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Maxwell

Software Laser Synth / Abstract Generator · By BlueFang

Tips & Tricks

A topic by BlueFang created Sep 22, 2016 Views: 867 Replies: 7
Viewing posts 1 to 4
Developer

Post your tips & tricks here!

(2 edits)

Would this be the appropriate place to ask questions about Maxwell? Such as, is it possible to add high frequency color mod to the output image? Can you assign one of the oscillators to do Y-rotate? I haven't bought the software yet, but if those two functions are there I'm sold.

Developer

How high of a frequency do you desire for color mod?

Y-rotate has its own oscillator - which can be assigned a waveform type - sin,tri,square,line.

That depends on the resonant frequencies of the image(s) I guess. Up to the 5th or 6th harmonic at least, I'm thinking... and could you add low and high frequency cmod together at the same time?

I am loving this program. Kudos to you, this is really something you've got here. Anyway, I had a couple ideas for expanding the program to become more able and smooth that I have had.

1: I have no idea the way you have programmed this, so I have no idea how easy or hard this will be to program, but with all the parameters, when I'm performing while changing parameters as I go, I notice some are noticably choppy, like changing the scale maually, phase control, etc. I notice this happens with all parameters, which could be solved with some form of interpolation. This happans when I use the controls on the program, or on my midi controller, so it must be in the program. If interpolation of controls is not possible, maybe just a way to start the scaler from the high point of a wave, because the scaler is the biggest problem for me, and can look choppy, though it would be much nicer if all the controls were interpolated.

2: It would be really great if there was some way to align the phases of oscillators; LFOs, as well as the main oscillators, and to have a way to sync oscillator frequencies like on the rotators, LFO phase, and translator, so I can do stuff like translate my shape in a circle. Also, a way to reset the phase of on LFO to 0 with a button like you have on the main oscillators.

3: Faster oscillators in terms of the rotators, so I can get cool rotating images that become much more complex, since it can appear that the shape is much larger, when in actuality, it is being rotated quickly, so everytime the laser draws it, it is in a different place. This also applies to main oscillator phase mod, lfo phase, but not so much translator for me in particular.

4: Ramp waves. Ramp waves (sawtooth waves) would be a great addition to this program for other interesting effects, and even though the line oscillator function does many similar things, there are some things you just can't do with it that would be great.

Thank you for the great work you have done to create this amazing program Blue Fang, if it weren't for you, I would have significantly less fun, or have to pay thousands of dollars for a real analog abstract generator, and this, already, is as close as it gets to that. Thanks again.

-B

Hi - I'm trying to create simple laser 2D waveforms, sine and triangle waves, as one would on an oscilloscope. What would this patch look like using Maxwell? Many thanks, and again great job with the software.

I'd say on the x oscillator, use a line wave (which would simulate a sawtooth wave) and use your desired wave on the y-axis. if you don't want that line from the end of the draw back to the beginning, click 'blanking' by the built-in preview! Hope that helps.

Developer (1 edit)

As bgovetas has mentioned, it is quite easy to accomplish this using Maxwell.


Here are some more in-depth instructions:

  1. OSC X - set to linear mode and increase the "amplitude" control to max
  2. OSC Y - set to the waveform type you would like to achieve and adjust amplitude to desired height
  3. Draw Mode: Select "blanking" to blank the output once the end of the frame is reached when looping back to the beginning

Hints:

Adjusting the "phase mod" of OSC Y will modulate the phase over time (make the shape move) - The amount applied adjust the rate at which the phase modulates (speed of change)

Very basic FM waveforms can be generated by the following:

Set the phase-offset inter-frame modulation type to LFO 1 and adjust the LFO 1 frequency to somewhere in the range of 0-4 and adjust the phase modulation of LFO 1 to taste.

http://imgur.com/HXdWK8i