I’m trying to use an external MIDI controller to control a VSTi and to keep the MIDI controller’s display, the Midi-Control Device/Automation Device, and the VSTi’s settings all in sync no matter which control I change… however I’m running into some problems.
I’m using Reaktor which has midi mapping settings in it, so that gives me some more flexibility, but I still can’t get it working exactly how I’d like. These are the two methods I’ve found are the closest to working how I’d like.
MIDI-Control Device Configuration: If I send MIDI from my controller to a MIDI-mapped MIDI-Control Device which then sends MIDI to my VSTi everything stays in sync if I move the slider on my controller OR the slider on the MIDI-Control Device, but if I move the slider in my VSTi it doesn’t update the MIDI-Control Device or the slider on my controller. I’ve enabled the MIDI-OUT on my VSTi and its MIDI monitor shows it as outputting MIDI, but the MIDI-Control Slider doesn’t move, nor does Renoise show that it’s outputting MIDI data. From this, I’m guessing Renoise doesn’t have the ability to receive MIDI-OUT from VSTi’s…?
Automation Device Configuration: If I send MIDI from my controller to a MIDI-mapped Automation Device which then sends automation information to my VSTi everything stays in sync if I move the slider on my controller, but if I move the slider on the Automation Device or the VSTi, only the slider on those two locations move (the fader on the controller remains stationary and isn’t update with the correct new value). It seems that even though the Automation Device’s slider is MIDI-mapped to my controller, moving it does not cause Renoise to send MIDI-OUT to the controller.
Is there anyway for my to achieve what I’m looking for and have all three elements stay in sync with each other?
The midi out from VSTI devices are not coordinated in Renoise yet.
But using either the Duplex tool or messing around with the faderport script on the tools page, you might be able to sync your actions. Do be aware these are currently my vague directions to point you a little bit to the direction how most midi stuff with Midi feedback is done in Renoise currently.
Would I be right in understanding that the MIDI-Control Device sends the chosen MIDI CC message to the target VST device as well as to Renoise’s MIDI-OUT?
MIDI mapping the Automation Device doesn’t send MIDI out of Renoise, so I’m assuming it’s the MIDI-Control Device which is generating it…?
The automation device exists to control VSTi instruments inside Renoise. The Instr. Midi Control device allows you to send MIDI commands to VSTI, MIDI or ReWire instruments.
The Ext. Midi option in the Renoise Instrument section is generally to control an external midi device, usually not to forward Midi messages from a VSTI plugin that you happen to assign to the same instrument as well.
I think you can fool around with Virtual midi cables to accomplish certain goals on that area, but the latency that comes with these virtual midi cables usually ain’t worth much the trouble.
Using VST applications like Energy XT you get more satisfying results as EnergyXT currently still supports midi routing from VSTI plugins a lot better and EnergyXT is available as a VST plugin itself so this possibility allows you to get these things done in Renoise.
Well, the way I have it working right now is that the MIDI-Control Device receives MIDI from my controller and sends it Reaktor’s MIDI input (it’s running as a VST). The MIDI-Control Device is MIDI-mapped to the same MIDI Ch/CC value that it is sending to Reaktor so it will then send MIDI back to my controller if it’s parameters are changed or automated. It should work well so long as I don’t change Reaktor’s parameters using Reaktor itself. There are over a hundred parameters, so mapping it all out is a bit of a pain and requires a lot of MIDI-Control Devices, but once it’s done I can save it as a DSP chain and load it up as needed. I’m going to have to create multiple copies of that DSP chain that communicate with the VST on different MIDI Channels in case I want to load up multiple instances of the same VST… hopefully that DSP chain file is just XML and editable but I haven’t checked yet.
Thanks for the tip… gonna check this out for sure.