Jasuto is very flexible in terms of synthesis techniques. You can achieve additive, subtractive, FM/PM/AM and even hard-sync synthesis all pretty easily.
Both the synth and all the parameters are in one object called a scene.
A scene is made up of nodes, these are the objects that do the processing and what you directly manipulate to make, modify or otherwise bend the sound.
Processing happens top-down. So the top of the scene is generally where you would have your oscillators, the middle is where you would apply your filters and effects, and the bottom is where you would output the sound.
Instead of using the traditional method of drawing wires manually to create the signal path, Jasuto does this a little differently. Basically each node has a controllable radius and range. The radius is used to set the physical size of the node and the range is used to set the receiving range of the inputs.
The default value for the range is 4x the radius, so a sending node X’s output signal would have to be within 4x the radius of the receiving node Y’s input to have any effect. The distance of the two nodes is mapped to a linear falloff of 0.0 to 1.0. So when node X is at the edge of node Y’s range its signal has no influence (0.0), but as X gradually gets closer to Y its signal has a greater influence until they are touching and at maximum (1.0). All wire connections are made dynamically and automatically using the range.
A node has several elements that you should be familiar with to effectively use Jasuto, these are in blue in the above image.
Each node is split into two sections, input and output (top and bottom respectively). The node will take the signals from the inputs (the top), process them in some way and output them to the bottom.
The input and output sections of the node can be divided further into several sections as well. These sections are called ports. Ports give you access to the different internal elements of the node.
Nodes have 0, 1, 3 input and/or output ports, and are represented by the dividing lines around the node and the little white dots. To control which port your signal gets sent into simply move the sending node until the wire is within the receiving ports section. Each port will mix all nodes connected to it.
To check the port names of the connection drag the two nodes away from the each other until the names pop out on the wire. You can also double click a node to edit its properties in a more traditional way. If you attach a “const” node or a constant to a port its display name will take on the receiving ports name.
Every port has 4 parameters that can be accessed in the node edit page by double clicking the node. You will see the input ports ordered left to right (the same order as the node on the screen), you can switch between the input and output sections by their respective buttons in the upper right corner.
Port parameters:
- The top parameter is the default value for the port and its name. This GUI element is a number slider, you can identify these by the boxes with the little notch in the upper right, hold their names in to see the current value, adjust their values by dragging left/right or up/down. If the port has no nodes connected then this is the value that is sent to be processed. If the port does have nodes connect then the default value is overridden, in this case you can hold down the slider to monitor the current value in realtime.
- The next parameter “gain” is what the input signals are scaled by before processing and clipping. This is useful if you have a lot of signals coming in and want to avoid clipping.
- The next parameter “singular” controls if the port allows multiple connections, by default most ports are set with singular on. If singular is on Jasuto will pick the closest node to the port, otherwise all the nodes that are in range will be connected and mixed. This is an example of a toggle GUI element, just click it to toggle its current value.
- The last parameter “active” controls whether this port will send/receive signals or not. You can still adjust the default value for the port. Jasuto will display a red dot over the port if it is inactive.
More on signals:
All signals in Jasuto are at full audio rate and processed with 32bit floating point numbers. Most ports clip their input signals to -1..1 after the gain has been applied, so its best to use the gain value to get your values down to a reasonable range. Ports that represent parameter values are clipped 0..1, so for instance the cutoff port on the low-pass node is clipped 0..1 while its signal input is clipped -1..1.
The compressor/limiter have an infinite range on their input signal ports so you can use them to help manage your signals and prevent clipping all together.
Because everything is done at audio rate you can modulate any of the ports with node output signals. This is nice for creating all kinds of crazy sounding stuff, but remember it will increase CPU load. To alleviate the CPU load you can use the “const” node or just change the default values in the node edit page.
Selections and Gestures:
- Single click and drag on an empty location on the screen to translate the camera.
- Single click and drag on a node to translate the node.
- Double click on an empty location to set the cursor.
- Double click on a node to open its editor.
- Double click and drag on an empty location to create a selection box.
- Pinch the screen (or mouse wheel) to zoom the camera in and out.
All the GUI elements including the nodes support multi-touch.
If you select a single node (or the first node in a box selection) it will display a signal scope along the wires for each input port. This is an useful for finding clipping. Signals that are most likely going to clip are rendered in red.
You can delete/copy/paste a single node or an entire selection by using the edit menu. Jasuto will paste whatever is in the clipboard at the current cursor location. If the selection size is greater than 1 node it will center all the objects around the cursor.
Motion:
This is one area where Jasuto shines. All motion plays at audio rate as well, so you can essentially create an oscillator with any of the nodes.
To create a simple LFO just select the node that you would like to automate, you’ll then notice a “Motion” menu that in the upper right of the screen. Click the menu to expand it, and you will see all the motion options for the current node. Click the record button and move the node around (recording will start after you move the node), when you’re finished click the stop button. The node should already be looping the animation for you.
Motion parameters:
- Trigger: this button will trigger the nodes motion if there is any.
- Record: this will start recording motion, hit stop to finish.
- Clear: this deletes any motion data for the node.
- Loop: enables/disables looping of the motion.
- Rate: this allows you to speed up or slow down the motion playback.
- XFade: amount of crossfading between endpoints. Using this to make smooth looping motion.
You can stop all the nodes with motion data by using the XPort (transport) menu at the bottom left of the screen. Clicking stop twice will reset all the nodes to the first frame.
You can synchronize the motion of nodes with a trigger. The midi keys and sequencer output a gate pulse that can be routed to the trigger (or you can make one with square/delta nodes). Use the range setting in the triggers edit page to control it’s influence radius.
This is an amazing tool! Good work!!!
Thank you.
Amazing. Just amazing. I am really looking forward to what comes from your talent. Keep it up. I found this from the iphone app.
djmaxwellhouse
http://www.myspace.com/blondeideamusic
Thanks for your great work! Found it through the De-Bug site.
http://www.de-bug.de/musiktechnik/archives/3306.html
A truly incredible and well thought out app for the iPhone. Most apps don’t really hit the mark and are a little too mickey mouse but this has nailed it down. Intelligent and slick. Well done, I look forward to the next releases
HUUUUGE. Can’t stop creating with it. I have the feeling to own a Buchla.
Spotted on french blog http://www.musikgear.com.
Thanks
Just downloaded and can’t stop experimenting with it. This is the best app I have found to date. thanks
Hey this is a wicked idea, and i love the execution.
Sadly I only have a gen 1 iPhone, and i keep getting the “underrun” box flashing up. I’ve restarted the iPhone, but it still happens. Any clues as to what’s up?
Preset H made a big grin appear on my face
Keep up the great work
The next major update will have a new DSP/Gfx engine, this will increase the overall speed of the app quite a bit..
Very interesting and will be extremely useful when you implement the ability to share patches. I see this could be great for constructing patches in transit that can then be used with the VST.
Jasuto does have RTAS plugin??
i use it everyday ! it’s a fun and clever tool !
I’m just diving into the iPhone app – the potential is HUGE! 8-D
I’m very looking forward to exploring the depths of the synth. (some new experience over my other modulars, be it hard or soft)
And all that on a little iPhone! Very much looking forward for the AU Version too.
Keep up the good work and I’ll let you know of my experiences.
Anyone has found a way to route a MIDI Keyboard into the iPhone yet?
This is by far the greatest app I have ever played with.
I have already used it as a sounddesign-tool for a moviejob.
A great sounding sound-engine you build there.
Merci & Danke
Chris
Any chance of a PDF version of the instructions.
Kind Regards
Christian
Great fun
Really enjoying this one!
Amazing design and workflow, you deserve a price man!
Rok on!
DOMATECH
Been diggin’ this program but I gotta say, I’ve been using this on macosx with Live and it’s definitely got a few bugs. I hope you keep working on it and improving the software. It’s great stuff!
I am running Jasuto on a 3GS, and I am constantly getting the “underrun” message, and the associated messed up audio. Any tips?
TheSignal
Rebooting the device is the first step, also use the reverb/accelerometer node sparingly. Version 2.0 deals with this issue in a much better way, which means practically no underruns.
Hey I am a beginner with this. Its on my iTouch but i need headphones. I have Dre Beats and it is so so loud almost blew my mind out my ass. Any chance of controlling volume in any way?
Great app, wish i could explore into it.
Wow..truly the best app I’ve seen yet. Can’t even begin to express my appreciation. Oh wait, I’ve just begun
Awesome work!
This app is exactly what I have been looking for for my iPhone. I have been trying to simplify my experimental music setup and with this app and I contact mic I can do it. Great fucking job sir!!!
Great guys! amazing.
very happy to have found the amazing jasuto for the ipod touch !!
a PDF version of the manual would be really very, very useful.
thanks
Wicked stuf. Luv the random factor and a good way to gety syntesis skills up to par. Would luv a tutorial!
Nah. this just isnt working for me. I can open ready made instrument and get a sound out of it. I can add a new node, eg tri and s&h. I can double click on them to open the parameters. But nothing connects to anything. I have a tri node about 1cm diameter and I slide the s&h all round it, on to it over it and no connecting wire is produced. I have tried /edit/wire and this doesnt do anything. There are no port dots on any node.
Is this a demo mode? Or have I been sold a pup? I can wire up Reaktor and MAX so I have got some brain!
answered it myself by looking at the forum. thanks. I hope to post some good news soon.
Chris – Jasuto Pro is really interesting, however! Please create some pages similar to these for the Pro version. The manual really doesn’t explain the basics of how the port parameters work, etc. and it’s been very difficult and unnecessarily frustrating to try to learn how the Pro version works from the basic Jasuto pages. They are obviously not the same! Thanks.
Same as ashleym.
Can you publish a quick start guide to making a sound – cos I can make lots of pretty circles, but it is unclear how to connect them and make a sound.
I want instant gratification dammit!
Your synth looks intriguing – I can’t believe you can run a modular in an iPhone!
Will you be implementing AudioCopy/AudioPaste? This would let me integrate it into my 100% mobile studio.
It’s in the latest update!
Hey Chris, Jasuto Pro is fascinating BUT, you really need to put together a coherent manual and/or tutorial series. I get the feeling that the users who are giving all the rave reviews are previous Jasuto users. The Basics, etc. pages that you’ve written for Jasuto are not quite the same as for Pro and I’m finding it difficult to understand how the port parameters, etc. operate. The manual starts out clearly enough and then quickly jumps into a lot of math without explaining the parameters and basic operation. All the updates and videos are appreciated but please sit down and write up a good manual for Jasuto Pro. Thanks. – Emile
It lacks a manual and creating custom nodes (formulas). And additional thing that would kick of Jasuto is being turining into a synt creator. For example, selecting variables that would be controllable just like any other sinth. I image tons of derivative products with that small change.
So how does AudioCopy gets to copy “something” in Jasuto? What is that can be coppied–the recording? What is the menue/procedures to use??
Thank you
p.s. Please change these “generic” (and always all the same) “numeric” imputs for delays, and all! Make knobs or something where we can see graphically the level of the slider/know without the need to touchscreen of a “gain” button and change its value just to see what it is!
is crashing at live 8.1.1
how about some proper documentation? the program seems to have changed & I can’t even figure out how to wire anything… this really doesn’t have to be so difficult to accomplish simple tasks…