I am working on writing a detailed manual, but in the meantime I've tried to make the Info View tooltip as helpful as possible. Below is a full list of every definition and where it's found.
Additionally, you can see a list of shift-click and Other Controls.
Visualizer: Shows the waveform of the kick. Drop a sample here to load it. Option/Alt on a Sweep row shows pitch over time, on EQ the EQ curve.
Add Sample: Loads a sample. You can also drag a sample here or in the visualizer at the top of the plugin.
Match Sample: Attempts to match the synth to the sample.
Listen to Sample: Plays the sample.
Listen to Match: Plays the match.
Show Sample: Shows the sample's waveform.
Matched %: How much of the sample the synth accounts for. The rest plays from the residual.
±dB: Average level difference between the match and the sample, across frequency and time. The closer to 0, the better the match.
Main Menu: Opens the menu.
[Parameter]: [Its definition.] Click to pick another parameter from the list. Shift-drag the slider for fine control, double-click for the default.
Previous parameter.
Next parameter.
Randomize Once: Randomizes the enabled parameters once. To enable one, click its box in the green column and set the range.
Randomize Per Hit: Randomizes the enabled parameters on every hit. To enable one, click its box in the blue column and set the range.
Randomize Once range: The range [parameter] is randomized within. Shift-drag for fine control. Right-click for Snap and Skew.
Randomize Per Hit range: The range [parameter] is randomized within on each hit. Shift-drag for fine control. Right-click for Snap and Skew.
Snap to Min: Some hits land exactly on the min instead of spreading across the range. Skew sets how many.
Snap to Max: Some hits land exactly on the max instead of spreading across the range. Skew sets how many.
Skew: Which end of the range random values favor. At 60 | 40, 60% of hits land below the middle and 40% above.
Value: Drag to change, Shift-drag for fine control, double-click for the default. Click to type a value.
Min: Randomize range minimum. Drag to change, Shift-drag for fine control. Type a number, or a % to set the range width.
Max: Randomize range maximum. Drag to change, Shift-drag for fine control. Type a number, or a % to set the range width.
Select button: Selects the parameter. Right-click to assign it as a favorite parameter.
Enable box: Enables Randomize Once (green column) or Randomize Per Hit (blue column). Shift-click turns the whole column on or off.
Min / Max cells: The randomize range. To set a range using %, type a number followed by % into any Min or Max cell.
Section name: Click to solo that section (Oscillator 1, Oscillator 2, Noise 1, Noise 2, Residual). Click again to un-solo; right-click for the same as a menu.
Oscillator 1: The first oscillator. Click to solo.
Oscillator 1 Level: Level of the first oscillator.
Oscillator 1 Pitch: Frequency of the oscillator in Hz.
Oscillator 1 Phase: Starting phase of the oscillator.
Oscillator 1 Attack: Time the oscillator takes to rise from silence to full level.
Oscillator 1 Hold: Time the oscillator stays at full level before the decay starts.
Oscillator 1 Delay: Time between the trigger and the start of the oscillator.
Oscillator 1 Decay: Time the oscillator takes to fade out.
Oscillator 1 Curve: Shape of the decay fade. At 0 most of the fade happens early, at 100 it is spread evenly.
Oscillator 1 Break Level: Level the oscillator drops to in its first stage, as a percentage of full. 100 is no drop.
Oscillator 1 Break Time: How long the drop takes. The decay carries on from there.
Oscillator 2: The second oscillator. Click to solo.
Oscillator 2 Level: Level of the second oscillator.
Oscillator 2 Pitch: Set as a ratio of Oscillator 1; 2.00 is an octave above. Oscillator 2 Pitch in the menu switches it to fixed Hz.
Oscillator 2 Pitch: Set in Hz, not tied to Oscillator 1. Oscillator 2 Pitch in the menu switches it to a ratio.
Oscillator 2 Decay: Time the oscillator takes to fade out.
Oscillator 2 Curve: Shape of the decay fade. At 0 most of the fade happens early, at 100 it is spread evenly.
Oscillator 2 Sweep: How much of Oscillator 1's pitch sweep Oscillator 2 gets. 100 is the same bend, 0 none.
Noise 1: The first noise generator. It has a short decay and a filter with a slope. Click to solo.
Noise 1 Level: Level of the noise generator.
Noise 1 Tone: Tilt of the noise. Below 0 is darker, above 0 is brighter, 0 leaves it flat.
Noise 1 Decay: Time the noise takes to fade out.
Noise 1 Filter: Filter type applied to the noise: Off, LPF, BPF or HPF.
Noise 1 Freq: Cutoff/Center frequency of the filter.
Noise 1 Slope: The slope of the filter: 12 to 48 dB per octave. In BPF mode this row becomes Q.
Noise 2: The second noise generator. It has a long decay and a resonant filter. Click to solo.
Noise 2 Level: Level of the noise generator.
Noise 2 Tone: Tilt of the noise. Below 0 is darker, above 0 is brighter, 0 leaves it flat.
Noise 2 Decay: Time the noise takes to fade out.
Noise 2 Filter: Filter type applied to the noise: Off, LPF, BPF or HPF.
Noise 2 Freq: Cutoff/Center frequency of the filter.
Noise 2 Q: Resonance of the filter at Freq. Higher is sharper.
Sweep: The pitch envelope of Oscillator 1. Oscillator 2 and Knock follow it as much as their own Sweep rows allow.
Sweep Depth: Where the pitch starts, in semitones from the oscillator's pitch. Positive starts above, negative below.
Sweep Time: How long the pitch takes to reach the oscillator's pitch.
Sweep Shape: How the pitch falls. Below 50 it falls fast at first, above 50 it holds the start pitch longer before falling.
Sweep Knee: Smooths the corner where the sweep lands on the oscillator's pitch. 0 is a sharp corner.
Sweep Hold: How long the pitch stays at its start before the sweep begins.
Sweep Drift: A slow pitch drift after the sweep, in semitones. Positive drifts down, negative up.
Sweep Drift Time: How long the drift takes.
Sweep Bounce: A wobble in the pitch as the sweep lands. 0 is none.
Texture: Waveshaping Oscillator 1. Texture can also be applied to Oscillator 2 in the main menu. Bits affects the whole kick.
Texture Saw: Blends the oscillator toward a sawtooth. 0 is a pure sine.
Texture Fold: Folds the oscillator's wave back on itself, adding harmonics. 0 is none.
Texture Square: Blends the oscillator toward a square wave.
Texture Triangle: Blends the oscillator toward a triangle wave.
Texture Self FM: Feeds the oscillator's output back into its own pitch. Negative feeds it back inverted.
Texture Sync: Adds a second wave that restarts every cycle of the oscillator. Higher raises its pitch, up to 4x, and mixes in more of it.
Texture Bits: Reduces the bit depth of the kick, 16 bits down to 1.
Texture Mix: Mix of the shaped wave against the plain sine.
Knock: A burst of FM on Oscillator 1 at the trigger. Knock can also be applied to Oscillator 2 in the main menu.
Knock Depth: Amount of the knock, a burst of FM on the oscillator at the trigger. 0 is none.
Knock Decay: Time the knock takes to fade out.
Knock Ratio: Pitch of the knock relative to the oscillator. 2.00 is an octave above.
Knock Sweep: How much of Oscillator 1's pitch sweep the knock follows. 100 is the same bend, 0 none.
Shell: Adds the ring of a drum shell by sending the kick through a tuned resonator.
Shell Level: Level of the shell resonance. 0 is none.
Shell Pitch: Pitch the shell rings at. Enable and change the ratios in Kick Settings.
Shell Damping: How much the shell's ring is muted. Higher is darker and dies faster.
Shell Decay: How long the shell rings. Higher rings longer.
Shell Tone: Tilt of the shell's ring. Below 0 is darker, above 0 is brighter, 0 leaves it flat.
Shell Predelay: Time between the trigger and the start of the shell.
Shell PitchEnv: A short downward bend on the shell's pitch. Higher starts the ring further up.
Residual: The part of a matched sample the synth doesn't reproduce. The higher the Match %, the less Residual. Click to solo.
Residual Level: Level of the residual, the part of the sample the synth does not reproduce. 100 is as recorded.
Residual Tone: Tilt of the residual. Below 0 is darker, above 0 is brighter, 0 is as recorded.
Residual Decay: Time the residual takes to fade out. At its own length or longer, it plays as recorded.
Residual Click: Level of the first 20 ms of the residual. 100 is as recorded.
EQ: A 4-band equalizer. Its place in the chain is set under Signal Chain in the main menu.
EQ HPF F: Cutoff frequency of the high-pass filter. Its slope is set under EQ in the main menu.
EQ EQ1 F: Frequency of EQ band 1.
EQ EQ1 G: Gain of EQ band 1.
EQ EQ1 Q: Width of EQ band 1. Higher is narrower.
EQ EQ2 F: Frequency of EQ band 2.
EQ EQ2 G: Gain of EQ band 2.
EQ EQ2 Q: Width of EQ band 2. Higher is narrower.
EQ LPF F: Cutoff frequency of the low-pass filter. Its slope is set under EQ in the main menu.
Filter Env: An envelope on the EQ's LPF. The cutoff jumps Depth octaves from the LPF frequency, then slides back over Decay.
Filter Env Depth: How far the LPF cutoff starts from the LPF frequency, in +/- octaves.
Filter Env Decay: How long the cutoff takes to return to the LPF frequency.
Saturation: Soft to hard clipping. Its place in the chain is set under Signal Chain in the main menu.
Saturation Drive: Amount of saturation.
Saturation Bias: Shifts the wave before the clip so one side saturates first, adding even harmonics.
Saturation Shape: Shape of the saturation. 0 is a soft clip, 100 a hard clip.
Saturation Mix: Mix of the saturated signal against the clean signal.
Output: Level and transpose of the whole kick.
Output Level: Output level.
Output Transpose: Shifts the whole kick's pitch in semitones.
Preset Bank: Right-click to save/delete a preset.
Favorite Parameters Bank: Right-click to save the current parameter here or delete one. A parameter's select button assigns it too.
Previous Favorite: Shift-click for the previous preset.
Next Favorite: Shift-click for the next preset.
Previous Preset: Shift-click for the previous favorite.
Next Preset: Shift-click for the next favorite.
Undo: Undoes the last Match, Randomize, Default, Reset, Load Residual, or preset change.
Default: Clears the sample and returns every setting to its default. The presets stay.
Reset: Default, and empties the preset and favorites banks.
Open File: Opens a saved file.
Save File: Saves the current file.
Save Residual: Saves the residual as a .wav file.
Load Residual: Loads a .wav file as the residual, replacing the current one.
Remove Sample but Keep Match: Removes the sample, but keeps the match.
Favorites/Presets/Ranges: Arrange and save the favorites, move and copy presets, save and load randomize ranges.
Kick Settings: Oscillator 2 pitch mode, Knock and Texture routing, Key Track, filter slopes, Shell Resonators, Signal Chain, velocity and Choke.
Preferences: Mode, info view, favorites, sample display, the step buttons and window size.
License: Enter or remove your license key. The plugin is silent until a key is activated.
openkickplugin.com: Opens the Open Kick website.
Key Track: The MIDI note sets the pitch. C3 plays the pitch as set.
Knock to Oscillator 2: Applies Knock to the second oscillator as well.
Texture to Oscillator 2: Applies Texture to the second oscillator as well.
Use Ratio for Oscillator 2 Pitch: On sets the second oscillator's pitch as a ratio of Oscillator 1, Off as its own fixed Hz.
HPF Slope: Slope of the high-pass filter.
LPF Slope: Slope of the low-pass filter.
Shell Resonators: The pitches the shell rings at as ratios to the first. Each line has an on/off box; the second and third ratios can be typed, double-click for the default.
Signal Chain: The order of Residual, EQ and Saturation. Column 3 follows it.
[Residual → EQ → Saturation]: The kick flows in this order. Column 3 stacks to match.
Velocity to Level: How much quieter a soft hit is. The higher the number, the quieter; at 0 every hit is full level.
Velocity to Noise: How much less noise a soft hit has. The higher the number, the less; at 0 every hit has it all.
Velocity to Decay: How much shorter a soft hit rings. The higher the number, the shorter; at 0 every hit rings full decay.
Velocity to Depth: How much less a soft hit sweeps. The higher the number, the less; at 0 every hit sweeps the full Depth.
Choke: Time a new hit takes to cut off the previous one, for the synth and the sample player. Off or 1 to 100 ms.
Window Size: Size of the plugin window.
Mode: Light or dark palette. Shift-click the Open Kick wordmark to toggle.
View: Standard or compact. Shift-click any empty space to toggle.
Info View: This line of help at the bottom of the window.
Compact Mode Next/Previous Buttons: What the two step buttons walk through. Shift steps the other one.
Show Empty Favorites: Whether unassigned favorite slots are drawn in the compact view.
Show Sample: Shows the sample's waveform.
Swap Alt Sweep View: On, a Sweep row shows the pitch view by itself and Option/Alt shows the waveform. Off, the reverse.
Swap Alt EQ View: On, an EQ or Filter Env row shows the EQ curve by itself and Option/Alt shows the waveform. Off, the reverse.
Show Soloed Wave: On, the visualizer shows only the soloed sources. Off, it shows the whole kick.
Ranges Follow Value: On, randomize ranges move with a value when it's set by Match, a drag, a typed number or a preset. Randomizing doesn't move them.
Presets Manager: The active bank beside a bank file. Drag a slot to move or copy it, right-click to clear, click to load.
Active Bank slot [n]: Drag to another slot to move it, to the bank file to copy it. Right-click clears. Click loads.
External Bank slot [n]: Drag into the active bank to copy it there. Right-click clears it.
Load Active Bank: Opens a bank file into the active bank, replacing all 24 slots.
Load External Bank: Opens a bank file into the external bank.
Save: Saves the external bank to a bank file.
Reset: Empties the external bank.
Favorites Manager: The 24 favorite slots. Click a name to choose its parameter, drag a number to reorder.
Favorite slot: Click the name to choose a parameter, or None. Drag the number to reorder.
Load Set: Loads all 24 favorites from a file.
Save Set: Saves all 24 favorites to a file.
Reset: Empties all 24 favorite slots.
Ranges: Save and load every parameter's randomize ranges as a file, or reset them all.
Load: Loads every parameter's randomize ranges from a file, over the current kick.
Save: Saves every parameter's randomize ranges to a file.
Reset: Turns every randomize range off and back to full width.
License Key: The key from your Lemon Squeezy receipt.
Activate: Checks the key with the server and unlocks the plugin.
Purchase: Opens openkickplugin.com.
Activate Full Version: Enter a paid license key; it replaces the trial.
Deactivate: Frees this activation so the key can be used on another computer.
There are a number of hidden clicking options that may make the plugin easier to use.
Double-clicking a value in the table, or the main value slider, returns it to its default. While a match is loaded, the default is the matched value.
Double-clicking a Min or Max cell returns that edge of the range to its limit. Double-clicking a Shell Resonators ratio returns it to the drumhead default.
Clicking a section name (Oscillator 1, Oscillator 2, Noise 1, Noise 2, Residual) solos it; clicking again un-solos it. Clicking the parameter name above the main slider opens the parameter list.
Here is a list of other shift-click, right-click and Option/Alt actions:
| Shift-Click | Action |
|---|---|
| "OPEN KICK" text | Change Light/Dark mode |
| Any empty space (visualizer, table) | Change Standard/Compact View mode |
| An Enable box | Turn the whole Randomize Once or Per Hit column on or off |
| Next/Previous button (compact view) | Step the other bank (favorites instead of presets, or the reverse) |
| Shift-drag any slider or value | Fine control |
| Right-Click | Action |
|---|---|
| A parameter's select button | Assign it to a favorites slot; on HPF F and LPF F, also set the filter's slope |
| A Randomize range slider | Snap and Skew |
| A preset slot | Save to or delete that slot |
| A favorites slot (compact view) | Save the current parameter there, delete it, or pick from the list |
| A section name | Solo / Un-solo |
| The visualizer | Choose a sample file |
| Option/Alt held | Action |
|---|---|
| On a Sweep row | The visualizer shows pitch over time |
| On an EQ or Filter Env row | The visualizer shows the EQ curve |
The two Option/Alt views can be swapped in Preferences so they show by default and Option/Alt shows the waveform.
Typing into a cell: a number sets it; "off" sets a row that has Off; a number followed by % in a Min or Max cell sets a range that wide around the value.