to my total surprise, it appears I'm not the only one interested in Eurorack and the Soundplane - as @timoka posted yesterday he also has Bela Salt and a Soundplane.....
so whilst we await the official Madrona Labs Soundplane module, I thought I'd post about how Ive been using Soundplane with Eurorack, and how you can make it happen...
(and also to discuss any issues with my software to do this :) )
an admission to start with... as I thought I was largely alone in this area, the software Ive created is aimed at developers, i.e. no fancy installers
but I'll help people move forward, and if there are enough interested, then I will better document, and also make some installers.
so, what Soundplane options can I provide on eurorack :)
they are all really derived off using ARM based microcomputers, so Raspberry PIs or Beaglebone - but these come in quite a few forms, and options :)
I'll give the basics here, but will expand if people are interested...
a) Bela Salt or Bela Pepper
this is the most interesting, as its a flexible platform
Salt is bought off the shelf , and is a bit expensive (and you'll want the expander too)
Pepper less flexible, is an easy DIY project and is much cheaper.
my repo: https://github.com/TheTechnobear/BelaPatches/
the ScLite project gives you cv and gate outputs, using the available hardware, there are different modes - so you can treat the soundplane as a (chromatic) playing surface, or a bunch of xyz pads.
b) Terminal Tedium
this does not have any cv outputs, but instead you can run your own patches e.g. Ive just released Orac for it.
so you can plug in your Soundplane, and directly drive a synth, or use it to control an FX.
this is based on my MEC project, which incorporates SCLite
https://github.com/TheTechnobear/MEC
Orac supports MPE and OSC which MEC can produce.
or you can write your own PD patches...
c) QuBit Nebulae
another Eurorack module that is based on the rPI. again no cv output,
but again we could run my MEC project for Soundplane integration.
Ive also released Orac, so you can use that
but perhaps more interesting is using MEC with csound using osc (from mec/soundplane)
what could be fun here, is to integrate it with the factory Qubit Granular patch,
so use the soundplane to start controlling grains!
d) Standalone soundplane to interface with Eurorack
so this is not really eurorack specific... but is still fun :)
you can the mec soundplane stuff on other 'portable' hardware, some of it is relatively cheap.
with something like the raspberryPI or Organelle, not only could you control synths on the box, but connect them to something like an Expert Sleepers ES-8 (or ES-9 untested) to get CV into your eurorack.
Alternatively, you can again use Bela, which can 8 analog cv (0..5v) and 8 digital.
so a small DIY project to connect to your Eurorack.
so whilst Im really looking forward to Randy's Madrona Labs Soundplane Module, we do have quite a few choices, where we can still liberate ourselves from the laptop and get the soundplane interfacing to eurorack simply.
i forgot to start this thread as you suggested @thetechnobear, great that you did it now!
i still couldn't make the bela patch work but i'm confident and willing to understand this (for me) complicated code language :)
yeah, nearly there...
Ive updated the BelaPatches repo with better build instructions.
but for the future what Im going to do is to reorganise it so that 'end-users' don't have to build all the libraries - this'll make it much simpler.
fyi: timoka is up n' running with bela salt + soundplane
thanks to his patience, the instructions are now complete and improved, so easier for next person.
if anyone has the Nebulae or Terminal Tedium (and Soundplane), then give me a shout, i can help get orac/mec setup.
also anyone with experience of pd/csound/supercollider? (or c++ ;) )
we could perhaps collaborate on something.
id quite like to focus on building some kind on instrument, but time is was always lacking.... but might have a small window of opportunity before Bela Trill ships in April ;)
@thetechnobear - I'd love to be the "next person" – but it looks like the Bela Salt (and Salt+) are sold out. When it becomes available, I'll give it a spin. Very exciting! I also see you lurking around the llllllll.co forums, have you had any luck getting your soundplane working with Norns?
I don’t have a norns to test on
( I do have a fates, but that’s slightly different )
My code is open source, so you could try yourself.
Bela - If your in the EU, I actually have a of (built) Bela pepper for sale
Sounds good - I'll give it a whirl. And thanks for the Pepper offer - but I'm in the US.
BTW not sure who out there is still interested or not but Bela Salt and Salt+ are available again at bela.io shop ATM.
Don't expect they'll be available for too long so now might be the best time to go in if it's something you've wanted before?
Just posted this in a thread about the Soundplane and the Continuum, but when I saw this thread, I figured I should post it here too:
Haken Audio just released a standalone EaganMatrix module that is apparently identical to what’s inside their Continuums. I think they just started shipping last month.
Here’s what it says on the Haken Audio page:
“Integrate the power of EaganMatrix Sound Technology into your Eurorack! The EaganMatrix Module is a full-featured EaganMatrix Sound Engine for Eurorack, and can be controlled by control voltages and/or Midi. This versatile module can act as a sound source, a sound processor, a CV source (via connection to an external Control Voltage Converter), a Midi source, or a customizable combination of all these capabilities.“
yeah, it might be an interesting combo....
I've used a continuum a little bit, and a I did enjoy using the EM, and love the sound of it.
I'm tempted, but I also waiting for my Osmose (which has the EM)...
so I for now, Ive been thinking I'll wait and see how much I enjoy creating patches for that.
also the Eagan Matrix Module is not available at EU distributors yet, so thats helping me 'resist' :)
one thing to be aware of... all expressive controllers have a very different feel, and so really 'presets' created for others, do not tend to translate well to other surfaces.
so, I doubt that the Continuum presets present on the EMM will work well with the Soundplane - as they are VERY different surfaces. The continuum surface really 'moves' alot.
but as I said, thats not unusual... not a fault of either Soundplane nor EMM, its just the way it is.
This will mean creating your own EMM presets, but honestly, thats part of the fun.
BUT be aware if you have not used the Eagan Matrix before , its a little 'different' in its approach.
anyway, when its more generally available I might get it, and pair it up with Soundplane via Bela Salt.
I think more would be interested in this eurorack/EMM/Soundplane combo, if Randy releases his Soundplane Eurorack module ;)