[Draft discussion] Array modulators

[icaria36]

Interesting concept! Some questions only to polish (perhaps) the description.

When you say “a new type of modulator”, do you mean a new type of Grid Module? Or a modulator to modulate Grid modules?

There is an “Array” Grid module already, but these seems to be “false friends”, as you are talking about something different, right?

@x.iso

Beside that, since modulators in Bitwig are audio-rate, this would add ability to process and route multiple parallel audio signals, not just stereo, all with one ‘cable’.

Just checking, is the “cable” the only limitation here? If the cable would be able to send multiple values at one, the multiple audio signals wouldn’t be constrained by another limitation? This is not about hardware performance. I mean something simple as “no more that 8 audio signals because of [reasons]”,

@x.iso

Every other modular environment out there

Can you provide examples, please? To check implementation details and to add corresponding tags.

[x.iso]

@icaria36

When you say “a new type of modulator”, do you mean a new type of Grid Module? Or a modulator to modulate Grid modules?

I guess what I’m trying to say is that it would be a new type of signal flow and modulator capability. which means this can be also applied to modulators for devices, not just in Grid. I’ll try to make some more mockups and examples how this would work.

@icaria36

Just checking, is the “cable” the only limitation here? If the cable would be able to send multiple values at one, the multiple audio signals wouldn’t be constrained by another limitation? This is not about hardware performance. I mean something simple as “no more that 8 audio signals because of [reasons]”,

basically this will just streamline bundling multiple audio-rate modulation signals in parallel, and that bundle will have one name and index to address specific stream in the bundle. so you can map a bundle to a knob, but then in inspector panel specify which index from that array source will apply modulation to said target, by default being first index of array. then there are many other ways it could be also applied, like use indexes as voice channels for example. this would also open up a way to ‘voice stack’ specific module in Grid individually, so you don’t have to use Voice stack on whole patch and still be limited to 5 stacks.

@icaria36

Can you provide examples, please? To check implementation details and to add corresponding tags.

I’ll try to make a comprehensive example later

[icaria36]

@x.iso

I’ll try to make a comprehensive example later

I just meant to provide the names of one or more products with an equivalent feature.

Thank you for the other answers.

[x.iso]

puredata, max/msp, Reaktor, Usine and any modular environment I’ve used all have Arrays as concept, also even VCV now has array type cables (they’re called polyphonic here):

[x.iso]

VCV is actually a good example, even though it has just slightly thicker cable to distinguish polyphonic (array) cable from regular ones, despite the fact that it carries multiple audiorate cables in it. This is why I think making a different shape of port for this representing ‘digital’ or multi-pin connector is better.
not obvious difference
vs
quite obvious distinction

[icaria36]

Thank you for the additional information. I have updated the description, and if there are no objections I will promote this draft to #features in a couple of days.