NewSonicArts - Freestyle ...

[arienrolle]

Happy New Year! It's great to see the new Freestyle update! I just have two questions for you regarding the functionalities introduced in the latest update.

First, how does the new event shaper module work?

Secondly, I note the ability to use MIDI-generating plugins now. Let's say happy I want to use Xfer Record's LFO Tool plugin to modulate the parameter of another plugin hosted in a Freestyle session. How would I 'learn' the CC info outputted by LFO Tool to a parameter of another plugin?

[newsonicarts]

First, how does the new event shaper module work?

It scales the incoming MIDI value. Typical application is shaping your velocity curve. You need to insert it between two Event pins, normally you insert it before a VSTi.

Secondly, I note the ability to use MIDI-generating plugins now. Let's say happy I want to use Xfer Record's LFO Tool plugin to modulate the parameter of another plugin hosted in a Freestyle session. How would I 'learn' the CC info outputted by LFO Tool to a parameter of another plugin?

Well I'm afraid that the current MIDI generating support is for MIDI notes only. We will add CC support later.

However, without further features that still would not allow you to do what you want, unless that plugin happens to allow modulation of its parameters by incoming CCs.

However FWIW, the plan for later is to add an 'Automator' module, which will allow MIDI CCs to be converted to wireless parameter modulation, which can be broadcast to other plugins within the patch. But this is not on the immediate roadmap, due to other priorities.

[newsonicarts]

Thanks - nice but I'm surprised you've gone for midi recording first and not audio - more complicated surely as you will also need to have some means to record automation or it will be of limited use?

I think they are 2 different things really. Indeed recording audio would allow you to capture exactly what you have done, but then all you can do is use that audio in your DAW. In contrast, the EventPlayer is a more of a creative feature within Freestyle, allowing composition of loops and phrases direct within the Freestyle editor, which can also be stored within Snapshots etc.

A recorder box is also on the roadmap, but its also not trivial to be done right, so not neccesarily case its the less complicated route.

I'm not saying the EventPlayer is gonna be the perfect solution for all use cases of course, its rather that we have to continue to improve and enhance Freestyle step-by-step in many parallel areas to get to where we really want to be, so its a long game being played here. But of course trying to make sure that each step is adding value along the way.

[newsonicarts]

I really like freestyle however the nice graphics of the structure cant'be compatible with complicated patches! Imagine having 25 modules on this window and you will be scrolling till the carpal tunel explodes! It would be very usefull to be able to change the view and display only the plugins names in a rectangle with the connections, it would be great also to to be able organising the window the way we like instead of being forced to vertical order for the modules...

Its not a bad idea to disable the thumbnails but actually this is not as trivial as it sounds, because in the case of the internal modules, the thumbnails and actual plugin views are the same entity (that's why they are 'live' thumbnails and can be zoomed in and out), and to decouple this would be significant effort. And at this point I think there are several more pressing things to address.

What I do hope to happen during the 1.x life-cycle will be a container module which will allow you to encapsulate sub-structures (with sub-macros) and I think this will help with your situation. Maybe there will also be a left -> right layout mode too at some point.

[TabSel]

Is anybody able to assign a external rotary encoder to a macro dial in freestyle?

Freestyle learns the cc#, but doesn't detect it as a rotary encoder, and there seems to be no way to edit the assignments?

[xanthos]

I hope the dev can bring in PDC latency compensation soon... because if you put some plugin into the chain with pdc,
the whole track is out of sync.
and I dont know if my plugins have latency or not ... so in the end I cant check if there is some delay or not :/

[newsonicarts]

Is anybody able to assign a external rotary encoder to a macro dial in freestyle?

Freestyle learns the cc#, but doesn't detect it as a rotary encoder, and there seems to be no way to edit the assignments?

ASFAIK there is no MIDI standard for rotary encoders. Some MIDI controllers send increments decrements as CC values of 63 or MIDI 64 values (or such like), but Freestyle does not support that kind of controller.

However, Freestyle supports endless MIDI encoders which send absolute values, by sending back the current value to the device from the software to the MIDI output port. This means if the knob is changed with the mouse for example, the controller value will stay in sync. To set this up, you need to make sure that your have the MIDI output port also enabled in the Setup dialog. An example of such controller is the Behringer BCR / BCF series.

[newsonicarts]

I hope the dev can bring in PDC latency compensation soon... because if you put some plugin into the chain with pdc,
the whole track is out of sync.
and I dont know if my plugins have latency or not ... so in the end I cant check if there is some delay or not :/

A couple users have recently reported 'sync' issues, i.e. sequenced VSTs running 'out of sync'. Is this what you are experiencing? If so, I think its highly unlikely this is due to the lack of PDC.

Plugins with delay typically only have delay of a few samples (32 for example) and this is generally not enough to be audible, except in special mixing scenarios where you have parallel FX, and certain kinds of FX, and even in those cases it will probably only be subtle. Of course, there are some plugins out there - e.g. certain mastering plugins - with noticably-long delay, but those are probably not the kind of plugin you would typically be using inside Freestyle. Don't get me wrong, PDC is important, and is on our radar (it will certainly be more important in the future when other features are introduced), it just not something that has priority at the moment.

So, if you are experiencing sequenced plugins running 'out of sync', it is probably because the Event input is not connected. Freestyle sends clock signals to plugins via the Event input pins. (This is was a really important design decision actually, as in future you will see modules which can process, transform, and manipulate 'time'). So you need to make sure that the VST's Event input is connected either to the structures main Event input, or an Event output from an internal module such as the KeySplit.

For instruments, Freestyle generally connects the event pin automatically, so they will run in sync automatically. However, in the current release and public beta, there is a bug that some plugins (NI Maschine is an example) are inserted as the FX version by default, resulting in the Event pin not being connected automatically. Another known bug is that the Event outputs of VSTS are not sending clock signals properly, so if you try to 'drive' one sequenced VST from another, it may not work. Both bugs are fixed already internally and a new public release will be available soon.

[newsonicarts]

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[newsonicarts]

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[newsonicarts]

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[jbuonacc]

i was pretty set on buying this a while back, but i'm having a hard time trying to see what this gives me that i don't already have (plus much more) with MUX. anyone using that and can tell me what i'm not seeing?

[xanthos]

i was pretty set on buying this a while back, but i'm having a hard time trying to see what this gives me that i don't already have (plus much more) with MUX. anyone using that and can tell me what i'm not seeing?

well multiple parameters assignment to just one single knob is quite a unique feature at the moment.

[Fernando Carvalho]

Multiple parameters assignment is possible in mux too I think.

What I like about freestyle is its ease of use, nice plugin browsing, and the snapshot feature is very handy, is like saving presets on steroids. As an alternative host/subhost and as a chainer freestyle is amazing I think. Freestyle + mux is a nice combo too. Well, really anything + freestyle is a good combo. For example saving snapshots for softube modular is very useful in my setup, it compensates the lack of internal preset browser in Modular, and you can add more plugins of course, I was able to create hybrid Reaktor/Modular patches quite easily.

[jbuonacc]

i was pretty set on buying this a while back, but i'm having a hard time trying to see what this gives me that i don't already have (plus much more) with MUX. anyone using that and can tell me what i'm not seeing?

well multiple parameters assignment to just one single knob is quite a unique feature at the moment.

?? MUX can do that as well, and with custom parameter ranges (like Freestyle). i can also do most of this with Ableton's instrument racks.