User Waves in z3ta+ ... and Dimension?

I ran across this very useful tutorial on creating your own user waves for the z3ta+ synth. Not only are there a lot of z3ta+ users here at the forum, but Rene has become 'one of our own'. I also have this feeling that this information is going to come in awfully handy in the upcoming Dimension sample synth, as well. It follows a pattern that was established ... oh, never mind. This tutorial comes from the source, and I couldn't begin to improve upon what Rene has described here:

User waveforms was the topic I was to write about in one z3ta+ tutorial, but I guess some of you already exhausted all other sonic options on it so here we go. Let's focus now only in the Oscillator waveforms, later we'll discuss the LFO waveforms.

1- THE FORMAT

Oscillators User Waveforms are simple raw wave files, which means, a wav file without the header. They are not 'standard' wav files though: they are true 32-bit waveform files. The complete spec is:

44100, MONO, 32-bit IEEE Float 0.24
The wavetable should be composed of 2048 samples.

The latest part, which might sound new, is just the enconding method used
for the individual samples. I'll describe a small method to create a user waveform using CoolEdit 2000. Why CoolEdit 2000? because it's great, in case anyone haven't checked it. The demo will let you do all this and at same time taste a great app which doesn't look that cool but works awesomely.

2- THE CONSTRUCTION

I'll try to be newbie-proof in the explanation... please don't feel offended about this, it's just to reach a wider audience. Lets first create a 'Octaved Sine' waveform, which could be used to save one oscillator by just playing a octave sine using only one oscillator. Proceed as follows.

1- Open CoolEdit, and start the Windows Calculator.
2- In CoolEdit, select Generate...Tones. Choose 44100, Mono, 32-bit. This will be shown in the Status Bar after creation just in case you doubt.
3- In the calculator, get the result of 2048 / 44100 (yes, I know is trivial, but not everybody holds in his memory that its 0.046439909297052154195011337868481).
4- In the calculator, select COPY. In CoolEdit 'Generate Tones' dialog, select all the contents of the 'duration' field and chose PASTE.
5- In the calculator, press the 1/x button to get the inverse of that strange number (the duration in seconds of a 2048 samples snippet). In CoolEdit 'Generate Tones' dialog, Select all contents in the 'Base Frequency' field.
6- Now in CoolEdit dialog, rise to 100 the value of 'Frequency Components' 1 and 2.
7- If you did all correctly, the dialog should look like this. If it doesn't, you might have done something wrong, or I could. Just let me know.
8- Press Ok in the dialog (only if it -did- look like in the picture). The resulting might look like a snake trying to escape from... okok.
9- From the Transform menu, select Amplitude...Normalize, normalize to 100% and uncheck the DC bias setting. After this, it should look like this.
10- Select File... Save As, point to the rgcaudio z3ta+\Wavetables folder, enter the name (user2.pcm), and choose 'PCM RAW Data' from the waveforms menu.
11- Fire z3ta+, and select the USER2 waveform as fast as you can. Open the shaper, look at it and play it. It should be there.

It looks scary... but takes < 1 minute once you know what to do. By changing the waveshapes and the harmonic values in CoolEdit you can create some nice waves... and what is really important:

z3ta+ WILL BANDLIMIT them, NO ALIASING, so feel free to play them to the highest note. No worries. Some very sharp transients might need HQ mode, but most of them will do in normal pretty well.

Ok, let's stop here now. If it is interesting, i'll show how to 'cut' a waveform from your own sax/cello/balalaika/ukelele/etc here to use with z3ta+.


Regards,
René

I'm looking forward too the next installments on LFOs and instruments 'cuts'. For the complete K-v-R thread, click here.

I have to say that the first fruits of the RGC aquisition are looking very juicy indeed. Nice work René!

Have you applied any of sfz+ super high-quality resampling code to the sampler that ships with P5?

ORIGINAL: René

Have you applied any of sfz+ super high-quality resampling code to the sampler that ships with P5?

All, and more. A couple of new 'smart' interpolation methods, plus new option to use monstruousubergeeky quality on render/freeze.

-René

Wait, hold the phone. Does this mean you can get 2x oversampleing on freeze and it doesn't take up any CPU cycles?

Actually, much higher oversampling ratios than 2x. It won't take up any CPU cycles during realtime (obviously it will take a few more cycles on freeze/render).

-René

I'm talking about Dimension. I believe there's no major changes in the sampler.

-René

No way to escape from both

Exactly! And this exposes the plot for what it really is. This isn't just a software release. It an international conspiracy to conduct a mind control experiment on the grandest of scales. Let's review how this has developed:

Release an original version of software, making it quite good, yet missing some key components. Wait for the fan base to slowly develop, and see if they can sort out the missing details amongst themselves without much in-fighting. Starve them for content and official input over a two year period, until they're even complaining about the lack of clothes.

Then seed the group with a scrap of information offering a cheap ticket to an all-you-can-eat buffet, including a giant smorgasbord table of 3 exotic dishes. The throng becomes agitated & restless, and start clamoring to the head of the line. When you have them all in one spot, overwhelm them with a sensory overload of everything that they've been complaining about in one fell swoop, including some dinner attire. The feeding-frenzy begins in earnest, and before the dust settles, the now brain-washed minions hardly notice the gradual nudge up the ramp to the cattle car.

But I'm onto the plot, and I for one realize that this is leading to a version 3 upgrade price of several thousands of US greenbacks.
BTW: Is this seat taken?

hey "B" ,,what does , and RFLATMAO,,, mean .... is this code,,

That's the signal phrase that indicates the 'avocados' are ripe for the picking, and it's time to strip the trees.
When I use the keyword 'cafe cubano', the plan springs into action. Blitzkreig. Shock & awe. No escape.
Just hope that your new captors adhere to the rules of the Geneva Convention.