while(1)

A versatile looper / metronome for your logue-sdk compatible synthesizers. (C) hammondeggs 2019

Video Demo

This requires the 2.0 software installed on your synthesizer!

As always, these are to be used at your own risk!

A quick word...

I've been having a ton of fun creating these plugins. If you like stuff like this and my other work, by all means feel free to contribute whatever you can to help support this!

Ensure your synthesizer is capable of installing plugins using the 1.1 API (that is, they are running OS 2.0 or greater). Also ensure you have installed the latest KORG minilogue/prologue sound librarian. Now, before you do anything else, perform a full and complete backup of your synthesizer and save this to disk before continuing. See the sound librarian manual for instructions on how to do this if required. Next, select the USER DELAY FX tab on the librarian, and drag and drop the requisite file to an available slot in the librarian :

  • for minilogue xd users, please use while1.mnlgxdunit
  • for prologue users, please use while1.prlgunit.

About...

While(1) is a looper that is primarily designed for "live" playing with up to 6 seconds of stereo time available. It also incorporates a metronome so you can keep time with your loop once you start recording, supports 6 different time signatures, and can erase the effect with just a shake of the Depth knob.

usage

Three parameters are available:

Time : Adjust the loop length / metronome tempo. Note, this merely sets the "end point". This however can be useful for some interesting effects. Left for faster time (shorter loop), right for slower time (longer loop). The tempo is 'ticked out' as either a "1 2 3"... or a "1 and 2 and 3 and" and so-on - however when the tempo gets very slow, the metronome time will "double", but the second "1" will sound different. For instance for a 3/4 time signature with a fast tempo is just 1 2 3. Slow the temp down and it becomes 1-and-2-and-3-and. Slow it down even more, and it becomes 1-and-2-and-3-and-2-and-2-and-3. The metronome will automatically silence on the next go around once some audio of sufficient level is detected. (I may need to revisit this trigger threshold once I get a chance to try this with an external input on an NTS-1!) A maximum length of 6 seconds stereo is currently supported, with a minimum length of 25 milliseconds.

Depth : Adjusts the loop level / enables recording.

    From 0 to 50%: This is the playback level adjustment, from 0 to full.
    50.1% to 84.9% : A dead 'safe' zone where playback is at full volume but recording is off.
    85% to 100% : Enables recording immediately - this currently does not wait for the loop to begin to start recording, you may enable / disable recording at any time.

Depth also controls the "erase" function! If you wish to erase your loop, simply give the depth knob a little shake left and right a couple times. This does not have to swing the entire range of the knob, just shake it back and forth a little twice and you should hear the metronome again. You have to do this within about half a second to succeed.

Shift-Depth : Sets the time signature. There are 6 to choose from : 3/4, 4/4, 5/4, 7/4, 9/4, and 11/4. Cycle through the knob's entire range to select a time signature. Note, the metronome / playback (and recording, if enabled) will re-start when you change this.The time signature does not affect the loop length! Higher beat counts will require more ticks per loop and thus will sound "faster", and in terms of "beats", it is - however the actual loop 'time' remains the same.

Note, if you notice your metronome dissapearing unexpectedly, it's entirely possible the sound you were playing is still decaying. I may have to tweak the metronome still, if I set the threshold higher it helps this but then when you record a soft passage the metronome will still be there. I considered having the metronome "go away" after a few loops on its' own, but what if you just want a metronome to play along with? Like I said, it will likely be tweaked once my NTS-1 arrives!

Of course, your loops cannot be 'saved', they are not stored in the patch memory. Also, currently, there appears to be an issue with the base firmware, where if you have a loop, and you switch to a user mod effect, a chunk of the loop may get erased - even if the user mod effect does "nothing". However, if you already have a user mod effect selected, by all means feel free to begin to create and enjoy your loops!

Enjoy!

Download the zip here (contains both minilogue and prologue formats)