The Portable Freeware Collection Forums

Description:
100% Freeware fully-modular sound-synthesis environment with mouse-guided parameter-control and real-time configuration and interconnection of modules. High sample-rate control data path allows for vocoder-like and other effects to be designed. Automatic polyphony for MIDI input. Automatic, multi-device input and output capable. 80-bit processing per sample per channel. RolloSONIC is relatively efficient on system resources, is stand-alone and does not require any special hardware or software.

Portability:
No installation required. Only writes to registry during (optional) installation. Settings are stored in a file named the same as executable and located in same place. Uncompressed. Command-line options are available for extended start-up options. Program and installer are the same file, which allows you to take the installed folder to another computer and run it (with the settings kept), or install it (which will automatically install it with the saved settings).

Operating systems:
NT 5.0 and up - that means Windows 2000/XP/2003. Vista compatibility is unknown to me at this time.

Unicode support:
Yes

Languages:
English, French, German, Japanese, and Spanish.

Info page:
http://www.rollosonic.com/Pages/RolloSONIC_Intro.html

Direct download:
http://www.rollosonic.com/Downloads/RolloSONICv1.0.exe

Links don't work anymore.

Version 1.0 is available here, though it seems that there may be a ver. 1.0.1 out there somewhere...

Onesimus Prime wrote:Version 1.0 is available here, though it seems that there may be a ver. 1.0.1 out there somewhere...

Thanks for the working link, just downloaded it, cool

Version 1.1 is now available:
http://www.portablefreeware.com/index.php?id=2590

Although somewhat impressive, RolloSONIC quirky & unconventional interface isn't very helpful towards non-specialists.

RolloSONIC does ask if you want to install or just run it (does it need to everytime?), and in the later case keeps files with RSS and RSC extensions in the program's folder.

To sum it up, I had some fun with existing presets, but not much else. IMHO, RolloSONIC is a sound distorter/generator with a lot to offer to specialized users -- but, apart from pointless fun, there's little for the common Joe Internet. Nonetheless, I upvoted it since there's isn't anything comparable here at TPFC...

Midas wrote:... quirky & unconventional interface isn't very helpful towards non-specialists.

RolloSONIC does ask if you want to install or just run it (does it need to everytime?) ...

... apart from pointless fun, there's little for the common Joe Internet.

I appreciate your feedback. I have been trying to figure out exactly what it is that folks don't like about RolloSONIC. The general consensus so far has been the user interface and the overall lack of clarity in how the thing is operated. I absolutely agree that this program could use some work, but it has had so few users that developing it has been like sailing blind.

As for the asking about installation issue, I had been putting that off for another time, but since you mentioned it, I have added an option in Preferences that lets users disable the installation prompt and just run the program. The feature is now ready for download in version 1.1.0.5.

Thanks for the user report.

Quite nifty!

In the name of portability, new version 1.1.0.6 uses a text-based format for its settings file (.RSS). The file can be saved in UTF8, UTF16, or UTF16 Big Endian. This allows the user to really see the settings and file paths in use. Additionally, all saved file paths have been made automatically relative (local), granted the file is on the same drive as the executable.

For example, the wave-writer module now uses a relative path for its wave file. This should enable the creation of portable recording appliances. Specifically, the executable could be on a flash drive and its settings file could tell it to automatically load and start a configuration having wave writers that record from one or more sound adapters and save the results to somewhere on the flash drive. Therefore the portable executable could be run and the recording process would start automatically.

Likewise, because the program now uses relative paths for auto-saves among other things, it would be of no distraction if the hard drive changed letters one day, even if the program were officially installed.

RolloSONIC wrote:In the name of portability, new version 1.1.0.6 uses a text-based format for its settings file (.RSS). The file can be saved in UTF8, UTF16, or UTF16 Big Endian. This allows the user to really see the settings and file paths in use. Additionally, all saved file paths have been made automatically relative (local), granted the file is on the same drive as the executable.

• Is RolloSONIC v1.1.0.6 able to interpret system variables like %TEMP%, %APPDATA%, or %PERSONAL%? Pathwise, that would be the last leg of portable usability enhancement...

Midas wrote:

• Is RolloSONIC v1.1.0.6 able to interpret system variables like %TEMP%, %APPDATA%, or %PERSONAL%? Pathwise, that would be the last leg of portable usability enhancement...

Unfortunately, version 1.1.0.6 is unable to handle system variables in file paths.

Version 1.1.1, however, does support them. In fact, I even made it take any paths that are on different drives (from the executable) and check their beginnings against common system paths in a particular order, replacing the beginning with the variable if the paths match. For example, if a user runs RolloSONIC v1.1.1 from a flash drive and gives it a path of: RolloSONIC will replace the path (in its saved settings file and saved module configurations) with: Naturally, RolloSONIC is careful not to replace such a path with: even though it would replace: with: The new version should be available soon.

Great news!

Version 1.1.1 is now available. Although there are a couple of smaller enhancements, the most significant change is the new feature (finally) of being able to use mouse buttons and scroll wheels in addition to mouse movement to control the module parameters. The "Button Tones and Scroll Squeals" preset demonstrates this feature. The neat thing is that you don't have to be on the program for it to work, so you can go browse websites or whatever and it makes sounds when you click on things or scroll the wheels.

My skills are much too limited for that, but I really feel RolloSONIC deserves the attention of someone from the more sound savvy members of our community -- at least to declare its fitness to purpose...

This is one of those moments where a screencast is needed. At my very best, this would be hard to explain.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=89SdPOIqwqM#t=48

Oh and this is totally sweet.