                            Buffer Override


With Buffer Override, you can override your VST host application's audio 
processing buffer size & then (unsuccessfully) override that new buffer 
size to be a smaller buffer size.  You can think of these as the 
"super-buffer" & then its "sub-buffer."  Listen to what it does & you'll 
understand more what I'm talking about & what the point of it is.

Additionally, Buffer Override's buffer divisor value can be optionally 
controlled by MIDI notes & pitchbend messages (optionally because the 
value can still also be controlled by the parameter slider; & pitchbend 
messages are always interpretted relative to whatever the current state of 
things is, regardless of whether you are playing notes or not).

In Cubase, the way to make Buffer Override work with MIDI control is to 
first insert it as an effect & activate it.  Now it will be included as a 
MIDI device in Cubase's MIDI output devices list.  Select "dfx Buffer 
Override" as the output device for one of your MIDI tracks & now that MIDI 
track's output will be fed into Buffer Override & allow you to control 
Buffer Override with MIDI notes.  You can either do that with a 
prearranged MIDI track or live with a keyboard when that particular MIDI 
track is selected.

I am told that Fruity Loops, Nuendo, Buzz, & Orion know how to send MIDI 
to plugins as well, but I've never tried those out & therefore can't tell 
you how to set my plugins up in those programs.  SynthEdit makes no 
distinctions between synths & effects.



forced buffer size:

This is the size of Buffer Override's own buffer.  It is thrust upon the 
host with little regard for the real buffer size.


buffer divisor:

This number is divided into the forced buffer size, resulting in the 
mini-buffer size.


tempo sync:

This switches between the "free" forced buffer size control & the 
tempo-synced buffer size control.


tempo buffer:

The tempo buffer parameter lets you control Buffer Override's forced 
buffer size according to the tempo of your song instead of samples.  The 
values are in buffers per beat (note:  I mean per single beat, not per 
measure, so this is time signature independent).


tempo:

The tempo parameter is used to tell Buffer Override what the tempo of your 
song is.  This parameter defaults to "auto" which means that Buffer 
Override tries to get the tempo from the VST host application.  If you move 
the tempo slider up, you exit "auto" mode & can set the tempo manually.  
You can also click on the value & type your tempo in manually.

"Auto" tempo only works if the VST host application supports sending tempo 
information to VST plugins.  If the application can't do this, then the 
"auto" option will not appear in Buffer Override.


smoothing:

This parameter lets you decide how much of each mini-buffer is spent 
fading from the end of the previous mini-buffer to the beginning of the 
new one.


dry/wet mix:

This lets you adjust the balance of the input audio (unprocessed) & the 
output audio (processed).  100% is all processed.


pitchbend range:

This lets you adjust your MIDI pitchbend wheel's range in semitones.


MIDI mode:

Buffer Override has two modes for MIDI note control:  nudge & trigger.  In 
nudge mode, Buffer Override only pays attention to note-on messages.  
Whenever you play a note, the divisor changes to the proper value for the 
frequency that corresponds to the note played.  When you release the note, 
nothing changes.

In trigger mode, Buffer Override pays attention to note-off as well as 
note-on messages.  When you stop playing notes, the divisor parameter 
drops down to 0, which basically turns the effect off.  Buffer Override 
also stops responding to pitchbend messages when no notes are being 
played.  You can still change the divisor by adjusting the slider with 
your mouse, host automation, etc.



parameter adjustment tricks:  You can make fine adjustments by holding the 
shift key while adjusting a parameter with your mouse.  You can also reset 
a parameter to its default value by holding the ctrl key when clicking on it.



   important notes about compatibility:
Right now Cubase, Nuendo, SynthEdit, Fruity Loops, Orion, & Buzz are, to 
the best of my knowledge, the only VST hosts that support sending MIDI 
notes to non-synth audio-processing plugins.
In WaveLab versions earlier than 3.03c, Buffer Override will not load at 
all.  I am told that version 5 of Logic (due out January 2002) will 
support this kind of plugin.



            by Marc Poirier ~ destroyfx@smartelectronix.com
                               March  2001
 
                             Destroy FX #14
                   www.smartelectronix.com/~destroyfx

             comments, suggestions, & feedback are adored
