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

[njon6]

The latest works in Tracktion now! Thanks for your efforts, BlueARP is very fun and I just got lost in it again.

[ENV1]

Still having some problems with the presets here...



Extensions
- Preset files still get no file extensions when BlueARPs preset manager is used to save the files and only a name is entered in Explorers 'File name' field. Since the Load Program / Load Bank windows are filtered by filetype (*.fxp/*.fxb), such extension-less files will not be shown and therefore impossible to select/load with BlueARPs preset manager. (Unless proper extension is manually added afterwards.)

Solution:

- Check whether an extension is present in the 'File name' field

- Check whether it is the right one for the file thats being saved

- If present and correct, do nothing

- If not present or incorrect, add correct extension automatically

(This is how it usually works.)





Multi-Page Patterns / UI
- If a multi-page pattern is reloaded, BlueARP restores the patterns for all pages correctly, but only the page that is currently selected/visible will show the correct pattern on the UI. The other pages remain in whatever state they were in prior to loading.

Example1: I have a 32 step pattern and save it as .fxp. I initialize BlueARP via the Initialize function. Since the pattern is now only 16 steps long, i cannot select Page 2, therefore i will have to load the .fxp with Page 1 visible. Result: Page 1 plays the correct pattern and shows the correct pattern on the UI, Page 2 plays the correct pattern but on the UI it still shows as initialized.

Example2: I have a 32 step pattern and save it as .fxp. I initialize BlueARP via the Initialize function. I set Steps to 32 so i can select Page 2 and load the .fxp with Page 2 visible. Result: Page 1 plays the correct pattern but on the UI it still shows as initialized, Page 2 plays the correct pattern and shows the correct pattern on the UI.

Same thing with banks (.fxb).


Anything i can do to help (like trying something specific) just let me know.

[dazarz]

Hello to all!
Hello to graywolf2004!

Congrats for the great idea! I have been looking for such arpeggiator for so long!

I am a Cakewalk Sonar X1 Producer DAW user. Well, I had problems with the BlueARP becouse it made the Sonar freezed. Since ver. 1.10.1 the BlueARP appears in Sonar but doesn't recognize any midi in events.

I guess my midi/tracks setup is set properly. I used to run the Kirnu arpegiator (that works fine) so the midi routing is OK. But I am not able to enforce the BlueArp to work.

My secondary DAW is Ableton Live and here it goes without problems.

And another idea: is it possible to add controling the 'Arp Latch' by sustain pedal?

[graywolf2004]

njon6 +1 DAW in the list

ENV1 File extension bug - agree, just forgot about it. Multipage pattern bug - eventually discovered it myself and already fixed, will post the update this weekend.

dazarz I'll try to fix it this weekend - will require to install Sonar X1 for testing...

[graywolf2004]

I am a Cakewalk Sonar X1 Producer DAW user. Well, I had problems with the BlueARP becouse it made the Sonar freezed. Since ver. 1.10.1 the BlueARP appears in Sonar but doesn't recognize any midi in events.

What OS? I can't find any demo for X1 available, only newer X2.
Can you describe in more detail? When you hit play in your DAW, do you see "lights" running in BlueARP?

[graywolf2004]

Update: BlueARP v1.11rc1 (release candidate)
http://www.graywolf2004.net/files/BlueARP_v1.11rc1.zip

Changes:
- Some controls have drop-down menu (ones with "dot" buttons instead of arrows)
- Fixed .fxp/.fxb extenstion bug reported by ENV1
- Sync parameter - added 3/16, 3/8... values
- Fixed 2nd page (pattern invisible) bug reported by ENV1
- Halfway written manual (suggestions? Which things to cover)

Work in progress
- Color schemes (50% ready)

Tip: set sync to 3/16 and all steps to Chord to create deadmau5 style house performance (synth - supersaw pluck sound). Also try to set swing to +25% or -25%.

[sinkmusic]

Thank you !

[Evan]

- Some controls have drop-down menu (ones with "dot" buttons instead of arrows)

Much better! Thanks.

I would recommend the universal protocol for dropdown menus:

a) replace the dot with a downwards arrow (or filled triangle)
b) place it only on the right

Simplicity and familiarity rule

Thanks again!

[sinkmusic]

Thanks for the manual, it's good

A couple of suggestions :
p6 : you might put in bold each section's name ("Top panel global settings", etc) ;
p7 and onwards : after each block name, you might add a screenshot of this section, so it is easier to spot what you're talking about.

[ENV1]

Thanks for the update.


Did a (very brief) test:

- File extension problem appears to be solved

- MultiPage pattern UI problem appears to be solved



More tests and feedback when i have more time.

Thanks again.

[dazarz]

What OS? I can't find any demo for X1 available, only newer X2.

DAW: Cakewalk Sonar X1 Producer Expanded (X1d build 535)
CPU: Intel Core i5 760 @ 2.8 GHz, 4 cores.
Memory: 4 GB
Windows 7 Home Premium, x64, SP1 (build 7601)

After hours of manipulation, tweaking etc. I enforced the BlueArp v1.10.1 to work. I had to completly rebuild my VST plugin datebase in Sonar. I guess it somewhere memorized some settings from the previous versions that refuse to work. So now version 1.101.1 seems to work OK.

BlueArp v1.11rc again (as the pre-1.10.1 versions) makes the Sonar crashed soon after selecting the BlueArp from the plugin list. The message windows says: "A fatal error has occurred. As a result Sonar is about to exit abnormally."

I think you can test it using Sonar X2, there is available free trial version on-line. I am going to upgrade to this version later, maybe in a few months when money come

[sinkmusic]

Hi
Also about the manual, i would suggest to add more explanations about the various modes for the blocks #4 & #5 (Matrix editor & value bars, p9 & 10).
What do each name means and do ("nrm", "k1", "rest", etc)...

[graywolf2004]

Evan1 Agree, down arrow will be better. Will fix it next time, should be easy

sinkmusic Thanks. I'll continue to work on the manual nearest weeks.

dazars It gives some clue, I'll check the differences between 1.10.1 and 1.11rc1

[phreaque]

Hello Graywolf mate...

You're just keeping me surprised & stunned with every update, till now there's nothing to add, the latest version I used 1.10 was very stable in my FL Studio, running smoothly, multi instances used with no hassle...

I'm sorry if I was not posting here & thanking you. But since you're doing what exactly I was thinking about for many years, now I have some ideas to make the most intuitive automatic backing tool..

I'll send you an email for that idea if you're interested...

Thanks a lot... I'm looking forward to see the complete release of this amazing & powerful VST to purchase it

[ENV1]

Im really beginning to hate it, (because youre probably beginning to hate me, lol), but i have another problem to report.


This time its the RestartOnKey function thats not working right. It practically never starts on Step1 now, but on Step 16 or even 15 instead. This of course messes up the beginning of the sequence as well as the synching to other stuff. This is 100% reproducible, in other words its always like that.

But even worse; ive had one instance now where the whole thing sorta got stuck on Step4! I quickly captured it - heres the GIF:



I have no idea what caused this, all i can tell you is that it suddenly was like this, (before i even got to entering a pattern), and that it didnt go away anymore either. In the end i had to close that instance and use a fresh one.