Knowledge base

Basics

Installing the software

How to install

Just copy the downloaded .dll-s to your 64bit VST Plug-ins folder.

User Interface // Basics

What is a node editor?

Node graph architecture is a type of software design which builds around modular node components which can be connected to form a graph. This type of visualization helps understanding complex structures and signal flow.

The editor

The editor of Alpha Forever is a node editor. It features a palette, where you can instantiate nodes, a designer level indicator to know which designer you are editing, a hamburger menu, plug-in info, nodes and wires.

Alpha Forever Modular editor overview

You can pan, zoom, and resize your Alpha Forever window as you like. You can also select, deselect, group select, align, copy, paste, and delete elements of your patch. The editor of Alpha Forever was designed to help your creation and make patching fun and simple.

Structure of a node

In Alpha Forever you can think of a node as a small device that processes or generates signals. It is a box on your screen with inputs, outputs, controls, and a header part.

Structure of an Alpha Forever Modular node

You can find the inputs on the left side and the outputs on the right side of a node. We will reference these as plugs. The top area of a node is the header of the node. GUI controls, if there are any, can be found between the input and output plugs.

Note: each node must have a unique name on designer level.

User Interface // Visualization modes

Visualization modes

Alpha Forever has different visualization modes. These modes help you analyze and understand a patch.

'No information' view

This is the default view of a patch.

No information visualization mode

'Plug description all ON' view

Next to the plugs a short description appears. Usually it contains the plug name and the range of values it usually receives or outputs.

Plug description visualization mode

'Miniscope all ON' view

A basic green scope appears next to the plugs, which helps visualizing signal flow. On the right side of the screen horizontal grey bars show the output levels of each polyphonic voice for each active audio output.

Miniscope visualization mode

'Hover over mini scopes' view

When hovering above a plug, the scope, the value of the plug, and the plugin information appears.

Mouse commands

Navigation

LMB + DRAG on empty areaPanning
MW on empty areaZoom In / Out
2xLMB on designerEnter designer
2xLMB on empty areaReturn to parent designer

Select / Deselect

CTRL + LMB above nodeSelect / deselect node
Shift + LMB DRAG on empty areaBox select
LMB on empty areaDeselect

Editing

LMB on plug and dragCreate connection
RMB on plugRemove connection
RMB on empty areaPalette
RMB above node surfaceExchange node
LMB on input plugPalette + connect new node to first output
LMB on output plugPalette + connect new node to first input
LMB on plug with connectionPalette + insert new node to first input
RMB on headerRename node
LMB on nodeSelect node
LMB + DRAG on node headerMove selected nodes
LMB + SHIFT + DRAG on node headerMove selected nodes horizontal / vertical

Keyboard messages

Editing

1 above input plugCreate constant with 1
0 above input plugCreate constant with 0
K above input plugCreate knob
DelDelete selected node(s)
I above input plugCreate an input node
O above output plugCreate an output node
0..9 while dragging a wireConnect multiple wires in parallel at once
M while dragging a wireConnect multiple input plugs to an output plug
RReplace selected nodes to active node

Clipboard

CTRL + CCopy to clipboard
CTRL + XCut to clipboard
CTRL + VPaste from clipboard

Selection

CTRL + ASelect all

History

CTRL + ZUndo
CTRL + YRedo

Organize nodes

LEFT arrowAlign selected nodes to the left
RIGHT arrowAlign selected nodes to the right
UP arrowAlign selected nodes to the top
DOWN arrowAlign selected nodes to the bottom
S above plugStraighten wire