Vortex VSTi - Multi Timbral Groove Machine Beta

[Astralp]

Andy ... I'm loving the 'ADVANCED' page!

Great!

There appears to be 'bug' with the Sequence Bypass. Bypassing a key in either octave also bypasses the other octave.

Thanks Fixed in the next release!

I think it would be more intuitive for most new users to call 'Hold' 'Latch' instead. A small point, but everything that makes it easier for new users to learn will help with the instrument's reputation.

Really? It isn't really a Latch though it's just a method of holding the keys down for live performance. I think if it was called Latch it would cause more confusion because people would expect it to be useful whilst recording tracks, but it should never be used like that because it can create problems. For instance you trigger note ons via a midi track, then press stop on the sequencer, there's a good chance that the note are still playing because hold only responds to note ons and so requires a second note on to disable it. Hold is a convenience Tool for freeing fingers to do other things when performing live or working on patches.

I also think there should be a Hold or Latch enable tab on each sequence, like repitch, so there is a choice sequence by sequence whether you want a sequence to play latched or not.

Again for the reasons above I think this could cause a lot of confusion, I'd rather stick to the normal note on/note off behaviour as Vortex's primary function is for sequencing recorded midi at the end of the day. Users have to understand that Hold is a convenience tool and not a recording tool, if you see what I mean.

[Astralp]

Oh hang on, yes I could do a Hold disable on the Advanced Page, I see what you mean.

[Astralp]

Added in the next beta

Oh hang on, yes I could do a Hold disable on the Advanced Page, I see what you mean.

[Astralp]

I'd like to hear what other people think about Hold vs Latch?

[como baila]

Como I'm not sure what I can do really, I don't have access to the preset import/export as far as I know, it's the host that handles this usually. It's incredible that Steinberg removed that option from Cubase seeing as how they invented and programmed the VST SDK in the first place! Did you not find a workaround on the cubase forum? I'll look into the newer SE SDK to see if I can access them.

You have seen this? http://code.google.com/p/fxtractor/

I'd be very disappointed if user's only used my presets

I guess I'm not expressing myself very clearly.

I want to find out how to create banks of presets.

Where in the structure of the program is the bank of 28 (I think) presets that Vortex opens with?

Anytime I open Vortex, I see only those presets that are in the Vortex default bank. I have tried in Chainer to make changes to presets, but I see no way to save a bank, change the default bank that opens, etc.

The bank we see when we open Vortex, is that based upon a *.FXB somewhere in the structure?

In what program do you create the bank?

All my frustration will probably turn out to be my own ignorance ... but I look forward to elucidation.


Como

[Astralp]

The internal Bank is built in, VST instruments come with an internal bank of presets that open when the program is loaded, these are hard coded into the program itself. Once you have the plugin open, you can load a bank or a preset to write over the defaults.

On the other hand when you make any changes to any of the presets in memory, all of these are saved by the host with your project and so the complete state of the bank is restored when you next load the project. Again this is stored within the project data however the host chooses to store it. FXBs only ever exist if you actually export one via a host. In day to day use you don't actually need them, they are only useful if you wanted to send a bank of presets to someone else for instance, or provide a sound set etc...

They always have to be imported by a user overwriting the existing presets in memory. So for example the host will never load an FXB or FXB without you physically importing it. When you load a saved project it isn't loading an FXB, just loading the entire state of the plugin when you clicked on save project.

I may be wrong, but I think you may think they are something more than what they are, they are simply a means of exporting the state of the plugin into a physical file. Am I making sense?

Como I'm not sure what I can do really, I don't have access to the preset import/export as far as I know, it's the host that handles this usually. It's incredible that Steinberg removed that option from Cubase seeing as how they invented and programmed the VST SDK in the first place! Did you not find a workaround on the cubase forum? I'll look into the newer SE SDK to see if I can access them.

You have seen this? http://code.google.com/p/fxtractor/

I'd be very disappointed if user's only used my presets

I guess I'm not expressing myself very clearly.

I want to find out how to create banks of presets.

Where in the structure of the program is the bank of 28 (I think) presets that Vortex opens with?

Anytime I open Vortex, I see only those presets that are in the Vortex default bank. I have tried in Chainer to make changes to presets, but I see no way to save a bank, change the default bank that opens, etc.

The bank we see when we open Vortex, is that based upon a *.FXB somewhere in the structure?

In what program do you create the bank?

All my frustration will probably turn out to be my own ignorance ... but I look forward to elucidation.


Como

[jensa]

Andy, maybe you could include a "blank" FXB with the installer? Just as an easy way to get started.

[como baila]

Added in the next beta

Oh hang on, yes I could do a Hold disable on the Advanced Page, I see what you mean.

I'm curious to see how you implement this.

It appears that when using the repitch, even if hold is enabled globally, there is a trigger tab on each sequence to chose whether to include that sequence in the repitching or not. Then, depending which octave you choose on the Advance page for repitch, when you hit the repitch keys they are momentary and not held, despite global hold ... which makes sense, since it would be very confusing to have to remember which key was held as there is no visual feedback like with the running sequences.

So, with what you are conceiving, I'm not clear why any control needs to be setup on the advance page. I would have thought that a tab like the tab used by repitch locally on each sequence page could permit it to engage in global hold or not. I certainly wouldn't want a 'momentary' operation, as in repitch.

Maybe you were referring to the key 'bypass?'

As far as the 'Hold' 'Latch' thing goes ... I guess I was using the behavior in Native Instruments VSTi and some others, where a key that stays on is said to be 'latched.'

Anyway, you probably have a much clearer understanding of the distinctions and issues than I. As I said, it seemed a small point ... not worthy of distracting you of the greater mission for more than two minutes.

Como

[jensa]

//////BETA 26
* Midi Thru Mode Added - Enable on the synth page - this allows midi notes to be sent to the external midi output whilst the synth is enabled. Note that only note on/off data is sent in this mode to prevent confusion.

Thanks!

Though, as for me this is primarily a MIDI tool, and we all used Vortex differently, I find it a bit of a hassle to click on the MIDI through buttons every time a change a patch. It's breaks the creative workflow a bit. Is there any way you could at least get these to keep their settings during a session? Or maybe even save them "internally" between session? I guess the "Direct out" buttons should benefit of the same treatment. Or at least add a button to the left of the "Midi thru" row as you've with "Direct out".

[Astralp]

Andy, maybe you could include a "blank" FXB with the installer? Just as an easy way to get started.

Yes, I do usually do that don't I... added to the list, although the master default button achieves the same thing for a preset with a single click

[Astralp]

Added in the next beta

I'm curious to see how you implement this.

Como

It is just the same as the Sequence Bypass but Hold Bypass for C3 and C4, disabled Hold for the disabled note.

[Astralp]

//////BETA 26
* Midi Thru Mode Added - Enable on the synth page - this allows midi notes to be sent to the external midi output whilst the synth is enabled. Note that only note on/off data is sent in this mode to prevent confusion.

Thanks!

Though, as for me this is primarily a MIDI tool, and we all used Vortex differently, I find it a bit of a hassle to click on the MIDI through buttons every time a change a patch. It's breaks the creative workflow a bit. Is there any way you could at least get these to keep their settings during a session? Or maybe even save them "internally" between session? I guess the "Direct out" buttons should benefit of the same treatment. Or at least add a button to the left of the "Midi thru" row as you've with "Direct out".

Not sure I understand correctly, the midi thru buttons are only applicable if you have internal selected on the mixer so you can use both internal and external on the same channel. If internal is switched off then that strip has complete control over external midi.

Also as with the mixer buttons you can set them all to the same state by clicking on one of them whilst holding CTRL, all will be set to that buttons state. But yes I can add a button for switching them all on, I just thought really, you would only want both internal/external on a small number of channels?

[como baila]

The internal Bank is built in, VST instruments come with an internal bank of presets that open when the program is loaded, these are hard coded into the program itself. Once you have the plugin open, you can load a bank or a preset to write over the defaults.

OK, that answers the first question.

So the banks that would be created in another program would be *.FXB format that could be loaded (or imported) into any compatible program and stored outside that program so other programs could later access the same banks?

Or?

I'm going to have to fire up Reaper and see if I can figure out how to create some banks with Vortex, as I can't seem to do it with Chainer.

Como

[jensa]

Andy, maybe you could include a "blank" FXB with the installer? Just as an easy way to get started.

Yes, I do usually do that don't I... added to the list, although the master default button achieves the same thing for a preset with a single click

I guess you do. I just meant a new clean FXB-file as a convenience when wanting to start a completely new BANK. With no PATCHES inside.

[Astralp]

Yes that's right, it simply saves the state of the memory by saving all parameters.

Cabtabile can do it, also minihost has a good preset editing facility for re-arranging etc... although as a host I find it a bit buggy at times.

Lobby Steinberg to get fxb import/export back, they should be ashamed!