Blue Cat Audio releases Blue Cat's PatchWork 1.1, Including Sub Plug-ins Automation

Blue Cat Audio has released Blue Cat's PatchWork 1.1, a new version of their "universal plug-ins patchbay" plug-in that can host up to 64 VST plug-ins into any Digital Audio Workstation.

This new version adds sub plug-in automation thanks to new parameter mapping features, phase flip and gain compensation for parallel chains, a few compatibility improvements and many more enhancements (details below): It is now possible to map hosted plug-ins' parameters to external parameters that can be controlled by host automation or external control surfaces.

Blue Cat's PatchWork is a universal plug-ins patchbay that can host up to 64 VST plug-ins into any DAW in one instance. It is possible to chain effects in series or create up to 8 parallel chains that can be activated independently, and create many effects or instruments configurations within the plug-in, without the need for multiple busses. These configurations can be saved as presets and recalled instantly, or shared with multiple DAWs, using any plug-in format. Despite the plug-in's name, no wiring or cabling is required: configuring plug-ins routing is as simple as adding or removing a row or a column in the rack's matrix.

New Features:

• New parameters mapping feature for sub plug-ins automation (includes a "learn" mode for easy mapping): Up to 40 parameters can be mapped to external controls. Usual Blue Cat Audio plug-ins' advanced automation and MIDI control features can also be used to map controllers to sub-plug-ins parameters.
• New layout to display mapped automation controls in the main user interface.
• Added phase flip buttons for each parallel chain, so that you can easily compute differences between signals or correct phase problems introduced by some plug-ins.
• Link all pre and post gain knobs so that pre gain changes are automatically compensated by the post gain knobs. This can be used to easily push dynamics or distortion plug-ins without increasing the volume.

Fixes and compatibility improvements:

• In some hosts, when no plug-in is inserted, level meters remained frozen when stopping transport.
• Fixing crashes with GRM Tools plug-ins that changed their audio I/O count dynamically ("Reson" for example).
• Fixing sample rate initialization issue with Nebula when using copy/paste.
• The plug-in can now be used as a virtual instrument in Cubase and Studio One (it used to be silent).
• Some plug-ins that required the deprecated "effIdle" VST message should now work properly (Steinberg's Virtual Guitarist for example).

Price: 47 € or $63 (instead of 59 € or $79), until December 31st.