KVR Audio

JB Audio · Post by **JB Audio** » Thu Jun 25, 2020 7:03 am

Hello KVR community!

I am happy to announce the release of "MPEfy", a tool for MPE devices that converts your incoming MPE midi to midi that any VST/AU understands.

One of the key things about the MPE protocol is that it allows the player to control pitch bend per note individually. This means one note can glide separately from other notes. I wondered if it's possible to create 1 plug-in per voice so that every note can control 1 pitch bend value.

Well, that is exactly what the new product MPEfy does and I have made a short video to demonstrate it to you: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FYBcZbUQX74
If you have an MPE device I am curious about your thoughts and I hope you will give it a try.

Jelle Bakker
https://www.jb-audio.com

aMUSEd · Post by **aMUSEd** » Thu Jun 25, 2020 7:23 am

Cool - does it have a MFX version for Logic?

el-bo (formerly ebow) · Thu Jun 25, 2020 7:37 am

Seems useful. Can the pitch be set to +/- 48, even for synths that don’t natively support it?

JB Audio · Post by **JB Audio** » Thu Jun 25, 2020 9:53 am

aMUSEd wrote: ↑Thu Jun 25, 2020 7:23 am Cool - does it have a MFX version for Logic?

MPEfy is an instrument/synth host, it loads a plug-in for each voice and sends midi to each plug-in individually. This is not possible with an MFX (midi effect) type of plug-in. I hope this answers your question.
Jelle

JB Audio · Post by **JB Audio** » Thu Jun 25, 2020 9:55 am

el-bo (formerly ebow) wrote: ↑Thu Jun 25, 2020 7:37 am Seems useful. Can the pitch be set to +/- 48, even for synths that don’t natively support it?

MPefy can do pitch bend as far as the plug-in allows, for instance Massive supports -24 + 24.
You can configure this manually in the main window.
Jelle

aMUSEd · Post by **aMUSEd** » Thu Jun 25, 2020 9:56 am

OK the price is an instant turn off

el-bo (formerly ebow) · Thu Jun 25, 2020 10:01 am

JB Audio wrote: ↑Thu Jun 25, 2020 9:55 am
el-bo (formerly ebow) wrote: ↑Thu Jun 25, 2020 7:37 am Seems useful. Can the pitch be set to +/- 48, even for synths that don’t natively support it?
MPefy can do pitch bend as far as the plug-in allows, for instance Massive supports -24 + 24.
You can configure this manually in the main window.
Jelle

That's unfortunate, as it's one of the biggest annoyances for me...even when just using single lines with 5D expression.

I'd also agree with aMUSEd, regarding price. For a front-end utility such as this, it's way out there

Keith99 · Post by **Keith99** » Thu Jun 25, 2020 10:11 am

A clever idea this

aMUSEd · Post by **aMUSEd** » Thu Jun 25, 2020 10:39 am

I keep expecting him to knock that cup over - I would if I put my cup in front of my keyboard

aMUSEd · Post by **aMUSEd** » Thu Jun 25, 2020 10:43 am

Keith99 wrote: ↑Thu Jun 25, 2020 10:11 am A clever idea this

True - I could see this being something that all DAWS should do when loading a MPE plugin. Maybe the tech could be licensed?

afta8 · Post by **afta8** » Thu Jun 25, 2020 12:40 pm

I was hoping someone would make something like this, kudos to you...

That said I agree with others about the price point given the number of MPE capable VST's already available..

I think this is more of a 'nice to have' than a 'must have'. I think where you could really add value to this product (and justify the price point) is in the inclusion of a few hundred MPE ready presets for all these none MPE synths, with the mappings already done and set up.. Then it would start becoming an insta-buy type of product for me.

Will definitely give it a try at least.

Also suggest you post this at https://community.polyexpression.com/ and here viewforum.php?f=263&sid=33fb298989e9ac9 ... 6526a35a31

You should also include Bitwig as an MPE DAW on your FAQ page: https://www.jb-audio.com/faq/

Whywhy · Post by **Whywhy** » Thu Jun 25, 2020 2:10 pm

A midi modular toolbox for mpe could be great.

JB Audio · Post by **JB Audio** » Thu Jun 25, 2020 3:30 pm

el-bo (formerly ebow) wrote: ↑Thu Jun 25, 2020 10:01 am
JB Audio wrote: ↑Thu Jun 25, 2020 9:55 am
el-bo (formerly ebow) wrote: ↑Thu Jun 25, 2020 7:37 am Seems useful. Can the pitch be set to +/- 48, even for synths that don’t natively support it?
MPefy can do pitch bend as far as the plug-in allows, for instance Massive supports -24 + 24.
You can configure this manually in the main window.
Jelle
That's unfortunate, as it's one of the biggest annoyances for me...even when just using single lines with 5D expression.

I'd also agree with aMUSEd, regarding price. For a front-end utility such as this, it's way out there

I understand the need for this but if a plug-in allows a certain pitch bend range, then that's a limitation of the plug-in. I guess the only solution for this is to add some audio algorithm that pitch shifts the signal to the desired range.
Jelle

Echoes in the Attic · Post by **Echoes in the Attic** » Thu Jun 25, 2020 4:05 pm

aMUSEd wrote: ↑Thu Jun 25, 2020 10:43 am
Keith99 wrote: ↑Thu Jun 25, 2020 10:11 am A clever idea this
True - I could see this being something that all DAWS should do when loading a MPE plugin. Maybe the tech could be licensed?

Wouldn't be necessary. The logic is fairly straight forward, any host could do this. In fact it is EXACTLY the idea that I suggested to Bitwig. They already have container devices that can load multiple instances of a plugin and rotate voices dynamically. They just need a function like this where you can edit the master instance and it copies the settings over to the copies behind the scenes. That's just a matter of following equivalent device parameters for the copies from the master.

The one thing I do wonder though is what happens if an instruments parameters are not exposed for automation? That would seem like the only way the copies would be able to follow the settings of the master instance. So if you click a button or adjust a setting that is GUI only then does it reflect in the copies? And how would it even do that?

Glad someone did this though. Very useful tool and will be especially good for those older synths that are light on cpu but will probably not get MPE support.

el-bo (formerly ebow) · Thu Jun 25, 2020 4:12 pm

JB Audio wrote: ↑Thu Jun 25, 2020 3:30 pm
el-bo (formerly ebow) wrote: ↑Thu Jun 25, 2020 10:01 am
JB Audio wrote: ↑Thu Jun 25, 2020 9:55 am
el-bo (formerly ebow) wrote: ↑Thu Jun 25, 2020 7:37 am Seems useful. Can the pitch be set to +/- 48, even for synths that don’t natively support it?
MPefy can do pitch bend as far as the plug-in allows, for instance Massive supports -24 + 24.
You can configure this manually in the main window.
Jelle
That's unfortunate, as it's one of the biggest annoyances for me...even when just using single lines with 5D expression.

I'd also agree with aMUSEd, regarding price. For a front-end utility such as this, it's way out there
I understand the need for this but if a plug-in allows a certain pitch bend range, then that's a limitation of the plug-in. I guess the only solution for this is to add some audio algorithm that pitch shifts the signal to the desired range.
Jelle

That's no real option. Not your fault.

The bigger issue is that most synths do not allow the locking of pitch-bend parameters, for browsing. The only developer who seem to have got this right is U-he. In Repro (Not sure about the others), you can select +/-48 for up/down and lock those in place. Then every preset selected will already be set up for full-range pitch shifting

And actually all parameters seem to be able to be locked in the same way.

MPEfy, plug-in tool for expressive controllers