0.00 to 1.00 (for example).

    The way I usually get around this, for key parameters where its really necessary to have visual feedback, is to scale the knob with the graphic shaper like you've done, then route it to the index of a N switch, set to the number of 'increments' I want displayed. This just then acts as a little visual cue as to what is active or selected by the knob (or other modulator, such as random)

    Another method I use is to add X knobs to the Knobs module, then route each knob to the input of the N-1 switch. The output of N-1 goes to the parameter in question. The Buffer Repeat module for example has 17 speed divisions. So that would be 17 knobs, and 17 inputs on N-1. Each knob outputs a static CV set to the right level to trigger the division/increment (when selected manually or by the switch index)


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  • edited June 2021

    When I see these, I think that a simple "Numbers Table" with an index input and two (three?) signal outputs could help a lot. You'd be able to enter up to two or three columns of numbers and the index range of 0 to 1 will choose from first to last entry. A simple utility that helps reducing required space and easier direct entry of numbers.

    To also allow adjusting parameters by ear, I would suggest to make the number fields scroll- and swipe-able (vertical=coarse, horizontal=fine) and let the corresponding signal output send the currently adjusted value while editing so we can also hear what we're doing.

    Plus, if the list can be long enough, it would allow for importing multichannel automations or waveforms with arbitrary access by modulating the index input.

    @giku?

  • Hello everybody, I am new here and new to signing into a forum too :-)

    I've been looking for quite some time on the net if there is the possibility in Drambo to automate volume and couldn't find anything. That's the reason why I signed up, hoping somebody could help me out ....


    Greetings

    Néant

  • edited July 2021

    you can automate anything with the crossfader

    touch a - set value, touch b - set value, modulate with x fader


    (real automation is coming up next)

    u can also just press record and wiggle parameter ...

  • @Néant I would recommend the Graphic Modulator. Set Sync=BEAT and reduce the RATE value if your pattern is longer than 1 bar and the automation should not repeat every bat.

    I've been using iOS's Accessibility Zoom function for more detailed edits.

  • edited July 2021

    Resolution can also be increased like this if you have longer patterns and prefer to split the bars of automation over multiple Graphic Modulators:

    Enter "0.125" as the scale amounts and connect the input of the scale modules to the track's TIME jack.

    The output of the X-fader will be the modulation signal which you could use to control the volume of an Amp module.

    In contrast to conventional automation (which has yet to come), the automation above is independent from the currently selected pattern.

  • @rs2000

    so this took me a while to figure out 😆

    The scale module to use is the ‘scale + offset’ one in the ‘math’ section. Then, to increase the ‘resolution’ or length of the graphic modulator module’s effect (I used it to modulate a cutoff), I ad to increase the ‘beats in pattern’ to 32, set the scale of the graphic shaper down to lowest 0.25. Then the whole shape of the graphic modulator modulates the cutoff for the whole pattern. I still don’t know exactly what I’m doing but learning all the time thanks!

    What is the purpose of the graphic shaper here? I think I get the scale modules function.

  • edited August 2021

    @frank303 The purpose of the Graphic Shaper is a bit unconventional here: It acts as a value limiter, limiting all input values below the minimum to zero and all output values above the maximum to one.

    Applied to the time signal scaled by Scale+Offset (sorry for not being precise), it will make the Graphic Modulator only act within defined limits of the time signal since time is just a "voltage" defining the position in a pattern.

    Technically, the two Graphic Shapers are redundant - The final X-Fader switches between the two Graphic Shapers anyway, it's just for the visuals so you always see which Graphic Shaper is actually in effect.

  • Thank you so much people, for taking the time to offer me some options :-)

    Appreciate it xxx

  • just a simple increments setting would be great, there’s lots of parameters it makes sense for, like pitch for example. Nice seeing people’s creative solutions though

    What did you mean by this, as in normal full resolution automation lanes for parameters? Drawing smooth automation with a finger would be cool

  • edited August 2021

    I can't talk about this.

    lets just say upcoming modulation is easy to use and will blow your mind 🤩

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