SubColours Octave Diver Rack Extension

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EnochLight
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06 Mar 2018

Saw this over at Reasonistas - looks to be similar to Metric Halo’s “Thump” VST (among a plethora of others out there). Pretty cool:

https://shop.propellerheads.se/rack-ext ... ave-diver/



EDIT: on second viewing, it's more like a comp/maximizer + Thump actually.

I might give this a spin if it does well at replacing Thump:

Last edited by EnochLight on 06 Mar 2018, edited 3 times in total.
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Electric-Metal
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06 Mar 2018

Forget about "coming soon", it has arrived already ;)

https://shop.propellerheads.se/rack-ext ... ave-diver/
:?: The question is - Who cares :?:

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EnochLight
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06 Mar 2018

Electric-Metal wrote:
06 Mar 2018
Forget about "coming soon", it has arrived already ;)

https://shop.propellerheads.se/rack-ext ... ave-diver/
Thanks; updated!

Note to Turn2on: your product page reads pretty weird in English. Perhaps a beta tester that's more fluent in grammar could proofread it for you?
Win 10 | Ableton Live 11 Suite |  Reason 12 | i7 3770k @ 3.5 Ghz | 16 GB RAM | RME Babyface Pro | Akai MPC Live 2 & Akai Force | Roland System 8, MX1, TB3 | Dreadbox Typhon | Korg Minilogue XD

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turn2on
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07 Mar 2018

Hi there.
This RE like a Mu-Tron(TM) Octave Divider guitar pedal, its not totally emulation. We add more to control sub-frequencies.



Dont know about THUMP and not have parallel with it at this moment.

In Youtube example you see, that its work as Maximizer, but not. At this moment in video we just correct level of input and output signals. Its just correction. You must see in video frequency changes, its sub-modulated signal mixed to DRY signal.
But yes, you can Maximise and Compress signal, and main function - is create more sub-harmonics.

Its not modern effects as known pitch-shifter pedals. Its sub-frequency modulation of basic signal. Its going another way that used in POG, Whammy shift pedals. They all going after this fundamental well-known FX by Mu-Tron (TM).
So SubColours Octave Diver fx - very nice fork as with guitars, also with many kinds of sound source.

About grammar - you are right, text must be fixed. Sorry for it.

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eusti
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07 Mar 2018

I'm not sure what is precisely happening... Will need to test... But isn't the signal in the video louder in general with the RE active?
Makes it tough to judge what is going on for me... Mmmh...

D.

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TritoneAddiction
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08 Mar 2018

Hmm, not sure how I feel about this one. I tried it briefly and I managed to get some decent sounds out of it.

But rarely do I look for a sub generator, distortion, compressor, limiter, spread knob, ringer(?), all in one device.
If I need distortion I'll load a distortion unit. If I want a compressor I'll reach for a compressor, etc. I tend to prefer specialized REs that does one thing.
I also just purchased Stimulant Subharmonic Generator so the timing couldn't be worse.

The "ringer" thing was pretty interesting though. Not completely sure what it does, but it added movement.
I'm pretty sceptical about the spread knob considering the device is about low subharmonic frequencies. Seems like a weird thing to include in this context.

All in all I got a few interesting sounds from it, but it's a little all over the place imo. Maybe that's the point, just having a couple of simple effects in one place?
A suggestion would be to include the possiblilty to save patches since it's focused on so many things at the same time. Would be nice to be able to make some interesting effect presets.

The price (especially the intro price) is pretty good though so if you just want a new toy then why not?

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Loque
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08 Mar 2018

TritoneAddiction wrote:
08 Mar 2018
Hmm, not sure how I feel about this one. I tried it briefly and I managed to get some decent sounds out of it.

But rarely do I look for a sub generator, distortion, compressor, limiter, spread knob, ringer(?), all in one device.
If I need distortion I'll load a distortion unit. If I want a compressor I'll reach for a compressor, etc. I tend to prefer specialized REs that does one thing.
I also just purchased Stimulant Subharmonic Generator so the timing couldn't be worse.

The "ringer" thing was pretty interesting though. Not completely sure what it does, but it added movement.
I'm pretty sceptical about the spread knob considering the device is about low subharmonic frequencies. Seems like a weird thing to include in this context.

All in all I got a few interesting sounds from it, but it's a little all over the place imo. Maybe that's the point, just having a couple of simple effects in one place?
A suggestion would be to include the possiblilty to save patches since it's focused on so many things at the same time. Would be nice to be able to make some interesting effect presets.

The price (especially the intro price) is pretty good though so if you just want a new toy then why not?
Give it a different name and it's done? "multi color fx"?
Reason12, Win10

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TritoneAddiction
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08 Mar 2018

Loque wrote:
08 Mar 2018
TritoneAddiction wrote:
08 Mar 2018
Hmm, not sure how I feel about this one. I tried it briefly and I managed to get some decent sounds out of it.

But rarely do I look for a sub generator, distortion, compressor, limiter, spread knob, ringer(?), all in one device.
If I need distortion I'll load a distortion unit. If I want a compressor I'll reach for a compressor, etc. I tend to prefer specialized REs that does one thing.
I also just purchased Stimulant Subharmonic Generator so the timing couldn't be worse.

The "ringer" thing was pretty interesting though. Not completely sure what it does, but it added movement.
I'm pretty sceptical about the spread knob considering the device is about low subharmonic frequencies. Seems like a weird thing to include in this context.

All in all I got a few interesting sounds from it, but it's a little all over the place imo. Maybe that's the point, just having a couple of simple effects in one place?
A suggestion would be to include the possiblilty to save patches since it's focused on so many things at the same time. Would be nice to be able to make some interesting effect presets.

The price (especially the intro price) is pretty good though so if you just want a new toy then why not?
Give it a different name and it's done? "multi color fx"?
That's probably a good idea actually. How a product is marketed is pretty important. Right now it's a little confusing imo.

Like I said I went into it thinking the main focus was about subharmonic frequencies. So to find a widener knob felt pretty random since most people want the lowest frequencies in mono.
But still as a pure effect unit, compressors and limiters aren't the first things that comes to my mind. They typically aren't the most "creative" effects if you know what I mean, even though a compressor certainly can be used for that.

Perhaps it should be marketed as a "bass mangler" or something, I don't know. They give one example in the description to "Use this fx with guitars for warm sub backgrounds" which is something I've never done and I doubt most people have. If anything I've seen many people remove unnecessary low end rumble from guitars to make way for the bass guitar and kick.

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turn2on
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08 Mar 2018

eusti wrote:
07 Mar 2018
I'm not sure what is precisely happening... Will need to test...
Its just not better moment of video that may be we need to change. At this moment you have feel that in work only signal maximising, but there also sub frequency adds. Just used not better example. Its true. Really - you just need to test this RE with various sounds. Just run REX-loop player and listen drums, guitars, vocal, effects, any kind of samples.. Its easy way to test device.
Loque wrote:
08 Mar 2018
Give it a different name and it's done? "multi color fx"?
Its been one of device name variants. But no. Colorizing - is only heleper-bonus. And we name it in two parts - Octave Diver - because main function of RE is effect like as famous guitar FX - OctaveDivider, and SubColours - because with destructor and ringer sections - you can colorising sound. Its very useful with guitars.

What is principal idea of this RE?
Very very classical old guitar FX that known to many guitarists OctaveDivider. Mu-Tron - famous company form 1970s, that create musical effects from synthesiser components to mass. At this moment at 70s, very popular guitar effect is - OCTAVIA pedal (all we know it from J.Hendrix recordings), but Mutronics version of octave-effect have more adjustable parameters. And its been very popular guitar pedal of own time.
From Mu-Tron:
Using the guitar signal as the source material for the octave, it made the octave sound like a guitar.
On of bigger endorser is been Stevie Wonder, he use this guitar pedal with synths for down-octave. But very popular guitarists long years use this pedal, start from year 1970.

Its legend pedal and today it have 48 years-history.



Just listen pedal examples, you can repeat it with OctaveDiver section of RE.
ps: Ringer work in changed way - we divide Ringer to 2 effects - Ringer (as classic synth ringmod) and Destruct (over, fuzz, dust)...

Now You know why RE have Ringer, and why have Destruct. Its repeat original pedal.
But Compressor, Limiter, Widening? We add them because it not anymore guitar effect. And use it with drums, synths, loops - create clipping... Its why we add Comp, Limiter.


Musitronics is able to bring you a sophisticated accessory which produces a sub-octave with many of the characteristics of the original signal. When used in conjunction with other sound modifiers, the Mu-tron Octave Divider enables you to produce a whole new range of synthesizer-related sounds. A built-in ringer provides a fuzz tone in the low register and a fuzz octave up in the high register (we change this part with variable destruction units).

Original pedal poster form 1970:
Image
Image

Now, please look at OctaveDiver RE:
1) Basic section of device is "OctaveDiver":
- Frequency
- Tone
- Dry/Wet
And we name it - OctaveDiver.
But why we named RE as double-name "SubColours Octave Diver"? Because RE contain more than just Octave Divider. Its have more..
2) Ringer. In original device of Mutronics - used Ringer effect from another famous guitar pedal FX - GreenRinger (its been octave-up effect with some Fuzz, we just add distortion and overdrive, add idea of use ringmod as into synths).
We save octave-down effect in main OctaveDiver section, create Ringer - as classical Ring modulation effect into synths. And.. add Overdrive/Fuzz/Distortion modes in third section of RE - Destructor.
3) DESTRUCTOR: classical effects of Overdrive / Fuzz / Distortion..

Why we add compressor and limiter?
When musician use sub-octaves for many sources - a very popular problem is clipping of output signal. Really - sub-harmonics and frequencies hard to control in device that have only Input/Output level.
Users that bought RE for sub-octaves, really needs in clipping control, no variants if we talk not about ONLY guitars. Connect bass-guitar, just use powerful drums.. Sub-octaves for them is going very fast to red-zone of channel meter, and use only level control is not enough. In this aspect - have on-board helpers is very important moment. We just gonna out from guitar-using limits. With limiter, compressor - you can use it as very universal effect without clipping at output. We can remove Compressor, Limiter from RE, but you really after this start using another Comressors, Limiters in chain...
Now look - effects into RE is coming as PRE/POST/SUM positions around basic OctaveDiver effect. Its help to create more intresting variations in sound.

Now - why we add Widening?
Now its universal effect. In many situations, we have very slim signal at input. We talk not about only mono-signals.
Just use stereo loop.. very powerful stereo pad and more, and you can understand why we have widening. Its helpful.

OK. Main effect - is what need musician.
Its true for original pedal with guitar/synth using. But now its not just guitar-orientated fx. We must have FX that can work without clipping on its output. Its logic?

Tou prefere third effects? Just use them. Sections in RE can by bypassed. But why you can use built-in effects in RE? Because work with them - save to you time for new device connections, save DSP resources (!) and save CV/Audio connections.


What You need to know about original OctaveDivider pedal?
Company sale of Mu-Tron products line to A.R.P. in 1978
Its stop to produced, from 1981 and this pedal FX as used-gear have very big-price.
In 2015 - released pedal VIVIDER, clone of Mutronics Octave Divider.


Only in last years - DIY pedal makers create same effect diy-kit with same components, now you can recreate it from kit.

But inventor of the original Mike-Beigel recreate modern variation of MuTronics - Mu-Tron Octave Divider pedal. Its not produced anymore today. Now you can buy it around $600-850!!! So it also have modern components.

At this days - all pitch-shifters use way of pitching sound, but OctaveDivider - is sub-octave modulation effect, that very unique in world of effects. Its been popular at 1970, its popular today.
As an octave divider there are many modern pedals by EBS, Boss, Dunlop, Ampeg and others that have better tracking and up and down octave features. But none can replicate the signature sound that the Mu-tron Octave Divider creates
Mutron pedals were used by Jerry Garcia of the Greatful Dead, Larry Graham of Sly and the Family Stone, Frank Zappa, Chris Squire, and many other artists in the late 70s and early 80s.
Octave Divider so popular today.

TritoneAddiction wrote:
08 Mar 2018
A suggestion would be to include the possiblilty to save patches since it's focused on so many things at the same time.
Its not problem add support of patches. But you must know and understand. Its can work and can not work for various signal sources. Its main point why we not add patches to device from start.
If users ask us add patches - we add it, no problem.
But not wait library of patches that can work anywhere. Some positions can work with guitars, another positions can work with drums / bass / percussion.. So - you can open this patches and have problem on your channel for your signal.. And library of patches cant help. Because this FX better work if you move freq/tone with concrete signal.
Patches there can more helpful to use various ideas of modulation with LFO. You can use this RE as auto-bass FX, a-la wah/volume effect, and more.. Compression and modulation with LFO help create very unique sounds in some situations.

TritoneAddiction wrote:
08 Mar 2018
How a product is marketed is pretty important.
And we create double-name for device. Repeat original name with play: OctaveDiv'er, and add SubColours (because add colorising from idea of original but with additions)
TritoneAddiction wrote:
08 Mar 2018
most people want the lowest frequencies in mono.
Most people play with one rules, musicians search various working ways. In musical history - guitar effects change world of music. We not say that RE must be used only with mono-signals. But if you have mono its nice from time to time widening it. In beta we cut widening under the hood for work with it only form combinator, if needed. But testers ask knob for it.
TritoneAddiction wrote:
08 Mar 2018
"Use this fx with guitars for warm sub backgrounds" which is something I've never done and I doubt most people have. If anything I've seen many people remove unnecessary low end rumble from guitars to make way for the bass guitar and kick.
You talk as guitarists that used only amplifier with cabinets, no fxs. As bands with classic sound.
But today guitarists like to experience as like it in 1970s. If one musicians like easy and true scheme for classic sound for the style, another musicians like use more in sound - its can be bad or good for compositions, but its used all this years. Just look around, you really dint know famous bands where in command few guitarists and more than one bass player? In this logic - bands must have more than 1/2guitar and 1 bass in band? its wrong..
We can talk about music theory, but what I can say - its very famous guitar effect (and also synth effect) around all this 48 years. Now players use famous pedals as P.O.G., Whammy and many other effects to create sub-frequencies for guitar and synths.

If you mean that musicians not use guitar for bass, you talk about standards, not practice. Its legendary effect, that used all this 48 years at lives and in studios too.
About studio - this effect used by many musicians as synth-like effect for guitar / bass. But not think that need there talk about genres of music and bands staff examples..
Just google why musicians buy octave divider pedal DIY-kits, old original pedals, clone-pedals, other pitch-shifter pedals, its very popular effect as for guitar, also for synth-players. Octave shifters, sub-generators just not have same using as another more popular effects..

With compressor in this RE I already use intresting modulations, that cant be possible without compressor. There only your imagination can open or not using RE elements.
But its intresting to know point of this view. I just repeat - basic effect without clipping - work better with guitars. FOr another signal sources - limiter, compressor and widening is helpful for clean result.

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eusti
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08 Mar 2018

Thank you for your elaborate answers, Turn2On. I appreciate them and will read them more carefully when I have a bit more time. So far - I bought the device as it does interesting things, but I haven't figured out yet what it precisely does... Further testing and reading your info will hopefully get me there! ;)

D.

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TritoneAddiction
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08 Mar 2018

turn2on wrote:
08 Mar 2018
You talk as guitarists that used only amplifier with cabinets, no fxs. As bands with classic sound.
I think my confusion started since "Need a Bass? May be Sub-bass octaves?" was written with a bigger text than anything else. That was the first thing I read and it sounds more like it's a product aimed at someone making hip hop beats or electronic music or something. You know they always talk the about the bass, many times sub bass. I just made that association and got stuck in that thinking.

So that's probably what caused some confusion for me even though reading the rest should have made things more clear. Like you said the effects in this RE makes more sense when you look at it as a guitar pedal effect.
Last edited by TritoneAddiction on 08 Mar 2018, edited 1 time in total.

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turn2on
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08 Mar 2018

TritoneAddiction wrote:
08 Mar 2018
I think my confusion started since "Need a Bass? May be Sub-bass octaves?" was written with a bigger text than anything
You are right, product info need be changed for better reading and understand what RE do.
Look at any effects as on guitar effect is interesting, many basic effects that we use today - born in 19xx and have long story, individual characters, that can be lost with time.
As musician I always look at digital effects and recall the origin of this effect, its history.
If you know basic FXs from pioneer devices of effect (theoretical if read and listen examples, or from own practice with this effect), its better to understand modern effects. Of course if we talk about modern hybrid digital FXs, better know from where it come too.
As example - I like article about Pulveriser.. Short article, but easy to understand this device if know this article nuances.
https://melodiefabriek.com/blog/intervi ... ulveriser/

Soeno
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08 Mar 2018

I think Headphones aren`t recommended for testing this device, you should use good speakers, otherwise it can be way too much.

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hurricane
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08 Mar 2018

I’m glad you’re still making REs. Dying Star is my favorite RE synth.
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Ahornberg
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09 Mar 2018

A very handy RE. I think I will use it on nearly every mix. :thumbs_up:

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KirkMarkarian
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13 Mar 2018

Not being a guitar player, but a lover of effects pedals, I had to try this out. For me, my first idea to run through this was the Kong drum machine. I love synthesizing my own drums, and this effect added a heaping spoonful of punch, a gooey sticky feel, and a large amount of depth.

Start with a clean rack, put in the SubColours Octave Diver, then put up a synth bass drum on Kong. Let this RE work it's magic. Then, add some more drums. It's got a warmth to it, as well as the ability to create a light pumping effect. Then, adding in the overdrive sparingly, it warms up the overall sound of the drum mix. It's got a nice underground house sound/feel to it. Very warm, kinda tape-y, thumping, heavy. With just the Kong, you could get a pretty nice mix of drums and various percussion going. I see it as a very nice wrapping for stereo drums.

A very nice compressor and limiter go a long way in making this RE perform much more than what the Octave Driver can do alone. The Ringer adds some neat effects to the overall drum sound. As far as the width control, I find it actually very useful. It's not an overbearing amount of spread, it's just a nice amount of very light "unison", so you don't lose the punch of the kick or get the short echo repeats. Just a nice amount of extra space around the resulting output.

I would say, look at it as much more than a sub-octave divider / distortion effect. It's really a clever unit that can really do a ton of useful things over an entire mix.

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TheGodOfRainbows
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15 Mar 2018

I'm mixing a friend's band's song, and they are a 3 piece band: Lead vocal, baritone/tuned down guitar, and drums. No bass. The guitar is tuned so low, that the low octaves are the same as on a bass, but its still a guitar so it doesn't have that oomf in the low end, Plus when a power chord/bar chord is being played, that 5th note makes things muddy.

Since this RE came out, I've been playing around with it, and in this specific situation it's seems very useful. It's not perfect. For example, when playing a bar chord, it's likely to go back and forth between the root and 5th as is tries to determine what note it is supposed to choose. But playing with the MAX FREQ knob, and some tweaking can yield good results. I like this RE! I'll try to get around to uploading some examples if anyone is interested.

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moneykube
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15 Mar 2018

I think it's great :exclamation:
https://soundcloud.com/moneykube-qube/s ... d-playlist
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O1B
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16 Mar 2018

That was one serious demo. Pulverizer makes it pop - but, that was something else.

Hmmmmm......
Image

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WillyOD
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20 Mar 2018

Sounds good (now on my short list of REs to dive in some day in the near future) but I guess you can't go wrong with a funky bass demo ;)
I used to make music but now I just cry on these forums. @diippii.com

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turn2on
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20 May 2020

Image

Device updated to version 1.1.0:
- small GUI changes
- at the rear panel you can select percents/seconds value measuring or Compressor Section: Attack and Release parameters. By default we saved %. But in new projects you can set to seconds.

https://www.reasonstudios.com/shop/rack ... ave-diver/

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