GxCreamMachine

Developers
#1

Hi there

After some publishing of my fuzz plugs (I’m a bit afraid that it leaves to no avail), I like to publish my latest plug to the MOD. This time it’s a analogue simulation of a Power Amp, which I’ve designed from a couple of schematic files which I’ve studied in the past.
For those of yours which are interested in analogue circuit design, here are the schematics of the plug. First part is the input circuit, were a pair of 12AX7 tubes compress and saturate the incoming signal, so that a creamy, low magnitude signal leaves this stage. No peak in the signal will be flow above this stage.
https://s1.imagebanana.com/file/180516/7qIEneIK.png

Next stage is a EL34 powered transformer, were the input is filtered by a 12kHz Lowpass filter. This stage is what usually is called a “Power Amp”. It will multiply the input by, well the dial is on your fingers:
https://s2.imagebanana.com/file/180516/ULy4gHm8.png
Now, to get it right for your PA system, we’ll need a “PA out”, which is implemented here as a simulation of the cab out circuit from the “Hughes&Kettner Crem Machine”. Hence the name for this plug.
https://s1.imagebanana.com/file/180516/dqSTgsNP.png

To say it, this is a simulation of a full stage power amp, which will allow you to feed your signal into a PA system, without the need of a Power Amp. On the other hand, this plug will give you enough headroom in the signal pass, so that you could feed a low powered signal, to your amp.
Compression and saturation will be handled by a response table, you could influence it with your set of the “Level”.
This way, I manage to drive the CPU consumption down to about 6% on the MOD.
Keep in mind, this is a simulation of a Power Amp, so, it will be stay in the dynamic category. True, it’s a simulation of a Power Amp Stage, but, hence it is more responsible for the dynamic response to your guitar.

So, I’ve said more then I want already, here is the obligatory sreeny, nothing fancy this time, straight from the SDK.

Pull request is pushed, now, it’s up to you, if you like it or not. However . . . .

13 Likes
#2

I’m looking forward to trying this out. This is great for my use case - I usually play through either a Roland Street Cube (clean/instrument setting) or direct into a Mixer -> PA. This sounds like it would work well.

I’m just starting to get some momentum with building up my pedalboards but recently I’ve been enjoying the GxSunFace. I have a few of your other fuzz plugins queued up to play around with and expect a few of them will land on my regular pedalboards. Thank you for all your contributions @brummer!

2 Likes
#3

New Brummer pedals! Wohoo!! :smiley:

2 Likes
#4

That’s nice. I’m seeing forward to use it. Did you have to split the schematics for the amp simulation script? How did you simulate the transformer?

1 Like
#5

Hi
Thanks for the kind words, hope you enjoy this plug like I do, when you get the chance to try it.

Don’t forget to vote for them, when you like one of them, as otherwise, they wont move forward to the “so called stable” store to get available to all.

Well, some work has been done on the DK simulator since you’ve tried it. A new member of the guitarix team has joined (Yoann Le BORGNE), and done some work on it. So now we’ve a virtual environment (easy to setup) to work with it. Some bug’s have been fixed and beside that I’ve made a couple of models work. So, the transformer.
Here, for example is a plot of the transformer response:
https://s1.imagebanana.com/file/180518/1kviY9Qp.png

and this is how the full power amp stage response:
https://s2.imagebanana.com/file/180516/jSbScxgh.png
As you could see, it does phase inverting, beside the amplifying.

For this simulation, I’ve split the circuit like shown above, A input stage, a power amp stage and a cabinet simulation stage. So 3. parts for this one.
I’ve added a couple of new scripts in the DK simulator, which allow now to generate a response table for complete circuit’s instead only for single components. This is what I use for the CreamMachine here. At least, the same workflow then before, but, a lot more fine refined now.
What still is missing, is the generation of a MOD UI. :grin:

4 Likes
#6

Oh - how / where do I vote? I reviewed the Plugin Promotion process and all it says is “4.1 Community feedback must be positive”, but doesn’t clarify.

1 Like
#7

@jesse
@gianfranco
@acunha
@MOD_Ronny
@ricardocrudo
@x42

Hi guy’s

Now, after 12 day’s I wonder if it makes more sense to provide my developed plugs as commercial versions. No response from the MOD team for my pull request up to now, really points to disincorporating . :skull_and_crossbones:
Time, were potential testers been interested passed by.

Please note that I’m a supporter from day one, providing my work to (and for) the MOD al-time for free, guitarix plugs been a “number” on the MOD, I guess. But I really don’t know how to handle this beehive from the MOD team.
If you ain’t have a interest in my contribution, just let me know, and I’ll silently slip away.
If, you ain’t have a interest in a free plug, same here, let me know and I’ll stop contributions.
Least but not last, I’m willing to provide my work as “commercial”, if you prefer that.
But, what I’m not willing to accept is ignore my requests. Say yes or no or may be, but ignoring is the first step to death. :bathtub:

So, if some of the MOD team will provide me with the info for providing commercial plugs for the MOD store I’ll stop to push any free plug here and will push them to the commercial side of the strip.
Just let me know.

#8

@brummer we’re just overloaded trying to do too many things. The 1.6 launch is taking our full attention right now. I already asked @jesse to follow up with you on that. You should here from us soon.

#9

However, is a pity that I’m forced to lose my demands mastery in order to get a reaction at all. This, is the second time it happened to me, all good things been three.

Please provide me with the information for push commercial plugs to the MOD store!!
:see_no_evil::hear_no_evil::speak_no_evil:

#10

Hello @brummer,

I am not sure who you’ve emailed about this matter, but 2 quick comments:

  1. You will receive all details from us before the end of the day tomorrow
  2. If you ever have the feeling that a reply on any question takes too long, just get in touch with me via email and I will try to help.

Nobody at MOD is deliberately slow at responding or trying to be disrespecful. We are a very small team, constantly busy with a lot of projects.

So next time you get angry about us, email me. Your chances to be heard and helped quickly are a lot better than here with a Forum post :slight_smile:

3 Likes
#11

Hi @brummer,

I feel like repeating that we are very overloaded with tasks does not add much to the conversation since it has been mentioned quite a few times already, but unfortunately it is the truth of the matter.

Your work definitely deserves a lot of appreciation, and I would like to sincerely apologize for giving you a different impression. I will make sure that your new plugin is published to the community repository tomorrow!

If you have any suggestions on how we could improve this whole publishing process, please do let us know. I have also sent you a private message regarding this.

Good night from the Netherlands,
Jesse

3 Likes
#12

In the Fedora Packaging World™ some packages get pushed if they received a specific amount of karma points from users. Maybe the plugin developers could upload a testing version of their plugin (or update) and if 5 users send their Okay the plugin moves to stable. That would work for developers you trust and that can sign their files with pgp or whatever.

2 Likes
#13

What is the state with the Cream Machine?

1 Like
#14

I am waiting for a response from @brummer

We are willing to give him publishing rights to the Beta branch so that we stop being the bottleneck

1 Like
#15

I’ve been very interested in trying this one after the initial description and hype. @nils If nothing changes here I’ll probably get motivated to build and install it manually and will document the steps taken.

#16

Hello fellow mod duo users,

I am not a guitarist myself but I am interested in the technique and simulation.
I just want to thank @brummer for his work , but also the other plugin inventers whose spare time is precious when they write code for the community.
Sometimes we all forget to be thankful for what others have done for us because we might forget them in everyday life.
Your work is highly appreciated!

I just looked over at this site (theAmpList) to get more info about what @brummer (re)invented and recreated. There are a lot of amps that have the 12AX7 as preamp and EL34 as a power amp tube.
I found names like Blackstar HT Studio and Club, Bogner XTC and Ueberschall, Engl Retro Tube 50 and Invader, Hiwatt, Koch, Kustom, Laney, Line6 DT50, Marshall, Orange, PRS, Rivera,Schecter, Suhr and Traynor…

Besides the cab sim, what differentiates them from @brummer’s GxCreamMachine?
One guitarist I know has an Engl Retro Tube, another likes to play the sim of a Bogner Ueberschall. So how may I achieve such sounds or won’t it be possible with the GxCreamMachine? What alternatives do I have with amp simulations that are already there?

Greetings and God bless,
Marius

3 Likes
#17

I’ve reverted the pull request.
If the Cream Machine ever enter the MOD store, it will come as Commercial Plug.
Srry

2 Likes
#18

If you want to try out this plugin, you can follow the steps below. As advertised it does sound quite nice and uses very little CPU. Many thanks to the hard work of @brummer.

You’ll need to have the Mod Plugin Builder installed. I chose to use the Docker image, which is probably the easiest path to success for many users. These steps assume use of the Docker image.

  1. Create a text file called install_gxCreamMachine.sh and put this as contents:
#! /bin/bash

mkdir plugins/package/gxcreammachine

cat <<'EOF' > plugins/package/gxcreammachine/gxcreammachine.mk
######################################
#
# gxcreammachine
#
######################################

GXCREAMMACHINE_VERSION = b088bad1f660cc838f1d830f6e8e2202bff10f82
GXCREAMMACHINE_SITE = $(call github,brummer10,GxCreamMachine.lv2,$(GXCREAMMACHINE_VERSION))
GXCREAMMACHINE_BUNDLES = gx_CreamMachine.lv2

GXCREAMMACHINE_TARGET_MAKE = $(TARGET_MAKE_ENV) $(TARGET_CONFIGURE_OPTS) $(MAKE) SSE_CFLAGS="-O3 -mfpu=vfpv3" -C $(@D)

define GXCREAMMACHINE_BUILD_CMDS
        $(GXCREAMMACHINE_TARGET_MAKE) mod
endef

define GXCREAMMACHINE_INSTALL_TARGET_CMDS
        $(GXCREAMMACHINE_TARGET_MAKE) install DESTDIR=$(TARGET_DIR) INSTALL_DIR=/usr/lib/lv2
endef

$(eval $(generic-package))
EOF

./build gxcreammachine
  1. Running the script should result in the plugin builder fetching the source code and building the LV2.
    docker exec -i mpb /bin/bash < install_GxCreamMachine.sh
  2. If build succeeded, you should now have the .lv2 inside the container. Run this to install on your Duo:
# Copy the .lv2 from the Docker container since it isn't setup to network with the Duo
docker cp -a mpb:/home/builder/mod-workdir/plugins/gx_CreamMachine.lv2 .

# Transfer to Duo
tar cz gx_CreamMachine.lv2 | base64 | curl -F 'package=@-' http://192.168.51.1/sdk/install

GxCreamMachine should be available in your store. You might need to reload the web interface so that plugin filters and favorites are up-to-date.

8 Likes
#19

So now I have to figure out just what distribution and extra packages to install if I free up some HD/SSD space since I know it will be pain within win7.

Wiki and good hints… where art thou??
Just kidding.

Greetings and God bless, Marius

#20

@unbracketed: Thank you for your script - it worked great!

If anybody is not able to build this plugin, but wants to try it out - I can send you the built plugin in a zip file. You have to unzip it and send it to your MOD Duo like @unbracketed documented in his last step.

3 Likes