Wotja 22 - Generative Music App & Plug-in Host (Free, Pro; AUv3 / VST3)

[impete]

I've contacted Antares, to see if they can help with an NFR for me to investigate...

Pete

[zzz00m]

Waves plugins cause it to stop scanning and prompt for a folder location for every Waveshell (approx 5 times, one for each Waveshell).

I got the same prompt with the Waveshells on my initial attempts at scanning. So I temporarily moved them out of the VST3 folder until I got a clean scan.

Moved them back into the VST3 folder and they scanned fine. Weird!

[zzz00m]

Note: I found that the Wotja 22 VST3 plugin will generate sound regardless of the host transport status. For me the play button in Wotja operated independently of the host. So far, I'm unable to tempo sync with the host. I probably just need to read the manual! Ha!

Just drive Wotja with the DAW start/stop button. The internal one with Wotja is useful, but is confusing people (it doesn't remote control the DAW). We need to think further about this, but we have a lot of other stuff to look at...

To me that's expected behavior and I find it very intuitive. A lot of plugins have a play button of some kind that doesn't control the daw. Maybe just a tool tip to explain it?

Just to clarify, I'm actually not too concerned with the stop/start button in the app/plugin itself.

It's just that only one of the DAWs that I tested the Wotja VST3 in yesterday had any success with the DAW start/stop button and tempo sync. That was with Studio One 5 Pro.

Unfortunately I don't have access to Bitwig, Cubase, or Mixcraft. But I have tested the VST3 in Ableton Live, Cakewalk, Reaper, Studio One, and Tracktion Waveform.

[ZincT]

I’ve just heard from the Waves QA manager - so that is promising. I've given him a lot of info.

Pete

That sounds hopeful, I will keep my fingers crossed.

I've contacted Antares, to see if they can help with an NFR for me to investigate...

Pete

They are pushing their subscription currently so, if you don't have any luck with the NFR, they have a 14 day trial of all their products here (remember to cancel it though!)...

https://www.antarestech.com/demo-downloads/

Just to say a big *thank you* from Tim and me - you are being *so* helpful, it is really appreciated!

It's my pleasure. Happy to help a small dev and hopefully help to move things forward.
Also, I am just thinking - it's only early January now, imagine where Wotja 22 will be by December!

[impete]

Also, I am just thinking - it's only early January now, imagine where Wotja 22 will be by December!

I can't quite think beyond tomorrow at the moment

Best wishes, Pete

[ZincT]

Also, I am just thinking - it's only early January now, imagine where Wotja 22 will be by December!

I can't quite think beyond tomorrow at the moment

Best wishes, Pete

[zzz00m]

I just tried Studio One 5 Pro again (latest build 5.4.1.66992 same as yesterday) and not only does it work but it also tempo syncs and transport works fine with the Wotja UI closed. With the UI open the Studio One screen doesn't update and it takes a few presses on the close window button to close the Wotja UI (in the video I click on it around 6 to 7 times before clicking away to get rid of it).

That is exactly my experience with Studio One!

The internal sounds work great, so if I could just get the MIDI out working correctly in this DAW, it would be nearly complete!

When I insert any instrument on another track and select "MIDI in" from Wotja Pro, the MIDI activity indicator on the new track flashes during play, so Wotja appears to be sending some data, but no response from any instrument so far. Tried all 16 MIDI channels, no luck.

I am sure that I am setting this up correctly for Studio One, because when I tried another pair of instruments the MIDI send and receive worked effortlessly (using the MIDI out option from EZkeys).

[ZincT]

I just tried Studio One 5 Pro again (latest build 5.4.1.66992 same as yesterday) and not only does it work but it also tempo syncs and transport works fine with the Wotja UI closed. With the UI open the Studio One screen doesn't update and it takes a few presses on the close window button to close the Wotja UI (in the video I click on it around 6 to 7 times before clicking away to get rid of it).

That is exactly my experience with Studio One!

The internal sounds work great, so if I could just get the MIDI out working correctly in this DAW, it would be nearly complete!

When I insert any instrument on another track and select "MIDI in" from Wotja Pro, the MIDI activity indicator on the new track flashes during play, so Wotja appears to be sending some data, but no response from any instrument so far. Tried all 16 MIDI channels, no luck.

I am sure that I am setting this up correctly for Studio One, because when I tried another pair of instruments the MIDI send and receive worked effortlessly (using the MIDI out option from EZkeys).

Strange how it's behaviour has changed for me from yesterday. Maybe it doesn't like Bank Holiday Mondays in the UK

Yes, I get the same flashing on another instrument track indicating activity but no actual sound from it. I also thought I must be doing something wrong so tried a few other plugins which generate MIDI (Scaler 2 and also now Orb Chords) both of which worked fine in Studio One.

[zzz00m]

It's just that only one of the DAWs that I tested the Wotja VST3 in yesterday had any success with the DAW start/stop button and tempo sync. That was with Studio One 5 Pro.

OK, got the DAW transport working with Wotja in Cakewalk today.

Just added an empty 4-bar loop to the Wotja track, so that the DAW transport would run continuously in play mode.

Now off to recheck a few other DAWs...

Edit: made sure that an empty loop section with several empty bars (DAW loop mode engaged) was inserted onto the track, before starting the DAW play button.

Still no DAW sync with Ableton Live, Reaper, or Tracktion Waveform. Even tested these DAWs with another VST3 plugin, EZbass. This plugin even has a big button on the front [Follow Host]. That works as advertised!

So to sum up, so far I have the Host play/stop and tempo sync working by default with Wotja VST3 in:

1. Cakewalk
2. Studio One

IMO, can't imagine why it's not working universally, but as I've heard in the past, some DAW developers follow implementation of VST3 standards in a stricter sense than others. So apparently there is some wiggle room, or room for incompatibilities, in the interpretation of "official" VST3 standards.

Cheers!

[zzz00m]

@impete

• DAW UI doesn't update or updates are jerky when Wotja UI open.

I have observed that this appears to be a case of the plugin window hogging the "focus".

To test this, open any other small window such as a Windows Explorer view, and the DAW unfreezes and goes back to normal as soon as the focus is removed from the plugin and transferred to the new window. Then just minimize the Explorer window, and you have control over the DAW again.

This worked for me in both Studio One and Cakewalk. It's a workaround, but it sheds a bit more light on the issue...

[JamminFool]

I have observed that this appears to be a case of the plugin window hogging the "focus".

To test this, open any other small window such as a Windows Explorer view, and the DAW unfreezes and goes back to normal as soon as the focus is removed from the plugin and transferred to the new window. Then just minimize the Explorer window, and you have control over the DAW again.

This worked for me in both Studio One and Cakewalk. It's a workaround, but it sheds a bit more light on the issue...

this is very similar to what I reported earlier in the thread regarding needing to right-click on the Wotja app icon in the taskbar to get it to "wake up" after it becomes unresponsive (however, for the app, not sure about the VST3)

[ZincT]

Still no DAW sync with Ableton Live, Reaper, or Tracktion Waveform. Even tested these DAWs with another VST3 plugin, EZbass. This plugin even has a big button on the front [Follow Host]. That works as advertised!

So to sum up, so far I have the Host play/stop and tempo sync working by default with Wotja VST3 in:

1. Cakewalk
2. Studio One

I realised that I had not posted any more videos, so here's Reaper with DAW sync. By the way, one thing I had forgotten is that I had to open the Wotja UI once in Reaper and then press the Reaper play button. After this the Reaper play button is sync'd to Wotja whether it is open or not. The Reaper experience with Wotja is probably one of the best and I really appreciate its MIDI routing abilities and snappy performance.

[UncleAge]

fyi-possible bug
VST3 mode: If I try and export a cell to template in the left hand column the ui becomes unresponsive and I hear a chime. I think a dialogue box is opening behind the main ui and has focus and won't let me click on anything else. After I hit the enter key everything returns to normal except I don't see the new template in the list. Also, I don't know what option was chosen in the dialogue box when I hit enter because I can't see it.

[ZincT]

@UncleAge When the dialog box is opening behind the UI, can you use Alt-Tab so that you can then gain access to it?

[zzz00m]

Still no DAW sync with Ableton Live, Reaper, or Tracktion Waveform. Even tested these DAWs with another VST3 plugin, EZbass. This plugin even has a big button on the front [Follow Host]. That works as advertised!

So to sum up, so far I have the Host play/stop and tempo sync working by default with Wotja VST3 in:

1. Cakewalk
2. Studio One

I realised that I had not posted any more videos, so here's Reaper with DAW sync. By the way, one thing I had forgotten is that I had to open the Wotja UI once in Reaper and then press the Reaper play button. After this the Reaper play button is sync'd to Wotja whether it is open or not. The Reaper experience with Wotja is probably one of the best and I really appreciate its MIDI routing abilities and snappy performance.

@ZincT

Thanks! I was about ready to tear my hair out, but your video encouraged me to persevere with Reaper. At first, I couldn't get Wotja to work the way you did, even though other plugins such as Toontrack's were always in sync with the DAW.

So I updated to the very latest version of Reaper. Still no luck...

Then I reset Reaper to the default factory configuration. That did the trick! Still scratching my head, but at least it's a win!

I don't actually use Reaper for anything but testing plugins that don't appear to work correctly elsewhere. It's routing flexibility is quite useful! But I would advise against a total reset for anybody that has done a lot of Reaper customization. At least without backing up their config first!

Cheers!