Some feature requests - Mask1
jbowman | Posted on Sat 07 Oct 2023, 09:39 AM First of all let me say that after owning the Mask1 for two weeks I am loving exploring this amazing instrument. The length of what follows is in no way a negative comment against the instrument in its current form, but in an ideal world this would be my wishlist of requests / suggestions for improvements: 1. There should be a way to have each key press play a different mask at random. You can get a similar effect by setting velocity to modulate Mask, but it is not quite random enough. 2. The curve to fade in the delay on the LFO should be more gradual, at the moment it sounds more like a pause and then the LFO comes in too abruptly. 3. It sounds like the oscillators are free running. It would be good to have the option to switch this to being initialised on key press - some of the Masks in lower register give a rhythmic character and it would be useful to be able to sync with key press. 4. Quality of life improvement - allow longer patch names and allow numbers in patch names. 5. Maximum release time on filter envelope needs to be longer - long enough so the filter release can outlast the oscillator envelope release time. 6. Minimum speed on the LFO needs to be much slower (to allow for slow filter sweeps - when using sine wave with large amount, the travel is fast even on Spd 1). 7. At the moment the oscillators phase a bit like VCOs it would be nice to have the option to have a completely digital feel for the oscillators (no drift, absolutely stable pitch etc.) 8. Could there be an option to use Mask as LFO wave? 9. Could maximum LFO speed increase to audio rate and have keyboard tracking? (then combined with point 8 you could get FM between the oscillators...) 10. Could pitch bend wheel be allowed to modify parameters other than pitch? 11. Can resolution of parameter ranges 1-16 (or 0-15) be increased to 1-32 (or 0-31)? 12. Looping delta envelopes (I know others have requested). 13. Allow option for Osc 1 / Osc 2 / noise to bypass the filter. 14. Allow LFOs and Mod sources to target more than one destination (with different amounts). 15. Allow option for LFO to be key synced. 16. Allow editing of both voices in layer / split mode. 17. Allow saving of a looper sequence with a voice. |
Audiounity | Posted on Wed 11 Oct 2023, 12:16 AM Just got my Mask1 and played with it for three hours. The presets were cool but my eyebrows really raised when I started making my own sounds from scratch. I just want to second some of the feature requests that I too encountered in playing the synth. All the points of having a longer length of time available (for delay fade in, slower LFO, slower release on filter, etc.) would be a great addition. This machine is a pad monster, the slower longer times will help maximize that potential. I would like the option to bypass or send a certain amount to the filter from each source. Also if there was just a rudimentary low cut parameter to get rid of some lows (without having to use the HP filter) would be great as the thing is capable of an insane amount of bass. Also getting a higher gradation to some of the parameters would really help dial in more subtle values. An number 14 as well! All the previous posts additions would be great but I just wanted to second some that stood out for me. |
Avi F | Posted on Sat 23 Dec 2023, 12:50 AM Love the idea of number 8 - mask as lfo wave. !!I actually just thought when playing the arpeggiator, a gate control might be nice, to make arp notes more short/staccato. |
| jbowman | Posted on Sat 30 Dec 2023, 01:37 PM After nearly three more months of using the Mask1 extensively, every day when possible, I have a few more requests:18. Could the looper be expanded to allow a step sequencer, with the bpm controlled by the Arp tempo (or MIDI, if connected)? Step sequencer mode could be activated by a long press on the record button. 19. I touched on this already with point 2. (and Audiounity has mentioned this also), but the delay and decay features on the LFO are potentially really useful features, but to unlock them there needs to be longer maximum time settings for both plus more gradations. 20. Velocity destination to Vol for each of the oscillators and noise separately would be useful for expressive layered sounds without having to layer patches. |
| jbowman | Posted on Mon 15 Jan 2024, 11:19 AM 21. It would be useful to have a delay function on the oscillators (possibly also on filter and noise), the same way as there is on the LFOs - combined with the looping envelopes that would help with slowly evolving sounds. |
Petit professeur | Posted on Tue 23 Jan 2024, 11:01 PM For the -1, maybe it would be great using a LFO at zero speed to have this random effect, as in an Arp Odyssey when you use S&H triggered by keyboard. |
| Petit professeur | Posted on Tue 23 Jan 2024, 11:08 PM And even if there is no more new features or updates, I own the Mask since April 2023, it’s still a joy to play. It’s such an inspiring instrument 😍👍 |
| jbowman | Posted on Thu 25 Jan 2024, 08:18 PM For the -1, maybe it would be great using a LFO at zero speed to have this random effect, as in an Arp Odyssey when you use S&H triggered by keyboard. Yes, this is how the Argon8 does it, just for another example And even if there is no more new features or updates, I own the Mask since April 2023, it’s still a joy to play. It’s such an inspiring instrument 😍👍 Agree! |
| jbowman | Posted on Thu 25 Jan 2024, 08:19 PM 22. One I have been thinking about for a while now - I do find the Compare button very useful but I mainly use it for cutting reverb tails when I am recording different takes. However, if the Compare button is capable of storing two different sets of settings for a patch, would it be possible to use this as a modulation destination via LFO, modwheel, velocity, aftertouch etc.? |
| Audiounity | Posted on Sun 28 Jan 2024, 12:16 AM Compare morph sounds really interesting. Also step sequencer sounds cool as well. |
| Audiounity | Posted on Sun 28 Jan 2024, 08:58 AM I think I just figured out my number one request. This thing gets into M and Microwave territory sometimes. I would absolutely love the multi 8 stage envelopes to scan the masks... This would put the Mask1 into some serious wavetable like possibilities that would make sound design exponentially more endless. |
KODAMO | Posted on Sun 28 Jan 2024, 11:14 PM Thanks for the requests. We added some of them in the upcoming firmware, stay tuned! |
| Audiounity | Posted on Mon 29 Jan 2024, 01:51 AM Awesome! Look forward to seeing what you all have cooked up for us! Thank so much! |
AndH123 | Posted on Sun 04 Feb 2024, 09:50 AM "16. Allow editing of both voices in layer / split mode."This is something I have been thinking about a lot as well recently. Would do wonders for my workflow! |
| AndH123 | Posted on Wed 14 Feb 2024, 11:38 PM Does anyone know if the second filter will be able to be run in either series or parallel? Parallel filtering on the Masks could be a massively cool thing. I've tried it a bit with mixer sends and some of my analog filters. |
| jbowman | Posted on Sat 24 Feb 2024, 10:13 AM Still loving this synth, here are some more wishlist items after another month of using it exclusively:23. Tempo on the Arp needs to allow odd numbers for the bpm. 24. Arp should allow choice of time divisions (e.g. 1/4, 1/8, 1/16, plus dotted rhythms etc.) 25. LFO time options should include the option to sync to looping envelopes. 26. (If we do get looping delta envelopes) it would be good to have the option to sync these to the looping ADSR envelopes. 27. Copy and paste all settings from one Osc to another - hold the Osc button for three seconds, it starts flashing, press the other Osc button, then both Osc have identical settings. You could do the same for the LFOs. 28. Could we have a looping delta envelope for noise frequency? 29. If smooth interpolation between Mask shapes were possible, it would be nice to have the option to choose whether to have smooth interpolation or abrupt changes, on a per voice basis. |
| jbowman | Posted on Sat 24 Feb 2024, 10:40 AM Sorry, last one for today which I forgot about but just came back to me now:30. The option to tempo sync (to the arp tempo if there is no external midi clock) would be useful for the time elements of the chorus and ring mod FX, as well as the delays. |
| AndH123 | Posted on Sun 25 Feb 2024, 03:20 AM @jbowman those are all GREAT ideas |
| KODAMO | Posted on Fri 01 Mar 2024, 03:32 PM Loops on delta envelopes are implemented, and you will be able to choose between a normal loop or a ping-pong one.We're only a few days from release now 😉 |
| Petit professeur | Posted on Fri 01 Mar 2024, 11:00 PM Can’t wait😍😍😍👍 |
| jbowman | Posted on Sun 03 Mar 2024, 01:36 PM I appreciate it's too late for the upcoming firmware, but a few more requests:31. Would appreciate more voice slots as I have filled up the 400. 32. Would be nice to have some options for the display, e.g. scroll speed, whether the display jumps from patch number to patch name or scrolls (jumping would be faster to see the name), etc. 33. Could the voice download which gives you the spreadsheet set out ALL of the parameters of the patch. |
| Avi F | Posted on Tue 05 Mar 2024, 02:32 AM Fantastic update! Process was flawless for me. Really like having the 2nd filter, and more cc control and more preset slots is of course, just awesome. Thanks! Haven't played with the new masks and delta loops yet but did get a chance to test them out w/my oscilloscope. Lot of nice variety of pulse sounds indeed. The lfo lights flashing with the rates, is a nice touch |
| KODAMO | Posted on Tue 05 Mar 2024, 10:28 PM Glad you like it. For people who find the LFO lights distracting, you can disable them in Global ("ANIM" parameter) |
| jbowman | Posted on Mon 15 Apr 2024, 10:42 PM A few more requests for this amazing instrument:34. For drones - could you add a latch feature to each of the envelopes - if you scroll past the maximum value 15 in release for each envelope there could be a value 16 which is latch, or you could add a latch menu item after loop. 35. Would be good to be able to target filter resonance, filter mode, filter tracking, filter extra, with the LFOs. 36. Would be goood to be able to pan each patch, to allow output of a stereo mix of the four parts which can be controlled (I know this is an option with layered and split voices, but not with single voice patches as far as I can see?) |
| Avi F | Posted on Sun 21 Apr 2024, 05:53 PM I just thought what if a feature could be added to assign either an lfo or matrix destination to osc env a, d, s, or r amounts |
| jbowman | Posted on Sun 21 Apr 2024, 06:41 PM Yes I agree with that - I have often thought that when running an LFO on Arps, for example. |
| jbowman | Posted on Sun 28 Apr 2024, 11:01 PM 37. Show saved value by a dash at the left hand side of the display when you are changing values and are resting on the currently saved value. Even better - show whether the saved value is higher, lower or equal to the current value - you could use a dash in the upper, middle or lower segment of the left hand digit of the display to do so. |
| jbowman | Posted on Thu 02 May 2024, 09:35 PM 38. As of the March firmware update, the delay feature on the LFOs works much better. However, the decay feature needs some tweaking so that whatever time you dial-in on decay is cumulative with the delay. At the moment, if you have delay on 15 and decay on 15 you barely hear the LFO effect because it fades out too quickly. |
| jbowman | Posted on Sun 05 May 2024, 06:39 PM Still love using this synth!39. There should be a shortcut for increasing or decreasing the SEMI of the oscillator by 12 when scanning through the masks (to avoid having to switch parameter setting from MASK to SEMI and then having to increase / decrease by 12). I would suggest that as a shortcut, when you are resting on the MASK parameter in Osc1 or Osc2, holding < < and pressing > >, or holding < < and turning the value knob one indent clockwise, would increase SEMI by 12, and holding < < and turning the value knob one indent counterclockwise, would decrease SEMI by 12. 40. Add an LFO and a looping envelope to the end of the MOD section, able to modulate any of the destinations available for modulation by velocity, modwheel and aftertouch. |
| jbowman | Posted on Mon 08 Jul 2024, 04:00 PM I am digging into the looping envelopes, and have a few feature requests based on this:41. There should be an option for Speed on the Mask delta envelopes to be keyboard tracked. 42. There should be an option to invert the LFO shapes (I am thinking particularly of square and sine) - I want to use the LFOs to modulate the volume on Osc1 and Osc2 such that you alternate between hearing only one oscillator at a time (i.e. abrupt switch between them, with square) or they smoothly fade in and out of each other (with sine). 43. There should be an option to tempo-sync Mask delta envelopes. In an ideal world we should be able to tempo-sync the LFOs, delta envelopes and ADSR envelopes - that would really open up some new sonic territory and make these amazing looping envelopes even more useful. 44. Delay and decay functions on the Mask delta envelopes would be great. 45. When using external controllers to change parameters - there should be an option for the display to jump to the parameter you are changing so it quickly flashes the parameter name and then shows the value - I am experimenting using the knob mode with my EssenceFM, but it's easy to get lost between the knobs and the LED display. 46. The more I use it, the more the Rate feature in General seems like a great tool. However, some of the changes in rate seem rather abrupt from one key to another - it feels like there are groups of keys which have the same rate, but then there is a big jump when you play the next key up or down from that group. That behaviour probably works well in some settings, but it would be useful to have a smooth transition in rates across the whole range of the keyboard, if that could be an additional option. 47. It would be interesting to have some more options for the looping envelopes - in addition to straight loop and bidirectional, random (which just plays random Masks between the current Mask and the Start point at the Speed you have selected) and "Alternator" (which just flips between current Mask and the Start point at the Speed you have selected like the modulator on the EssenceFM), would be useful. I appreciate these are similar to the LFOs, but the difference is with the delta envelope you have the ability to set the start and end points and more control over the speed, so the design can be a bit more intentional. |
| Avi F | Posted on Sun 28 Jul 2024, 05:56 PM great ideas I would like those as well. Heres one i thought of, not sure if mask1 chips can handle it, but, how about cc parameter recording into the loop function during loop playback [using a cc control surface like faderfox or midi fighter, etc]? |
| KODAMO | Posted on Tue 30 Jul 2024, 12:39 PM It is possible but not always desirable since parameter recording prevents you from manipulating this parameter in real time when playing the sequence back. Or maybe we could record parameters, and disable it when the user tries to manipulate it. |
| jbowman | Posted on Sat 10 Aug 2024, 10:24 PM Still loving this amazing synth, but even after all these months I still cannot get my head around the FX balance coming BEFORE the FX type. Maybe it's just me, but this is the one bit of the UI that I simply cannot seem to adapt to. So... 48. I would love it if the parameter order could be switched in the FX menu so you select FX type first and then FX balance. |
| KODAMO | Posted on Tue 13 Aug 2024, 06:26 PM Balance was put first, because when starting from an init patch (balance = full dry), editing FX type first would do nothing, you'd have to set balance first.It is the exact same thing for LFOs, amount comes first because other parameters only make sense when amount is not zero. |
| jbowman | Posted on Wed 27 Nov 2024, 01:42 PM 49. A neater solution to fading between oscillators than my 42. - can the balance between Osc 1 and Osc 2 be made an LFO destination. |
| Avi F | Posted on Fri 24 Jan 2025, 03:38 AM Not sure if was already mentioned, I would like to have mod slot possibility for arp gate length to lfo, or amp env or flt env decay length to lfo. |
eisblau | Posted on Mon 10 Feb 2025, 09:58 PM Any plans about a future OS update? Features like a key trigger option for the LFO should easily be implemented and result in interesting new sound possibilities without changing much in the structure of the engine. |
| jbowman | Posted on Thu 10 Apr 2025, 08:13 AM 50. It would be useful to be able to use the looper to record automation of the modwheel, without recording any notes. So if you arm the looper, and then move the modwheel it should start recording. At the moment the looper needs a note input to record. |
| Avi F | Posted on Thu 10 Apr 2025, 03:24 PM Definitely I'll second that one. Would love to add modulations to already playing recorded loops . And though others may have mentioned this, I also like the potential of having tempo synced lfo options. (Breve, 1/4, 1/8, 1/16 etc). And I love the idea of modulating looping mask delta envelope with the other lfos too. One other possible update still that I just thought of, could possibly include either having square triangle or saw or even other single cycles, as the mask basis for creating masks (other than the sine) but that might be more trouble to create. I'm unsure how much that could offer but I did wonder on that. |
| jbowman | Posted on Sat 26 Apr 2025, 03:08 PM 51. "The keyboard always controls the first MIDI channel. Only the voice loaded in the first MIDI channel can have a layer or split enabled, and that voice always controls which effects are used." It would be great if this could be changed so that any of the four multitimbral parts could have a layer or split enabled. If I am composing starting with a layered pad, it would be convenient to be able to have a sequence playing that part while I then design the bass, melody and drums around the pad. |
| jbowman | Posted on Sat 03 May 2025, 02:04 PM 52. Start and Speed in the Mask delta envelopes should be targets for modulation. It would be great if you could modulate them using the existing mod sources (velocity, aftertouch, modwheel and LFO). The dream would be to be able to modulate them using a (looping) ADSR envelope (see my feature request 40). I have been doing some exploration recently (I will probably do a video 😂) and from certain Mask positions, modulating these parameters by hand unlocks a whole new world of possibilities, so it would be great to be able to automate this. |
| jbowman | Posted on Mon 02 Jun 2025, 02:04 PM A couple more ideas!53. Looping amp envelopes and filter envelopes should have "bidirectional" option as well as "Yes". This would help on drones etc. 54. This one is not so much for me, as I love the interface of the Mask1. However, there do seem to be people who like the sound of the Mask1, but would prefer it if the Mask1 sound were combined with the interface of the EssenceFM. So my question is whether it would be possible to have a "Mask1 controller mode" for the EssenceFM (presumably accessible as an option in the Global menu). The EssenceFM screen and knobs would then work as a controller for all of the parameters of the Mask1, hopefully with visual feedback for curent status of each parameter and any changes shown on the EFM screen. That would give an incentive to people to get both Kodamo synths, and would be a little bonus for loyal customers who already have them. To go a little further into this idea - it would be great if the EFM sequencer could be set up with options for sequencing the bitmasks and other parameters of the Mask1. Obviously this can be done with any midi cc sequencer, but it would be cool for Kodamo fans if both synths could interact in this way, and it would obviously be more straightforward if the EFM interface was tailored to doing this (so the CC parameters are labelled "Osc1 bitmask" etc. rather than having to work out which cc number is needed). |
| jbowman | Posted on Mon 13 Oct 2025, 08:51 AM Let's add some more direct control from the front panel.55. A recent firmware update changed the performance of the "Arp" button on the front panel so a long press of this button switches off the "hold" option. It would be great to extend this principle to the Osc1 Osc2, Noise, Filter, LFO1, LFO2, FX, Pitch and Mod buttons. - A long press of each of the Osc1, Osc2 and Noise buttons should switch the level in the amp envelope to 0. A second long press should switch it back to its previous value. That way you can easily switch on and off each of the sound sources. - A long press of the Filter button should switch the filter cutoff to 127. A second long press should switch it back to its previous value. - A long press of the LFO1 or LFO2 button should switch the amount of that LFO to 0. A second long press should switch it back to its previous value. - A long press of the FX button should switch balance of both FX to 0. A second long press should switch the balance back to their previous values. - A long press of the Pitch button should switch the start and end of the pitch envelope to 0. A second long press should switch them back to their previous values. The above would add some more hands on / performance control to the Mask1 UI. I believe it would not move too far away from the existing ethos (as this is an extension of the principle already implemented for the Arp button). The best would be if a long press on a different button would NOT change the focus away from the parameter which is currently being edited. E.g. I am changing the mask shape in Osc1. I want to switch off Osc2 whilst still focusing on the mask shape in Osc1. A long press of the Osc2 button switches off Osc2 without switching me into the Osc2 menu - i.e. I can continue editing Osc1 mask shape whilst switching on and off Osc2 to hear how the two oscillators sound, and how the different mask shapes on Osc1 sound alongside Osc2. Hopefully the above makes sense! |
Léon | Posted on Sun 02 Nov 2025, 08:06 PM Je rebondis sur la suggestion numéro 39 de jbowman. Je proposerais cette implémentation: appuyer sur le bouton d'un oscillateur tout en appuyant sur un bouton de changement d’octave du clavier monte ou descend d'un octave cet oscillateur, quelque soit l’endroit où l’on se trouve dans le menu (au lieu de changer le clavier). Bien entendu, appuyer sur les boutons des deux oscillateurs simultanément et appuyer sur un des boutons de changement d'octave, augmenterait / descendrait chaque oscillateur d’un octave également (en gardant donc l’éventuel écart entre eux). Je trouve que c’est en effet le seul aspect un peu laborieux de l’édition sur le Mask : comme les changements de masks demandent souvent de changer les octaves, ce sont pas mal de navettes entre la page semi et la page mask – et plus encore si on doit le faire pour les deux oscillateurs. |
escargot | Posted on Wed 05 Nov 2025, 12:25 PM can you make the factory presets editable and save able? they are great but would be even greater if we could make them our own! merci |
| KODAMO | Posted on Fri 07 Nov 2025, 02:02 AM To save modified presets simply press Write and choose a user slot. |
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