BlueARP VST Arpeggiator development - let's discuss! (Apple M1 ready, 4K)

[graywolf2004]

Thank you all for positive feedback. I don't respond to everyone individually, but I appreciate it a lot.

Currently working on patch browser. Issue is patch name editing. I had 2 alternative solutions:
1. Enter patch name in separate window
2. When you click patch name, TEdit control appears on the same place and replaces TLabel, you edit patch name, then press enter and TEdit hides.
I chose p.2 - looks more elegant, the only thing I'm still fighting is how to implement "control looses focus" event.

ToDo short list
1. Finish with patch browser
2. Arp working when DAW sequencer is stopped
3. Program switching automation (ideas?)

[graywolf2004]

Update: BlueARP v1.08 beta
http://www.graywolf2004.net/files/BlueARP_v1.08.zip

Changes:
- Bank load/save now works OK
- Basic patch browser, where you can rename patches
(to rename a patch, click on it)
- Now Arp plays when sequencer stopped

I made a lot of changes to MIDI processing engine and then spent around 2 hours testing, but still not sure I didn't miss anything. But if it all works, it's close to release.

[phreaque]

Excellent work mate, please accept my greetings & my respect for your efforts & support, you really did something great for us..
Thanks

[sinkmusic]

Thank you !

[sinkmusic]

By the way, I am looking for a drum step seq in order to control some hardware drumsynths.
Do you think that, in the future, it would be possible to have a "drum" mode, where each line would be assigned to a note ?
(i mean like that :
)

It would be a killer polyrythmic drumseq !

[plauto]

This is getting better and better, I personally would like the gate time was not global but individual, it would be more interesting if we could apply it to the note of choice.

[plauto]

This plugin would be great if you could read midi files, such as drag-and-drop functionality for importing MIDI files.

[graywolf2004]

sinkmusic Where this screenshot comes from? Nice GUI.
Currently I don't like the idea of making it polyphonic, cause several problems will arise, and while becoming polyphonic it will loose usability as a monophonic arp.

Gate per step is probably the next thing.
Reading MIDI files is too tricky - I don't want to dig into this mess. One example - what to do, if MIDI file is multi-channel and polyphonic? It's clear that this kind of feature will never be perfect.

[njon6]

Hi Greywolf, Blue arp is very cool, thank you for this, it seems to find its way into all my latest projects.

I just wanted to let you know that somewhere between version 5 and version 6 that is has gotten broken for my host - Tracktion v_3.0.4.8 - win xp. Nothing later than v_5 will work - I get a brief error message and crash.

I will try to snag a screen shot next time.

Thanks, Jon

[sinkmusic]

Hi, Graywolf
yes, that GUi is great, it comes from FXPansion's Tremor.

[sinkmusic]

Gate per step is probably the next thing.

Hi
A couple of features that i love from Rozzer Step MAchine(which is great but buggy) :
- glide !
- per row randomizer ;
- Scale quantize ;



Do you plan to add a PDF or html manual at some point ?

[sinkmusic]

My bad : "rst" can act as a glide on some syth patches

Another wish : being able to bypass a row.

[ENV1]

Glad that this topic came up again because i meant to report a problem with the preset management.


To make it short: BlueARP saves presets without a header, (and expects this headerless format upon reload), whereas SAVIHost and VSTHost save presets with a header. This discrepancy produces the following effects:



.fxp's without header

If loaded via VSTHost Preset Manager:

Error loading <PathToPreset>


If loaded via SAVIHost Preset Manager:

Error loading <PathToPreset>


If loaded via BlueARP Preset Manager:

Reload OK / Pattern(s) OK



.fxp's with header

Reloading a VSTHost Performance (Saved Project):

Memory Allocation Error / Saved pattern(s) lost


If loaded via VSTHost Preset Manager:

No Errormessage / Data Ignored / Pattern(s) not loaded


If loaded via SAVIHost Preset Manager:

No Errormessage / Data Ignored / Pattern(s) not loaded


If loaded via BlueARP Preset Manager:

Data Misinterpreted / Pattern(s) all wrong*

(*Since the header causes a 60byte data shift, which results in BlueARP receiving totally wrong values for the various parameters.)

I havent tested it with any other hosts yet, (maybe at the weekend when i have more time), but im pretty sure that most of them would be writing the presets with a header too, therefore causing the same problems upon reloading projects and presets.



Other:

BlueARP does not add an extension to the preset files unless you manually add one after the name in Explorers 'File name' field. Normally the proper extension should be derived from the 'Save as type' field and added automatically in case one isnt specified in the 'File name' field.

[graywolf2004]

Hi all.
I'll return to BlueARP this weekend, last one I was on business trip with working weekend. And now I have extra day off.
sinkmusic Thanks for info, I'll check this app.
ENV1 Looks like I missed something in VST SDK. I don't write any header information, just a raw parameter array. Can you point me at this header format descriprion? I did a quick google search and didn't find it.

I was hoping to write a manual and make an official release before NY, but now I see it was too optimistic. But I'm gonna write the manual anyway

[sinkmusic]

Thank you, Graywolf.