Blamsoft and eXode present: eXpanse - Hyperwave Synthesizer

[stratatonic]

Hi,

I'm reading through this massive thread trying to work out whether there is any way to automate envelopes. Is there?

I'm trying to increase the sustain level over the course of the build up in a track.

If you stick eXpanse in a combinator, you could target sustain. Not sure how with just the synth...

[eXode]

Hi,

I'm reading through this massive thread trying to work out whether there is any way to automate envelopes. Is there?

I'm trying to increase the sustain level over the course of the build up in a track.

If you stick eXpanse in a combinator, you could target sustain. Not sure how with just the synth...

I'm afraid you cannot automate sustain. If you select Expanse in the sequencer and click the automation icon you can see the parameters that are automatable. As I've explained in the past, Reason has a limit on the number of automatable properties (not to be confused with Remote-able items, it's not the same thing) so we couldn't fit everything even if we wanted to.

[tiker01]

Bought a couple days ago, and I agree with the above. It's a pleasure to use until I go to scroll through filter types. Then I'm squinting.

Also kind of weird that it can 'computer too slow' me with one instance..... Only happens on a few patches though. It's part of the reason i sprung for it before the intro price went away...I have a relatively powerful PC, and if it can mess up 8 cores at 4.5 gHz then it MUST be ridiculously powerful lol

It wasn't that bad on my quite old 2nd generation i5. Anyway you can tweak CPU usage on the back and bounce it to audio. It is a great synth!

[bsp]

Automating the wave "mods" can be quite CPU intensive. If you set the mods to fixed levels, the synth is quite CPU friendly. @Blamsoft: Thank you for the last update (the polyphonic LFO bug is fixed now!).

[stratatonic]

Hi,

I'm reading through this massive thread trying to work out whether there is any way to automate envelopes. Is there?

I'm trying to increase the sustain level over the course of the build up in a track.

If you stick eXpanse in a combinator, you could target sustain. Not sure how with just the synth...

I'm afraid you cannot automate sustain. If you select Expanse in the sequencer and click the automation icon you can see the parameters that are automatable. As I've explained in the past, Reason has a limit on the number of automatable properties (not to be confused with Remote-able items, it's not the same thing) so we couldn't fit everything even if we wanted to.

Toby could automate the Amp 1 Envelope Time 3 Sec, no? Is that not sustain on the ADSR envelope? I mentioned the combinator as I was trying to get my controller knobs to do eXpanse envelope in the past, but there is an automation lane for Time 3 for eXpanse.

[tobypearce]

Yes - putting into a combinator and increasing T2 is good enough for me. It gives me the effect I was after.

Combinator to the rescue. Thanks for the thoughtful suggestion.

[stratatonic]

Yes - putting into a combinator and increasing T2 is good enough for me. It gives me the effect I was after.

Combinator to the rescue. Thanks for the thoughtful suggestion.

Great - I'm glad it worked out for you!

[jayhosking]

I am so on the fence about this synth. On the one hand, its sound palette is superb, and its sonic capabilities are (in Reason at least) unparalleled. It's a great synth to get lost in, or to go looking for sounds. On the other hand, it absolutely eats up my computer's resources. It seems to even have trouble when I'm only tinkering with it for simple tasks (i.e. the same osc/filter/amp stuff that every synth does). It would almost be better if eXpanse took advantage of Reason's modular format, so that we were bringing in only the elements we need for a particular patch.

As it stands, I can only put a single eXpanse into any song if I want to layer in my usual other effects and synths. So I don't get to take advantage of all those cool waveforms, and it guarantees I won't see much of this synth for a long time, which bums me out. With all the other great synths in Reason, and at lower price points, it's tough for me to justify the purchase of eXpanse if I can't use it as much as I'd like.

[eXode]

I am so on the fence about this synth. On the one hand, its sound palette is superb, and its sonic capabilities are (in Reason at least) unparalleled. It's a great synth to get lost in, or to go looking for sounds. On the other hand, it absolutely eats up my computer's resources. It seems to even have trouble when I'm only tinkering with it for simple tasks (i.e. the same osc/filter/amp stuff that every synth does). It would almost be better if eXpanse took advantage of Reason's modular format, so that we were bringing in only the elements we need for a particular patch.

As it stands, I can only put a single eXpanse into any song if I want to layer in my usual other effects and synths. So I don't get to take advantage of all those cool waveforms, and it guarantees I won't see much of this synth for a long time, which bums me out. With all the other great synths in Reason, and at lower price points, it's tough for me to justify the purchase of eXpanse if I can't use it as much as I'd like.

Did you try the low CPU settings or the low CPU soundbank? The soundbank can be found here: http://blamsoft.com/wp-content/uploads/ ... Bank_1.zip

But yeah, eXpanse uses cutting edge techniques to prevent aliasing etc. Other than that, bounce in place is your friend.

[jayhosking]

Just wanted to add: I really appreciate that this thing is future-proof and not pandering to current computer resources. It means I'll still be using it in a few years, and hopefully more of them on one track.

I'm using the low CPU settings, but since I make my own patches from scratch (usually) I'm not using the low CPU soundbank (I assumed this is just patches, right?).

The only trouble with bounce in place is that I find sounds need to be tweaked as the mix progresses, especially ADSR and any effects to suit the rest of the mix.

There is also something to be said about the limitation, right? It's like hardware. If I only have one of that device, then I have to use it wisely, not just slather it on every track. The last song I recorded, it became a feature instrument for this reason. But on this current song, I just wish I could pull some other sounds from it instead of dipping into other synths instead.

[Majestik Monkey]

I am so on the fence about this synth. On the one hand, its sound palette is superb, and its sonic capabilities are (in Reason at least) unparalleled. It's a great synth to get lost in, or to go looking for sounds. On the other hand, it absolutely eats up my computer's resources. It seems to even have trouble when I'm only tinkering with it for simple tasks (i.e. the same osc/filter/amp stuff that every synth does). It would almost be better if eXpanse took advantage of Reason's modular format, so that we were bringing in only the elements we need for a particular patch.

As it stands, I can only put a single eXpanse into any song if I want to layer in my usual other effects and synths. So I don't get to take advantage of all those cool waveforms, and it guarantees I won't see much of this synth for a long time, which bums me out. With all the other great synths in Reason, and at lower price points, it's tough for me to justify the purchase of eXpanse if I can't use it as much as I'd like.

The only way round the situation is to think ahead in your tunes
& Bounce in place with the big Sounds from Expanse ......

I have quite a modern Quad core intel & 8 meg of Ram & often run into trouble? '
Tip/ I have got used to bouncing out my big parts , & yes it can be annoying at times
but also can be rewarding too ' because you have finalized something & can move on!

I know it can take the fun out of tweaking even further

The only other alternative is Buying a New Computer of [ NASA ] .............

[Aasmund1986]

Just got this one and this synth is a monster. Its like upgraded and more modern version of Thor.

[jayhosking]

Between the modulation types, the quick and thorough modulation matrix, and the real-time visualization of what you're doing to the waveform, this thing is more like four iterations beyond Thor.

[Creativemind]

Hi,

I'm reading through this massive thread trying to work out whether there is any way to automate envelopes. Is there?

I'm trying to increase the sustain level over the course of the build up in a track.

If you stick eXpanse in a combinator, you could target sustain. Not sure how with just the synth...

I'm afraid you cannot automate sustain. If you select Expanse in the sequencer and click the automation icon you can see the parameters that are automatable. As I've explained in the past, Reason has a limit on the number of automatable properties (not to be confused with Remote-able items, it's not the same thing) so we couldn't fit everything even if we wanted to.

So none of the ADSR envelope is automatable? why would the Props limit it?

Just trialling this atm, fantastic sounds but I'm surprised there's no bass patches with it.

[eXode]

Hi,

I'm reading through this massive thread trying to work out whether there is any way to automate envelopes. Is there?

I'm trying to increase the sustain level over the course of the build up in a track.

If you stick eXpanse in a combinator, you could target sustain. Not sure how with just the synth...

I'm afraid you cannot automate sustain. If you select Expanse in the sequencer and click the automation icon you can see the parameters that are automatable. As I've explained in the past, Reason has a limit on the number of automatable properties (not to be confused with Remote-able items, it's not the same thing) so we couldn't fit everything even if we wanted to.

So none of the ADSR envelope is automatable? why would the Props limit it?

Just trialling this atm, fantastic sounds but I'm surprised there's no bass patches with it.

They are not ADSR, they are time/level envelopes. The limit is on the number of automatable parameters, not the EG itself - meaning that if we wanted to make them automatable we'd need to remove automation for something else in the synth. You CAN automate the time ms on each stage already though.

There are 150+ bass patches in the Bass folder.

[Creativemind]

They are not ADSR, they are time/level envelopes. The limit is on the number of automatable parameters, not the EG itself - meaning that if we wanted to make them automatable we'd need to remove automation for something else in the synth. You CAN automate the time ms on each stage already though.

There are 150+ bass patches in the Bass folder.

Oh ok.

Oh yeah I see now, I was looking at the list brought up by clicking in the preset name bar and not in the browser, doh! although I did look in the browser, but the presets dislayed after clicking the preset bar is only the folder type for that preset, which if it's lead will be the lead folder. Should have had some bass patches in the other preset list that comes up then I perhaps might have realised.

[miscend]

Just got this one and this synth is a monster. Its like upgraded and more modern version of Thor.

But Thor is a semi modular VA. Expanse is a wave table synth.

Yes I'm know Thor and Subtractor have FM and even wavetables but they're not very specialised synth like PX7 and Expanse are.

[buddard]

The limit is on the number of automatable parameters, not the EG itself - meaning that if we wanted to make them automatable we'd need to remove automation for something else in the synth.

I haven't tried Expanse yet and I couldn't find any MIDI CC list for it online. Does it use MIDI CC #s between 128-255 as well?

[hadmyrackextended]

Just wanted to add: I really appreciate that this thing is future-proof and not pandering to current computer resources. It means I'll still be using it in a few years, and hopefully more of them on one track.

I'm using the low CPU settings, but since I make my own patches from scratch (usually) I'm not using the low CPU soundbank (I assumed this is just patches, right?).

The only trouble with bounce in place is that I find sounds need to be tweaked as the mix progresses, especially ADSR and any effects to suit the rest of the mix.

There is also something to be said about the limitation, right? It's like hardware. If I only have one of that device, then I have to use it wisely, not just slather it on every track. The last song I recorded, it became a feature instrument for this reason. But on this current song, I just wish I could pull some other sounds from it instead of dipping into other synths instead.

Save the preset bro and once all other instruments are where you want them bounce tracks to audio. Bring expanse back in as the only synth, make adjustments, save patch again, reintroduce final edit expanse patch and export song.

[dvdrtldg]

Just wanted to add: I really appreciate that this thing is future-proof and not pandering to current computer resources. It means I'll still be using it in a few years, and hopefully more of them on one track.

I'm using the low CPU settings, but since I make my own patches from scratch (usually) I'm not using the low CPU soundbank (I assumed this is just patches, right?).

The only trouble with bounce in place is that I find sounds need to be tweaked as the mix progresses, especially ADSR and any effects to suit the rest of the mix.

There is also something to be said about the limitation, right? It's like hardware. If I only have one of that device, then I have to use it wisely, not just slather it on every track. The last song I recorded, it became a feature instrument for this reason. But on this current song, I just wish I could pull some other sounds from it instead of dipping into other synths instead.

Save the preset bro and once all other instruments are where you want them bounce tracks to audio. Bring expanse back in as the only synth, make adjustments, save patch again, reintroduce final edit expanse patch and export song.

I'm sure I'm not the only one to do this, but when I need to bounce tracks to save CPU, I bounce the tracks to a new folder, then save the existing session, then Save As to create a new session and put it in the same folder as the bounced audio files, then replace the "problem" tracks in the new session with the bounced audio files. Repeat as necessary. That way I end up with a sort of Russian nesting doll of folders, where the inmost folder is the latest session. Everything is recoverable because all previous sessions are saved

[eXode]

I'm sure no one missed this, but just in case:

Expanse 2.0 released for Reason 9.2!

• Works with all Serum-compatible wavetables. This gives you access to thousands of wavetables available for Serum.
• You can now create a wavetable from any sample. Or sample an oscillator of your favorite synth.
• Copy/paste/reset now works for envelopes as well as oscillators using alt-click
• Envelope and additive engine displays support modifier keys for fine adjustment and resetting to default values
• Click-drag selection has been replaced with popup menus for all displays
• Mod Matrix menus now have sub-groups for quicker browsing

This upgrade is free for existing Expanse users!

Version 2.0 introductory price through February 1! €129

[Loque]

Dope sh!t! I instantly downloaded some Serum wavetables... Way too many possibilities now.

[manisnotabird]

Is there a best way to share homemade wavetables with other users? Also, I assume a patch you've created with a wavetable saves the wavetable with the patch?

[eXode]

Is there a best way to share homemade wavetables with other users? Also, I assume a patch you've created with a wavetable saves the wavetable with the patch?

You have to share the sample, just like the NN-19 or similar. The wavetable is not saved with the patch. You should be able to make custom wavetables and presets and save these into a ReFill, but I haven't tried this myself yet actually.

[eXode]

Don't forget that there is now support for modifier keys in Expanse's oscillator and EG displays.

Shift+click - Allows finer adjustments
Ctrl+click - Resets the current parameter
Alt+click (hold mouse button on windows) - Display the copy/paste/reset menu

Note: Copy/Paste oscillator settings does not copy/paste an user wavetable. It only works on the factory tables.

copy_paste.png (263.73 KiB) Viewed 2201 times