Messages

The MASTER control on The Pool's panel is misnamed: it is not a typical MASTER control (often a mechanical potentiometer) that attenuates the entire signal output from The Pool.

Instead, it is a VCA control located upstream of the effects unit. Its role is to reduce the overall signal that will be sent into the effect. A programming trick ensures that when the control is near 0, the WET and FX outputs are also set to zero.

As a result, the instrument's inherent noise becomes audible if you connect The Pool to high-gain inputs and use this MASTER control thinking it will attenuate the signal.

You should adjust the input levels on your equipment where The Pool is connected: set them to line level, or even use a PAD at -10dB if necessary.

The sound files you create and save are exclusively stored on the microSD card located at the back of the instrument. If you reorganize these files from your computer, it is not necessary to synchronize the SD cards as long as you have not modified the WT, SF, and LFO folders on the microSD.

If you do modify the WT, SF, or LFO folders, synchronization is required. In this case, it is recommended to use the "All Erase & Copy" function from CARDS SYNC in the System menu, page 2. This function is the most efficient. It formats the microSD of each voice card and copies the WT, SF, and LFO data from the source microSD.

This process takes just over 10 minutes. After 20 minutes, waiting longer will not change anything: if the "please wait" message with a spinning wheel does not disappear, turn off The Pool, wait a few seconds, and turn it back on.

For autotune, the same applies; it lasts 3 minutes, no more. After the audible end of the process, if the "please wait" message with a spinning wheel does not disappear, turn off The Pool, wait a few seconds, and turn it back on. Check if all the cards are correctly tuned, and if necessary, repeat the autotune process. It is very important not to touch anything (keyboard, buttons, etc.) during this procedure.

Versions 1.32 and later should resolve the issue of the "please wait" message not disappearing.

I've made great progress on microtonality. The results are very satisfying, as is the ergonomics. I don't use the sequencer encoders to modify intervals—it turned out to be a bad idea. After testing, it's not practical at all because many microtonal scales, once mapped to the keyboard, don't use all the semitones. This makes the relationship between the encoder position and the interval being modified very unintuitive.

Instead, I opted for a solution with a mapped keyboard representation on the screen: you select the key to modify or play it on the keyboard and adjust its interval (in cents or fractions) using one or two encoders. It's much more practical this way!

Microtonality is channel-specific information. So, it's possible to work with 4 different microtonalities simultaneously in MONO or MIDI mode.

The biggest challenge was ensuring coherence between the analog and digital parts: keeping an instrument "well-tuned" between the digital and analog domains was no easy task. But the result lives up to expectations: the analog part shows nearly the same precision as the digital one.

For now, I'm offering classic mappings from 2 to 36 intervals on the keyboard, with or without filling (to avoid silent notes). I can also add any other mappings you suggest into the code.

Phew!

Version 1.32

https://www.baloran.com/ThePool/Updates/ThePool_132.zip

All update instructions are included in the compressed file. After installation and thirty minutes after power-up, perform an autotune.

Changes :
 
- Adds a suboscillator to A2D synthesis. To access the parameters of this SUB Oscillator, from the basic A2D screen press the Next button or press the A2D button a second time. 

- Corrects the Bend curves of digital Oscillators. 

- Increases and corrects the modulation action on digital oscillators (below the TUNE button).

- Corrects the action of envelopes on LFO1 speed modulation.
 
The next version will include support for Scala files. The frequency control of the digital part had to be optimized for this

An infinite pad that's always evolving.
By adjusting the volume of Digit 2 in Mix 2, or by setting S&H in LFO 1 while increasing its speed, you get other evolutions. I love this pad, I use it while I'm installing the nuts on each front panel or testing the sequencer encoders.
It may be necessary to touch Master or VCA INIT1 or INIT2 to limit saturation in FX.

For MAC, please install 1.26 version 

https://forum.baloran.com/index.php?topic=599.0

Version 1.26

https://www.baloran.com/ThePool/Updates/ThePool_126.zip

All update instructions are included in the compressed file. After installation and thirty minutes after power-up, perform an autotune.

Changes :
 
All UNIX system files that are automatically created on the micro SD when using a Mac are ignored. These files previously caused severe malfunctions in The Pool.

A micro SD card in good condition is essential for The Pool to work properly. Simple corruption can cause incomprehensible, ilogical malfunctions. It's a good idea to have a spare micro SD on hand.

On the PC, it's simple.
- Take a new micro SD, 8, 16 or 32 GB if possible.
- If necessary, format it in FAT 32. I say if necessary, because this seems to be the default format for new micro SDs.
- Unzip the file SD LOT2 on the micro SD. This is how the contents of the micro SD should look.



On MAC, I imagine it's the same thing. Also, can any of you confirm this after doing the test?
 It's important not to launch the Card Synchro "All Erase and Copy" function until the micro SD has shown that it's working properly (reading and saving sounds).



 

Interesting question from a customer of The Pool

"I am not sure I understand the velocity sensitivity of The Pool. It seems that none of the presets are velocity sensitive. I have an Arturia KeyStep 37 and a NI Komplete Kontrol S61 connected to The Pool - both are velocity sensitive, but the presets of The Pool are always equally loud - regardless of how hard I press the keys. Now, I could - of course - use velocity to modulate the ENV1 and ENV2 of VCA1 and VCA2. Is that the idea... I mean to make The Pool velocity sensitive?
But then, if it works like this, I have the following issue...
First of all, to keep things simple, I MUTE VCA2. Then, I modulate ENV1 of VCA1 by setting  VELOCITY to 100. But as soon as I change VELOCITY from Off to 1 or 2, or 3, or 4 ... to 100, there is no sound anymore. No matter how hard or soft I press the keys, there is no sound. When I set the value for VELOCITY to -100 (so negative)... it works! A soft press give a loud sound, a hard press gives a soft sound.
Is this a bug, or do I simply not understand something?"

My Replys

"There's no default routing for velocity. It's a modulation source like any other, available in the modulation matrix. If I click the button below FREQ (filter frequency) and set a positive value in the VELOCITY modulation (bottom right), then the filter opening depends on velocity, and in the right direction
I thought I saw several presets with Velocity modulation active.   But I can't find them
For the volume to be effectively velocity-dependent on output, your solution is a good one. You need to set ENV1 to 40, for example, and the VELOCITY modulation to 100. If you set ENV to Zero, the addition of ENV plus VELOCITY will make it difficult to play at very low velocities, which will be inaudible. It's not as simple as classic routing, but so much more powerful. For example, you can morph velocity by putting positive on one side and negative on the other, at both PANs for example, but also at VCO1 VCO2 etc... You can even assign Velocity to the balance of VCF1 - VCF2 etc...."

"Can you make this test ?
(tested on my KEYSTEP 37)
Press INIT
Mute VCA 2
Set ENV1 to 77
Set VELOCITY to 60 in modulation of ENV1.
77 adapt the minimal level and modulation the dynamique of change "

"
I just did a little test.
I set FX LEVEL of the reverb to 50
MOD SRC = The Pool Card 1
NEXT NEXT NEXT
VELOCITY = 100
Velocity adjusts the reverb
"

I'm thinking about importing Scala microtonal files into The Pool. Initially via SD, perhaps also via Midi. The SCL file poses no problem, but mapping to "keyboard keys" is more of a pain.
Do you think it would be useful to link a .kbm file (with the same name) to the .scl file, or would a simple automatic mapping algorithm be sufficient? Do you have any ideas on the subject?     

  Cirklon uses the note on with a velocity of 0 which should be interpreted as a note off. This is authorized by the midi standard, I had forgotten it for The Pool. I still don't see the point in the Note Off, but that's how it is 

Waouou

But please, remove this protective film from the screen, the screen manufacturer doesn't put them on like the ones on our phones, it leaves lots of bubbles that I sometimes manage to smooth out, and the quality of the protection isn't very pleasant to the touch     

Ok, well received. I haven't Cirklon for test. With Ableton Live and Arturia Seq Keyboard,no problem. Cirklon is terrible Can you test if Cirklon send noteOn with velocity=0 for noteOff equivalent ?
USB Link is just for USB. Have you connect POOL Midi Out to  Cirklon MIDI IN ? And Without this link, problem is the same ?

 

Yes , it's on the planning but a little later

It's possible