Brandulator 1.0 help manual

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VST2 and VST3 version release 1.0
Copyright © 2021 Vasily Makarov & Stone Voices
http://stone-voices.ru
All rights reserved.

VST Plugin Brandulator is a complex sound processor that allows you to get quite interesting combined effects - comb filters, trance gate, vocoder, wah-wah, various types of modulation (chorus, flanger, phaser, ring, etc.). The work of this plugin is based on splitting the original signal into uniform intervals, in accordance with the tempo of the musical composition, to each of which a certain type of processing can be applied.

To expand the functionality of the plug-in, there are three individual channels of sound processing, with adjustable volume and panning, which allows you to create a realistic stereo sound picture. Each channel has 16 pairs of mode / key controls called steps. It is possible to set the parameters of the steps both individually and in a group method. Also, this can be done both in manual and in automatic mode, in accordance with the required harmonic law, of which there are about three hundred different scales in the plugin's database.

Brandulator interface

To understand how the plugin works, we will explain the following basic definitions. Each channel is conventionally designated as Ch. A, Ch. B and Ch. C. You can switch the channel activity with a toggle switch with a light indicator located directly under the channel signature. To the right of the toggle switch are sixteen steps, each of which is active at a certain point in time and can be in the following six states:

	Mute. Signal to output does not pass.
	Filter/Gate. The signal passes through the Moog filter for low frequencies, where the cut frequency is given by a tonality in the range C0 - F#10. The quality factor of all filters of this type in all channels is controlled by the Depth parameter. If the G10 tone is set, the signal simply bypasses the filter (this is used in trance gate).
	Comb+. The signal passes through a comb filter with positive feedback, where the cut frequency is given by a tonality in the range C0 - G10. The feedback value of all filters of this type in all channels is controlled by the Depth parameter.
	Comb-. The signal passes through a negative feedback combs filter, where the cut frequency is given by a tonality in the range C0 - G10. The feedback value of all filters of this type in all channels is controlled by the Depth parameter.
	Vocoder. The signal passes to the input of the vocoder as a carrier. As a modulator, a sawtooth wave generator is used, the tonality of which is given in the range C0 - G10.
	Ring mod. The signal passes through a ring modulator, where a sinusoidal wave generator is used as a modulator, the tonality of which is given in the range C0 - G10.

Step mode switch
Control: Backlit button
States: "Mute", "Filter/Gate", "Comb+ Filter", "Comb- Filter", "Vocoder", "Ring Modulator"

This control switches the step mode. For each specific, for example, "Step B4".
You can use the following keyboard shortcuts with the left mouse button:

[Ctrl] - The same values are specified in all channel steps.
[Alt] - The same values are set in the same steps on all channels.
[Ctrl + Alt] - The same values are specified in all steps in all channels.

Step tonality
Control: Knob
Range: "C0" to "G10"

Sets the tonality of the step. For each specific, for example, "Note A9".
You can set the key value directly from the keyboard by clicking on the label under the knob with the mouse. Also you can use the following keyboard shortcuts with the left mouse button:

[Ctrl] - The same values are specified in all channel steps.
[Alt] - The same values are set in the same steps on all channels.
[Shift] - All tonalitys in the current channel will be randomized.
[Ctrl + Alt] - The same values are specified in all steps in all channels.
[Shift + Alt] - All tonalitys in the current channel will be shifted by the number of changed semitones in the edited step.

Channel enabled
Control: Toggle
States: On or Off

This switch enables audio processing by the current processing channel.

Style selector
Control: Button

When you press this button, a pop-up menu will appear on the screen from which you can select the harmonic style of randomization. In the menu, related styles are grouped into subsections, for example, pentatonic.

Random Octave
Control: Spin edit
Range: 0 to 9

With this parameter you can set the required octave of the root note.

Random Range
Control: Spin edit
Range: 1 to 9

With this parameter you can set the range of the randomization in octaves.

Root Note
Control: Keypad

You can change the root note by clicking on the corresponding key on the musical keyboard image. This only changes the key, but you can set the desired octave by selecting parameter Random Octave. You can also control this parameter via MIDI, for example from a sequencer.

Random Options
Control: Button

By clicking on this button, a pop-up menu will appear on the screen in which you can set the required randomization options. For example, set the interval after how many bars the randomization takes place, or exclude randomization in the required channel.

Random Button
Control: Button

You can randomize immediately by clicking this button.

Synchronizing tempo
Control: Spin edit
States: "4/4", "2/4", "1/4", "3/16", "2/16", "1/16", "1/32"

You can synchronize the tempo of the plugin according to the selected value.

Depth
Control: Knob
Range: 0 to 100.0%

This parameter sets the amount of feedback in comb filters or the Q of Moog filters. Vocoder and ring modulation are not affected by this parameter. You can also set the parameter value directly from the keyboard by clicking on the label under the knob.

Detune
Control: Knob
Range: 0 to 50 cents

This parameter creates a slight detuning of the note of the current processing channel. This parameter adjusts the tuning difference (in cents) between the left and right channels of the stereo sound. You can also set the parameter value directly from the keyboard by clicking on the label under the knob.

Glide
Control: Knob
Range: 0 to 100.0%

This parameter sets the amount of smoothness of the transition between tonality. In other words, it is the depth of the glissando or portamento. You can also set the parameter value directly from the keyboard by clicking on the label under the knob.

Level and Pan
Control: Compound Knob
Range: -100.0 to 0.0 dB for Level, and -50.0 to +50.0% for Pan

This knob is compaund. The inner knob controls the channel panning, and the outer knob controls the channel level. You can also set the level value directly from the keyboard by clicking on the label under the knob.

Dry/Wet
Control: Knob
Range: 0 to 100.0%

This parameter sets the ratio between dry and wet signals. You can also set the parameter value directly from the keyboard by clicking on the label under the knob.

Level Meter
Control: Meter
Range: -∞ to +5.0 dB

Shows the current output level of the signal and its peak values. To reset the peak values, click on this indicator.

The plugin provides built-in tools for working with presets and banks, which are independent of your host application. Using these tools, you can not only select and edit presets, but also work with presets and banks from external files. Consider the following context menu commands for working with presets and banks:

Presets

In the submenu that appears, you can select the desired preset from the current bank.

Restore Preset

With this command you can undo all changes to the current preset, or in other words - restore the preset.

Modify Preset...

If you need to make changes to the current preset, use this command. At the same time, the dialog box for making changes will be displayed, where you can also set a new preset name, although this is not necessary. When you click OK, the changes will be made. To close the dialog without any changes, click Cancel. It should be noted that not all host applications save the current bank in a session, so if you are not sure about this, we recommend that you save the modified presets or banks yourself as files.

Load Preset...

Replaces the current preset with the loaded from the file. When this command is called, a dialog box opens in which the required .fxp file is indicated.

Save Preset...

Saves the current preset to a file. When this command is called, a dialog box opens in which the required .fxp file is indicated.

Load Bank...

Replaces the current preset bank with the one loaded from the file. When this command is called, a dialog box opens in which the required .fxb file is indicated.

Save Bank...

Saves the current preset bank to a file. When this command is called, a dialog box opens in which the required .fxb file is indicated.

Some other plugin functions available from the pop-up menu.

Help Manual...

Launches your default internet browser and displays this help file. You can also use F1 shortcut to display help, however this may not work on some hosts.

Stone Voices Web Site...

Launches your default internet browser and displays the Stone Voices web site.

About...

Displays About Box.

If you have any problems or have questions when using the plugin, our technical support team is always ready to help you. For Technical Support, please visit the Center of Feedback page on our website.

You can financially support our project so that we can develop more interesting free plugins. Please visit the Donation page on our website.