MIDItoReaControlPath: free VST for extended learn/assgin

[Jeffos]

MIDItoReaControlPath is a kind of hacker* VST plug that routes incoming MIDI events to Reaper's control path and/or to the standard MIDI path. The VST uses Reaper's extension API for that and thus is only intended to be used with Reaper.
*Schwa kindly confirmed "that would probably be fine".



This plug is released "as I use it". No need for a "sexy" GUI for me: as you can see, 4 faders et basta! However, it offers lot of possible combinaitions and you can easily work with several instances (refined input criteria). You can do things like "route all CC -except those on channel 10- to the control path and pass others to the standard midi path".

What is it? Why ?

Originally Posted by schwa

I think you are suffering from a common confusion of people coming to Reaper from other DAWs. Reaper currently has independent signal paths for control-CC-that-becomes-automation, and CC-that-gets-recorded-as-track-input.
You can't yet record CC as MIDI data on a track, then assign that recorded data as if it were an automation envelope, and you can't convert recorded CC to automation or vice versa. If you want automation, you have to record automation. If you want CC data on a track, you have to record MIDI CC.

The related FR is here: http://forum.cockos.com/project.php?issueid=1000

=> Adding MIDItoReaControlPath VST on a track allows you processing incoming/recorded/routed/generated MIDI events and automation as one and the same.
=> It's smarter/more efficient than using fake midi ports like MIDI Yoke (better timing, no extra MIDI hardware inputs/outputs needed).

In short:



Use case examples:
- enabling automations only for some MIDI harware inputs and for some MIDI msg types
- easier learn (i.e. filter channel + type of MIDI msg)
- combined other MIDI FXs, you can now process events before sending them to the conrol path
example: routing all CC4 to a given channel, so that it triggers the same action whatever is its original channel.
- MIDI item automation: FX params driven at "play time" through recorded midi items
- Complex/conditionnal FX control through JS effects (generating the CC events).
one of my use cases: reaDelay length live control according to the e-drummer's beat (live = no metronome)
- etc.. well, there're lot possible things! Here's another example:



Where:
- a JS "Action trigger" controls the transport commands (play, stop, ..)
- the played MIDI item (with learned CC, pitch and note events) is: driving FX params, muting/unmuting tracks, enabling/disabling FXs

Download:
MIDItoReaControlPath v1.0 (32-bit Intel Macs) new!
MIDItoReaControlPath v1.0 (64-bit Intel Macs) new!
MIDItoReaControlPath v1.0 (32-bit Windows)
MIDItoReaControlPath v1.0 (64-bit Windows)

Note for Windows: v1.0 makes extensive use of the SSE2 processor instruction set for maximum CPU efficiency. Older CPUs (notably the pre-64 Athlon XP series) that do not support SSE2 will not recognize it as a loadable plugin. The v0.2 build will run on older machines, it can be downloaded here.

Changelog:

v0.1:
- Initial release
v0.2:
- Compatible with Athlon XP (pre-64) processors
- 16 patchs
v1.0:
- Anticipative FX processing is now automatically turned off when needed
- Tighter build (463Ko -> 137Ko)
- Win x64 version

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[EDIT]
Many things can be done.. but the examples above are perhaps not the best ones. A simple and typical use case of that VST that should talk to MIDI musicians would be (aka "automation MIDI item"):
say you play the keys and have a VST parameter learnt from one of your knobs (on the keyboard)...
Case 1:
... for that, you have enabled "Control" in the midi prefs for that MIDI input.
Then you have also armed a track (using the same MIDI input than above) and recorded an awesome keys part and used the knob like crazy during the record.
now, play: you just hear the notes what you did with the knob can not be heard (i.e. the VST param is stuck)

Case 2: you have top most number one MIDItoReaControlPath (default settings) on the track:
... for that, you have armed that track with the keyboard as MIDI input ("Control" is disabled in the midi prefs)
Then you have recorded an awesome keys part and used the knob like crazy during the record
now, play: you hear what you recorded, the FX param is grooving like crazy
[/EDIT]


Feel free to post feedback, your own use-case examples, bugs ("if any"), etc..
Jeff