This demo application is a stand-alone version that does not need VST. This makes it easier for you to try out different sound files with OrangeVocoder, because you don't have to load them into VST and configure everything. The retail version of OrangeVocoder will, of course, come as a VST plug in that operates just as any VST plug in you are already using. The demo application works without any audio files, but can also use both AIFF and SounddesignerII sound files in mono and stereo respectively as carrier audio file.
• Make sure you carefully read the copyright regulations prior to installing the software.
• Insert the disk containing the demo into any floppy disk drive on your Macintosh (you don't need this if you have downloaded the demo from the internet).
• Double click the archive icon and select the location where the installer should place the application (you don't need this if you have downloaded the demo from the internet).
The installer should have placed the 'PROSONIQ OrangeVocoder' Demo Application on your hard disk. To use OrangeVocoder, simply double click the application. It will automatically start playing the integrated modulator audio files using the built-in synthesizer as carrier. To use your own audio files as carrier, drag them on the OrangeVocoder icon and they will automatically load and start with the playback. You can also open a new audio file with the 'Open...' command from the File menu. You can then use OrangeVocoder to manipulate them as you would in VST, however, you will not be allowed to save or make your changes permanent. You are not allowed to load your own modulator audio files in this restricted demo version. In VST and with the retail version, any VST track can act as modulator audio file. The demo playback will loop depending on how much memory you have allotted to the application in the 'Get Info' window in the Finder.
Estimated VST performance
This window informs you on the estimated average performance this plug in should achieve on your computer when running under VST. It most closely resembles what you will see if you open the 'Performance' window in VST when using this plug in with all other plug ins off. Please note, however, that due to the huge amount of internal settings that take influence on the performance in VST the performance displayed by the demo can sometimes be different to the actual performance in VST. It should therefore be regarded as a crude estimate of the performance requirements rather than a precise and reliable measurement. Actual performance in VST may vary, also depending on system and VST version.
Introduction
First of all, welcome to this unique PROSONIQ plug in for your copy of Steinberg Cubase VST. As you very well know, PROSONIQ is a company dedicated to developing state of the art high quality audio DSP products for various platforms. Not only are we developing music and post production software tools like sonicWORX® Artist and Studio for sound designers and engineers that meet the highest standards in music processing, we are also licensing realtime and non-realtime effect algorithms to major companies in the music business. If you like to know more about us feel free to visit our web page at http://www.prosoniq.com/ or ask your local dealer for details on our other audio programs and how to expand your VST platform with further PROSONIQ products and enhancements.
You now have the possibility to access a large amount of our products directly from within your favourite Cubase VST program without having to switch to another application. What's more, all of our VST plug ins work completely in real time, letting you adjust all available parameters while mixing or composing for utmost integration in your music.
System requirements
You'll need at least a Power Macintosh with an 604 PPC Processor running at 120MHz with 256k second level cache to use this software. However, we strongly recommend you use a faster machine to make full use of the software in multitrack recording.
What is it?
The Prosoniq Orange Vocoder plug-in provides you with a full digital simulation of a 24-band high quality analog vocoder like the EMS/Rehberg™ systems. For over three years we have analyzed various vocoder systems and implemented these three algorithms as a 1:1 digital simulation of the analog counterpart, along with all phase non-linearities and clipping characteristics. The basic sound can be described as being "warm" and very powerful, attracting the ear to this unique (and usually very expensive) effect in your mix.
Basically, a (channel) vocoder consists of two banks of bandpass filters (bandpass filters are filters that leave only a small band in the spectrum unchanged and attenuate other frequencies, hence the name). These bandpass filters divide the spectrum of an input sound into many (in our case 24) narrow-band frequency components. Both inputs to the vocoder are processed that way, giving a coarse representation of the spectral shape of the input signals. The filter banks of both inputs are combined in a way that let the amplitude (volume) of the filters in the filter bank of the modulator input control the amplitude of the filters in the filter bank of the carrier. Imagine the process as if it were a 24-band Graphic Equalizer whose filter bands are controlled by the volume of the corresponding band in the modulator bank. The spectral shape of the modulator is practically "superimposed" on the spectral shape of the carrier signal. The result can be very different and also very beautiful, especially if you use a sustaining broad spectrum signal (such as strings) as carrier and a narrow-spectrum signal (such as speech) as modulator. The information of the modulator seems to be imposed on the carrier signal, this way you can make "your strings talk".
Please note: the traditional name for the modulator input is "Speech input" because of the original application of a vocoder for voice (de)coding (hence the name). We therefore stick with that and call our modulator input "Speech".
By the way: the channel vocoder was invented in 1939 by H. Dudley (see also: H. Dudley, "The Vocoder", Bell Labs Record, Vol. 17, pp. 122-126, 1939) and predominantly used for speech research and coding since then.
The Orange Vocoder features one all-in-one plug in including functions such as:
• Realtime Vocoder effect usable in either the Master or Track Effect Racks, uses either any input source/VST audio track or the built in oscillator as carrier signal, and any VST audio track as modulator
• Integrated 16 Oscillator/8-voice virtual analog synthesizer with 2 oscillators per voice featuring 10 basic wavefoms, and 7 sampled sounds, voice detune, pitch LFO/PitchMod/AmpMod, 4-pole Lowpass filter with cutoff and resonance, oscillator hard sync and ring modulator
• Fully customizable Freeform EQ with max. 12 nodes, ranging from 20Hz to 20kHz and resolving from +30 to -30 dB FS
• Input Channel flip to instantly exchange carrier and modulator signals without re-routing tracks
• post-Vocoder Filterbank Reverb Effect with Mix, Decay and Density
• 64bit internal processing using RISC-assembly coding for lightning fast realtime performance
If you wish to use any audio file you drop on the application or open via the 'Open audio file' command as carrier, make sure the USE SYNTH button in the Vocoder PlugIn is turned off.
PlugIn Modules and Parameters
In the following section you will find a discussion of the various modules and their parameters found in the Prosoniq Orange Vocoder plug in and their effect on the audio output.
Parameter adjustment
To adjust parameters, simply place the mouse on the knob or slider, click and hold the mouse button and adjust the value until satisfied. You may also place the mouse on the text field and adjust the values with either the arrow keys on the numeric keypad or with the mouse like in VST.
Reset to factory default
To reset the value of a parameter to its default setting, hold the Command key and click on the slider. It will return to its factory value.
Control/Programs COPY PASTE
These two buttons serve for temporarily store and retrieve a complete parameter setting from and to an internal clipboard. This is useful when you wish to start a new effect settings by manipulating previous settings and don't want adjust everything manually from the factory presets. Just press COPY at any time to copy all current parameter values to the clipboard, or press PASTE to overwrite the current settings with the previously stored ones.
Note that if you press PASTE your active parameter settings will be overwritten by the stored ones. This operation is not reversible.
Important Settings for Best Performance
• Hard disks for audio must have an ASYNCHRONOUS driver installed.
For best results we recommend that you use a second hard drive for audio recording formatted with the FWB Hard Disk Toolkit 2.01 or higher. Make sure that 'Blind transfers' or similar are enabled.
• File Sharing should be turned off.
AppleTalk may cause performance problems as well, especially when server(s) are mounted.
• Virtual Memory must be switched off. (Control Panel 'Memory').
This also applies to Connectix RAM Doubler.
• You should set 'Modern Memory Manager' active in the Control Panel 'Memory'.
• Turning off the USE SYNTH button in Orange Vocoder and using a VST track as carrier signal significantly improves performance. It may also be advantageous if you write the output of the Vocoder synthesizer section to a track and use it as carrier for the subsequent processing.
What to do about Audio Performance Problems
• If the audio stutters or mutes during playback.
The 'System Setup' Dialog can be used to adjust certain parameters. Please refer to the 'Audio Recording' Handbook that came with your VST program for details.
• Disk Buffer Size:
Experiment to see which works best with your hard-disk.
• Number of tracks:
Maybe try less with your current configuration.
• Memory per track:
Try increasing this value.
• Use the 'Performance' window (from the Audio Menu)
