SpectMorph Tutorial

This tutorial contains a step-by-step guide to create morph sounds using the SpectMorph JACK client. When using the BEAST plugin, the steps are similar.

Starting the JACK client

The JACK client can be started like this:

• smjack

Connecting the inputs/outputs

Use qjackctl to connect the inputs/outputs. In the audio tab, connect the smjack audio_out port to your soundcard. In my case, thats the system playback_1 port and the system playback_2 port. Then, in the jack midi tab, connect the alsa_pcm midi input to smjack midi_in port. These steps can be automated from qjackctl (but thats beyond the scope of this tutorial).

Opening the morph plan

The morph plan is the description SpectMorph uses to control which sounds should be morphed and how. You can open the plan using the Edit button in the smjack window.

Loading the instrument index

Use the File -> Load Index menu item, navigate to the folder containing the instruments (if you don't have instruments, go to the download page and get some). Then, the smindex file can be loaded.

Add two sources

Use the Edit -> Add Operator -> Source menu item two times, to add two sources to the morph plan. Sources are morph plan operators that basically play one instrument sound. We're adding two source because we want to morph between two instruments.

Select instruments

Each source has a dropdown box to select an instrument. You can select the instrument there, for instance pick oboe for the first instrument and trumpet for the second instrument.

Add one LinearMorph operator

Use the Edit -> Add Operator -> Linear Morph menu item, to add a linear morph operator to the morph plan.

Configure the LinearMorph operator

Choose the Source #1 as "left source" in the dropdown box and Source #2 as "right source" in the dropdown box. You can also try to use the checkboxes, either using db Linear Morphing, or both: db Linear Morphing and LPC morphing later on.

Add and configure an output operator

Use the Edit -> Add Operator -> Output menu item, to add an output operator to the morph plan. Then configure Channel #1 to Linear #1.

Try it out

You should now be able to play sounds via midi keyboard (or other jack midi source), and drag the slider labeled Morphing (in the Linear #1 operator), to change smoothly from one instrument to another.

How your plan could look

Here is a screenshot of a complete plan. This one uses an LFO to change back and forth between two sounds automatically. With the experience from the steps above, it should be easy to recreate this plan. Operators can also be removed, moved or renamed using the left/right mouse button.

Exporting and loading on start

Morph plans can be exported from smjack using File -> Export.... For convenience, you can pass one argument to smjack on start, so that the plan will automatically be loaded, so you could start smjack like:

• smjack foo.smplan