In Renoise Sampler, MIDI Mappings are not restored when loading an Effect Chain preset.
Steps to reproduce bug:
Start with a new song and create a Sampler Effect Chain
Add any Effect (I tried Native, VST and VST3)
Open the MIDI Mapping dialog
Map a few parameters to MIDI controls (I tried encoders with 0-127 output)
Save Preset As… using the drop-down menu
Load your new preset using the drop-down menu
MIDI Mappings are gone
However, repeating basically the same steps with a Modulation Set (instead of an Effect Chain) works as expected: MIDI Mappings are loaded with the preset.
They’re actually stored, but but don’t get applied when imported on purpose, as this is usually counterproductive: you’d end up with a mix of mappings from previous sessions and most of time won’t be aware that there actually are mappings in the presets. MIDI mappings only make sense as a whole - in a song - not within a local DSP device.
I think it could be very useful in some cases. I’m working mostly in the Sampler (Redux style) using an external sequencer to trigger Instruments. Then I want to apply a VST reverb with different settings for each Instrument, while keeping a common set of MIDI Mappings (having only one of those Instruments loaded at any time).
The motivation behind this is explained quite well in this thread:
Also, perhaps a lesser known trick, mappings can be stored in individual effect/chain presets. So you can prepare a nice preset with ready-to-use mappings and import that into any song you have.
Thats how I knew it used to be a feature in Renoise.
At the moment, MIDI Mappings for device parameters are stored/restored with:
Songs
Instrument presets
Modulation Set presets
The only exception would be with Effect Chain presets (where mappings are only stored).