activating tracks via Midi

[mschnell]

Hi experts,

Is it possible to activate / deactivate tracks (including the embedded VSTs) via Midi "Program Change" messages (e.g. according to a list defining which tracks to be activate with any selected program) ?

With that, (ab)using Reaper as a VST host for live performance would be a really good option.

If such feature is not included in Reaper itself, maybe a Midi-only VST plugin could do the job, provided Reaper offers an API to allow a VST to enable/disable tracks (e.g. modify the Midi and Audio Routing appropriately and (optionally) power on/off the VSTs of a track.

-Michael

[mschnell]

Did really nobody consider this, yet ?

-Michael

[Mink99]

Could be done through Mackie MCU Protocol , you just need a midi input (not a channel) that can be defined as a control surface. ... And of course deliver the corresponding midi messages.

See http://web.archive.org/web/20080126093602/http://members.aol.com/mhigrules/MCMap.htm

Or http://forum.cockos.com/showthread.php?t=28945

[mschnell]

Could be done through Mackie MCU Protocol
Ah I see.

So Reaper does provide the appropriate API that is capable of remote controlling the necessary features.

(Being a programmer in my job) I think I might be able to create a VST plugin that converts Midi Program Change messages to messages sent to Reaper's "Mackie MCU Protocol" API (provided a decent description of this API is available).

I am just astonished that nobody already did this, as it seems extremely useful for live playing virtual instruments using Reaper.

Or is there a more common way of allowing program change messages select one of multiple VSTi's (optionally including an appropriate chain of VST effects), that are installed in (one or multiple) tracks.


-Michael

[Banned]

Especially if you're a programmer, I figure you could also relatively easily build your custom setup using something like OSCII-bot used as a (virtual) OSC Control Surface. You'd make a script for OSCII-bot to convert the appropriate MIDI Program Change events into the appropriate OSC messages for REAPER's OSC Control Surface feature, which supports bypassing plug-ins in its default configuration (cf. the "FX_BYPASS" OSC action description in the Default.ReaperOSC file).

[mschnell]

Thanks for the tip.

I never heard of OSCII-bot, yet.

I'll try to find out about same....


....
(later: )

According to the docs there is no dedicated WIN64 version, just Win32. Will the Win32 version be usable on Win64 out of the box ?

Looking around from the starting point you provided, I also found the "JSFX Programming Reference". JSFX seems to be available with Reaper out of the box. So why do you recommend OSCII-bot, and how are the interpreters related / comparable with each other ?


-Michael

[Mink99]

The mcu protocol is nothing else than a well-defined set of midi messages. The description is linked in my post.

The challenge will be to "mask" the midi provider that reaper will accept it as a remote control .

Btw : just use an iPad , if you have.

[whiteaxxxe]

The challenge will be to "mask" the midi provider that reaper will accept it as a remote control .



I did a similar thing long time ago ... to fool a Korg X3 into accepting -dont-know-anymore-what.

you can cut out the sysex part where the device ID sits in and place a fake device ID there that tells Reaper, that the message would come from a whatever, NanoKontrol, Behringer, Mackie or such.

[Mink99]

I thought of using a virtual midi cable

[mschnell]

The mcu protocol is nothing else than a well-defined set of midi messages. The description is linked in my post.
The challenge will be to "mask" the midi provider that reaper will accept it as a remote control .

I see. Do you suggest that Reaper understands these messages out of the box ?

Provided this, There will be several ways to convert midi program changes messages to such remote control signals for Reaper. (e. g. via Boeme's Midi Translator, that I already did some evaluation tests with.)

Btw : just use an iPad , if you have.
I don't see what you mean. My (and any) master-keyboard is perfectly suitable to send program change messages when pressing one of 32 buttons dedicated for exactly this purpose, so using additional hardware does not seem desirable.

-Michael

[mschnell]

I did a similar thing long time ago ...
By means of which tool ?

-Michael

[mschnell]

You'd make a script for OSCII-bot to convert the appropriate MIDI Program Change events into the appropriate OSC messages for REAPER's OSC Control Surface feature,

I suppose the "JS" plugins provided out of the box are done as OSCII cripts. So there are lots of examples to look at ...

-Michael