Unfiltered Audio - Battalion (soft drum synth)

Are you using the DT to trigger sounds or are you just clocking it? if triggering sounds, how did you set that up?

iPad plugged via usb c to a usb dock.
The dock provide multiple usb port.
Zoom usb card plugged to the dock.
DT1 midi out plugged to the Zoom usb sound card.
DT1 Track 9 using midi 2
DT1 Track 10 using midi 3
This way :

  • I can trig with track 9 the first track on IPad
  • I can trig with track 10 the second track on IPad
  • I have not yet configured other channel but midi 2 to 9 are available
  • Unfortunately I have no idea if some CC are available this way.
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Something I’ve wondered about for a while:

When randomizing a patch, for instance, is it normal to have the plugin hang for ~5 seconds? It’s not a huge deal objectively, but somehow it bothers me quite a bit. (I know how, uhm, entitled that sounds :sweat_smile:)

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It has to flip a lot of coins

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And it starts by mining a bunch of bitcoins, to have any coins to flip. :wink:

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No, it’s instant here. iPad and inside Ableton.

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Depends on the machine you are running it.

Thank you! That was super helpful.

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Hello ! I’d like to use it for something more melodic, how can I respect a scale? Any tips? :v:

Channels 2-9 provide chromatic control via MIDI.

Can use something external to force another scale.

Manual here (it’s near the end):

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I’ve hit a limit… stupid Ableton only allows 128 parameters exposed per plugin. Ridiculous!

I’ve emailed the devs to ask if we can direct MIDI control implemented, with mapping in the plugin itself, like Microtonic has.

Fingers crossed!

EDIT best workaround I can think of so far - have 4 Battalions, 2 drums on each.

Keep the performance controls consistent CC’s etc so it all behaves as one plugin.

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Is there any way to be notified of version updates to Battalion for the vst? I try and keep an eye on the thread, but I’m always wondering if I’ve missed anything. I’d be happy to sign up for a newsletter or whatever you guys might publish.

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It isn’t really what you’re asking for and you probably know this but…

There’s a change log at the bottom of PIA Battalion page, accessed from the pull down close to the top

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Welcome to off-brand Battalion!

‘Batalyon’ available for slightly less than regular Battalion!

Just a little taster of my TouchOSC/Battalion integration. It’s going well. In the end I had to have 8 Battalions running separately, working together as one, because of the stupid 128 parameter-per-plugin Ableton limit… you need a lot more than that for Battalion!

In usage, shouldn’t notice, as I’ll be sequencing from Hapax. It does mean certain things will be harder.

Anyone know if kit-change via MIDI Program Change is on the cards? Would be very useful, especially for me as I could then at least change the kit of all 8 Battalions via PC.

Automation works perfectly! Hit REC on Hapax, wiggle a control on Ipad, then it will move on both the Mac plugin and on the Ipad layout! Very handy whilst jamming!

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I’m working on some less dramatic randomization options for a separate randomization page (like Performance). Right now, it’s randomizing a couple thousand parameters, and some DAWs really don’t like it. Which DAW are you on? We’ve had particular trouble with Reason.

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One question: Would having OSC mappings built-in be more useful? I know @amusesmile wants OSC in more of our plugins, although we need to find an OSC library that A) compiles for iOS, and B) has a license that permits usage on iOS.

If you want to spruce up the control interface, here are all of the SVG icons used in Battalion: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/1tnntmcmhtwwq87x0f1qa/BattalionIcons.zip?rlkey=1qij6fdro31bg68dom3hdcmww&dl=0

We’ve started to be more active with using our mailing list on our website. We will post there for major updates. Currently, the public beta page is the best place to check: Beta – Unfiltered Audio

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That’d be amazing, and would solve some problems for me, as my OSC controls count towards the Ableton 128 plugin-parameter limit. So that’d reduce it by quite a lot.

How come? Surely TouchOSC or other would handle the Ipad side of things?

Wouldn’t it just be a case of receiving and mapping the OSC in Battalion Desktop?

Wow… that is amazingly good of you to offer that, much appreciated! Only problem… TouchOSC still doesn’t allow graphics… time to get hassling the TouchOSC devs :smile:

There are 2 main things I’d love to see next in Battalion:

  1. Program Change for Kits. Maybe a USER folder and then 128 slots for PC?

  2. Bit complicated this one so bear with me:

MIDI/OSC mapping of the 8 little modulation buttons on the voice pages (make these available to the DAW as configurable parameters).

Then, when a button is pressed, and for instance, the CC arrives which controls the Cutoff knob, that CC will instead set the modulation amount for the Cutoff knob.

This keeps it simple. It will then work exactly like the mouse does. Move a knob, press a modulation button, move same knob to set the modulation.

The way it works currently, there are separate parameters available to the DAW for all the 8 modulations of every knob! It’s an astonishingly detailed! And I’d normally be all over that… I just think in this instance (and because of the 128 parameter limit) it would be better to have the modulation buttons mappable and have incoming CCs react accordingly.

I genuinely think Battalion is amazing. It’s well worth getting these things right. Look how long Microtonic has lasted, still relevant today! And Battalion is next-level!

Lastly, thanks very much for making it, and for actively listening to users!

One more tiny thing:

In my opinion, OSC isn’t a good substitute for MIDI or vice-versa… they have different strengths and weaknesses.

Eg, OSC is far higher resolution… is this better? Or worse?

Better for fine-tuning and tweaking a parameter precisely. But it stresses the DAW if too many arrive at once. Say you have 16 sends and you want to reset them to zero at the same time… do it live (whilst playing) with OSC and many DAWs will hiccup.

So MIDI is often better for live ‘wiggling’, multi-parameter tweaking, LFOing, automating etc.

Plus MIDI plays with and interfaces with loads of gear. Is there are hardware sequencer which handles OSC? Not that I know of.

The way I’ve approached mapping Battalion is using a mixture of both… because of the above, and certain limits my rig imposes (like I can only spare 2 MIDI channels for Battalion, so 240CCs maximum).

So I had to have Envelope 1 + LFO 1 controlled by MIDI, and Envelope 2 + LFO 2 controlled by OSC. Gives me one envelope and LFO I can automate and send MIDI CC lfos to, and one envelope and LFO I can set very precisely via OSC.

Basically, I’d like the option for MIDI and OSC… because I’m a greedy bastard and I can never have enough options :joy:

Over here I’d really just love a “clear pattern” button.

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Enough with your outrageous demands! :rofl: