[FIXED] Kasper, here is the problem patch

pedx1ng · Post by **pedx1ng** » 17 Jun 2008 16:20

http://stashbox.org/141019/303like27p1.FXP

Here is the patch I am having issues with in Reaper. In a blank project it sounds normal, but in my other project it usually sounds more harsh and distorted. The thing is, while I was building up my project I was going by it sounding that harsher, more distorted way yet that's not even the way the patch is supposed to sound.

Something I just tried was changing some of the VST preferences in Reaper, and starting over, building up the project with just the required parts. In this new project, sometimes the patch sounds like it is supposed to, other times it sounds in that harsher, more distorted way. It's very intermittent and there seems to be no rhyme or reason as to what is causing this.

Oh, and the other issue is, usually when I load up the project, the problem patch will be causing loud audible crackles/pops/humming. Those go away if I repeatedly press Stop on the Reaper transport, despite the fact that it wasn't playing to begin with.

Please help, as it is very difficult to try and build up this project when I get results I can't "trust".

edit: edited to fix URL

pedx1ng · Post by **pedx1ng** » 17 Jun 2008 16:23

Also, to try and better explain, I think maybe the harshness/distortion could be better described as digital distortion.

MadGonzo · Post by **MadGonzo** » 17 Jun 2008 16:37

is the sound COMING from the VST loud?
are you somewhere along the line downvoluming it?
could it be that the more sound you add you get oversampling?

pedx1ng · Post by **pedx1ng** » 17 Jun 2008 16:47

MadGonzo wrote:is the sound COMING from the VST loud?
are you somewhere along the line downvoluming it?
could it be that the more sound you add you get oversampling?

It's not abnormally loud, no. If I play it at default mixer volume it does not clip the meter. What do you mean by "downvolume"? I have the fader lowered so that the overall mix doesn't clip, if that's what you mean. But whether I have it lowered or not, it's the same result.

I'm not sure what oversampling means. I looked at this Wiki article and I don't think I'm doing this, certainly I wouldn't even know how to if I wanted to.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oversampling

MadGonzo · Post by **MadGonzo** » 17 Jun 2008 17:02

bah.. ask mr. karma man
i dont want to say anything esp. since i could get it wrong

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Bandwidth.svg
thats a wave that is tall, but too tall
theres a maximum height allowed.. if you go over it, the sound will most likely sound noisy and distorted
because its capped at the top

if its already oversampled, and you then volumize it down somewhere else down the line, it might sound normal, but a little bit distorted
i cant think of anything else
also, is it JUST that instrument sounding distorted? or the whole song, when it happens?

pedx1ng · Post by **pedx1ng** » 17 Jun 2008 17:08

It's just that one patch that distorts. The other sounds play normally at that time and throughout the song.

Thanks for trying to help. Hopefully Kasper knows something too.

Argitoth · Post by **Argitoth** » 17 Jun 2008 18:51

By creating a new thread for a bug report you already reported, that ruins the integrity of the bug list.

Try to make it easy for me to maintain the bug list plz!

pedx1ng · Post by **pedx1ng** » 17 Jun 2008 19:26

Argitoth wrote:By creating a new thread for a bug report you already reported, that ruins the integrity of the bug list.

Try to make it easy for me to maintain the bug list plz!

I wasn't trying to make life difficult for you. I have just been stressing over this issue because I am not sure if it is Karma or Reaper that is causing the problem. I also wanted to make sure it would get looked at because the other thread did not get a reply from the boss.

Post by **karmafx** » 17 Jun 2008 21:59

np. I'll take a look at the patch. Thanks !

Post by **karmafx** » 17 Jun 2008 23:12

The patch looks fine, and I havn't been able to reproduce the behaviour you experience.

If possible, it would help if you could send me a Reaper project that fails. But this might be difficult if the project you are working on is big of course.

Normally clipping like this could be due to a build up of static feedback.
However, the patch looks rather innocent. If it happens again, try turning off distortion, and see if that helps. If not turn it back on, then turn off dc offset (output) and see if that fixes anything. Finally try to disable the delay module, and let me know of your findings.

pedx1ng · Post by **pedx1ng** » 18 Jun 2008 00:36

Project sent. Thanks for any help you can offer.

pedx1ng · Post by **pedx1ng** » 18 Jun 2008 01:10

I tried what you said and it does seem to be related to the distortion effect. Hopefully with my project you'll find out what is going on definitively though.

Post by **karmafx** » 23 Jun 2008 00:32

I tried your project with v1.02 and got the error just as you described !
I've now tracked it down. The problem is a rounding error that makes it think that the distortion mode has changed. So it switches between two different distortion types, and that is what causes the strange noise.

So this is a valid and serious bug. But I'm glad to say that it is fixed in v1.03:
Bugfix: Rounding error in distortion module could cause output from random distortion types. Fixed.

Thanks so much for taking the time to help me track this down !!