VST MIDI Learn --> MIDI CCs

[Astraois]

Hi and Hello,

I have two questions because I'm not very familiar with VST
programming. They're about MIDI Learn and the use of MIDI CC
for automation or MIDI Learn. As far as my experience goes,
MIDI Learn is limited to one MIDI channel for most plugins.
So, CC 20, CC 21 communicates on channel 4 (as an example),
so CC 20 and CC 21 cannot be accepted again for other assignments...?
In the end, that would mean that you can only link 128 commands.

Second question: When using MIDI CC, are there certain CCs
that you shouldn't use for MIDI Learn or envelope automation...?
(Like CC 97, 98, 99 ,100, 101 --> NRPN)

[jancivil]

So, CC 20, CC 21 communicates on channel 4 (as an example),
so CC 20 and CC 21 cannot be accepted again for other assignments...?

You can't make channel 4 do anything further with those assignments, but you have 15 other channels independent of that; that is, in one MIDI port. Most soft instruments do not provide more than the one port in plugin form. EG: Kontakt will need a script to enable that iirc; its standalone however avails of 4 ports so here's 64 in potential. I don't have a lot of use for the standalone other than NI plugins with a standalone should be opened as that first (also I believe Kontakt 8 will only do a batch resave in standalone.).

Second question: When using MIDI CC, are there certain CCs
that you shouldn't use for MIDI Learn or envelope automation...?
(Like CC 97, 98, 99 ,100, 101)

There is absolutely no difference from number to number, these are merely numbers.
In the beginning of MIDI there were only hardware synthesizer products that used it, and certain numbers were selected in the original protocol for specified functions of the synth, hard-wired.

These assignments have no meaning per se for soft instruments. You might see some words next to a number, eg: conventionally CC1 is "Mod Wheel" but there's no reason it can't be another number except convenience. So let's say a soft instrument has a preset function assigned by default to CC1 (dynamics, vibrato, etc); so do we have some actual reason to change it.
I practically never have more than one instrument per channel, but I'm using something that avails up to 48 ports (768 channels) that hosts my instruments and the bulk of FX.

[Astraois]

Thank you for the detailed message. Sorry, I didn't express myself clearly enough. I meant that if CC20 or CC21 is used on channel 4, it no longer works on channel 5 --> CC20 and CC21 on channel 5. I would ideally like 16x128 MIDI CC assignments to be possible, but it seems that's not the case with most plugins...?
.
.

Screenshot 2024-12-31 001451.png

[IvyBirds]

Thank you for the detailed message. Sorry, I didn't express myself clearly enough. I meant that if CC20 or CC21 is used on channel 4, it no longer works on channel 5 --> CC20 and CC21 on channel 5. I would ideally like 16x128 MIDI CC assignments to be possible, but it seems that's not the case with most plugins...?
.
.
Screenshot 2024-12-31 001451.png

It all depends on the plugin, I have many where you can assign a MIDI channel to CC

Arturia is a great example of those

[Astraois]

I have been working with the Spark2 (Softsynth) by Arturia for many years and I quickly noticed that the Spark2 is not able to supply different MIDI CCs on different channels. At the time I was not so familiar with the VST stuff and MIDI Learn and so I didn't know for a longer time why it wasn't working this way. I thought it was the DAW or my lack of knowledge. Now I know what the problem is... I have to say, I feel pretty ripped off!