Bitcrust / Manual

Troubleshooting.

If Bitcrust behaves unexpectedly, start here. Each entry is one symptom and the first thing to check.

  1. Q01

    The plugin does not load in my DAW

    Confirm your DAW supports the format you installed: macOS → AU or VST3; Windows → VST3; Linux → VST3 or LV2; iPadOS → AUv3.

    Rescan plugins in your DAW settings. On macOS, you can also run `auval -a` in Terminal to check AU validation.

  2. Q02

    The oscilloscope stays flat

    The oscilloscope reads from Bitcrust's output. If no notes are playing, or if the master volume is at zero, the trace is flat.

    Confirm the monitor rail is visible (toggle with the monitor button in the footer).

  3. Q03

    Playback is distorted at full polyphony

    Bitcrust is most honest at a few voices; fully loaded twelve-voice chords with high unison counts are loud by design.

    Lower the master volume and check that your DAW bus is not clipping. The built-in soft limiter helps, but it cannot compensate for extreme levels.

  4. Q04

    Effects rack changes do not take effect

    Make sure the effect slot is not bypassed (BYPASS toggle on each slot).

    Confirm the MIX knob is above zero.

  5. Q05

    The VCF Cutoff knob has no audible effect

    Bitcrust's filter only acts on VCOs that are explicitly routed through it. On each VCO panel, toggle the **VCF** button (in the SYNC / RING / VCF / SOLO / MUTE row) to route that VCO into the global filter.

    Then on the global VCF panel, enable at least one of LP / BP / HP. With all three off the filter stage is bypassed even for routed VCOs.

    If neither condition is true the Cutoff and Resonance knobs are musically inert. This is the most common cause of "the cutoff does nothing" reports.

  6. Q06

    Arpeggiator or sequencer does not play

    Arp and Seq are mutually exclusive. If the mode selector is set to OFF, no pattern will play.

    Ensure the host is sending MIDI notes to Bitcrust and that the host transport is running (for tempo-synced operation).

  7. Q07

    Preset browser shows no results

    Check that search and tag filters are not too restrictive. Click Clear on the tag filter row and clear the search box to reset.

  8. Q08

    MIDI-learn does not respond

    Right-click a knob to enter MIDI-learn mode, then move the desired CC controller.

    If the mapping does not appear, confirm that the MIDI channel matches (check the SETUP tab).

  9. Q09

    Something else

    Email [email protected] with the plugin version, DAW, OS, and a short description.