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

[phreaque]

Wouw, great demo. And I heard some of my <--- avatar in there

Yes! He's better to credit Space & Didier Marouani

[aciddose]

I'm unable to get the plugin to show up at all in Reaper, while in my own host it does load but:

1) the audio processing doesn't do anything. If you are going to provide audio channels (numOutputs = 2) you need to write zeros into the buffer in processReplacing.

some notes about this:
- if you use outputs = 0 some hosts may not work, but this is the best way to deal with the issue.
- if you zero the buffer, the host may have done that already at the start of the chain, although it isn't too cpu intensive it's still potentially a waste.

2) the effEditGetRect opcode returns (0, 0, 0, 0) and true (has an editor.) Why is this? You should be returning the rect stored as a static / global constant variable. It is not populated until editor->open() is called for some reason? If you were using skins that would be different, but still for compatibility you'll want to always return the valid rect if the editor has been constructed.

3) The plugin doesn't return anything for the name of the effect, vendor, version, etc.

[graywolf2004]

So you mean there's no ability to switch patterns by Midi messages? (buttons)?

For chains
1. Check 'chains on'
2. Set num.chains to desired number (1 to
3. Switch chains ('cerr. chain' param), it will automatically select program (for bluearp). If you want to associate chain with another program, just type in it's number in 'program sequence'
4. If you set 'send bank n' and 'send patch n' to other than 'none', it will also set program change to synth. So you can have different synth sounds for different chains
5. 'chain quantize' is like 'inp.quantize' for chain switching. If you set it to 4 steps, chain switch will be aligned to next beat.

Now they are not actually chains - for each chain you can associate only one program. Later it will be possible to set say 11-11-11-12. It means for this chain it will play program 11 three times, then program 12 one time.

Answering your question - yes, since you can automate 'curr. chain' parameter.

[Compyfox]

I just saw the more recent video demo, and I only have one question...

Will this ever be available on Mac?


I'm a Windows user, but I'm sure my friends would love to use your tool as well.

[graywolf2004]

aciddose Thanks for tips.

1) the audio processing doesn't do anything. If you are going to provide audio channels (numOutputs = 2) you need to write zeros into the buffer in processReplacing.

some notes about this:
- if you use outputs = 0 some hosts may not work, but this is the best way to deal with the issue.
- if you zero the buffer, the host may have done that already at the start of the chain, although it isn't too cpu intensive it's still potentially a waste.

Without fake audio outputs it doesn't work in Ableton (host won't call process()). Agree about zeroing buffer.

2) the effEditGetRect opcode returns (0, 0, 0, 0) and true (has an editor.) Why is this? You should be returning the rect stored as a static / global constant variable. It is not populated until editor->open() is called for some reason? If you were using skins that would be different, but still for compatibility you'll want to always return the valid rect if the editor has been constructed.

Did some testing in other hosts. Looks like it was the reason why 1.13b2 also crashes in Cubase x64 (via VSTBridge). 1.12rc5 worked fine. I traced to the point where it crashes - updatedisplay() call. Don't know how it's connected to effEditGetRect, but after I populated rect with constants it loads fine. Maybe the same problem in Reaper.

3) The plugin doesn't return anything for the name of the effect, vendor, version, etc.

I think fixed. How can I check this?

[graywolf2004]

Update: 1.13b3
http://www.graywolf2004.net/files/BlueARP_v1.13b3.zip

Bugfix - crash in Cubase x64, also

3. Switch chains ('curr. chain' param), it will automatically select program (for bluearp). If you want to associate chain with another program, just type in it's number in 'program sequence'

It actually didn't work (I forgot to comment debug piece of code. Now it should.

Still have random crashes when switching chains, need more debugging.

[aciddose]

I'll check it - the host should display some kind of info though about the plugin. I use my own host for this, there are a lot of other "mini hosts" available that work great for this kind of simple debugging/checks. I know the older versions of cubase (sx 2, 3, 5) that I've used in the past show this info in the plugins info page where you can enable/disable and rescan, etc.

Yes, it seems to be working okay now. Great! Still not clearing the buffer in processReplacing though.

Your ioRatio var is uninitialized in aeffect as well, although that probably doesn't matter it's supposed to be 1.0f.

Two feature requests:

Could you add an option to key select, "inc" and "dec" which increments/decrements a counter and uses that input note for the step? When running out of notes it would return to zero/last, so having one step with "inc" selected and playing a triad would produce that triad arpeggio.

If a specific note were selected that would set the counter for that step, and a following inc/dec would run from that point.

Another feature I really like in arps is a sync/rate option for "fit". This would be an additional switch. For example if 1/16 were selected for sync and "fit" were enabled, a triad would play at a rate of 1/16*3, or 1/48.

That allows you to keep a fixed rate while playing different lengths of chords with the inc/dec feature.

I have a couple examples, not that they're 'good' or anything but just for the general idea:

https://soundcloud.com/xhip/athesaw (a "live" example where chords of two, three, four and five are used in combination with bass notes)

https://soundcloud.com/xhip/rworek (another "live" example where up to 50 notes are mashed at the same time creating extremely fast arps )

[Deist]

This is a one of a kind tool... and the fact that you release it freeware makes you one of the coolest guy on the planet!

Now, pardon my stupid whining but I can't help myself with an (important) /detail/ about it: why, oh WHY restrict it to 5 notes in Key Select (when 8 would have been the strict minimum IMHO)?

I believe these restrictions aren't at all dictated by coding limitations, are they?


Thank you for a wonderful software Greywolf (now consider my requests and go code the extended version!!! Hehehe).

[graywolf2004]

I just saw the more recent video demo, and I only have one question...
Will this ever be available on Mac?
I'm a Windows user, but I'm sure my friends would love to use your tool as well.

Not in the near future, cause it requires to master a whole new toolchain of Mac development. I have some hopes for Lazarus (should be easier to move to from Delphi). But the only way to do it quickly is to find someone who can remake it for Mac...

[Caine123]

i am new to it and cannot find an option, i just painted in my piano roll a long note of c5 and it plays fine like i build the arp. but i wanted to try out some additional notes in the same instance but it doesnt play them, only my c5, c6 etc. not at all. any tips?

[phreaque]

i am new to it and cannot find an option, i just painted in my piano roll a long note of c5 and it plays fine like i build the arp. but i wanted to try out some additional notes in the same instance but it doesnt play them, only my c5, c6 etc. not at all. any tips?

RTFM many people would say, but also it is very good to try to examine the presets & understanding what's going on...
You can transpose the output range, you can make the output sequence play the same sequnce/notes or just to translate what you're playing to the corresponding notes.

[phreaque]

And yes there's a manual within the plugin. PDF format

[XM]

Hello. I have an issue with BlueARP. I've tried both latest stable and betas.

I'm using Studio One 2.6 64 bit and try to run BlueARP through JBridge

The problem is that when I drop the plugin into the project the window is empty and shows whatever was on the screen before in BlueARP's window's place - as if GUI has crashed.

Running BlueARP in an old 32 bit version of Cubase however is no problem. But obviously that's not an option anymore.

Any solution?

[phreaque]

Oleg mate I got a problem, used 4 instances of BlueArp 1.13b3

[graywolf2004]

Hello. I have an issue with BlueARP. I've tried both latest stable and betas.
I'm using Studio One 2.6 64 bit and try to run BlueARP through JBridge...

I'll put it in my ToDo list. I beleive it's about JBridge + BlueARP, not Studio One? Can you also check it with JBridge in another DAW?