KX WAVETRACER-HELP

General infos and license
Install infos
FAQ
KXWAVETRACER ?
Additve Synthesis ?
Easy
How can I create a saw waveform ?

General infos and License:

http://kx77free.free.fr

Email: kx77free@free.fr

To operate the Kx WaveTracer plug-in requires MicroSoft files called the "Visual C ++ Redistributable Package". These need to be installed only once on each PC that uses this plug-in.

Use of this VST3 plug-in with its VST2 wrapper feature (same file for VST2, only the extension name is different: .vst3 or .dll).
It is recommended for DAW which use the "Suspend VST3 plug-in processing when no audio signals are received" function.
If you prefer to use it as a VST3 plug-in you should disactivate this function if else the plug-in will be off when no audio signals are sent to its inputs!

Visual C ++ redistributable packages.
Just click on the link inside the VST folder to download the redistribuable package files from MicroSoft servers or cut
and paste the url to your web browser.
Link to get the 2015-2022 x64 version (check your already installed packages):
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/cpp/windows/latest-supported-vc-redist?view=msvc-170

Compatibility of old DAW sessions:
Even if this new version 5.00 stays 100% compatible with DAW sessions done with older x64 plug-ins,
it will be better to load your old sessions with this new version and after to save them with new names
because THESE ONES WILL BE NOT COMPATIBLE WITH OLDER PLUG-INS (if you decide to use them after)!

General features:

Name: Kx WaveTracer
File name: Kx WaveTracer.vst3 or dll (same file for VST2, built-in VST2 wrapper)
Author: Claudia Kalensky
Marque: KX77FREE
OS: All x64 Windows
Type: 3.6.8 VST3-VST2 (x64)
State: Release

Category : FX > Other

Built with Synthedit release: 1.4671 and KX77FREE's SEM modules specialy written in C++ for this plug-in:
oscillators, ring modulator, filter, adsr, distortion, delay, etc...

x86: 1.00 © 07-2007 -> KVR DC 2007 > http://www.kvraudio.com

x64:
3.00 © 03-2019
4.00 © 02-2020
5.00 © 05-2020
5.01 © 08-2020
5.02 © 11-2020
5.03 © 03-2021
5.04 © 08-2021
5.05 © 12-2021
5.06 © 09-2022
5.07 © 10-2022
5.08 © 10-2022
5.09 © 02-2023

Description:
FX VST GUI for Additive Synthesis waveform builder console program with an oscillator and frequency analyzers for monitoring.

WaveTracer:
Full parameters controls to make Additive Waveforms with no aliasing.
Easy to use and create analogue waveforms (relative or absolute levels).
Level and Phase parameters.
Up to 1600 harmonics for the bass frequencies (0 volts: 13.75hz).
Full 32 bit High Quality band limited lookup tables.
Gibbs function and more.
Same quality sound for all clock frequencies: 44.1 khz to 192 khz.
13.75 hz to 23200 hz or more (harmonic frequency limit).
independent WaveTracer engine: KxWaveTracer.exe.

02/2023 version 5.09:
SDK 10 2022 (no change) - SE 1.4692
- Update to last SE 1.4 engine.

10/2022 version 5.08:
SDK 10 2022 - SE 1.4671
- Regression to MSV 2015 compiler for Win 7 compatibility.
- Update to last SE 1.4 engine and its new dedicated SDK recently available.

10/2022 version 5.07:
SDK10 2022 - SE 1.4668 - MSV 2022 compiler
- Update to last SE 1.4 engine.

09/2022 version 5.06:
SDK 09 2022 - SE 1.4666
- Update to last SE 1.4 engine.
Fixed bug:
- Fix crash in Steinberg plugin validator.

12/2021 version 5.05:
SDK 12 2021 - SE 1.4641
- Update to last SE 1.4 engine.
- Oscillators: improvement of the S/N (< 130 dBFs).

08/2021 version 5.04:
SDK 08 2021 - SE 1.4613
Various improvements of sampling features:
- Improvement to determime the number of cylce before the loop end, less file duration and better results.
- Possibiliy to increase the duration of file by multipling the number of cylce before the loop end.
- Improvement of sample recording: one push on sampling button to fill the buffer following the number of cycle (in sec) and second push to save the file quickly and to listen the wav file buffer looped.
- Less buffer memory used (preview code was not good).
- Possibility to listen the wav buffer and oscillator signals in same time.
- Internal signal paths rewritten, now it's more easy to use and to understand.

03/2021 version 5.03:
SDK 03 2021 - SE 1.4593
- Update to last SE 1.4 engine.

11/2020 version 5.02:
SDK 11 2020 - SE 1.4550
- Update to last SE 1.4 engine.
- New VST3 Presets folder name: "kx77free"

08/2020 version 5.01:
SDK 08 2020 - SE 1.4524
- Update to last SE 1.4 engine.
- Midi input available.
- Main plug-in file provided with its VST2 extension "*.dll" to avoid the "Suspend VST3 plug-in processing when no audio signals are received" function of Cubase.
Fixed bug:
- Possible freeze of analysers during the change of FFT size.

05/2020 version 5.00:
SDK 04 2020 - SE 1.4462
- Update to last SE 1.4 engine.
- New internal preset manager.
- Possibility to load VST3 presets with VST2 plug-ins.

The new internal preset manager can load 4.x VST3 presets but it cannot load 4.x XML presets.
Now when you use this VST3 with its VST2 wrapper feature (.vst3 ->.dll), you can load also the VST3 presets.
This is why I provide only the VST3 presets to reduce the zip size.
So it is recommended to install them following the Readme text because the internal preset menu shows only the installed VST3 presets!

The 4.00 version stills available in the zip file: "Old-x64-ver-x14-dll-sem-Some-KX77FREE-sem-src-code.zip".
Use VST3 Hosts with 4.x VST3 to convert your old xml files to VST3 presets.
Some DAW like Cubase do not support VST with same ID, so in this case you must disable one plug-in following your choice.
Per example if you want to use the 4.00 version you need to change the .400 extension by .vst3 or .dll and to change also the extension .vst3 of the last version by .500 if you use a DAW which does not support VST with same ID.

Of course if you create a DAW session with 5.00 version, you will not able to load it with the older versions 4.x of the plug-in!
It is recommended to load your old sessions with the 5.00 version and after to save them with new names.
New Load and Save features work fine only with vstpreset and xmlpreset extensions (to do list), the new files are not compatible with older plug-ins!

02/2020 version 4:
SDK 10 2018 - SE 1.4283
- New waveform builder features to copy directly the main levels of 40 first harmonics detected by the audio inputs analyzer. The harmonics are detected with a threshold in dB and theirs tunes are indexed following the note played on the virtual keyboard.
- New sampling features to sample hardware oscillators or internal oscillator (additive waveforms).
The sample tune is based on the virtual keyboard, the input signal must be tuned with the oscillator (by listening, with the scopes and analyzers). By this way it is possible to find precisely the loop duration for each note sampled.
- Only one button to fill the wave buffer and after to record the wav file.
- Possibility to sample the KX oscillator output or the audio inputs (left or right input, current sample rate, mono, 16 bit pcm or 32 bit float).
- Auto zero crossing.
- Auto wav file duration based on one cycle (out of tune, eg: 48khz -> 440hz -> 109.0909 -> 109 spl) or on a number of cycles following the rounded tune frequency (tuned, eg: 440 hz = 440 cycles -> 440*109.0909...= 48000 spl).
- Auto loop, the loop is simply the duration from start to end file.
- Possibility to listen the looped wave buffer to record again if you forgot to tune your sampled instrument.
- 3 scopes added: input, sampling input, wave buffer. There is a little knob to adjust their visibility on the background.
- New skin.
Fixed bugs:
- Some harmonic groups were muted in Absolute mode.
- Analyzers: no refresh of frequency labels after a mode change (Log or Linear).

**********

Warning:
Caution ! , If you are a novice, don't work with a headphone and the volume at max
because electronic instruments can generate powerfull bass (<40 hz)
and very high frequencies (res at max).
The KX77FREE plugins are made for electronic experienced musicians
who pratice electronic sounds synthesis regularly.

KX77FREE License:
author of the vst plugins KX77FREE: Claudia Kalensky

The user downloads and uses the vst plugins KX77FREE at his own risk.
The author of the vst plugins KX77FREE (or all other provider with KX77FREE agreement* )
can not be responsible of material** or corporal damages (direct or indirect) caused
by the use of the vst plugins KX77FREE.
* like Mao magazines, the url to download the KX77FREE files (zip or setup.exe, wma) is
http://kx77free.free.fr. All other urls have not the author agreement!
** as any financial, personal or computer data loss.
It's recommended to save any important data before using the vst plugins KX77FREE.

The vst plugins KX77FREE in FREEWARE version are provided without warranty.
The user may not distribute the vst plugins KX77FREE in any way.
The user may not distribute, modify and use the files provided with the vst plugin (sem, dll, png, etc...) in any way.
The vst plugins KX77FREE are always distributed with the file ''Licence.pdf ''
which contains this licence.
Before downlading and using the vst plugins KX77FREE,
the user has read carrefuly this licence (1-Warning and 2-License) and he accept it.

The KxWaveTracer.exe Win64 program is an additional feature of this plug-in and you must use it only to calculate KX77FREE datas (*.kxw). If you want to use this program for another use, you must have the agreement of the author.

KX77FREE: © 2003-2023 by Claudia Kalensky. All Rights Reserved.

*All other copyrights and trademarks are the property of their respective owners:
SynthEdit: © 2003 by Jeff McClintock. All Rights Reserved.
VST and ASIO are trademarks of Steinberg Soft- und Hardware GmbH.

FAQ:

About x64 VST:

VST2 recommended for VSTHost:
The GUI editor of VSTHost 1.56 stays incompatible when the plug-ins are used in VST3 not in VST2.
VST3 GUI works fine only with VSTHost 1.54.

Fruity Loop:
Select "Use fixed size buffers" in the plug-in options to win 25% of CPU use!

Reaper:
If you listen audio "pops" when you edit something on Reaper with Asio4All.
To fix it > FX windows > Compatibility settings > "Save minimal undo steps".

Compatibility of old DAW sessions:
Even if this new version 5.00 stays 100% compatible with DAW sessions done with older x64 plug-ins,
it will be better to load your old sessions with this new version and after to save them with new names
because THESE ONES WILL BE NOT COMPATIBLE WITH OLDER PLUG-INS (if you decide to use them after)!

I did a lot of tests on Cubase 8.5.3 with all of my tracks done since I started to debug my x64 plug-ins.
In my sessions I use a lot of 32 bit reverbs and I notified some unstabilities of the Cubase VSTBridge with Windows Defender.
So I done all my last crash tests with Windows Defender off but with the Cubase VSTBridge on.

General infos and license
Install infos
FAQ
KXWAVETRACER ?
Additve Synthesis ?
Easy
How can I create a saw waveform ?

Install infos

1- Unzip the VST plug-in folder.

2- Copy the VST folder in "C:\Programs\Common files\VST2" or in your usual x64 VST2 folder.

In the case of the file extension is *.dll but you want to use the plug-in as VST3, simply change its extension to *.vst3
and copy the VST3 folder in "C:\Programs\Common files\VST3".

IMPORTANT:
Inside the zip, there is a folder named "WaveTracer", copy this one on the root of your disk C:.
The default paths are based on the C:\WaveTracer to simplify the main installation, by this way no need to set the KxWavetracer program in administrator mode to write the waveforms and also to avoid the users document folder with a specific name.

3- To operate the Kx WaveTracer plug-in requires MicroSoft files called the "Visual C ++ Redistributable Package". These need to be installed only once on each PC that uses this plug-in.

Visual C ++ redistributable packages.
Just click on the link inside the VST folder to download the redistribuable package files from MicroSoft servers or cut
and paste the url to your web browser.
Link to get the 2015-2022 x64 version (check your already installed packages):
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/cpp/windows/latest-supported-vc-redist?view=msvc-170

4- In "Users\"your account"\Documents\VST3 Presets\kx77free\"Kx WaveTracer",
you copy all *.vstpreset files provided with the VST3.

Now when you use this VST3 with its VST2 wrapper feature (.vst3 ->.dll), you can load also the VST3 presets.
This is why I provide also the VST3 presets because the internal preset menu shows only the installed VST3 presets!

5- Update the database of your DAW by scanning the plug-ins.

6- This plug-in is classified in FX, its category is Other.

Note:
"Common Files" is a protected Windows system folder. Your DAW must be in Administrator mode to save your presets inside.
If else you must save in your Document folder of your account or in out of protected Windows folders.

**********

Before to install it, it is important to read the following infos about the "data.kxw" path and the "KxWaveTracer.exe" paths:

The default paths are based on the C:\WaveTracer to simplify the main installation, by this way no need to set this program in administrator mode to write the waveforms and also to avoid the users document folder with a specific name.

The "data.kxw" file contains the parameters to build the waveforms and it is used by the plug-in oscillator to find the waveforms.

The default path of "data.kxw" file is:
"C:\WaveTracer\data.kxw".

The "KxWaveTracer.exe" is a 64 bit console program to render the waveforms, to calculate them it uses the "data.kxw" file.

The default path of KxWaveTracer.exe" file is:
"C:\WaveTracer\KxWaveTracer.exe".

These paths are saved in the plug-in presets.

To see the full Path, you must place the mouse pointer on the field.

The users who place the "WaveTracer" folder on another repertory must change the paths.
The new paths are saved in the plug-in presets!

YOU MUST NOT MODIFY THE INTERNAL FOLDER NAMES AND THE *.KXW NAMES.

**********

C:\WaveTracer

                          > KxWaveTracer.exe (64 bit exe to calculate the waveforms)
                          > KxWaveTracer.ini (built by the VST)
                          > data.kxw (the parameters for the KxWavetracer program, file built by the VST)
                          > Testini.txt
                           ( repetory of the waveforms )
                                        > osc-low
                                        (empty folder or draft waveforms)
                                        > osc-med
                                        (default folder, the *.KXW files must be here! Waveforms for all KX77FREE plug-ins)
                                        > osc-hi
                                      (empty folder or Hi quality waveforms for x86 Kx-Modulad plug-in only)

Why?

The choice of a fixed path is useful to load the waveforms like a classic synthesizer.

The waveforms are classified:
- the use : OSC
LFO is not available since the version x86 3.00 of Kx-Modulad, its LFO are based on band limited waveforms now...
- the quality of lookup table: Low, Med, Hi)
Med is the default setting for all KX77FREE plug-ins, the Hi setting is available only on x86 version of Kx-Modulad).
- 5 types of shape : Sine, Tri, Saw, Sqr, Free
- the number : 0 to 255

These flags create the name of the *. kxw file!

KxWaveTracer.exe?

On the root of the WaveTacer folder, you can see the KxWaveTracer program.
It's a win 64 program, when you push on the "render" selector, you call it and the calculation of the waveform can use more CPU into an independent process. This program is the solution to avoid any GUI freeze, Asio buffer drops or host overload.

Additve Synthesis?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fourier_series

To calculate the waveform, the kxwavetracer use the Simple Fourier series method.
It is based on the addition of sinusoidal waves (harmonics).
The level and the frequency of each harmonic are multiple of the fundamental frequency (note).

the first is the fundamental note : 1/1 (440, 1.0)
the second : 1 /2 (880, 0.5)
the third : 1/3 (1320, 0.333)
etc...

EG : to make a A3 waveform (440 hz) :
22000 hz (44.1 khz clock frequency/2) / 440 = 50 harmonics

EG : to make a A0 waveform (55 hz) :
22000 hz (44.1 khz clock frequency/2) / 55 = 400 harmonics

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nyquist-Shannon sampling_theorem

Normally the number of harmonic is infinite!
but we use a numeric technologie, we cannot use a frequency greater than the clock frequency divided by 2 (Nyquist frequency).

That 's why the KX-Oscillators use this method to calculate the waveform,
with this, it is very easy to control the harmonic number to avoid the numeric aliasing
when a waveform has harmonic frequencies greater than the Nyquist frequency.

After different tests, the limit frequency is set to 23200 hz.

The DSP code of the Kx-Oscillators is optimised for all clock frequencies:
44.1 khz to 192 khz....
That's why you will have exactly the same result at all clock frequencies:
13.75 hz to 14080 hz for the fundamental note and 23200 hz for the last harmonic!

You can change this limit but you must re-calculate all waveforms!

Note: this is the old SE analyzer, the dB indicator is wrong, it is not -60 dBfs but -120 dBfs !

So the number of harmonic is not infinite...We can see little oscillations around the high harmonics..

To avoid this we use the Gibbs function to smooth the waveform but the levels of high frequencies is lower than waveforms which do not use the Gibbs function.

To calculate a lfo waveform or an acoustic waveform use the Gibbs function.

I used a Sequential Circuits synthesizer for my tests...
And I created the "Att gibbs" function to make waveforms like these classic analogic waveforms.

Easy:

With the KxWaveTracer you do not need to adjust the level of all harmonics.
You adjust the level of the first harmonics and the program calculates all harmonic levels.

How can I create a saw waveform?

You cannot use 0.000 with the pow functions (Level and Gibbs),
the default value is 1.00.

In the section "Level Group1" > Set all harmonics to 1.00

Loop this group : "Loop level Grp nbr = 1"

The leds indicate the groups which are looped.
You can choose to loop the four groups but you must adjust the 40 levels...
To make a square or a triangle waveform, you must use 2 groups.

Adjust the name of the waveform > OSC MED SAW 255

In fact, the real name is:
..\KXDATAS\Kx-Modulad-Datas\osc-med\osc-saw-255.kxw

You can use the Display button to verify if the file exists!

THE NUMBER 0 TO 19 ARE PROTECTED FOR THE IF YOU MODIFY THOSE WAVEFORMS, OF COURSE, YOU MODIFY THE SOUND OF THE PRESETS! PLEASE BEFORE, YOU SHOULD DUPLICATE THE WAVEFORMS!

Save the waveform parameters into the Data.kxw file (used by the KxWaveTracer.exe)
> push on the Save Datas button

Render the waveform
> push on the Render button

Display the waveform
> push on the Display button

The level recommended is 5 vollts.
If the level is greater than 10 volt, the waveform colour is inverted.

To listen the waveform, you must select the waveform with an oscillator of the modular panel and play a note...
The Display button reloads all waveforms...

MED is the default quality for all KX77FREE plug-ins.

Low is useful to listen quickly the result but this mode is not recommended for the presets which use the sync between the two oscillators. And you should use the same quality if you use the sync between the two oscillators!

The F1 and the F2 parameters create an notch filter equivalent but these one affect all harmonic levels in a repetitive way. This is an experimental feature...

The parameter Low freq nbr harmonics controls the number of harmonics of the lowest notes and reduce theirs brightness.

Eg: 0 volts = 13.75 hz

23200 / 13.75= 1687 harmonics

-1 octave = 27.5 hz

23200 / 27.5 hz= 843 harmonics

Notes:
I will write another help, more complete but waiting the result of my work all parameters have help texts by holding the mouse on them.

THIS PLUG-IN IS AN FX VST3 OR FX VST2 WHEN ITS EXTENSION IS CHANGED TO *.DLL (VST3 with VST2 WRAPPER).

The FX audio inputs are used to analyze the audio signal with a frequency analyzer (red) superposed on the main frequency analyzer to check and to analyze an external audio signal from hardware or virtual instruments.

General infos and license
Install infos
FAQ
KXWAVETRACER ?
Additve Synthesis ?
Easy
How can I create a saw waveform ?