PunchBox - User Manual
PunchBox - User Manual
Overview
Overview
Punchbox is an advanced monophonic Kick generating instrument that utilizes overlaying sound sources to produce final kick tone;
4 generators that can play samples or synthesized sounds. In addition, it offers a number of effects for further processing. The instrument
is supplied with a substantial factory sample and preset content developed exclusively by Sounds of Revolution and CFA Sound labels.
When the plug-in is running you can see its interface:
Control Panel
Punchbox control panel
Used to manage Master Presets (presets of the entire device) namely their loading and saving. It also manages presets import / export to
exchange them between the users. It controls the default plug-in configuration, exporting current setting to a wave file and the parameter
randomization.
Generators Section
Generators section
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Effects Section
Including the Master/Limiter block, which processes the signal produced by generators before its sent to the plug-ins output.
FX section
Description of operation
4 generators that produce the Kick tone components are the heart of the instrument. Their outputs are mixed and sent to the effect
cascade (series), and then to the plug-in audio output. The instrument is monophonic and may respond to the pitch and/or velocity
of the MIDI tones depending on the settings.
Generators Section
The generators section consists of 4 independent modules (generators) which when mixed constitute the Kick instrument. Each generator
has a specific function in the process:
Click, Tops and Tools generate the auxiliary components of the final tone. They are based only on the samples. Each of them has
a substantial factory sample bank.
Kick generates the primary tone (body) component. It may serve as a Sampler or Synthesizer (with a few available alternative generator
engines that may be selected). Similarly to the other generators, Kick is also provided with substantial factory content (samples and presets).
The open architecture of the instrument allows you to import the external samples as the user resources.
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Active/Solo A LED operating in the toggle mode to activate the specific generator or other (expect for the specific one) generators
if used with CTRL *
Volume The generators output volume from -inf [dB] up to +12 [dB].
Smp. Start (only for Tools, Tops) specifies the starting point (offset) from which the sample is played. This parameter can be set from
0% up to 100%, where 0% means that the sample is played from the beginning with the value range referring to the sample duration.
Apple CMD in Mac OS X
St. Spread Wider or narrower stereo image of the played sample. The central position (Normal) is a neutral setting that plays
the sample without processing.
Panning (Stereo) panning.
High Cut - Low-pass filter cut-off frequency. The parameter operates from 2 [Hz] up to 22 [kHz].
Low Cut - Hi-pass filter cut-off frequency. The parameter operates from 2 [Hz] up to 22 [kHz].
Decay Decay time relative to the overall sample duration. Max means that the decay time is the same as the sample duration.
Tune Relative sample tuning from -6 up to +6 semitones.
Send (Click send, Top send, Tools send) Controlling the proportion between the signal sent to the effect cascade and directly
to Master / Limiter (with the effect cascade bypassed). For the minimum value (0%) the whole signal is sent only to Master / Limiter
(Effects). For the medium value (50%) the generator output is sent in half to the effect cascade and in half to Master / Limiter with
the effect cascade bypassed. For 100% the signal is sent only to the effect cascade.
Each generator provides an additional Sample Management subsection to browse and load the samples from the Factory or User content,
import the user samples and reset the generator settings.
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Sample Name A display with the name of the currently loaded sample, --- if no sample is currently loaded.
Prev / Next - Used to navigate through the generator sample bank, load the next or previous sample from the bank.
Browser Opens the Sample Browser window to browse the available sample bank more precisely e.x. by filtering the results etc.
(the function is described in details in the Preset Management chapter).
Init (Prev + CTRL *) Restoring the initial generator settings and deleting a sample from the generators memory.
Reload (Next + CTRL) Restoring the most recently loaded master settings (Master Preset) for the generator section, with the original sample loaded if it differs from the current sample.
Kick Generator
Generates the Kick tone body/base and offers a few generator engines that may be selected:
Sample - A sampler where you can load samples from the substantial factory content and import your own samples.
909 A percussion synthesizer based on kick model available in the TR-909 drum machine
808 A percussion synthesizer based on kick model available in the TR-808 drum machine
606 A percussion synthesizer based on kick model available in the TR-606 drum machine
Sine - A percussion synthesizer based on the sine waveform with amplitude and frequency modulation
Mode parameter
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Used to browse the Factory / User content (samples or presets) for the currently selected generator engine. This section contains
the following controls:
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Prev / Next Used to navigate through the sample or preset bank (depending on the selected generator engine) by moving
to the next or previous item.
Browse Opens the Sample/Preset browser for more information on the Browser operation please refer
to the Preset Management chapter.
Init (Prev + CTRL) Restoring the initial generator settings and deleting a sample from the memory if the Sampler is used
as a generator engine.
Reload (Next + CTRL) Restoring the most recently loaded master settings (Master Preset) for the active generator engine
and loading the sample used in the master preset if the Sampler is used as the generator engine .
Save (Browse + CTRL) A function available only when the generator engine is one of the synthesizers and used to save the
current engine settings as a users preset.
Kick Send Decides on the part of the Kick signal to be sent to the effect cascade and directly to Master / Limiter with the effect
cascade bypassed. For the minimum value (0%) the whole signal is sent only to Master / Limiter (Effects). For the medium value (50%)
the generator output is sent in half to the effect cascade and in half to Master / Limiter. For 100% the signal is sent only to the effect
cascade.
Velocity A switch that decides on whether Punchbox should respond to the velocity of the incoming MIDI notes. It is a global
parameter that affects all generators including Tops, Tools and Click.
Keytrack A switch determining whether Kick responds to the pitch of the incoming MIDI notes.
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St. Width Wider or narrower stereo image of the played sample. The central position
(Normal) is a neutral setting that plays the sample with the stereo image unchanged.
Pitch Relative sample tuning from -4 up to +4 semitones.
Sample Start - Defines a starting point from which the sample is played. This parameter can be set
from 0% up to 100%, where 0% means that the sample is played from the beginning.
Level Output generator volume.
High Cut - Low-pass filter cut-off frequency. The parameter operates
from 2 [Hz] up to 22 [kHz].
Attack Amplitudes attack time from 0 [ms] up to 200 [ms]
Attack Curve - Amplitude attacks curve - from concave, through linear to convex
Decay Amplitude envelope decay time relative to the overall sample duration. Max means that the
decay time is the same as the sample duration.
Decay Curve - Amplitude decay curve - from concave, through linear to convex
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Attack
Hold - From 1 [ms] up to 1[s]
Decay
The next row provides the parameters to control the oscillator frequency modulation:
The last row provides the parameters to control the amplitude and frequency modulation characteristic:
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The minimum value means that the whole signal of the specific generator is sent directly to Master / Limiter. The maximum value means
that the whole signal is sent to the first cascade effect. The medium values determine the proportions between these two send variants.
The diagram below presents the topology of the send and direct outputs of the generators connected with the effects section:
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The red line refers to the sent signal flow to the effect cascade. The blue line refers to the unprocessed signal flow (with the cascade
bypassed) directly to the Limiter.
The cascade point where the direct signal (blue flow) is joined may be changed to obtain more complex topologies but it is not the subject
matter of this chapter. For more information please refer to the effect block description section.
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Random button
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Effects Section
The available Effects section is used to further shape the bass drum tone. 5 available modules are responsible for cascade
(in series, one after the other) signal processing. The cascade signal flows from left to right (from the extreme left effect to the right
Master / Limiter effect).
Effects section
The last effect in the series or Master / Limit has a fixed position at the end of the cascade.
The sequence of the remaining four effects is controlled (with the dragndrop technique) [see next chapters].
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Bitcrusher
Distortion
Multimode Filter
Equalizer
Limiter
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High High frequency gain (5 [kHz] and higher) from -24 [dB] up to +24 [dB]
Middle Medium frequency gain (parametric equalizer) from -24 [dB] up to +24 [dB]
Mid dle Freq Middle band (parametric equalizer) frequency from 100 [Hz] up to 10 [kHz]
Low Low frequency gain (100 [Hz] and lower) from -24 [dB] up to +24 [dB]
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At the bottom of each effect, on both sides, you can find active areas marked with spots that you can use to grab, drag and drop any of the
4 effects at the desired position.
Dragged Equalizer
The positions of the dragged effect and the effect the dragged effect is dropped on are interchanged in the cascade.
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Mixdown After can modify the position where the generator signal joins (mixes with) the processing path in the effects section.
By default, Mixdown After is set to FX4. It means that the generator signal flows over two paths; the primary generator signal bypasses
the effect block and is sent to the Master / Limiter (blue path), the send generator signal is sent to the effect block and processed by the
effects before it enters the Limiter (red path). Mixdown After controls the position where the primary signal joins (sums up with) the send
signal.
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Export button
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Master Preset It is a global preset that includes all available (generator and effect) parameters as well as the loaded sound samples.
Below are the sub-types of presets (or the presets including the sub-sets of parameters constituting the Master Preset):
909 Preset Includes the parameters of 909 included in Kick.
808 Preset Includes the parameters of 808 included in Kick.
606 Preset Includes the parameters of 606 included in Kick.
Sine Preset Includes the parameters of Sine included in Kick.
Bitcrusher Preset Includes the parameters of Bitcrusher
Distortion Preset Includes the parameters of Distortion
Each preset type is stored as separate content (divided into the User and the Factory resources) and available in the dedicated Preset Management section of GUI as well as managed with the dedicated Preset Browser.
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Browsing Presets
Preset Management sections enable quick navigation and browsing the presets structure:
Each Preset Management section (for each Preset type) contains following common controls / functions:
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Preset Browser
Resources
In this section you can choose a resource / resources in which you want to browse presets. There are two resources to choose from:
Choosing any of them will cause narrowing the results to the presets from one resource.
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Results
This is a list of presets from chosen resources that meet the filtering criteria. The basic function of this section is browsing and loading
presets (in Browsing Mode by default).
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Filtering results have a form of a cascade (columns), from left to right. This means that all presets available in the selected resources
are filtered as to presence of Tags from the first Category (first column from the left), next a set of presets being a result of filtering by the
first Category is filtered by the Category represented by the second column etc., until it is filtered with the last active Category Filter.
The result of a cascade filtering process (presets that meet the criteria of each filter) is listed below, in the Results section.
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If you click the Experimental item again, you will deactivate the Filter, so all presets from the content will be displayed again.
Reordering Categories
To the right of the Category Filter header there are buttons with arrow icons:
Filter reordering
They enable moving the Category to the left or right in a cascade. Clicking the right arrow replaces the current Category with the Category
on the right. Clicking the left arrow replaces the current Category with the Category on the left.
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Clicking the left arrow for the Category located on the far left does not change anything. The same is true for the Category located far to
the right and right arrow (as the column has no predecessor/successor with which it could be replaced).
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In this mode Preset Browser slightly changes its appearance (not only function):
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The Filters section changes into the Edit Tags section, whose appearance is almost identical, but the function is different. The section
is used not as a filter, but as an editor of Tags of chosen presets.
The role of the Results section is to choose presets for edition (edition is possible only for user presets).
At the bottom of the screen there is Delete, button used to delete selected User presets.
The choice of the resource in the Content section does not work, as edition is possible only for user presets.
Tags Edition
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Filters tags
Choosing a greater number of presets, in which the Tags were already defined, enables their re-edition. Consequently; in case when
a specific Tag appeared in all selected presets, it will be marked with an intensive teal blue color.
When a specific Tag is set only in a part of chosen presets, then it is codified with a pale teal blue. The Tag that does not appear in any
of the presets is marked with grey color:
The change of the Tag status for one or more chosen presets sets or erases this Tag in all these presets. The status change is signalized
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Elements / Tag buttons highlighted with pale teal blue color (meaning different values of a particular Tag buttons for the highlighted presets) work in a three-state system; erasing the Tag (grey color), setting of the Tag (intensive teal blue color) or no changes (pale teal blue) for
all selected items.
Changes introduced during edition do not have to be confirmed, they are signalized by Asterisks located by Tag changed for particular presets.
Deleting Presets
Selection of one or more presets activates Delete button at the bottom left corner. It can be used to delete the selected presets
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Additionally, at the bottom there will be a textbox into which you should enter a name of a newly created preset, and then confirm it by
clicking Save or cancel by clicking Cancel.
As the Preset Browser is in the Edit Mode before confirmation of the newly created setting as preset, we can straightaway categorize
a particular setting, using functionality of the Edit tags section, even just before saving it as Preset.
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Samples
Arrangement of the Sample Resources in Punchbox
Click, Tops, Tools and Kick (operating as a Sampler) provide separate (factory and user) sample resources. Each generator has access to its
resource through its own Sample Management section:
Sample Browser
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Auto-Play
Auto-play allows you to play the browsed samples to listen to them before confirming their loading with Ok.
Press Autoplay (the button operating in the toggle mode) to enable/disable this function. Whats more, when this function is enabled
you can use the slider on the right side to control the played sample volume.
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This button opens the file browsing system dialogue box. Acceptable file formats are: .wav, .aif and .aiff. both mono and stereo.
There are no restrictions as to the sampling frequency of the imported sound clips.
The dialogue box allows you to import more clips at the same time and not just single clips.
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Configuration
Parameter settings
Right-click any plug-in parameter to open the context menu
It allows for:
Checking the name and current value of a parameter,
Checking if the parameter is attributed to MIDI CC controller, and if it is to which number,
Linking the parameter to MIDI CC controller.
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MIDI Learn
MIDI Learn function enables a quick assignment of physical controllers (from MIDI controller) to plug-in parameters. The assignment
can be divided into a few steps:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Right-click the parameter which you want to attribute to physical MIDI controller in order to expand the context menu.
Click arrow at the bottom in order to expand the context menu
Click the Learn button to put the plug-in into a pending state until you move any MIDI CC controller
Click OK to save the change or click the Cancel button to restore the previous setting.
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Open the context menu, right-clicking the parameter attributed to a particular MIDI CC
Expand the menu, using the arrow at the bottom
Click the Clear button
Confi rm with OK button
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Options button
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Options Panel
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MIDI
Presets
This section allows for setting of a path to a file with a default MIDI Map that was prepared before. Clicking MIDI CC Map check box
activates load of MIDI Map and the possibility of pointing it (Browse button).
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Thanks
Goes to:
Laurent Bergman - For his help with preparing French versions of manuals for D16 products and beta testing.
Manuel Brehs - For beta testing, additional work and translation.
And for the beta test team for their contribution to development:
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Alankara Productions
Simplicius Simplicissimus
Allen Morgan
Gary Brennan
Joe Rossitter / Computer Music
Marc Acardipane
Micha Wolski / WEF
Dada Life
Twolegs Toneworks
CONTENTS
Overview......................................................................................................................... 2
Control Panel .......................................................................................................... 3
Generators Section................................................................................................. 3
Effects Section ....................................................................................................... 4
Description of operation............................................................................................. 5
Generators Section................................................................................................. 5
Click, Tops and Tools Generators................................................................... 6
Kick Generator................................................................................................... 8
Generation Engines.................................................................................... 12
Sample..................................................................................................... 13
909........................................................................................................... 14
808........................................................................................................... 15
606........................................................................................................... 16
Sine........................................................................................................... 17
Generator Signal Routing - Send................................................................... 18
Randomization................................................................................................... 20
Effects Section......................................................................................................... 21
Available Effect Block Specifications............................................................ 22
Bitcrusher..................................................................................................... 23
Distortion .................................................................................................... 24
Multimode Filter......................................................................................... 25
Equalizer........................................................................................................ 26
Master / Limiter.......................................................................................... 27
Changing the cascade effect sequence ...................................................... 28
Mixdown After................................................................................................... 29
Punchbox Signal Flow............................................................................................ 30
Exporting plug-ins setting to a sample.............................................................. 31
Preset and Sample Management............................................................................... 32
Preset Structure and Types................................................................................... 32
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Browsing Presets..................................................................................................... 33
Resources............................................................................................................ 34
Preset Filters...................................................................................................... 35
Categories and Tags.................................................................................... 35
Results................................................................................................................. 36
Preset Filtering.................................................................................................. 37
Reordering Categories............................................................................... 38
Presets Editing Edit Mode................................................................................. 39
Selection of Presets for Edition..................................................................... 41
Tags Edition........................................................................................................ 41
Change of Tags status in Presets............................................................. 41
Presets Names Editing..................................................................................... 43
Deleting Presets................................................................................................ 43
Saving the current settings as Preset................................................................. 44
Samples..................................................................................................................... 45
Arrangement of the Sample Resources in Punchbox................................ 45
Auto-Play...................................................................................................... 46
User samples Import.................................................................................. 46
Configuration................................................................................................................. 48
Parameter settings.................................................................................................. 48
MIDI Learn.......................................................................................................... 49
MIDI Unlink........................................................................................................ 50
Plug-ins current settings....................................................................................... 50
Saving / Loading the MIDI CC Map.............................................................. 50
Plug-ins default settings....................................................................................... 51
Plugin default settings........................................................................................... 52
MIDI 53
Thanks............................................................................................................................. 54
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