ThumbJam Forum

I've created a violin instrument using sound samples from FreeSound.org (http://freesound.org/people/ldk1609/packs/3560/). I included all semitones for 3 octaves -- a lot, I know, but I wanted the best sound fidelity I could get, and the memory requirements of the instrument don't choke my iPad 2, so I'm fine with that.

But I have questions about the reverb options. My first attempt, using no reverb settings at all in the flotpatch, sounded very electronified, with the sound really piling up on itself as a note was extended (best way I can think of to describe it). I tinkered with the reverb settings int TJ's Effects panel, including turning reverb off entirely. Then I started experimenting with different settings in the flotpatch file. Which leads me to the instrument file as attached here.

The zip archive has three flotpatch files: one for "flat" where the reverb is specifically turned off; one with no reverb settings at all, so presumably the program defaults will kick in; and one with some explicit reverb settings (which I copied from some other instrument file). But when I play all three instruments in TJ, the reverb setting I choose in the Effects panel seems to override any settings in the flotpatch. Also, the reverb setting in the program seems to affect all instruments ... yes? so the individual flotpatch settings for different instruments wouldn't matter anyway?

or maybe ... do the flotpatch settings affect how the instrument is saved to a loop ... and then the program settings determine how the sound is captured when a session is recorded? I have noticed that sounds saved in loops are "flatter" than sounds recorded in sessions, which I think is the reverb at work.

Anyway, I'd appreciate any advice or suggestions on this. The instrument file is too big to post here, but it can be downloaded (along with my various other instrument files) at songs.rocketlaura.com/instrumentfiles.

Also, here's where I'm trying to build my own informal documentation for the things I've been doing in TJ (mostly instrument creation): http://dox.rocketlaura.com/thumbjam. It's open to public viewing; feel free to let me know if I've said anything really wrong there.

PS I'm also uploading various compositions to http://songs.rocketlaura.com , if anyone is interested (all made with TJ).

Reverb is a global effect in the currently released version, and it did not have a reverb send per loop before, leading to your confusion.

In the upcoming version, the existing loops now have their own reverb send levels (matching whatever the instrument reverb level was when they were recorded), so the patch's reverb level will be respected when you load it. Note that the room size parameter of reverb is still global, and I think the most recently loaded patch ends up setting that.

I'll take a listen to your instrument soon.

I'm wrapping my head around the reverb and look forward to seeing what new wonderfulness you're coming up with.

I'm seeing now that the reverb is applied during performance, but not when an instrument is saved as a loop (at least, not in the current version ... I'll wait and see what's new) ... but that recording a session records every sound the program is making, including the metronome if it's going and the reverb. I feel dumb that I didn't notice that before.