Hi Asseca,

First of let me thank you for this cool little wrapper, i stumbled across it a few days ago and it sure as hell makes browsing ST2 alot easier.

I have a question however regarding controlling SampleTanks Env1 knobs. When I first ran the plugin i managed to assign the Env1 Attack knob to my midi controller (Akai MPK49) using midi channel 15 and CC97.

However this no longer works for me. I have clicked on the button in the top left hand corner and checked my settings but have had no look.

Please can you explain to me (if it is possible) how to assign these knobs using your wrapper. I've been puzzled on this for a few days now.

Regards,
sh33p!

EDIT: Nevermind... I've found something better!

The CC97 thru CC104 assignments MUST be assigned on a controller which supports "relative mode 3", because the wrapper send mouse-drag messages to ST2.5.

However, you can also add the 8 special "section" controls to the end of the host-parameter list:
[VstPrms]
p-0=VST:97
p-1='P-1'
p-2='P-2'
p-3='P-3'
p-4='P-4'
p-5='P-5'
p-6='P-6'
p-7='P-7'
p-8='P-8'
p-9='pCtl'

Now you could use e.g. a Novation Nocturn to adjust these "section" controls.
'Pctl' is the "section" selector, allowing you to select via automation to select which section on the ST2 GUI you want to control with the 8 section controls.

BTW the other controls on the top bar CAN be assigned to a standard MIDI controller ...
Other users and I would be very interested in your alternative ...

So what would be the best way for me to assign my endless knobs on the MPK49 to the ENV 1 knobs in sampletank? I don't really understand the reply you have given. I'm not a programmer, I'm a musician.

My ENV 1 Attack knob looks like this...

Type=CC
Port=v1
Chan=Chan-1
Par=97
Min=0
Max=127
Mode=Tgl
tFR=R
df=f

With this my knob moves nicely until i hit 64 then it starts going the other way. By the way my knobs can also use NRPN but I have no idea how this works. I don't really use the mouse anymore, just the keyboard. So can I get rid of the mouse params?

Would it be possible for you to create a lite version of this wrapper just for linking parameters to midi cc? It's a shame IK have overlooked the little things and rely on developers like you to put them right. It would be cool if someone could create a new GUI although I guess this would be impossible without the source. Then again it would be cool to make a plugin that would read STH files. I would pay for that. I don't think there is any available on the market.

Thanks,
sh33p!

I have updated the code so that it is possible to use the Akai MPK49 NRPN INC/DEC settings.
This new update has been pre-set to use NRPN 20 thru NRPN 27, it seems to work OK on my BCR2000, so please check if it works on your MPK49.


You only need to set the MPK to NRPN 20 thru NRPN 27 (inc/dec)

Download http://asseca.com/wiki/uploads/MGUI/SampleTankGUI-as-v2-beta .7z, unpack in your SampleTank DLL folder, keeping the folder structure intact ...

Please let me know how this works ...

Hi Asseca,

Firstly let me thank you for all of your work. It really means a lot.

I have downloaded the files you have posted and managed to get the NRPN knobs to work perfectly with my MPK49 (they're running really smooth at the moment).

The only problem that I have is that my MPK49 freezes every now and again for reasons I am unaware of. Actually it seems to happen whenever I move one of my newly assigned knobs. The 8 knobs work fine and my MPK49 freezes after a certain amount of time (about 5 mins).

Do you have any idea as to what the problem might be? I'm positive that it's all set up right. It only freezes after about 5-10 mins of usage. When I say freezes I mean sampletank/cubase 4 does not see any incoming midi messages. I have to unplug my keyboard and restart cubase.

Thanks,
sh33p!

In asData -> Global.ini -> [Main] section, try to change intMidiFB-1=BCR2000 [01] into ;intMidiFB-1=BCR2000 [01]

Nope it still crashes. Actually it seems to happen when I have more than one sound loaded. 1 on channel1 and 1 on channel2.

Anymore ideas?
sh33p!

EDIT: Could it possibly have anything to do with the fact that when I move to the next midi track in cubase the SampleTank selection does not move with it.

For example. In sampletank I have loaded drums on channel 1 and a piano on channel 2. When I play channel click on midi track 1 in cubase I hear drums and when I click on midi track 2 I hear piano. However, sampletank does not move its selected track when I change my selected midi track in Cubase.

I was just wondering if this is normal?

Thanks,
sh33p!
Last edited by sh33p on Thu May 14, 2009 8:47 pm; edited 1 time in total

I am sorry but I don't have Cubase or the MPK.

I have tested using Hermann Seib's VstHost and the BCR2000, so far it seems to be stable, also when I have 3 sounds loaded (channel/parts 1 thru 3)

If the "intMidiFB" is commented out, then no data is sent back to the MPK, so basically the mGUI has no influence over the MPK ... the only thing that could cause problems is the fact that the mouse is taken over by mGUI to emulate the knob-movement, so DO NOT move the mouse while adjusting the knobs on the MPK, this could cause strange behaviour ...

THe only other thing I could suggest is test it with VstHost, just to see if it as a Host problem ...

[edit]also seems to be working fine in ReaperV3beta and MiniHost[/edit]
Last edited by asseca on Thu May 14, 2009 9:12 pm; edited 2 times in total

Hi Asseca,

I've edited my post above just before you replied. Please can you see that! I've also been testing in MiniHost. Same problem as Cubase!

Thanks,
sh33p!

AFAIK the host has no way of telling the plugin (SampleTank) that is has changed tracks ...

I think there must be a problem with my setup. After further testing. If i load up a drum kit on channel 1 and keep changing the pitch up and down with a NRPN knob for 15 seconds then it will eventually freeze my keyboard. Again, I have to unplug and restard MiniHost.

I'm gonna keep playing with it... I'll let you know if I have any luck.

Sh33p!

There might be 3 causes I can think of for the crashes:

1. the MPK MIDI driver might be instable sending NRPN messages ...
   
2. the mouse emulation somehow has influence on the MPK MIDI driver.
   
3. check that cubase is not sending any data back to the MPK.

After further inspection I've noticed that it doesn't crash when I turn the knobs slowly. Turning the knobs fast for about 5 seconds will force the program to just hang (keys get stuck in and MPK40 doesn't respond).

Looks like I'm gonna have to speak with AKAI. I'll stick about and keep you updated Asseca. You've been a great help!

By the way, is there an option I could turn on in one of the ini files to make it so that I don't have to click on the midi controll button in the top left hand corner.

Thanks,
sh33p1

Right-Click one-by-one on E-1 thru E8 and, using the mouse-wheel, remove the "f" on the 2nd row.

Of coarse now you cannot have 2 instance of SampleTank2.5_GUI.dll running at the same time ...