Device Details

Device Overview

Name/Version: Granulator II 2.0
Author: monolake  
Description: Granulator II is a Max4Live synthesizer based on the principle of quasi-synchronous granular synthesis. It creates a constant stream of short crossfading sections of the source sample, and the pitch, position and volume of each grain can be modulated in many ways to create a great variety of interesting sounds. Granulator II also offers two multimode filters in series to further shape the resulting timbre. Granulator II is the latest incarnation of a series of granular based synthesizers I wrote for my own usage since the additon of real time audio processing to Max in 1997.  

Device Details

Tags synth, sampler
Live Version Used: 9.0.1
Max Version Used: 6.1
Date Added: Mar 11 2013 13:15:06
Date Last Updated: Not updated yet
Device Type: midi_device
Download URL (report link) http://www.roberthenke.com/technology/granulator.html
License (more info): AttributionNonCommercial


Comments

Always completely in awe of anything by you, Herr Henke/Monolake. No idea yet how Granulator 1 works despite some hours tinkering with the circuits. Looking forward to this new one once I can get my head around the new Live/Max updates.

I'm sure that it's a wonderful synth but.. do I already have to upgrade to live 9 for getting new devices?? please give us some breath!!

I feel like something is wrong. I always have to use extreme limiter settings, or else granulator will always explode the output. If my limiter isn't on, the signal reads (positive) 'inf' in the mixer and clips to hell. I always get harsh clipped sounds and never any smooth subtle grain clouds. Or anything remotely quiet and gentle for that matter.

Am I just using it wrong? Every single preset did this. I turn the output volume all the way down, and my limiter has the lowest possible ceiling. I understand how granular synthesis works in theory. When I'm just looking at the device visually, no audio, I feel pretty comfortable with the controls.

I feel like I should be getting nice gentle grain sweeps through my audio file. But instead, I always get these harsh clipped square wave digital sounds.

Is something messed up? Was there a max update that broke this device? Or am I just overestimating my understanding of what's going on? I'll say it again, every single preset included in the pack needed a limiter, or else my output becomes positive infinity.

DISREGARD MY PREVIOUS COMMENT.
RESTART YOUR COMPUTER IF YOU EXPERIENCED WHAT I DESCRIBED ABOVE.

okay, dunno what happened. I got so frustrated that I stubbornly opened up the device after a shut down, expecting it to work.

Well it did. No more horrible cacophony and no need for a limiter. It behaves exactly as I would expect it to.

Another strange difference is that the 'mini-waveform' displayed above the LFO is now working correctly. Before, it seems like it only displayed the first half of the waveform. Eg, if I selected a "Tri" LFO, it displayed in the viewer like a rising ramp. Now it shows the full waveform.

There's likely some initialization/installation bug. If I remember correctly, I think I got an error or warning (in a Max console that popped up) when I first opened the device.

TLDR: If experiencing issues upon first loading Granulator II, RESTART. Dunno which did the trick, but try closing and opening Ableton, and if no dice, then your computer.

Can't wait to get started, seems like the most featured granular M4L I've come across so far! And IT'S FREE! (I'll make a small donation if I find myself using it often). Thank you Robert for this amazing device!

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