BlueARP VST Arpeggiator development - let's discuss! (Apple M1 ready, 4K)

[graywolf2004]

Thanks for the update, but

I replaced BlueArp2.2.3 with the new one 2.2.5 and none of my old project sound like they did with 2.2.3.
All the blueArps are basically some "default preset" , no note variation.
FL Studio 11 32bit BlueArp on W7.

More Info, it seems like it loading preset nr3 "simple 4k Down" in stead of the preset nr 1 which is the right one.
So the right preset is there but the wrong one is loaded

Sorry for long silence here. Was busy with hardware prototype and some other things happened in my life so I had less free time than usual.

Still, here's the update: BlueARP v2.2.5
http://graywolf2004.net/wp/?page_id=35

Main thing here - expanded and improved factory bank, around 120 programs.
Added a lot of patterns from my best performances and demo's.
ALso recorded 2 videos.

New features walk-through
https://youtu.be/DBOdInkKho4

New extended factory bank demo & tutorial (showing how to play some patterns)
https://youtu.be/LSz3tlfs1oM

I mentioned it too late but anyway, thx for info. I'll check the code, looks like it's a problem with recalling current program number. The presets are converted OK (v223 -> v225), just did a quick check in FL myself.
Which DAW/OS are you on currently?

[graywolf2004]

Thanks, Graywolf, for your generous work.
I think velocity randomisation is a good thing, but may I suggest something like "intelligent randomisation" - to have more velocity in strong beat and less in weak beat? Usually in 4/4, strong beats are 1 and 3, and weak are 2 and 4. I think it is quite practical to have it.

It's easy. Just set more velocity on each beat, like this:

1.jpg

Randomization will add random negative or positive amount to each step, but average velocity for each step will stay the same.

I also would like to mention that I do not like your new "page" interface, sorry. It is less practical then it was before. May I suggest "main page" page, where should be the most frequently used option, such as "steps", "sync", "gate time", "octave transposition", etc.

I know, it was a hard solution for me, but still best of all options I checked (I tried scrolling, expanding/collapsing blocks, enlarging interface). Main page with essentials - yes, maybe in future releases. I thought about something similar too.

[graywolf2004]

There is a problem with CC 64.
When the plugin is in thru mode, sustain pedal won't pass.
Any idea?
Thanks

Fixed in v2.2.6 (will upload next weekend likely)
It's because for midi thru mode I have the logic to pass thru mod wheel and notes, but filtering out all other CC's. I did it because some synths like T-force alpha respond unexpectedly to some CCs.
But sustain pedal is essential (like mod wheel) so I added it to allowed CCs along with mod wheel and pitch bend.

[graywolf2004]

Thanks so much for looking into this! I am having this problem on my trackpad. I haven't had a chance to test with an external mouse since looking at your article.

I should say, I never had a problem with Reaper to start with, so I am suspecting it's an Ableton-on-OSX-specific bug somehow. Strangely, it doesn't seem to affect all the rows either; at least, after I fussed with these settings, and used the -AbsoluteMouseMode setting in Ableton Options.txt, the "Scale Step" and "Step Type" entries seem to work, but the "Key Select" and "Octave" don't.

Is there any way to work around it with some sort of alternate key entry? Like, if the up-down arrows could be used to change these, then I could at least still use this in Ableton, even if I couldn't set it with the mouse. Thanks so much!

Also, I was looking at the P320:Select_01 and it seemed to skip up like 2/2, 4/4, 8/8, etc. whereas P128:Semitone_01 skips up like -12/0, -11/6, etc.

In Ableton, I can see P320:Select_01 skipping up the way it should, but yet the button's value skips straight to "Fix". Seems like the buttons where the value is mapped numeric-to-different-numeric (e.g., scale step that maps 0 to -12) seem to work in Ableton, but the one that are mapped numeric-to-state (e.g., key select that maps 4 -> k1) have their button values skip straight to the top value even as their numerical values increment properly.

I got re-produce the problem (using Live trial 9.7.4)! And it's a halfway to fix it. It was a bit of misunderstanding, I though it was about mouse wheel adjustment (which works OK), but it's about dragging up and down. And here I clearly see the mis-behaviuor your described.

PS. And yeah, in Reaper the same works just fine. Weird...

[graywolf2004]

fycfung
Please check this version and tell if it works (I my tests - now it behaves OK)
http://www.graywolf2004.net/files/temp/ ... .6-rc1.zip

I didn't yet release it officially.
It's a long story - but to keep it short, it's all about polyphonic octave key select.
More detail^
Since Octave and KeySelect can be polyphonic, I store the values as a bit matrix (1, 2, 4, 8, 16 instead of 1, 2, 3, 4, 5).
But for automation, this bit-matrix values are useless, it should be continioius value only.
It was more complicated with ableton - because it immediately returns changed value back to the plugin from host (which Reaper doesnt do). I fixed all that,
But the unavoidable side effect is - it you set Octave to polyphonic mode and turn on both +2 and +1 for instance (polyphonic step), and then try to change it via automation of mousewheel, it will revert back to the lower monophonic value.

[ramseysounds]

Just found this arp. Looks interesting. Well worth checking out

[Yeager]

The presets are converted OK (v223 -> v225), just did a quick check in FL myself.
Which DAW/OS are you on currently?

You are right, but what I did not realize was that the project I was testing it with I used an even older version prob. V215** and I never re-saved it with V223 as a replacement because v223 just worked.
When I saved the project with v223 and reloaded with v225 all was well.
So V223 converted the V215 correctly and V225 does not.
This leaves me with some food for thought....

** Looking at your release/timetable I think it was V210/v208

[fycfung]

fycfung
Please check this version and tell if it works (I my tests - now it behaves OK)
http://www.graywolf2004.net/files/temp/ ... .6-rc1.zip

I didn't yet release it officially.
It's a long story - but to keep it short, it's all about polyphonic octave key select.
More detail^
Since Octave and KeySelect can be polyphonic, I store the values as a bit matrix (1, 2, 4, 8, 16 instead of 1, 2, 3, 4, 5).
But for automation, this bit-matrix values are useless, it should be continioius value only.
It was more complicated with ableton - because it immediately returns changed value back to the plugin from host (which Reaper doesnt do). I fixed all that,
But the unavoidable side effect is - it you set Octave to polyphonic mode and turn on both +2 and +1 for instance (polyphonic step), and then try to change it via automation of mousewheel, it will revert back to the lower monophonic value.

Looks good! Thanks so much for the really quick turnaround on this! I wasn't using an external mouse, just my touchpad, so that's why I didn't have a workaround at the time. Your arp is so cool! Thanks again!

[graywolf2004]

The presets are converted OK (v223 -> v225), just did a quick check in FL myself.
Which DAW/OS are you on currently?

You are right, but what I did not realize was that the project I was testing it with I used an even older version prob. V215** and I never re-saved it with V223 as a replacement because v223 just worked.
When I saved the project with v223 and reloaded with v225 all was well.
So V223 converted the V215 correctly and V225 does not.
This leaves me with some food for thought....

** Looking at your release/timetable I think it was V210/v208

It should work anyway, but this part is tricky. Every time fxb/fxp format changes, I a create a routine for 1 version up conversion (bank format doesnt change every version).
So loading project with older version may call several successive conversions, and something wrong may happen in this long chain...
I tried to save a sample project in FL with v2.02 and then loaded it with ver 2.2.5 - looks OK. Will probably try v208/v210 next weekend. But it may also be DAW dependent, different DAWs may behave a little different when saving/recalling plugin states.

[Fabrice54]

Hi all,

I try to automate the Arp enabled button in Blue Arp but i don't know how...
I expose my problem:
Via "bome's Midi Translator", i create a toogle button to disable or enable Arp

When Arp is enable, all notes are sent to BlueArp, no problem, all work fine.

When i Push on the button to disable, i send CC 7B, it's mean all notes OFF.
Here, there are 2 kinds:

-If the keybed are release, no problem, the Arp stop, and when i push keybed again, the arp doesn't start. this is ok
-But, if keybed are allready press, when i disable Arp,(it's mean the soft send all note off CC),the Arp continue to play until i release keybed, so Blue Arp doesn't respond to this CC
I select in setting page " program change : set program".

I try the same test with another Arp (Kirnu) and i don't have this issue.
May be i don't configure correctly BlueArp, but i don't know where....

Thank's

PS sorry for my poor english, i'm french...

[aqualordd]

I have some problems in Bitwig, now 2.2.2 (allways had the same problem). When I insert Bluearp , I cant change presets?! its stuck on preset "3". I need to reload the bank, then it works. Next time i start the project, its again reset at preset "3", and i need to reload the bank again.

Any suggestions?!

[mholloway]

Can someone explain to me exactly what the "Key Select" section is doing? I understand every part of this awesome device except Key Select, which is making me scratch my head.... soooo -- what is it, and what is it for? And yeah, I watched the Dev's (very good) video from back in 2012 but it didn't click...

thanks! and -- awesome plugin!

-M

[phreaque]

Can someone explain to me exactly what the "Key Select" section is doing? I understand every part of this awesome device except Key Select, which is making me scratch my head.... soooo -- what is it, and what is it for? And yeah, I watched the Dev's (very good) video from back in 2012 but it didn't click...

thanks! and -- awesome plugin!

-M

Interesting, as this feature of "key select" is the essence of BlueARP which makes it unique.
Try to make an example like:

K1 (0 octave)
K2 (+1 octave)

Now hold down any two notes on your midi keyboard. and see what is happening.

Then, hold down only one key, and see the difference.

[A Recurring Problem]

I have some problems in Bitwig, now 2.2.2 (allways had the same problem). When I insert Bluearp , I cant change presets?! its stuck on preset "3". I need to reload the bank, then it works. Next time i start the project, its again reset at preset "3", and i need to reload the bank again.

Any suggestions?!

I've been going nuts with the same problem! My findings so far:

- If I delete or rename the factory preset bank so that it doesn't autoload on start up, BlueArp will work fine when I throw it onto a track (albeit with no presets)
- If I do that, then load the factory preset bank after loading the plugin, it will do the switch-to-preset-3 thing...but if I load the factory preset bank a second time, it will work fine
- If BlueArp is saved in a state where it has the default preset file loaded, it will do the switch-to-preset-3 thing when you close and reload the project. If I DON'T have the default preset file loaded, it will load into its init state and work normally from there. Either way, it doesn't load into the state it was in when I saved the project file.
- If I try doing the no-factory-presets thing and then save the bank, BlueArp just loads into its init state the next time I load the project and doesn't restore its old state. If I try to load the bank I saved, I get "ERROR loading bank: Bank_SetChunk: Convert_Bank returned 0"

I sent the Bitwig team a message about BlueArp not working a month or so ago and never got a response (which is unusual for them; I think this is the only time I've never gotten one) but I didn't have nearly as much information as I do now. I still have no idea if this is a Bitwig problem or a BlueArp problem, but I'm thinking it's something to do with the way BlueArp handles banks. Graywolf, if there's any way I can help nail down what's causing this bug just let me know and I'm happy to do it!

[syncopath]

Hi.
I have had the same problem as people above in the thread.

The program bank was blocked onto the first one and it was useless trying to make any change on it.

How could I "solve" this? Just clicking on the MENU button and choosing BANK >> Initialize. But the thing is that I had to do the same each time I was adding this VST to any track, so I saved a preset for that device into Bitwig.

But, on the other hand, I might have another bug to mention: I think that the whole "PAGE" menu isn't working at all.

MENU>>>PAGE>>>INITIALIZE/COPY TO BUFFER/PASTE FROM BUFFER.

I'm on Bitwig 2.2.3 using Blue ARP v2.2.5