Phrasebox feature request

[UncleAge]

I am hoping to get feedback from the users here on a feature that I have requested from the dev of Phrasebox. https://venomode.com/phrasebox

First a little background.

Some vst's can output midi data and a few of them can do it on multiple channels like Consequence, Microtonic (probably Kontakt and Reaktor) and a few others. NORA and Consequence (when I owned it) had this ability also and I used it quite a bit to drive several vst's from the same pattern. Now not all daws support this feature. Bitwig and Reaper are two of them that do and I own both. And when it comes down to it the same results can be achieved by other means. But having it happen in the plugin can be beneficial to workflow.

To illustrate consider this app:
https://divisimate.com/features/

What I am hoping to convey is that the functionality of sending different parts to different channels can improve workflow and drive different ideas. In NORA one could place different patterns on different channels thus driving different sound sources. And since you could edit those patterns you could have the different notes in the same pattern drive different sound sources. I don't really need different patterns across several channels but having the ability to send different lanes of the same pattern to different sound sources on-the-fly is something that I would make use of regularly.

Now a similar result can be achieved by outputting said midi clip and manually selecting notes in the clip and assigning them to different channels. This functionality is available in Bitwig I don't know about other daws (not looking to start a daw conversation at all). Or one could cut and paste the notes into separate clips on different lanes. Or you could copy a bunch of clips to different lanes and mute selected notes in each clip to get the desired result. But none of that is as quick as doing it in the plugin from the get-go. And it allows a setup like driving Phrasebox with the output of Midi Madness or Scaler in real-time and making adjustments to vst's on the fly as the pattern or notes are changed.

Your thoughts?

[Kalamata Kid]

Had seen Divisimate and dismissed it when I saw $199.
Not saying it is not worthily but a bit too high for me.
Also not sure if I could use it.

I am a Studio One 4 user.
Would Unify help in this respect?
viewtopic.php?p=7699881#p7699881
Or Bidule or even S1 multi-Instruments?

What you are requesting sounds interesting enough but
a video if at all possible would easily show the advantages.
Not sure if I followed everything you discussed.

[UncleAge]

Ok. I'll post a vid in a bit. I am looking for that functionality in Phrasebox. I have no plans of paying $199 for Divisimate.

[UncleAge]

Here is a video of the idea. Video and sound quality are not the best but I hope you get the idea.
https://vimeo.com/399007341

[Kalamata Kid]

^^^
I know very little of Phrasebox.
The video did make a difference.
On the lanes allow channel and velocity, note length .... to be set.
What you propose will be useful and if to expand the request is to allow to select midi notes or groups of them to channels. Allow the selections to overlap.
While at it to the selection not only can get the channel assignment but also velocity, note length ....

Why not make a midi list editor similar to the one in Cubase
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A1g1ZgvPQSE
where channel and other parameters can be selected.

Ok going crazy here. Sorry!
But if only Bitwig and Reaper can do this then it will be tough for the developer to get motivated?

[UncleAge]

Good input. I like your take about selecting groups of notes. I hadn't thought of that. I gave the dev a link to this thread. He may look in on it.

[Musical Gym]

If he can't do separate channels for each lane, maybe solo/mute for each lane?
Then lane output could be isolated for one or more lanes to route to track(s).

[David]

Great idea, very nice video, hope it works!

[venomode]

Thanks for your feedback everyone. I've been chatting to UncleAge about this over email, and I will add the ability to have different channels per row in a future update. I'll have a look at more complicated channel splitting a little further down the line.

I had planned to add this feature, however the first couple of DAWs I tested (Ableton and Cubase) simply amalgamated all channel data into channel 1, so I put it onto the backburner while working on a workaround.

Cheers!

[bojanboyss]

Maybe also channel selection per phrase, there are 12 of them. Can do same thing but easier to set and more control. Only downside would be they wont be all visible at once because its tabbed. Just thinking aloud.

There is something similar in piz midi pack https://code.google.com/archive/p/pizmidi/downloads
midiPolyphony:
For spreading polyphony across midi channels, i.e. if you play 4 notes, each one will go to a different channel. Polyphony per channel can be set from 1 to 64 notes for more flexibility. You can also use it to convert polyphonic input to monophonic output.
midiChordSplit:
For splitting polyphonic material to multiple midi channels based on selected note ranges for each voice. This is different from a straight keyboard splitter because the ranges can overlap, and the plugin attempts to choose the most appropriate channel.

While Venomode is here, dont wanna create separate thread for a small thing: Can we have something for polyphony control when generating random phrases? We have note density which is fine but maybe it would be useful if there is also polyphony slider which goes 1-8?

[venomode]

While Venomode is here, dont wanna create separate thread for a small thing: Can we have something for polyphony control when generating random phrases? We have note density which is fine but maybe it would be useful if there is also polyphony slider which goes 1-8?

Sure thing. I've added it to the feature request backlog, and it'll be live in a future update.

[bojanboyss]

While Venomode is here, dont wanna create separate thread for a small thing: Can we have something for polyphony control when generating random phrases? We have note density which is fine but maybe it would be useful if there is also polyphony slider which goes 1-8?

Sure thing. I've added it to the feature request backlog, and it'll be live in a future update.

Thanks!

[UncleAge]

While Venomode is here, dont wanna create separate thread for a small thing: Can we have something for polyphony control when generating random phrases? We have note density which is fine but maybe it would be useful if there is also polyphony slider which goes 1-8?

Sure thing. I've added it to the feature request backlog, and it'll be live in a future update.

1)...or the ability to lock particular lanes so they are not affected by generating random phrases.

2)In addition it would be nice when a note is selected the corresponding sliders in the bottom section were highlighted. As it is not even double-clicking a note will highlight the correct slider. I have to move the note away from the track and then bring it back to see which of the (often stacked) sliders is the correct one.

3) It would be nice if the phrase could be shifted left or right (minus locked lanes) and have the notes wrap around one way or the other.

***just thinking out loud***

[Musical Gym]

I don't know whether this has been requested:
Ability to lock notes similar to Harvest plugin...
With lock tool you would click on note(s) to lock them and next randomize action would affect only the unlocked notes..

[bojanboyss]

Some good ideas...
Here is one more: import rhythm from midi file.