How to use Arturia SparkLE in Reaper

[markuc]

Hi all,

someone uses Arturia Spark in Reaper ?

In Cubase or Studio One, I turned off Spark as Controller in Preferences and switched on Spark as MIDI data source (input) on MIDI track.
How works it in Reaper ? Works in Reaper Spark's private MIDI port ?

Thank You for Answers and sorry my English

[markuc]

Nobody uses Spark ?

[odelay]

NOTE: I read in your previous message you have problems with your English. If you do not understand this message... I can also speak Spanish, just in case it is your native language. I hope you still follow this thread after all this time. (Maybe you have already found a solution for this problem).

I'm also an Arturia SparkLE user. I have checked your post plenty of times, since I used to have the same problems as you, and was waiting for someone to give you an answer, but I have recently worked out myself how to connect my Arturia SparkLE controller to my computer and use it to control SPARK as a VST inside a track in REAPER. Let me tell you how I managed...

1) First, make sure you update your SparkLE firmware to using Arturia's MIDI Control Center (It's free software for all Arturia products users) - You can download it and install it in Arturia's site. If you are a SparkLE registered user, it will also be easy for you to find the latest firmware file and download it to your computer.

2) Connect your SparkLE unit to your computer through an USB port. As soon as it is detected, it will inform you about its firmware version. If it is older than the latest one you have downloaded, you must update it. I can't remember the procedure now, but it's easy. You'll work it out in no time.

3) Once you have updated the firmware, connect your SparkLE unit to your computer FIRST and AFTER THAT start REAPER. - Go to Preferences / MIDI and DISABLE "SparkLE" both as MIDI INPUT PORT and MIDI OUTPUT PORT. Yes. Disable it completely. Apply the changes and exit the preferences section.

4) To be in the safe side... Close REAPER.

5) Start REAPER again with your SparkLE unit plugged in. Open a SPARK VST instance in a new track. It will start searching for your SparkLE controller. If you get no error messages... You've got it! Now you can use your SparkLE unit to control parameters inside REAPER.

6) If you get an error message saying no controller has been found... Do not panic! - that's where I got stuck every time, for a long time, until the other day I tried something I had not tried before... and it was as simple as CLOSING REAPER AND PLUGGING YOUR SPARKLE UNIT TO A DIFFERENT USB PORT IN YOUR COMPUTER!!!! - Start REAPER again with your SparkLE unit plugged, open Spark in a new track and wait to see if the controller is found. If not, try again in another USB port (I hope you have a few). Once you find one that works... Always use the same USB port to connect SparkLE to REAPER, and NEVER use it AGAIN for any other MIDI controller inside REAPER, just in case... - I always tried with the same USB port I used for my MIDI controller keyboard. The moment I tried a different USB port... problem solved!!!

[odelay]

Oh, I forgot... - Remember that if you leave the HOST and TEMPO toggle switches on inside Spark as a VST, it will start playing the moment you press "play" or "record" inside REAPER. First, enable Track Automation for your Spark track and set automation to "Write", so that all of your tweaking (filter variation, slices, reverses, etc) is also recorded as automation lanes inside your track. It is a good idea to start off with an empty pattern for a couple of measures and then turn to your first bank/pattern to start recording pattern changes, tweaking your beats, etc. Once you are finished, remember to set back your automation setting to "Read" or "Trim/read" (if you do not and start over with your track again... everything you have recorded in automation will be overwritten the moment you press "Play" or "Record" again. And I mean EVERYTHING (pattern changes and all).

Once your automation has been recorded, if you set your automation to TRIM/READ, you can modify your automation lanes so as to get the desired results in case your slicing / reversing / etc has been a bit messy while tweaking it "live". Remember that you can also record your session at a slower tempo so as to make your performance easier for you, and once it is recorded, fine tune your automation in TRIM/READ mode, and set the tempo to the desired speed.

[themixtape]

Here's some food for thought:

I understand that you have to disable MIDI input (in preferences) for the SparkLE to connect to the plugin, inside Reaper.

What I'd like to know...

What happens if you connect two separate SparkLEs to Reaper? One for the plugin, and the other in MIDI mode, controlling Reaper?

Do each show up as separate MIDI devices, even though they're identical? I'd really like to know.

The SparkLE is a SUPERB midi controller/control surface for Reaper. Superb.

And I love the Spark 2 plugin.

It would be great if the unit can easily switch between MIDI mode and Spark 2 plugin mode, but that's not possible from my research. But... two SparkLEs?

[odelay]

Originally Posted by themixtape

Here's some food for thought:

I understand that you have to disable MIDI input (in preferences) for the SparkLE to connect to the plugin, inside Reaper.

What I'd like to know...

What happens if you connect two separate SparkLEs to Reaper? One for the plugin, and the other in MIDI mode, controlling Reaper?

Do each show up as separate MIDI devices, even though they're identical? I'd really like to know.

The SparkLE is a SUPERB midi controller/control surface for Reaper. Superb.

And I love the Spark 2 plugin.

It would be great if the unit can easily switch between MIDI mode and Spark 2 plugin mode, but that's not possible from my research. But... two SparkLEs?

I fail to see why you would need two separate SparkLEs. I mean. If you need to create a song in Spark open as a plugin in Reaper, just disable the MIDI input for the SparkLE device and it will allow you to edit your patterns and/or your song.

After that, if you need to use your SparkLE as a MIDI input device, enable it. - It will not control your Spark plugin if it's active, but if you have already programmed your patterns and songs, you won't need it to control your Spark Plugin. Besides, my choice would be first to render or freeze Spark's tracks, so that they're digital audio and the plugin won't be in use anymore.

[odelay]

I forgot to mention something: while recording automation for Spark 2.0 while using SparkLE you may encounter a few problems UNLESS you make some changes in your preferences. Go to Reaper's preferences and under "Automation", change "Automation recording return speed" and "Action transition time" to ZERO. You need also to turn "Default edge transition time for new automation items" to ZERO as well. Otherwise, while recording automation, there's a slight delay which you can even perceive visually in the automation lane (there is a little bit of a slope upwards while recording new automation values). If you don't get the desired results when playing back the recorded automation, try other values... or other automation options.

[themixtape]

Originally Posted by odelay

I fail to see why you would need two separate SparkLEs. I mean. If you need to create a song in Spark open as a plugin in Reaper, just disable the MIDI input for the SparkLE device and it will allow you to edit your patterns and/or your song.

After that, if you need to use your SparkLE as a MIDI input device, enable it. - It will not control your Spark plugin if it's active, but if you have already programmed your patterns and songs, you won't need it to control your Spark Plugin. Besides, my choice would be first to render or freeze Spark's tracks, so that they're digital audio and the plugin won't be in use anymore.

Just for convenience. They're cheap and you can get a used controller (without software) for like $80. Plus, one can use the plugin one as a mobile controller for ipad with the iSpark software which is dope, while leaving the other in the studio for a Reaper control surface. I see what you're saying, and yeah... it's just about going into Preferences and changing the stuff once the beat is programmed. It's just nice to be able to hot-swap (like Maschine can do, from Maschine mode to MIDI mode)... same with Arturia's other controllers like Keylab Essential and Keylab MK2.

True, about just enabling midi. The problem is, it's a multi-step process. First you have to disconnect the SparkLE from the plugin, and then go into Preferences and enable it for Control and/or Midi input (both is most useful). So it's just a little time-consuming is all.

I was just wondering if it would work, with two connected. One in plugin mode (no midi input / control), and one for only midi input and control.

[themixtape]

Originally Posted by odelay

I forgot to mention something: while recording automation for Spark 2.0 while using SparkLE you may encounter a few problems UNLESS you make some changes in your preferences. Go to Reaper's preferences and under "Automation", change "Automation recording return speed" and "Action transition time" to ZERO. You need also to turn "Default edge transition time for new automation items" to ZERO as well. Otherwise, while recording automation, there's a slight delay which you can even perceive visually in the automation lane (there is a little bit of a slope upwards while recording new automation values). If you don't get the desired results when playing back the recorded automation, try other values... or other automation options.

Thanks for this!

[odelay]

Originally Posted by themixtape

Thanks for this!

Anytime!

[Boehmrunner]

Hi Fellow SparkLe users,

I can play SparkLEin Reaper just fine (i.e., I can hear it), but it still is not recording the MIDI output. Interestingly, when I send the sound to an audio track, it won't record the audio, either.

If I program something in SparkLe's sequencer, I can easily drag it over to Reaper's timeline, so that was my workaround for my most recent project.

Any ideas?

Thanks!

Jeff

[marin_q]

Hi guys, I can play the rythm on controller pads when Spark is opened outside of Reaper as a program. But when I play the pads in Reaper project while SparkLE software is opened in it, there is a small latency which is just big enough to enable me from recording the rythm on pads.Can someone please help me fix this? My PC is on 64-bit windows 10. Thanks a lot

[Henk-Shu]

Originally Posted by Boehmrunner

Hi Fellow SparkLe users,

I can play SparkLEin Reaper just fine (i.e., I can hear it), but it still is not recording the MIDI output. Interestingly, when I send the sound to an audio track, it won't record the audio, either.

If I program something in SparkLe's sequencer, I can easily drag it over to Reaper's timeline, so that was my workaround for my most recent project.

Any ideas?

Thanks!

Jeff

Hi Jeff (or anyone)

Did you manage to solve this? I think I have the exact same issue with my SparkLE after I updated to Big Sur. I contacted Arturia support who suggested several different things such as replacing USB HUB and use a single cable instead which didn't fix the issue. Then I bought a USB-C cable since the issue might have been caused by the USB-A to USB-C adapter (my mac only has got thunderbolts in it), still no show. Then I tried to remove SparkLE from the IOS Midi studio but still the problem persists.

After getting a proper USB-C cable I can use SparkLE as a standalone player. I'm able to hear sounds when adding a new virtual instrument track and playing with the controller but once I try to drag&drop the MIDI notes on the track, nothing is audible. The meters a moving when hitting play but it seems that Reaper doesn't recognise the MIDI coming out of SparkLE or something. When I drag&drop the MIDI sequence to the track, everything goes on a single lane when opening the editor on the track.

Is there anything I can do to fix this? Buy a new drum machine? Change DAW?

Thanks in advance!


Kind regards,
Henri

[Henk-Shu]

Originally Posted by Henk-Shu

Hi Jeff (or anyone)

Did you manage to solve this? I think I have the exact same issue with my SparkLE after I updated to Big Sur. I contacted Arturia support who suggested several different things such as replacing USB HUB and use a single cable instead which didn't fix the issue. Then I bought a USB-C cable since the issue might have been caused by the USB-A to USB-C adapter (my mac only has got thunderbolts in it), still no show. Then I tried to remove SparkLE from the IOS Midi studio but still the problem persists.

After getting a proper USB-C cable I can use SparkLE as a standalone player. I'm able to hear sounds when adding a new virtual instrument track and playing with the controller but once I try to drag&drop the MIDI notes on the track, nothing is audible. The meters a moving when hitting play but it seems that Reaper doesn't recognise the MIDI coming out of SparkLE or something. When I drag&drop the MIDI sequence to the track, everything goes on a single lane when opening the editor on the track.

Is there anything I can do to fix this? Buy a new drum machine? Change DAW?

Thanks in advance!


Kind regards,
Henri

I managed to solve my problem with the kind help from Arturia's tech support. They advised me to re-scan the VST plug-in paths (preferences > plug-ins > vst) in Reaper and it did the trick. I thought I should share this information in case there are other people like me trying to survive with old & dated gear such as SparkLE.


Henri