Bitwig

sagetone · Post by **sagetone** » Sun Jun 17, 2018 1:47 am

VCV just keeps getting better!

I can get the bridge to work just fine in Bitwig, getting audio from VCV into Bitwig. If you are using VCV and the bridge, how do you send CVs from Bitwig out to VCV?

Thank you, Todd

Tj Shredder · Post by **Tj Shredder** » Sun Jun 17, 2018 12:33 pm

sagetone wrote:VCV just keeps getting better!

I can get the bridge to work just fine in Bitwig, getting audio from VCV into Bitwig. If you are using VCV and the bridge, how do you send CVs from Bitwig out to VCV?

Thank you, Todd

Via midi, in OS X setup a IAC driver in audio midi setup, and in VCV one of the midi receiving modules...

sagetone · Post by **sagetone** » Sun Jun 17, 2018 4:25 pm

Cool, thanks Tj Shredder! I'm on a PC, works great here, and so simple to set up.

OK, this sends CVs out to VCV. What about audio? Have you sent audio, and if so, how?

SLiC · Post by **SLiC** » Mon Jun 18, 2018 10:03 am

VCV Rack 0.6.1, the open-source virtual modular synthesizer, has been released with the following new features:

Added gamepad MIDI driver.
Added computer keyboard MIDI driver.
Added JACK support on Linux.
Added velocity mode to MIDI-Trig.
Added MIDI multiplexing so multiple MIDI modules can use the same MIDI device on Windows.
Made Module Browser layout more compact.
Added power meter.
Added icons to toolbar.
The VCV Bridge VST/AU plugin has been updated with some major changes:
Replaced VST effect plugin with VST instrument plugin with audio inputs.
Added MIDI support.
Added DAW transport and clock.

sagetone · Post by **sagetone** » Tue Jun 19, 2018 1:43 am

Thanks SLiC. I was on 0.6, just updated to 0.6.1. It took me a little bit to figure out how to send audio from Bitwig to VCV, but works great! Need to select the output in the track as VCV Bridge, and then make sure the right port is selected. Also, each track can send 2 mono or a stereo pair, so outputs 1&2 only on the Core Audio module in VCV.

SLiC · Post by **SLiC** » Tue Jun 19, 2018 7:49 pm

The midi cc works amazingly well, total plug and play- load the bridge plug in BW, load midi cc in VCV and se,etc bridge- that’s it! 16 cv controls from Bitwig (modulate the hell out of them) strait in to the rack to plug away, nice colour change as you turn the dial in Bitwig.

I just can’t believe VCV doesn’t get more publicity, just because it’s free (and no marketing department) it gets little press or forum time And it realy is one of the very best modular instruments available for any price.

sagetone · Post by **sagetone** » Wed Jun 20, 2018 12:38 am

Thanks SLiC! I'm able to send MIDI data via the CC0-15 controls in the bridge device in Bitwig (manual control, modulated by a Bitwig modulator, or mapped to an external controller). Do you know if it's possible to send note data (pitch, not on/off, velocity) from the piano roll, or sequencers, etc?

sagetone · Post by **sagetone** » Wed Jun 20, 2018 2:22 am

I found it. MIDI-1. Duh.

SLiC · Post by **SLiC** » Wed Jun 20, 2018 8:00 am

Midi-1 and Midi-4 both work with bridge, as does midi trigger (16 trigger outs, set to go strait from BWS drum pads

) - try hooking midi triggers strait to Vurt Trummer and Trummer 2 for some very cool drums! (just click on manage plug in for all the free and low cost module options....)

The Bridge VST is pretty mind blowing! I was doing almost exactly this with 2 ADAT confections to expert sleepers cv converters and my hardware....this really is a complete and comparable solution, for free!

I highly recommend paying the 20 bucks for plaits from NI, I also paid 20 bucks for the new VCV para EQ as I just wanted to give those guys something for making VCV (and its really good!)! There are a ton of great free and paid modules, try the Vult and Hora stuff.

StudioDave · Post by **StudioDave** » Wed Jun 20, 2018 9:10 am

SLiC wrote:...I highly recommend paying the 20 bucks for plaits from NI...

Just to clarify, that's Plaits from MI (Mutable Instruments). And yep, it's pretty cool, definitely worth the US$20.

SLiC · Post by **SLiC** » Wed Jun 20, 2018 1:04 pm

StudioDave wrote:
SLiC wrote:...I highly recommend paying the 20 bucks for plaits from NI...
Just to clarify, that's Plaits from MI (Mutable Instruments). And yep, it's pretty cool, definitely worth the US$20.

Yeh, and they give 80% of that 20 bucks to charity, so everyone wins!

Instruments Preview plugin. We don’t intend to profit from this collaboration. Instead, 80% of sales are donated to the Direct Relief Humanitarian Medical Aid charity organization. The price exists to limit widespread distribution until each module port is mature enough to be merged into Audible Instruments.
Get it at the VCV Plugin Manager. Currently includes: Macro Oscillator 2: Plaits, Manual

sagetone · Post by **sagetone** » Wed Jun 20, 2018 2:24 pm

Thanks again SLiC. I've just started using VCV. Have a Eurorack system with two Plaits as well as quite a bit else. Last night I was running my modular and VCV through Bitwig - Bitwig sequencing both Rings in the modular (in the disastrous easter egg mode) through Cloud etc, and the E340 in VCV with added verb and delay, all back into Bitwig. Damn sweet!!

I'll also check out the virtual Plaits and the others you suggested. I agree, this dev needs to be supported for this incredible project!

mevla · Post by **mevla** » Thu Jun 21, 2018 11:07 pm

What are you using a VCV rack for ? I mean, it can only generate drones, does it ? So it's purpose would be to add ambient textures. Can any rhythm (sequence) generated by the VCV rack be synchronized to Bitwig's BPM ? Does a VCV rack accept MIDI notes ? Finally, is it seen as a VST plugin inside Bitwig (I gather not, because of the notion of a bridge of some sort) ?

Cheers.

sagetone · Post by **sagetone** » Fri Jun 22, 2018 12:37 am

Hi mevla, I've just been experimenting with it this past week. But so far, very useful. Bitwig is incredible in itself in being able to seamlessly integrate with my eurorack system. And now the ability to integrate VCV? Powerful! It's another modular, only virtual. I can send MIDI or CV or audio to it, receive audio back from it. So much more usable than just drones. I haven't tried it yet, but am sure there is no issue with sending a trigger/clock/pulse to it for synch. finally, as you mentioned, it is not a plug, but bridged to Bitwig. Works very well, and stable. I'm still learning, and haven't done everything with it yet, but so far, pretty impressed with not only VCV as a stand alone app, but also it's integration into the ecosystem.

SLiC · Post by **SLiC** » Fri Jun 22, 2018 6:23 am

mevla wrote:What are you using a VCV rack for ? I mean, it can only generate drones, does it ? So it's purpose would be to add ambient textures. Can any rhythm (sequence) generated by the VCV rack be synchronized to Bitwig's BPM ? Does a VCV rack accept MIDI notes ? Finally, is it seen as a VST plugin inside Bitwig (I gather not, because of the notion of a bridge of some sort) ?

Cheers.

Simple, VCV rack lets you build synths in the same way you do with Eurorack (or in software terms, Reaktor blocks). You can build anything - powerful unique mono synths, drum machines or complete tracks, sequence and even drones if that’s your bag

You can build your own entirely unique synth very easily from the 100s of free modules,

Start with a midi in and end with an audio module (core) and you can play the synth you build from a midi or usb keyboard just like any VST (or use bridge and sequence it from your DAW)

A typical first synth will be gate out to an ADSR, ADSR to VCA, 1 v/Oct to an Osc, Osc in to VCA, VCA out to a filter then filter out to audio out module.add lfo and more adsr to modulate the Osc, filter or whatever to get movement etc and you have built your own synth! Unlike a real modular you can save the patch!

The unique thing about VCV (aside from being free) is that many of the digital modules (like MUtablr Instruments) use exactly the same code as the hardware (where each module costs around 200 bucks) so sound great as they were developed by pro designers and are very highly regarded in the hardware world.

Bitwig

KVR Audio

VCV rack bridge in Bitwig