Acousmodules

SpatStruments

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MIDI/Controllers

Win32/Linux

Resources

SpatStruments series brings through a few plugins the essentials of what is offered by all Acousmodules: advanced integration of space with sound generation and processing in a lightweight format, compatible with most multichannel hosts and speaker devices.
Through their internal 24 channels architecture, they are optimized for common "immersive" formats, which includes a good number of domes and acousmoniums, and covers all the multichannel formats associated with cinemas like 7.1.4 up to 22.2. If needed, conversions to ambisonic or binaural are easily achieved with high-performance, free plugins such as those from IEM and SPARTA, or even to Atmos objects with Fiedler Audio Dolby Atmos Composer Essential. Of course, they may also be used in stereo... 

SpatStruments are ideal for creators who do not whish to get lost in the modular aspect and diversity of Regular Acousmodules, but who still want to explore every aspect of spatial sound with maximum freedom. And since each of them combine several tools inside a unified UI, with an important part dedicated to gestures, they can be particularly effective for live instrumental playing. 

Requirements (v2)

- Windows: 10 and more
- macOS: absolute minimum 10.15
- Linux: Wine + Yabridge is not supported
- screen resolution: minimum 1080p
- VST3 hosts with multichannel busses or which support multichannel routing: Ardour, Bidule, Cantabile, Carla, DaVinci Resolve, Element, Gig Performer, Max/Msp, MuLab, Nuendo, Pyramix, Reaper, Reflection, Studio One, Usine Hollyhock, VSTHost, Waveform 14
- VST3 hosts with only stereo busses, for SM24, PL32, GR24 and AL24: they can distribute the plugin's outputs on several stereo busses, they may need a special VSTi version (Ableton Live, Bitwig Studio, Cakewalk, FL Studio, Logic Pro, Samplitude).
- for SpatStrument SM24 a MPE controller that supports wide and sensitive three dimensional gestures (Sensel Morph, Erae 2)

 

Installation

There is currently no installer for the plugins and, if they are any, the presets, so you will have to put the files by hand in the correct destinations.
In both cases never change or extract their content, just put them as they are in the destination folder.
- Windows plugins: /Programs/Common Files/VST3/AcousModules/SpatStrumentXX.vst3
- Presets: User/Documents/VST3 Presets/AcousModules
- MacOS plugins: (user)/Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/VST3/Acousmodules/SpatStrumentXX.vst3
- Presets: user/Library/Audio/Presets/AcousModules

Conditions

Plugins for Windows are free, but any donation will be much appreciated! 

 Price: 100 €

Contact me for availability and payment details.
 

S p a t S t r u m e n t   S M 2 4
 

Synth & Sampler with MPE
 

Thanks to the expansion of MPE gesture controllers, the SpatStrument SM24 should make it possible to approach audio-spatial sculpting in a playful and creative way, whether it is done inside standardized broadcast formats or in the freedom of original open spaces creations.
Fortunately, it can also work in stereo with an ordinary keyboard with still enough features to play with sounds in innovative ways.
It associates sampling and synthesis with an original Spatial Shaper section where nearly all parameters can respond to multi-dimensional touch, of course if you have such device ... If it can work theoretically with every MPE controller, only a few of them have the needed sensitivity and space on the 3 axis to be really efficient :-(
Prefered controllers: Sensel Morph and Erae 2, also work with MusiKraken app on iOS and Android.

See also: MPESpat, MPESynth and MPESampler, all with 64 channels.

Characteristics:
- Spatial Modeling built around the spatial control possibilities offered by some MPE gesture controllers
- Spatial Shaper and Animator (Rings, Lines, Cube, Chaos) that can be combined and animated with different modulators and synchronized with sampling and synthesis parameters
- Input Live processing: play a hardware or software instrument through it to add spatialization and effects, together with additional filter and envelope; spatialize a track content with a MPE controller; use the audio input level to modulate sound and space parameters (Envelope Follower)
- Sampler: sample the Live Input or load a wav/aiff audio file; play it through a multimode filter with its ADSR and LFO; control the Start and Loop points of the 8 polyphony voices independantly with each finger...
- Synthesizer: 3 oscillators substractive principle with FM, Synchro and wide range modulations, multimode resonant filter, 4 envelopes, audio rate LFO (it may not be well suited to play scaled melodies!)
- Cross Modulation between sampling and synthesis sections
- Ring Modulation between the Live Input and the Sampler or the Synthesis
- Octo FX: 8 channels Delay/Resonator and Hall Reverberation (Windows)
- use MPE 5 dimension gestures (Attack and Release Velocity, X and Y position, Pressure) and the relative Center and Angle fingers position to modulate nearly every parameter
- ClockTrigger and VeloPad, for granular like effects (experimental...); they can send MIDI Notes to other devices if the host allows to
- integrated simple binauralizer for basic headphones monitoring (Windows) 

Known issues:
- although not designed for real-time loop point modulations, the sampling framework performs generally well... however clicks may appear
- the VeloPad cannot produce very fine grains
- Mac: graphic and operation are jerky; no reverb; no binauralizer
- Usine Hollyhock: the SpatStrument can be unreliable

S p a t S t r u m e n t   P L 3 2

Samples PLayer Polyphonic Layers
 

The SpatStrument PL32 can be considered as a sample player or a clip launcher.
It allows to play at a time up to 25 mono samples and 9 up to 18 channels ones. It is mainly designed for NOT being based on tempo or beat synchronization, and to give preferential treatment to sensible gestures, fluctuating and even random controls.
It doesn't have a spatialization section and effects, and it is intended to be used in tandem with the SpatStrument FX24/32.
Both sections, the Touch Player and the Mass Player, can be controlled by a regular MIDI keyboard, but they can benefit from more advanced control surfaces and 3D gesture controllers.

See also TouchPlayer 48, TouchSampler 60, RandomPlayer, and also ARQPlayer, BlockPlayer and StrisoSampler.

Characteristics:
Touch Player:
- 25 mono sample players, with direct output Wired patch to up to 32 outputs
- each player is polyphonic 5 voices allowing up to 125 sounds played simultaneously
- each mono file player can be triggered by a different MIDI note, with its amplitude controlled by Polyphonic Aftertouch, a selected CC or Velocity
- 10 octaves Pitch range
- Alternate Loop mode
- global control of Pitch and Loop points
- random variation of Pitch and Loop points
- VeloPad: trig the samples with mouse gestures or any XY pad
- Spatial Trigger: trig the samples and control their volume in a 3D gesture space, arbitrary or related to the sound's spatial position, works nicely with a Leap Motion or any other gesture controller and motion capture devices
Mass Player:
- 9 multichannel files players, with direct output connexions, or Linear spatialization spread up to 32 outputs (Windows)
- each file can have up to 18 channels, suitable for 3rd ambisonic encoded files...
- the 9 players can be organized as split and layers to be played polyphonically with a regular keyboard
- Random control of Loop and Pitch parameters
- automatic Layers mixing according to LFO, Random or MIDI controller
- Clock Trigger: pseudo-granular triggering
TouchPlayer and MassPlayer sections can be combined and played together.
Note: since more than 24 channels plugins is not supported in Nuendo and Studio One a special truncated version is provided.

Known issues:
- caution: RAM used can be very important with multichannel and long files and can result in instabilities!
- wired patch connections causes a little interruption in sound, don't change them during play
- Mac version: Spatial Trigger, VeloPad UI and sample triggering can be slow and jerky; MassPlayer works only in 18 channels direct output

SpatStrument PL32 - Part 1 : TouchPlayer (in French)
SpatStrument PL32 - Part 2 : MassPlayer

S p a t S t r u m e n t   G R 2 4

GRains and Gesture Recorder
 

SpatStrument GR24 is a versatile instrument dedicated to sample mangling and granular kind effects.
It can record or load a mono wav file and process it through two different but complementary tools: the Vaporizer and the Crumblizer.
The Crumblizer can produce extremely short shards to extremely dense textures through evolving rythmic cells, while the Vaporizer is more adapted to particle clouds and trajectories. All their multiple sounds are spatialized with the same powerfull 24 points Spatial Shaper and Animator as the other SpatStruments.
What distinguishes it more is its Gesturizer Pad and Gesture Sampler which gives a new level of spatial sound design.
The Gesturizer part is also available as a MIDI plugin in the MiniTools Collection.

See also on the same principles: KaleidoSampler, MultiKaleidoPlayer, KaleidoSynth, KaleidoMass, KaleidoTone, VaporSampler and AleaSampler in 64/128 channels.

Characteristics:
- record and play one mono file (no theoretical time limit but be reasonable ...), it is possible to switch between the loaded file and the recorded one during play
- dual sampler players with up to 128 polyphony voices / grains each
- Spatial Shaper: 16 points basic 2D and 3D shapes (Sphere, Lines, Planes, Chaos) can be transformed, combined and animated
- Import/Export spatial configuration parameters values with other SpatStruments
- Spatial Animator: Yaw/Pitch/Roll and Agitation, can be controlled with the Gesture Pad movements and the Crumblizer modulator
- Direct Mode: bypass the Spatial Shaper and sends the sound to 32 output channels, for instance to be processed with the SpatStrument FX24/32
- Crumblizer: generate up to 128 voices/sounds, each with its own Sample position, Pitch, Filter and Envelope values
- +/- 5 octaves Pitch range, Multimode Filter, Short/Long Release multiplicator option
- Trigger interval between "notes" can be more than 10 seconds up to audio rate
- the Spatial Modulator distributes the voices among the 16 spatialized points
- Fixed and Sample modes to link manually the Sample and the Spatial positions
- TrigModulator: modulate the Trigger Rate and also the Pitch and the Sample position
- OneShot mode to trig individual grains with variable length
- Vaporizer: generate up to 128 voices/sounds triggered by the Gesturizer movements
- Multimode Filter, 2 Envelope generators and LFO
- Random Pitch, Filter Freq, Release and LFO Rate
- Gesturizer: XY surface to play with the mouse, can be controlled with an external controller with added pressure
- Vaporizer: can control the Pitch, the Sample Position, the Filter and the LFO Rate; Crumblizer: can control the Sample position, the Trigger Rate and the Pitch; Spatial Shaper: can control the XYZ position, the Shapes and the Animators parameters
- Gesture Sampler: records a short 2D gesture and replay it with Speed, Loop and Shape variations
- Auxiliary ADSR and LFO for more modulations
- integrated simple binauralizer for basic headphones monitoring (Windows)
Note: since more than 24 channels plugins is not supported in Nuendo and Studio One a special truncated version is provided. 

Known issues:
- Vaporizer Loop Length can be not accurate
- MacOS: UI can be jerky; no Binauralizer

SptStrument GR24 : présentation générale (in French)

S p a t S t r u m e n t   A L 2 4

 Automations and Animated Loops
 

SpatStrument AL24 is a kind of spatial sound machine, which uses samples and synthesis to create animated textures.
The Spatial Animation section is based on the same Spatial Shaper that other SpatStruments, but is more developped with the Path Animator. It can generate continuous 3D movements and combine them with a 16 nodes graphic path.
The Synthesizer section consists in 32 substractive synthesizers modules that can follow subtle variations or present totally different sounds thanks to its Deviation and Random parameters.
You can also use the Direct outputs mode to send the 32 Synthesis voices to be processed with the SpatStrument FX24/32 or dynamically mixed and binauralized in SpatStrument VB32.
The Sample section looks rather simple, but like the Synthesis, its main parameters can be modulated according to the 16 spatialized voices, which can make evolving or rythmic patterns.

See also the 64 channels AnimaSpat, AnimaSampler, AnimaSynth, MassSynth, MultiSynth, SpatPath.

Characteristics:
Sampler:
- mono and octophonic files
- Split Record mode: use 8 frequency bands splitter to record an octophonic sample, can be saved as a 8 channels file to be opened later (Windows)
- 3 trigger modes: ClockTrigger (repeat), One Shot (constant), Keyboard (why not?)
- Multimode Filter with ADSR
- Amplitude ADSR
- LFO
- Spatial Modulations: use XYZ sound's positions to modulate separately the Pitch, the Filter Fequency and the Loop points
Synthesizer:
- 32 synthesizer modules with 2 Oscillators with FM, Multimode Filter with Resonance, ADSR, Trigger LFO (each parameter of the 32 synthesizers is independant)
- Deviation setting to distribute evenly all parameters values from channel 1 to 32
- Random generator, Separated parameters and Global
- Cross Modulation: the Sample outputs modulate the OSC2 frequencies!
- Spatial Modulations: use the X, Y, Z and Center sound's positions to modulate the main parameters
Spatial Shaper and Animator:
- 16 nodes Spatial Shaper
- basic shapes: Sphere and Ring, Lines, Grid and Chaos
- global control: XYZ Position and Yaw/Pitch/Roll orientation
- Trails:
- Path Animator: X, Y, Z independant or synchronized LFO's
- Path Editor: 16 nodes 3D path with variable exploration range and modes
- Agitation: variable rate random XYZ positions
- Pulsation: very low rate LFO
Direct mode:
- Synthesizer: the 32 lanes are sent to the 32 outputs 
- Sampler: use the 32 channels amplitudes modulations DynaMover

Known issues:
- MacOS: UI can be jerky;

SpatStrument AL24: An Animated Spatial Sound Textures Instrument

S p a t S t r u m e n t   F X 2 4 / 3 2

 Spatial MultiFX
 

Multichannel plugins are now rather common, and great series as MeldaProductions (64 channels) or highly specialized ones like SoundParticles or AudioBreewers can be very creative.
But the majority of them simply process the sound in parallel, with the same settings for the whole space. They are also logically focused on standard spatial formats, like spherical or cinema kinds, and are generally incapable to process more open ones.
On the other hand, since twenty years, the purpose of Acousmodules is to integrate sound and space design as tightly as possible and to allow to explore speaker spaces totally freely.
SpatStrument FX24 is based on Acousmodules's original Scatter series, which offers a simple way to handle hundreds of parameters values while modulating them intuitively and efficiently.
Its effects, connected in series, are rather classical - Pitch and Frequency Shifter, Delay, Multimode Filter, Reverberation - but their multichannels combinations brings new possibilities, even reduced in surround or stereo output ;-)
It can be used in Direct Channels Mode to process sounds coming from other plugins like the SpatStrument PL32 and A24, or, very interesting, to send to the SpatStrument VB24...
The Pitch section is available separated, in the same quality as the Mac version, as the MiniTools MiniPitch 32.
See also the 64 channels Scatterizer, ScatterPitch, ScatterVerb, ScatterGrain, Texturizer, ScatterSynth and ScattSampler.

Characteristics:
- 32 channels FFT Pitch/Frequency Shifter based on the beta framework from Elena Design, Pitch range up to +/- 2 octaves (simpler Pitch Shifter in Mac version)
- 32 channels Delay, up to 10" with Feedback
- 32 channels Multimode Filter (LowPass, HighPass, BandPass, Notch) with Resonance
- 32 channels Hall Reverberation from Time Domain modules (Freeverb in the Mac version)
- each 32 channels x 6 effects parameters (192!) can have different values but are easy and intuitive set thanks to the Global Matrix controllers
- can operate in 32 channels Direct Mode or in Spatialized Mode
- in Spatialized Mode the 32 channels effects chain is distributed on 16 points that can be arranged and animated in every space with up to 24 points
- multichannel soft limiter option when using feedback
- Periphonic Spatial Mode to simplify the use with common surround / immersive formats (Atmos, domes, acousmoniums...)
- Volumetric Spatial Mode for advanced spatial control and true 3D speakers arrangements
- Spatial Shaper: basic 2D and 3D shapes (Sphere, Lines, Planes, Chaos) can be transformed, combined and animated
- Import/Export spatial configuration parameters values with other SpatStruments
- each spatial points positions (X, Y, Z, Center) can be used to control the effects parameters!
- four global LFO Modulators and wired patch system to animate most effects and spatial parameters
Note: since more than 24 channels plugins are not supported in Nuendo and Studio One a special truncated version is provided. 

Known issues:
- wired patch connections causes a little interruption in sound
- the Pitch processor can be quite demanding on CPU during animations!
- MacOS: lower quality Pitch processor and Reverberation; no Frequency Shifting

General presentation (in French)

S p a t S t r u m e n t   V B 3 2

Virtual Reality and Binaural
 

The SpatStrument VB32 is by some aspect simpler to use than other SpatStruments since its input and output spaces are fixed: a one or two layers 32 channels grid for the inputs, and 8 points arranged in circle or cube for the outputs.
It is because its spatialization mode is quite "inverted". Instead of moving sources between output points, it is the output group which is moved inside the inputs space, like we will do in a 6DOF VR game... or in real spaces.
It can work very well for an octophonic production, but it is mainly intended to be used in binaural, either with the internal convolution module or an external processor.
The Cube output brings support for 360° immersion, but to be honest binaural is generally not so good with elevation and the 2D/Circle mode seems to be better most of the time...
It can be simply played with the mouse for the horizontal plane, or better with a 3D gesture controller.
Exemples of use:
- binaural mix with movements (or octophonic spatialization) of 32 mono tracks
- replacements of the spatialization section of the SpatStrument FX24/32
- interactive sound design with SpatStrument AL32 
See also SpaceXplorer plugins.

Characteristics:
- 32 inputs arranged in two spatial configurations: a 2D grid with 32 points, and a two layers 16 points grid
- input channels can be freeley connected to the grid's points
- two fixed layouts 8 channels outputs (Circle and Cube)
- Scale: change the output size from a point (mono) to the more distant points
- X/Y Move, with inertia setting for very smooth
- Yaw (2D and 3D) + Pitch and Roll (3D)
- variable size and shape Area
- in 3D mode Elevation Balance and distance
- Rotation, Agitation and Orientation animators
- octophonic reverberation, with variable sends levels according to X/Y/Center points' spatial position
- integrated convolution HRTF processor, can load custom HRTF files (given Kemar, KU100 and four Rooms)
Note: since more than 24 channels plugins are not supported in Nuendo and Studio One a special truncated version is provided. 

Known issues:
- MacOS: no HRTF convolution; no Reverberation

SpatStrument VB32 (general presentation in French)

S p a t S t r u m e n t   C 2 4

 Creative Converter
 

SpatStrument C24 can be used to spatialize/transform the spatial mass of a 24 points sound produced by other SpatStruments.
In both cases Input and Output are represented on a plane for 2D and most Periphonic spaces, or in 3D for Volumetric sounds and formats.
The transformation of spatial masses is carried out globally with a few simple controls: their position in three dimensions, their orientation (Yaw, Pitch, Roll, Fold) and their 3D Scale ratio, allowing them to be reduced to a line or even a point. If automated, these shapes movements can follow non linear organic animations thaks to the Delay and Glue parameters.
For difficult cases or to obtain more free spatial effects, the Fader Mode provides up to 64 outputs to connect to each 24 inputs, and adjust up to 4 output levels for each one.
Examples of uses:
- place individual sounds/channels coming from SpatStrument PL32 or mono tracks
- animate the internal space of a multichannel sounds and fields...
See also the 64 channels SpaceConverters and ScaleMass plugins.

Characteristics:
- 24 Inputs and Outputs, Periphonic and Volumetric
- 6DOF transformations: 3D shifting and orientation of the whole multichannel sound space
- Yaw/Pitch/Roll by object + global space Yaw
- object and space Folding
- multichannel Pitch and Amplitude follower to modulate separately the 24 inputs positions (X, Y, Z, Scale, Yaw) from the input signal (Windows only)
- Fader Mode: send and adjust the levels of 24 Inputs to up to 64 Outputs, can be combined with the Spatial Shaper view
- Mover: animate the space inside the sound by cycling its channels

Known issues:

S p a t S t r u m e n t   T 2 4

Tools and uTilities
 

Whatever the space is, however abstract it can be like with ambisonics coding and OBA, there is always one moment where arises the question "what channel goes to what speaker?", or simply when having a visual confirmation of what you hear can help to make good choices.
There is also the need for calibration and all these little level adjustments, and also, particularly important, the Bass Management, which can not only produce a good sound but also can help unify the entire space of a speaker system. Last but not least, some hosts actually cannot record the multichannel sound that you produce...
The SpatStrument T24 is an All-In-One tool to put at the end of the production path, generaly on the Master track, eventually after the decoding or rendering stage, just before the soundcard and the speakers.
At the difference of the other SpatStruments, it does not create sounds and spaces, but it can be used in a wide range of production and show situations. You will also find a downscaled version of the Peaks, Test and Router section as separated MiniTools.
If 24 channels is not enough and if you prefer modularity, see also the 64 channels SpacedTest, SpacedView, SpacedRoute-S, MultiLevel, SimpleBass and SimpleAnalyzer.

Characteristics:
- View: organize the visual space freely or according to spatial formats for easy test and analyze ; view the channels peaks levels according to their spatial position ; Import/Export visual format compatible with Acousmodules's Spaced series (.am3d)
- Test: generate calibrated test signals (pink and white noise, sine, triangle, ramp, pulse, continuous or iterative, sweep) according to their spatial position ; play them sequentialy ; use an audio file as test signal
- Bass Management: 24 channels crossover filters (20 to 200 Hz) with two separated LFE sends ; Crossover and LowCut up to 16 order!
- Analyze: simple frequency analyzer, easy select the channels and combine them according to their spatial position ; can view the Inputs or the Outputs (can be useful for Bass Management setting)
- Levels: 24 channels gain settings (-40 to +12 dB)
- Route: 24 x 24 outputs patch with presets Import/Export
- Input Recorder: for hosts which don't have this possibility, record the audio input (preferably short...) as a multichannel wav file according to the format you have selected, up to 24 channels, in 16, 24 or 32 bits
- reminder: all of this does not work or has no meaning in stereo only hosts...

Known issues:
- changing the Bass Management filters order while playing can generate loud pops, so don't do it!
- Audio Recorder: selecting less channels than previously keeps the same number recorded

 SpatStrument T24: the Swiss knife of multichannel tools...

D o w n l o a d s

D O C S  v1

SpatStrument SM24-EN (28/07/2023, still miss some parts)
SpatStrument PL32-FR (13/09/2023)
SpatStrument AL24
SpatStrument GR24-FR (22/09/2023)
SpatStrument FX24/32-FR (12/09/2023)
SpatStrument C24
SpatStrument VB32
SpatStrument T24-FR (13/09/2023)

SpatStruments v2 are not yet available, but you can still download and use v1 versions.

Additional Resources

Spatial Configuration files for T24 (08/10/2023)

HRTF files

 

Configuration files for:
IEM MultiEncoder, SPARTA ambiENC and Binauralizer, GRM-Tools SpaceMaster and SpaceVR
to process and encode the files produced with the SpatStruments in binaural or ambisonics

Hosts compatibilities summary

* Dolby Atmos conversion must be possible with Fiedler Audio Dolby Atmos Composer plugin (free!)
- in italics = not tested