DrivenByMoss: Bitwig extension for many hardware controllers (version 23.2.1)

[moss]

Program Change is not forwarded to any device in the chain, independly by selected controller... I only have some results selecting midi monitor as controller. What am I doing wrong?
I'm using a Novation 61slmk3 mostly, Bitwig 4.2.4, DrivenByMoss 16.3.1

What is your use-case? Are you using the hardware mode to send program changes? Yes, they are not forwarded to Bitwig. It might be better to use the layer selector device instead or the program change device.

[octobird]

Yes, will be fixed in the next update!

He said the magic words

Thank you so much!

[fsciarra62]

Hi Jürgen, first of all thanks for answering.
I want to use Bitwig to play live and substitute my hardware synths: I'm simply too old to carry all that weight around.
So, what I'm trying to do is to use my midi controllers capabilities to send midi program and control change messages to play live: no need to control Bitwig editing functions for this usage. Bitwig is supposed to properly react with that. Let's say fxlayers should be set to respond to PC. In my current setup it doen't. I've searched for a vst midi monitor and found one. With that it's evident that program change message is "eaten" by controllers, all of those I've tried, with the exception of midi monitor (well, yes, not strictly a controller but still)..
Now: is it possible to program a controller extension which simply passes all midi messages to device chain? Would that work, allowing also to map Bitwig controllers?
I don't currently know how to program a controller extension but I might learn if that could solve. You might suggest me a way, perhaps...

Thank you for any help you can give, and thanks for all your work: I use your scripts to control Bitwig in my "studio" sessions.

Best regards,
Fabrizio

[moss]

Hi Jürgen, first of all thanks for answering.
I want to use Bitwig to play live and substitute my hardware synths: I'm simply too old to carry all that weight around.
So, what I'm trying to do is to use my midi controllers capabilities to send midi program and control change messages to play live: no need to control Bitwig editing functions for this usage. Bitwig is supposed to properly react with that. Let's say fxlayers should be set to respond to PC. In my current setup it doen't. I've searched for a vst midi monitor and found one. With that it's evident that program change message is "eaten" by controllers, all of those I've tried, with the exception of midi monitor (well, yes, not strictly a controller but still)..
Now: is it possible to program a controller extension which simply passes all midi messages to device chain? Would that work, allowing also to map Bitwig controllers?
I don't currently know how to program a controller extension but I might learn if that could solve. You might suggest me a way, perhaps...

Thank you for any help you can give, and thanks for all your work: I use your scripts to control Bitwig in my "studio" sessions.

Best regards,
Fabrizio

Thanks for the info. But again: how are you sending the PC?

[fsciarra62]

Dear Jürgen,
I fear I'm missing the question. I'm pressing a button on the SL61mk3 controller, which is programmed to send the Program Change midi message. Same happens when I press a button on my Behringer FCB1010 pedalboard: it is programmed to send a Program Change MIDI message. The SL61mk3 is connected via USB, the FCB1010 is connected via standard MIDI cables to my MOTU Ultralite AVB interface... Everything is connected to Bitwig. So I'm not using the specific Bitwig device, if that was the question.
Did I answer your question? Sometimes I misunderstand questions and my answer are often unclear because of my limited expressive capabilities in English: I apologize for this.

Thank you very much for the support,
Fabrizio

[moss]

Dear Jürgen,
I fear I'm missing the question. I'm pressing a button on the SL61mk3 controller, which is programmed to send the Program Change midi message. Same happens when I press a button on my Behringer FCB1010 pedalboard: it is programmed to send a Program Change MIDI message. The SL61mk3 is connected via USB, the FCB1010 is connected via standard MIDI cables to my MOTU Ultralite AVB interface... Everything is connected to Bitwig. So I'm not using the specific Bitwig device, if that was the question.
Did I answer your question? Sometimes I misunderstand questions and my answer are often unclear because of my limited expressive capabilities in English: I apologize for this.

Thank you very much for the support,
Fabrizio

So, you are actually not using my extension? Are you using the Bitwig default keyboard script?

[moss]

In case someone is at Superbooth in Berlin this week, would be great to meet!
I will be in front of the Bitwig tent at Saturday 12:00.

[fsciarra62]

Jurge,
I use the script that gets installed with DrivenByMoss for Novation SLmk3. I select the extension when the controller is plugged the first time. It then starts automagically, everytime I turn SLmk3 on.
If your question is if I'm using DAW Mode (inControl) then no: I need zone control to access many mapped synths on the fly.

It seems to do it's duty, more or less. What I need is to let the program change message pass through, or a simple explanation, if any, on why it's not possible, the latter more for my knowledge.

Or a suggestion for a better live usage. I'm realizing that probably I didn't fully understand your script usage and I need a second thought, too.

Thanks,
Fabrizio

[GoshT]

Hi Jurgen,

I have an issue with Ableton Push 2 for Bitwig. Currently on version 4.2.3, Macbook Air M1 Monterey.

I have followed all the installation instructions, but Ableton won't show up as a controller company in the controller list, so i have no option of choosing the driver.

Do you have a solution for this?

Thanks,
Gosh

[gExpectations]

Ahoy, i just did some decent testing with the NI M32 and depending on what is supposed to work, there might be some documentation and/or script problems.

(1) Your manual states the "basic feature set is identical to ableton life in the respective" manual. Not sure what basic refers to here but here is what works in regards to NIs documentation for Ableton Live:

• Transport Controls and Track Controls work fine. (Additionally pushing 4D controller always sends a clip from arranger to Clip view.).
• Browser Control doesnt work (not sure it is supposed to and I also suppose they mean Abletons browser not KKs)
• Parameter Control works kind of (see below)

Im referring to this manual: https://www.native-instruments.com/file ... 0_2021.pdf (page 69f -- nice).

(2) Your manual states that S series has "additional device/parameter and send modes". I understood this as parameter and send modes are only avaialble on S series (and not that they have additional control options for these modes). I can switch between volume, send and parameter control on my m32 keyboard by pressing shift+clear. Heres what works/doesnt work:

• Parameter mode works fine, just the display displays an additional "?" behind the paramter value.
• Pushing 4D encoder brings device view up and pushing left/right switches devices.
• Send mode also works but the display is borked in the sense that what ever is written there is shifted towards the top so you just see the bottom end of it.

I'm not sure this is exactly how it should be, maybe you can confirm. I also tested your maschine mk2 script a couple days ago but i had problems (extension was missing parameter pages and some other behavior was strange). I didn't really bother with it tho. If testing it thoroughly would help you out, I could do it.

[gExpectations]

I want to add pointlessly and out of frustration (can be disregarded;): i also did a full test of both your link implementation as well as controller mode with the mpc one and whatever akai does, it sucks so much. Your script worked flawlessly tho. Just, the MPC One could be the greatest midi controller ever but why are there 0 qlinks in link mode and 4 in controller mode. Why. Why does everything seem so artificially limited. I mean maybe theres a practical reason, obviously its not an easy problem and I don't work there or in coding. It still feels really bad. (Plus their firmware has lag on the qlinks since forever, no proper way to write automation with them).

[gExpectations]

I just spent way too much time testing an x-touch mini. Quick report: everything works as implemented but Behringers implementation is odd. I have a question, as getting info on this is very hard: the "plugin" button (x-touch has the same) is the device / userparameter mode switch. Now the device mode maps 8 buttons per device and lets you switch devices, just not on this one, as it doesnt have the needed buttons to switch (i suppose). What is the user parameter mode supposed to do? It does literally nothing and also doesnt send midi. Maybe the xtouch mini isnt supposed to support it? But i couldnt even figure out what it should be normally doing on MCU devices.

My resumee: this thing i so cheap and its almost amazing but a couple odd choices: you can switch between mcu and midi mode on the fly but only by sending cc127 value 0/1 and not by pressing a button... And they give you a "remove all solos" button and some other weird stuff instead of more modes. But oh well. If i can find a proper way to midi control my midi controller and be able to switch modes, this thing could acutally provice very useful. Because you can use a decently complete MCU implementation AND have 32 buttons + 16 faders to map as general midi controller.

[xtreme sounds]

Hi sir on the latest script for akai fire. when on the step mode, pressing shift and the right arrows shows display of edit page 1 2 3 and so forth. Anyway we can change scales from that page?

[gExpectations]

I want to give a short update, I hope its not just spam and my posts help someone. The X-touch seems to be a great option, you can bind the mode switch to the keyboard in bitwig and you have an insane amount of controls for 70€.

I then tested the faderfox ec4, its an amazing piece of kit, you get 16 setups of 16 groups of 16 push encoders. It supports 14 bit but has no transformation layer (so a x10 to cc e.g. so your parameter space is not 16000 values but 1600) so its too slow for cutoff filter etc. If I end up keeping it, I will setup a full control script for bitwig and share it, you can easily use that device to control everything with flexi.

I'm currently testing Atom SQ but its a hot mess... not quite done yet but ill prolly refrain from trying even tho it has the perfect layout for limited deskspace.

[Tj Shredder]

What I need is to let the program change message pass through, or a simple explanation, if any, on why it's not possible, the latter more for my knowledge.

You need to monitor the Midi input on the track either arm record which enables it by default or just activate the input. You could set up an extra track for that and use filters to select just the PC and route it to the places which should listen to the PC via a note receiver…
I never had problems to receive program changes…