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

[impete]

When I create an empty mix, and
It may well be that there's a great reason for it doing this that I don't yet understand and at least I now know I can turn the amp level down.

+1

So, to be clear - Wotja works like this because it is *both* an audio generator *and* a MIDI generator - simultaneously.

I think in both your cases, you want to use *only* MIDI from the Wotja VST3.

In which case, just set the Wotja audio output to zero, and enjoy Wotja as a "pure" MIDI generator (to all intents and purposes.

Again: if I'm missing something here, please just ask and I'll do my best to respond!

Best wishes,

Pete

[impete]

Hi,
I think you could request a Cubase NFR license: you are certainly a well established developer and I think it's interest also for Steinberg having a working Wotja on their DAW!

Good idea - I've just asked them!

Best wishes, Pete

[Banquet]

When I create an empty mix, and
It may well be that there's a great reason for it doing this that I don't yet understand and at least I now know I can turn the amp level down.

+1

So, to be clear - Wotja works like this because it is *both* an audio generator *and* a MIDI generator - simultaneously.

I think in both your cases, you want to use *only* MIDI from the Wotja VST3.

In which case, just set the Wotja audio output to zero, and enjoy Wotja as a "pure" MIDI generator (to all intents and purposes.

Again: if I'm missing something here, please just ask and I'll do my best to respond!

Best wishes,

Pete

I don't think you're missing anything, Pete... and while I get what you're saying about Wotja, I still find it a really odd (poor) design choice. Any DAW is both a midi generator and and audio generator, but I don't think you'll find one that won't let you delete a sound source.

Anyway, doesn't seem like it's going to be changed, so time to move on...

[impete]

I don't think you're missing anything, Pete... and while I get what you're saying about Wotja, I still find it a really odd (poor) design choice. Any DAW is both a midi generator and and audio generator, but I don't think you'll find one that won't let you delete a sound source.

Anyway, doesn't seem like it's going to be changed, so time to move on...

Hi - an many thanks for the feedback!

It is good to have a clear understanding now from my perspective

As an aside, I hope you can get an inkling of some of the evolutionary design forces we've dealt with over the years - Wotja is a complex beast, which has evolved hugely from several projects each with their own history and design requirements, and we've had to make a lot of trade-offs over the years to get where we are.

Anyhow... at the moment, when you drag a generator to a MIDI channel, that automatically sets-up a synth unit. By convention, the user interface works such that an active MIDI channel is always configured to have a Synth Unit in every Synth Network (this basically avoid confusion from users wondering why they didn't hear anything when assigning a generator to a MIDI channel!).

I guess it is an option for us to optionally change this behaviour, to allow a fully empty Synth network to be created when the Generator MIDI channel is assigned. That could be something we add to Settings, and would cater for "MIDI Only" Users.

Does that make any sense to you - and would it help?

With best wishes,

Pete

[impete]

Hi Folks,

So far as I can tell from the general lack of crash reports from 22.0.6 for iOS and macOS, the 22.0.6 update seems to have solved the plug-in scanning problem on those platforms.

In fact, the app itself now looks remarkably stable for iOS/macOS.

It'll be good news once 22.0.6 arrives on Windows (come on, Microsoft!).

Best wishes to all,

Pete

[JamminFool]

Hi Pete,
In Waveform 11.5.18 (Windows 11), I'm seeing something really strange: if you set the Audio Device to Windows Audio, Wotja makes no sound.

Both DirectSound and ASIO work fine, but Windows Audio silences Wotja. I've never seen any other plugin do this.

[UncleAge]

I guess it is an option for us to optionally change this behaviour, to allow a fully empty Synth network to be created when the Generator MIDI channel is assigned. That could be something we add to Settings, and would cater for "MIDI Only" Users.

Does that make any sense to you - and would it help?

With best wishes,

Pete

For me it's not important enough to warrant the development time. I have a work-around and I'll just run with it. I only brought it up originally because it seemed odd that after all sound generators were removed the app still made sound.

With that said... I do understand you are catering to a wide range of customers and meeting everyone's expectations is difficult. If this is your design choice after giving it thought, well, so be it. It won't keep me from using and enjoying the app.

[impete]

For me it's not important enough to warrant the development time. I have a work-around and I'll just run with it. I only brought it up originally because it seemed odd that after all sound generators were removed the app still made sound.

With that said... I do understand you are catering to a wide range of customers and meeting everyone's expectations is difficult. If this is your design choice after giving it thought, well, so be it. It won't keep me from using and enjoying the app.

Cool - if you're happy, then Tim and I are both happy

Best wishes, Pete

[Banquet]

I don't think you're missing anything, Pete... and while I get what you're saying about Wotja, I still find it a really odd (poor) design choice. Any DAW is both a midi generator and and audio generator, but I don't think you'll find one that won't let you delete a sound source.

Anyway, doesn't seem like it's going to be changed, so time to move on...

Hi - an many thanks for the feedback!

It is good to have a clear understanding now from my perspective

As an aside, I hope you can get an inkling of some of the evolutionary design forces we've dealt with over the years - Wotja is a complex beast, which has evolved hugely from several projects each with their own history and design requirements, and we've had to make a lot of trade-offs over the years to get where we are.

Anyhow... at the moment, when you drag a generator to a MIDI channel, that automatically sets-up a synth unit. By convention, the user interface works such that an active MIDI channel is always configured to have a Synth Unit in every Synth Network (this basically avoid confusion from users wondering why they didn't hear anything when assigning a generator to a MIDI channel!).

I guess it is an option for us to optionally change this behaviour, to allow a fully empty Synth network to be created when the Generator MIDI channel is assigned. That could be something we add to Settings, and would cater for "MIDI Only" Users.

Does that make any sense to you - and would it help?

With best wishes,

Pete

Hi Pete,

Yes, for me an empty synth unit should stay empty until I put something in it. It's quite easy to see through colour coding whether a synth network has anything in it so I don't see that confusing many people. And you shouldn't be able to delete something in an interface that isn't really getting deleted at all in reality.

I think, since you can now use Wotja to control external hardware and software you, you need to stop linking midi generators and internal sound sources so literally.

I do think it's worth the development time because, apart from anything else, I don't want a 12 track, possibly 40 midi channel ambient masterpiece, playing 40 external midi channels and also having to power 40 internal channels with the sound down... it's a waste of CPU/computer resources. However, I realise at this point you probably have other issues you want to deal with... but if it could take a place on a 'todo' list that would be great.

And I don't wish to appear negative about Wotja... Overall I absolutely love it! You've created something amazing and beautiful that in many ways is a genius of design. I've had it playing me to sleep for the last 4 nights and managed to 'design' a track of my own that I now have running in Cubase with my own instruments and I've tweaked the midi and added my own tracks.. Amazingly rewarding and fascinating to use. I wouldn't bother with any feedback if I didn't think it was brilliant

[JamminFool]

Amazingly rewarding and fascinating to use. I wouldn't bother with any feedback if I didn't think it was brilliant

exactly this.

[impete]

I do think it's worth the development time because, apart from anything else, I don't want a 12 track, possibly 40 midi channel ambient masterpiece, playing 40 external midi channels and also having to power 40 internal channels with the sound down... it's a waste of CPU/computer resources. However, I realise at this point you probably have other issues you want to deal with... but if it could take a place on a 'todo' list that would be great.

It is now on the TODO list

And I don't wish to appear negative about Wotja... Overall I absolutely love it! You've created something amazing and beautiful that in many ways is a genius of design. I've had it playing me to sleep for the last 4 nights and managed to 'design' a track of my own that I now have running in Cubase with my own instruments and I've tweaked the midi and added my own tracks.. Amazingly rewarding and fascinating to use. I wouldn't bother with any feedback if I didn't think it was brilliant

Your comments are *so* kind and Tim and I both really appreciate them.

If you could possibly find the time to put 'em in an App Store review, that'd mean everything. It makes a huge difference to our attracting new users to try-out Wotja.

Before I forget - one of the very nifty things about using Wotja as the Plug-in host - bear with me for a moment - is that you can add your mixes to Playlists (and, indeed, Albums). And they are *great* just for listening to in the background / foreground, or for sleep etc. So to be clear, even Albums and Playlists can use hosted plug-ins.

Best wishes, Pete

[impete]

Amazingly rewarding and fascinating to use. I wouldn't bother with any feedback if I didn't think it was brilliant

exactly this.

Hi JamminFool - thank you *so very much* for saying that, it really is lovely to hear.

And again - if you can mention to that effect in an App Store review - it makes all the difference to us!

Best wishes to all, Pete

[zzz00m]

Hi Pete,
In Waveform 11.5.18 (Windows 11), I'm seeing something really strange: if you set the Audio Device to Windows Audio, Wotja makes no sound.

Both DirectSound and ASIO work fine, but Windows Audio silences Wotja. I've never seen any other plugin do this.

All of the audio modes worked for me. Make sure that you are using 44100 Hz for each. Other sampling rates return silence from Wotja VST3 in my tests.

[JamminFool]

Hi Pete,
In Waveform 11.5.18 (Windows 11), I'm seeing something really strange: if you set the Audio Device to Windows Audio, Wotja makes no sound.

Both DirectSound and ASIO work fine, but Windows Audio silences Wotja. I've never seen any other plugin do this.

All of the audio modes worked for me. Make sure that you are using 44100 Hz for each. Other sampling rates return silence from Wotja VST3 in my tests.

hmmm, interesting. you are correct, it was defaulting to 48000 Hz and I had not noticed this. it works when set to 44100 Hz, as you pointed out. thanks for that!

but, having said that, shouldn't wotja 22 VST3 work at either sample rate? or is this one of the fixes that we are waiting for in the update?

[Banquet]

It is now on the TODO list

Thank you Pete, that's great to hear!

Your comments are *so* kind and Tim and I both really appreciate them.

If you could possibly find the time to put 'em in an App Store review, that'd mean everything. It makes a huge difference to our attracting new users to try-out Wotja.

Before I forget - one of the very nifty things about using Wotja as the Plug-in host - bear with me for a moment - is that you can add your mixes to Playlists (and, indeed, Albums). And they are *great* just for listening to in the background / foreground, or for sleep etc. So to be clear, even Albums and Playlists can use hosted plug-ins.

Best wishes, Pete

I have just left a review - and thanks for the tip on the playlists... can't wait to try it!