How to get LFO vibrato in Reaktor Vocoder to be bipolar? Help please 🙏

AaronGrooves
AaronGrooves Member Posts: 8 Newcomer
edited August 2022 in Reaktor

Hi, after days of tinkering, reading manuals, and searching the forum, I've learned how to assign an LFO to the master pitch, and control it via the modwheel (using the sidechain in the bottom right -- see pic). The only problem now is that the vibrato is not centered on the pitch. Is there any way to get the LFO to be bipolar? Or in other words, to effect the pitch equally in both directions rather than only increasing the frequency?

I've attached an example of the original synth (Vital) vs the Reaktor vocoder version.

Btw, I have Reaktor 5.8.0. I'm using Reaper v6.64.

Any help will be infinitely appreciated! Thanks!

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Comments

  • AaronGrooves
    AaronGrooves Member Posts: 8 Newcomer

    Also, if there's an easy fix for this in Reaktor 6, then I might be willing to upgrade from Reaktor 5.8. I considered upgrading to the latest version of Komplete, but after reading through several forum posts, it seems that there are numerous basic functionality and quality-of-life issues yet to be addressed, so I'm not sure it's worth it. I'm not here to be negative lol. Just saying. I'm not upgrading if I'll have the same problem.

    OR, if there's a better vocoder that can accomplish this, please let me know! I've tried many:

    • Antares Auto-Tune Vocodist
    • Devious Machines Pitch Monster
    • Little Alter Boy
    • XILS 201
    • XILS 5000
    • Arturia Vocoder V
    • Softube Vocoder

    So far, I like each of them for different reasons, but it's difficult to find help with random little quirks (like this Reaktor LFO). Especially with demo versions. Hopefully this forum will come to the rescue!

    Thanks again

  • KoaN
    KoaN Member Posts: 103 Advisor

    What you are using here more specifically is Razor,a commercial ensemble for Reaktor...so what you are describing relates first to this ensemble and how it has been created,i don't have it here so i can't really help but for sure you can go inside the structure and see where this lfo connects...it's probably simple to modify but you have to first find the area in the structure where the Lfo is added and how it connects with the rest.

  • Paule
    Paule Member Posts: 1,328 Expert
    edited August 2022

    You can use the lfo unipolar with a rectifier module.

  • AaronGrooves
    AaronGrooves Member Posts: 8 Newcomer
    edited August 2022

    What you are using here more specifically is Razor,a commercial ensemble for Reaktor...

    Thanks for explaining that. This is my first time trying Reaktor, and I'm still wrapping my head around exactly what it is and how it works. I'll update the title to include "Razor." (Edit: It seems that I cannot edit the title. Hmm)

    Once I find where it connects, I'll still have no idea how to modify it, haha. But this certainly helps push me in the right direction. Thanks again!

  • AaronGrooves
    AaronGrooves Member Posts: 8 Newcomer

    Thanks for the suggestion! I'll attempt to figure this out. Do you know if there's an easy way to locate the LFO other than just peaking and searching through the jumble of modules in the dozens of pages?

  • KoaN
    KoaN Member Posts: 103 Advisor

    It is a complex instrument so not easy to search through.

    Ok so i managed to have access to it and checked.

    The reason is the sidechain module,it makes the LFO unipolar.

    Follow the breadcrumbs on top of the window to locate this module

    Panel>Razor ensemble>Razor>Synth>Modulators>Sidechain>Modulator

    And to make Bipolar simply bypass the "make uni polar" module by reconnected Mod Source directly to Out

    It will change how the sidechain was intended to work but shouldn't create too much problems.

  • AaronGrooves
    AaronGrooves Member Posts: 8 Newcomer

    Slight progress, I found the LFOs! But now lost in the weeds. Here are a few screen shots. It looks like there are lots of places to add or modify something, but I'm sitting here scratching my head. Does any of this stand out to you? Any suggestions?

    1) The "Synth" panel that has a "Modulators" module:

    2) The "Modulators" panel:

    3) The "LFO" Panel:

    4) I patched together a full view of LFO 2:

    Again, thanks for any help! It feels like what I need should be so simple. If I had the knowledge, I probably could've done this in 30 sec :/

  • AaronGrooves
    AaronGrooves Member Posts: 8 Newcomer

    Jinx!! haha. Okay, I'll check that out and get back to you!

  • AaronGrooves
    AaronGrooves Member Posts: 8 Newcomer

    And to make Bipolar simply bypass the "make uni polar" module by reconnected Mod Source directly to Out

    Unfortunately, this didn't change the behavior for me. Did this do the trick for you?

    I also tried other controllers, like after touch & pitch bend. But another discovery: no matter what controller I use for the sidechain LFO, the pitch increases by a little, even before the vibrato kicks in. For example, if I push the mod wheel up about 10%, the pitch raises by nearly a half-step, even before the vibrato becomes apparent. Same for using after touch.

    There might be something else going on?

  • Paule
    Paule Member Posts: 1,328 Expert

    A mod wheel is unipolar 0 .. 1 a pitch wheel is bipolar -1 .. 1.

    Is that the reason?

  • AaronGrooves
    AaronGrooves Member Posts: 8 Newcomer

    A mod wheel is unipolar 0 .. 1 a pitch wheel is bipolar -1 .. 1.

    Is that the reason?

    No, because the mod wheel doesn't affect the pitch. It just controls how strongly the LFO is applied to the pitch. To test this, I tried using the pitch wheel as a control, and I got the same drifting-pitch result.

  • KoaN
    KoaN Member Posts: 103 Advisor

    It does seem to work here.

    I have problems with the modulation wheel as an input for some reason but if in side chain i use the PB as in LF2>PB and amount fully right and the SC under main pitch fully right,and bypassing the unipolar module it does work here.

  • KoaN
    KoaN Member Posts: 103 Advisor

    Ah but if the amount is not full....yah it then sways only on one side...there's more going on in that combination yes....hehe.

  • KoaN
    KoaN Member Posts: 103 Advisor

    Ok so this happens in the combination of the modulation and source Side chain module...one level up.

    If you disconnect the highlighted cable in blue it will not add the offset with different modulation amount.

    Seems to work well here with the PB,i can't test the MW for some reasons.

    But i am not responsible if i am breaking some presets and behavior here :p hehe...it should just affect the sidechain though,nothing else.

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