Volume Control

[gregh1]

OK, let's say that you have three VSTi plugins that you want to play simultaneously, with a custom volume balance between them, but the overall volume must be controlled by CC11. Here's what you can do today:

1.) Load VSTi #1 in the SOURCE of Receptor mixer channel 1.
2.) Load VSTi #2 in the SOURCE of Receptor mixer channel 2.
3.) Load VSTi #3 in the SOURCE of Receptor mixer channel 3.
4.) Configure the MIDI Filters of these channels any way you like. For this test, set them all to listen on the same MIDI channel.
5.) Turn the volume of mixer channels 1, 2, 3 all the way down.
6.) For the SOURCE of Receptor channel 9, choose PLUGIN AUDIO FEED of CH1.
7.) For the SOURCE of Receptor channel 10, choose PLUGIN AUDIO FEED of CH2.
8.) For the SOURCE of Receptor channel 11, choose PLUGIN AUDIO FEED of CH3.
9.) In each of channels 9, 10, and 11, load my GH-LRSelector plugin in FXA, and configure it like this: Source=Bypass, Volume=CC11, MIDI Channel=All (or the channel on which you are transmitting CC11).
10.) Set the relative volumes of channels 9, 10, 11 however you want using the Receptor mixer interface.

That's it.

This method "mirrors" each plugin on another channel, running through my GH-LRSelector plugin, so you could only do this for a maximum of 8 VSTi plugins.

Also, since the Receptor PLUGIN AUDIO FEED option only shows loaded VSTi plugins, not effects, there is no use in loading VST effects in the FX slots of the first three channels. If you want effects, load them in the "mirror" channels after my plugin, or use the Effects Buses fed from the "mirror" channels. The cool thing about either of these methods is that my plugin will be controlling volume before the effects, not after, so reverb tails (for example) will ring on.

By the way, this "mirror" method works regardless of whether "Route MIDI CCs to Source Plugin" is ON or OFF! Hmmm...

[okiikahuna]

Thanks Greg! That's brilliant. I am going to try that as soon as I get a chance. I guess using this box requires a bit of lateral thinking. Anybody know if routing plug ins this will increase latency to any noticable degree?

I'm not surprised that it works regardless of whether "route midi ccs to source plug ins " is on or off: The VSTis that respond to CC11 seem to do so regardless of whether this is on or off. Sometimes this can be good, ie B4II will always respond to volume on CC11. Sometimes it is a pain in the ass: ie some VSTs like Minimogue and Imposcar will always detune oscilator 2 when they see a CC#11 message.

K.

[okiikahuna]

OK. Tried it. Works perfectly. Doesn't seem to increase latency or CPU usage to any noticeable degree. So long as I don't need more than eight plug-ins in any mult setup, and I don't need to block midi messages to any particular plug-in, this will allow me to lose the little black box.

Thanks again Greg!

K.

[gregh1]

I'm glad to hear that it solved your problem!
And remember, you can use the plugin on the Master slot to make the whole mix mono (e.g. if your amp or PA is mono). Use the "Combined" option in my plugin.

[Bryan@MuseResearch]

Way to go, Greg!

Groovology

[okiikahuna]

The sum to mono will also be very useful. I always set up separate banks of multis for individual live acts and choose multis without using bank select. So now I'll just set up a banks for each gig with and without the sum to mono then choose the appropriate bank when I show up find out what's happening witht the PA. Life will be good. Maybe this will be the start of a thriving third party market for plug-ins specifically targeted at the Receptor.

K.