ES5, ESX-8CV & GT - with Bidule

[Kubase]

Hi OS,

I recently expanded my Expert Sleepers set up with the ESX-8CV and GT. Having realised I can only access 4 VST inputs with Bitwig (I think) I invested in Bidule. The plan is to use multiple VCs and set them up in Bidule as and when I need to. However, I can only get the GT or the CV to behave, and obviously I need them both to behave. Please see the screenshot I have attached. With this setup the CV is fine but the GT's activity lights are not what I would expect - they're all blinking. If I route the CV through the GT then the GT behaves fine but the CV goes crazy. Any ideas?

[os]

That looks OK.

I've never heard anyone else mention they couldn't set things up in Bitwig, to the extent that Bidule was required. I would check on that, if I were you.

[Kubase]

I can only see a way of addressing 4 inputs - the main two and an additional 2 with the sidechain, hence Bidule. Any ideas what else could be the issue? I have the output gain to the ES-3 at 0.0db, and can't think of anything else to try.

[os]

Nothing springs to mind, sorry.

[Kubase]

Ok, I'll send the modules back then.

[os]

Well let's not get carried away. Do the modules work with Silent Way hosted natively in Bitwig?

[Kubase]

I’ve not spent ages trying outside of Bidule, but so far can’t get any activity on the CV and the GT needs setting incorrectly - for example I have gate 3/2 configured to get activity on header 3, output 1.

[os]

That indicates a non-0dB gain somewhere in the system.

[Kubase]

Ok thanks. I’ll try and troubleshoot that, hopefully it’s not my interface. Is there any way of doing this without just adjusting gains and hoping for the best?

[os]

It's all digital, so if all the faders involved say 0dB (exactly), that should do it. It all needs to be stereo too.

[Kubase]

With the ES5 routed through the 8GT in Bidule, I can get perfect pitch CV from the voice controller out of an output on the 8CV, albeit with unwanted (sporadic) activity on the other 8CV outputs. I can also get gate outputs from the same voice controller on the ES5 itself, with no unwanted activity on other ES5 outputs. But the 8GT is a light show. I only have the option of setting 0db in one place - the track output to the ES3, so I am totally stuck...

I've also tested hosting natively in Bitwig. Doing this, I can get both the CV and GT working perfectly if I have them on separate tracks - which means I can have CV OR GATE , but not both.

The ES-5 is a mark 3 if that is of any help.

[os]

What's the problem when they're both on the same track in Bitwig?

[Kubase]

Fixed - I was using the VSTi version of Bidule. Swapping to the FX version and everything works perfectly with the set-up above.