Signal Types Cheatsheet
Quick reference for Quiver’s signal conventions.
Signal Ranges
| Type | Range | Zero Point | Use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Audio | ±5V | 0V | Sound waveforms |
| CV Unipolar | 0-10V | 0V | Cutoff, rate, depth |
| CV Bipolar | ±5V | 0V | Pan, FM, bend |
| V/Oct | ±10V | 0V = C4 | Pitch |
| Gate | 0V or 5V | 0V | Sustained on/off |
| Trigger | 0V or 5V | 0V | Brief pulse |
| Clock | 0V or 5V | 0V | Timing pulses |
SignalKind Enum
pub enum SignalKind {
Audio, // ±5V AC-coupled
CvBipolar, // ±5V control
CvUnipolar, // 0-10V control
VoltPerOctave, // 1V/Oct pitch
Gate, // 0V/+5V sustained
Trigger, // 0V/+5V pulse
Clock, // Timing pulses
}Defining Ports
Ports are declared with PortDef::new(id, name, kind) plus chainable
builders:
PortDef::new(0, "in", SignalKind::Audio)
PortDef::new(1, "cutoff", SignalKind::CvUnipolar)
.with_default(5.0) // Value when unpatched (default 0.0)
.with_attenuverter() // Flag an attenuverter control for UIs
PortDef::new(2, "right", SignalKind::Audio)
.normalled_to(1) // Falls back to port 1 when unpatched| Builder | Effect |
|---|---|
.with_default(v) | Sets the value used when no cable is connected |
.with_attenuverter() | Marks the input as having an attenuverter |
.normalled_to(port_id) | Internal fallback source when unpatched |
Compatibility Quick Reference
Audio ←→ CV: ⚠ Works but check intent
CV ←→ V/Oct: ⚠ Usually wrong
Gate ←→ Trigger: ✓ Compatible
Clock ←→ Trigger: ✓ Compatible
V/Oct ←→ Audio: ✗ Usually wrong
Common Voltage Conversions
MIDI Note to V/Oct
fn midi_to_voct(note: u8) -> f64 {
(note as f64 - 60.0) / 12.0
}V/Oct to Frequency
fn voct_to_hz(v: f64) -> f64 {
261.63 * 2.0_f64.powf(v)
}MIDI CC to CV
// 0-127 → 0-10V
fn cc_to_cv(cc: u8) -> f64 {
cc as f64 / 127.0 * 10.0
}
// 0-127 → ±5V
fn cc_to_cv_bipolar(cc: u8) -> f64 {
(cc as f64 / 127.0 - 0.5) * 10.0
}MIDI Velocity to CV
fn velocity_to_cv(vel: u8) -> f64 {
vel as f64 / 127.0 * 10.0 // 0-10V
}Pitch Bend to V/Oct
// Standard ±2 semitones
fn bend_to_voct(bend: i16) -> f64 {
(bend as f64 / 8192.0) * (2.0 / 12.0)
}Attenuverter Reference
| Value | Effect |
|---|---|
| -2.0 | Invert and double |
| -1.0 | Invert |
| -0.5 | Invert and halve |
| 0.0 | Silence |
| 0.5 | Half level |
| 1.0 | Unity (unchanged) |
| 2.0 | Double |
Cable Attenuation
// Scale the signal (0.0-1.0)
patch.connect_attenuated(from, to, 0.5)?;
// Full modulation controls: attenuverter (-2.0 to 2.0) + DC offset (±10V)
patch.connect_modulated(from, to, 0.5, 2.0)?;Input Summing
Multiple cables to one input are added:
LFO1 (+2V) ─┐
├── Input receives +5V
LFO2 (+3V) ─┘
Normalled Connections
When input is unpatched, uses normalled source:
// Port 1 ("right") falls back to port 0 ("left") when unpatched
PortDef::new(1, "right", SignalKind::Audio).normalled_to(0)