[linux-audio-dev] Additional LADSPA hints

[Steve Harris]

On Wed, Jan 15, 2003 at 07:48:48 +0100, David Olofson wrote:
> > AUDIO_RATE_CONTROL. Hints than an audio control should/could be
> > controlled by a high time res. slider or control data, but
> > shouldn't be connected to the next audio signal by default. I can't
> > think of any simple examples off hand, but combined with MOMENTARY
> > it could be used for sample accurate tempo tapping.
...
> Considering the sidechain deal, this *idea* seems useful - but 
> sidechains are *not* control ports, so this would still be the wrong 
> tool for that job, the way I understand it. Some other hint would 
> have to be used for that, and preferably one that's less specific 
> than "SIDECHAIN".

That sounds useful, but its a seperate issue. I cant think of a way of
generalising it... maybe OPTIONAL? i.e. this plugin will still do
something useful if this port isn't connected.
 
> > RANDOMISABLE. Hints that its useful/meaningful to randomise the
> > port if the user hits a button. This is useful for the steps of
> > control sequencers, reverbs, and just about anything that's
> > complex. Allows you to specify which controls can be randomised
> > without anything too supprising happening to the user (eg. sudden
> > +100dB gain would be unpleasent).
> 
> That sound cool, although I'm not a great fan of random control data 
> myself.
> 
> <rant>
> I'd rather record the "random" data, so I can edit it if needed, and 
> be sure that it'll always sound the same every time I play the song. 
> I get nervous otherwise! ;-) And I've had some bad experiences with 
> noise generators and resonant filters... In Audiality, I decided to 
> reset the NG before rendering each waveform, to guarantee that a 
> certain script always generates the exact same waveform.
> </rant>

What was suggested is that the host would provide a control and /if/ the
user clicked it it would randomise all the hinted control once. Its just
for when you run out of inspiration or are feeling brave ;)

If you were using host automation at the time I would expect it to record
the changes and play them back. Its not like a random input that varies
every block.

FWIW I agree with you on random data streams, they should be repeatable.
My "delayorama" plugin (well, not really mine, the idea was nicked from
Waves via Paul D. IIRC) has a random bias, but its seeded from a user
controlled value, so the the "random" bias will always be the same.

- Steve