azslow3

17 hours ago, Variorum said:

I suspect it would be possible with ACT... @azslow3 is the resident expert with that. Maybe he can give you a hint.

I think AZ Controller is the only way (apart from directly programming own plug-in in C++...) which can be adopted for all possible cases. But how "simple" it is depends from the perception of simplicity, in other words that is not "one click for all imaginable situations". If interested (and ready to use AZ Controller), ask on my forum (www.azslow.com). Describe what exactly you want (f.e. "trigger FX bin of current track" or "temporarily disable FX bin for "Keyboard" track when pressed") and do you want completely disable the pedal as sustain or not (f.e. it is possible to make it triggering bin with stopped transport only, allowing using the pedal normally during playback or recording). I can make corresponding presets (for me that is quick), so you don't have to learn AZ Controller (that it not "simple").

Alternative (simple to use, but depending from the hardware and desired result can be not possible/hard to use) ways:

• MIDI shortcuts in CbB. It may be possible define pedal as "MIDI Shift", so when it is pressed normal keys trigger "command" (from the list of possible shortcuts)
• MIDI learn within FX. The way normally used for Guitar effects in CbB.
• "remote" learn for particular CbB control (possible when control in question has that option in the right click menu)
• using standard ACT plug-ins (f.e. "ACT MIDI" or "Generic surface").

4 hours ago, Mark Morgon-Shaw said:

The new one doesn't force KK for using the Kontakt instruments, it's directly integrated with K7

Personally I don't care for pads, or faders much which are absent on the new model. I have them on my M-Audio controller and never use them. What I do use a lot in Kontakt , pretty much every track I make has a handful of Kontakt Instruments or more. So having direct control from the keyboard itself is a big attraction to me. 

I agree, direct Kontakt integration is a good thing, especially since Kontakt is multi-instrument and so it doesn't "fit" into Komplete Kontrol concept. But how that is bound to MK3? I have found no info if/when they allow that from MK1/MK2/M/A as well (obviously that is no technical show stoppers). Sure, NI can just say "that is S MK3 feature", but I hope (for them) they don't.

In general, I completely agree that controlling NI synths with NI controller is a good idea.

But for DAW integration, I was writing about a possibility to control arbitrary synthes and FXes, not about one particular (like Kontakt). DAWs normally have some own way (apart from direct MIDI learning) to control plug-ins. What is still not there is some more or less working and common way to select presets, that is what NI (and Akai) try to mitigate with KK/VIP. But preset tuning is more or less the same everywhere. Sure, not for everything, but that is also true for NI MK3, even in the official demo they use mouse once it comes to "unusual" parameter change.

PS. strip above wheels is great change,  a fix for design mistake they have made originally (on M32 there are strips only... the number of times I have touched them without intention when operating buttons above can't be counted by fingers... )

11 hours ago, Mark Morgon-Shaw said:

I think if it's to be once again taken seriously then it's these types of things that can be deciding factors for busy media composers 

What I think about M32/Axx  you can read here: https://www.azslow.com/index.php/topic,608.0.html

I know Sxx is different and so my opinion about it will be different.. But NI has made logical from marketing point of view, but for me "user unfriendly" decisions for all keyboard:
1) these controllers are not "MIDI", they are able to work throw proprietary protocols/software/logic only. That way NI is able to keep full control on what user can do with these devices. And they already have many questionable artificial limitations. F.e. while everything on device technically produce "a signal", many of these signals and feedbacks can't be used at all (even in official DAW integrations).
2) (the consequence of (1)) they kind of enforcing Komplete Kontrol and limiting DAW integrations
3) they (intentionally? I think so...) care keyboards no way used as Maschine devices, so you have to buy both if you feel yourself "limited". There is place for pads on A/S and the price, especially for S MK3, definitively can cover several $ worse pads matrix. But in practice they put bare minimum of buttons on all keyboards and still where possible "killing" the functionality of these buttons.

So, as a DAW controller something MCU like is better (faders, more buttons, etc.), for  recording/controlling anything except Komplete Kontrol wrapped instruments most other controllers are more flexible and as pure 88 hammer action for the price (of S88 MK3) it is possible to get "real" (long) one.

I mean there is a narrow region where NI Sxx are good, but multiplying the number of users which work in the range by the probability they are using Cakewalk as the DAW and the probability they want a bit more then "MCU compatible" mode (in practice with standard integration that means not a big difference), you get the number very close to zero. So NI nor Cakewalk will get no significant profit, while investing into one time development and paying for support. I hope I have managed to explain the point of my original comment  

From the amount of feedback I have got about my integration for M/A controllers (probably somehow works with S MK2, but I don't know if someone has ever tried), special integration with CbB/Sonar probably is not worse the resourced required to develop it 🤪

On 9/3/2023 at 11:45 AM, msmcleod said:

I think this has just been missed from the release notes.  The fix was done in the Sonar code in Feb, and applied to the CbB code back in April.

Originally reported Bus names related problem is fixed.

Unfortunately (I guess almost the same, so some cache...) problem exists (for me) with Sends. MIX_PARAM_SEND_OUTPUT returns the same value even after the send destination is changed. At some point the values is updated (f.e. when a send for another strip is added), but it seems like cached over destination changes.

It seems like I get topology update notification after changing the destination, but I can't get updated value...

TouchDAW is great in case you have a tablet. It works on phones as well, but since you can't have all controls visible, that introduce some limitations.

Another approach is to start with tunable solution: https://www.azslow.com/index.php/topic,295.0.html

Unlike TouchDAW, OSC with AZ Controller does not require extra background service. You can tune it for your needs (well, that require some effort...) and you are not limited in the length of track/parameter names.

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It can be just wireless transport buttons is everything you need. Then check https://www.azslow.com/index.php/topic,288.0.html It is web based, no extras on the phone side (and so fast and free to try/use).

I have decided to make the utility more or less "complete". 

The latest version should support VST2(i) and VST3(i) presets.

DX is not planned (I don't think someone will continue using DXes and so converting preset lists make no sense, CWP2RPP supports that for project conversion).

iZotope products are almost accessible, including RX package which includes de-noise.
I don't know if Waves Clarity is somehow accessible since I don't have it yet.

When there are non-continuous extra sounds, separating voices from the rest can be the way to do. For example with demucs. Recently several other algorithms and programs appear, which can produce even better results. 

But as already suggested, it is better avoid the noise during recording.

Also as I have already suggested before, about anything related to accessibility in music software and hardware better ask in RWP mailing list. You will get answers from experienced in that area people.

I have no REAPER to Cakewalk converter. Target format must be completely understood for that, Cakewalk format is unknown (I can only extract some parts).

REAPER has no build-in OMF export, but there is (relatively expensive) software https://www.aatranslator.com.au/ which can do that. I don't know how good it works in practice, nor how good Cakewalk can import produced OMFs.

On GitHub you can access any version of the project. The instructions/links/docs can be version dependent. It is in fact possible to organize more "noob friendly" pages, but that takes time/effort and for free software that is problematic (there is no "sales", so no revenue for "good website"). Typically the instructions are in README.md, which is displayed automatically after top level tree (I also wish GitHub  collapse  it by default, so the file is really "on top").

But then you need to "recognize" how to install. You probable already know windows/apple/android common icons, so these you perceive as "easy to find".

In case of spleeter there is "pypi package" icon, at the very top of the file, so "as top as you can get" in default GitHub infrastructure 

And the installation is as simple as "pip install spleeter", it does the rest on its own (till there are some problems in particular version, particular architecture, etc.).

If you don't have "google playstore", the link to it will not help. The same with pip. And there is no instructions how to get any of them, it is assumed you have it (there is no "please insert Windows installation media... " in Cakewalk documentation, right? )

Why there is no "Windows installer" here? Because this project is platform agnostic, as most command line Python projects. They think in terms of "running in container" (docker icon) or "running in current python environment" (pypi icon). Windows / Linux / Apple is irrelevant.

About "Download".  As with Android apps, python projects are normally "installed", not "downloaded". Logically there is no "download" link (except for the source...).

PS. demucs can be installed by  "pip install demucs". They have not put it on top, but mention that later in README (tip: search the world "install").

I have updated the utility:

• bug which was producing "ERR: in rpl_line" should be fixed now. Small (under ~128k) RPL files generated using buggy version are valid, but bigger (if you have some) should be regenerated.
• VSTi should be supported now ("-i" option is removed)

Thanks for the feedback. I will try to fix both issues tomorrow.

You can try: https://www.azslow.com/index.php?action=downloads;sa=view;down=93

Command line utility, no GUI. Running without parameters print how to use it.

That is the first version, it has bugs for sure. So check the output for errors and let me know if something goes wrong.
Note that REAPER sometimes silently ignore mistakes, so even in case there is no errors during conversion and import,
check that parameters are really changing when switching between presets.

For mono plug-ins use "-l2s" option. SPP files don't have information about routing, RPP files do. That option set
"left to stereo" (audio) routing, as in your example RPL (since the plug-in was mono).

-----------------

The rest of that post you can skip. Depending from your skills in computing, the following can be "too scientific" to understand

The names of plug-ins are different in Cakewalk and REAPER (they use different ways to construct the name). But both
identify plug-ins by IDs and these IDs are consistent. They are in encoded as a part of the preset, you can't see them (easily...).

Generated RPLs are not binary equivalent to self made, just in case you will wonder why generated RPL is different from
your test RPL. Cakewalk and REAPER are using different "factory to external" presets matching approaches (with some plug-ins
Cakewalk works more natural, with some REAPER seems like working more logical). Also the difference in preset origin is sometimes
saved into preset, in your example presets in RPL include the name of "*.preset" files you was using for transfer, in SPP that are just
modifications of "default.preset".

3 hours ago, Starship Krupa said:

I did try there and it says it's a "vocal  remover." I'm interested in instrument isolation. Specifically, I want to be able to hear nothing but the vocal sometimes for the purpose of figuring out lyrics. Other instruments, too.

And this site is about Cakewalk. And after all these years, I still have no cakes from them... And I don't know where should I walk... 🤪

"Ultimate Vocal Remover" can remove vocal, but that does not mean it can't remove the rest/split into several tracks/etc. BTW by default it creates 2 tracks, one with vocals only and one with the rest...

3 hours ago, Starship Krupa said:

I'm familiar with GitHub and yes, I know that (theoretically at least), many projects have ready to use installers. Trying to figure out whether or where a project has pre-compiled binaries with or without installers is the needle-in-a-haystack proposition.

Yes, that required READING. Sure, who is RTFM these days...

3 hours ago, Starship Krupa said:

GitHub has much in common with Linux and REAPER, in my mind. You don't have to be a programming freak to navigate them, but programming freaks have an easier time with them (and can't understand why other people don't😄).

Yes. Because programming freaks realize faster that without RTFM programs don't do what they want... Wait... there is ChatGPT4 now! It can write programs without asking the user to read any documentation first Well, just last week a college has asked me to "fix" his JS code. The code was looking "modern", but a kind of strange. After an hour I have re-written almost everything so it did what it had to. Only then I have asked him "how you have written that code?". The answer was... "I have asked ChatGPT...".

3 hours ago, Starship Krupa said:

I've had people tell me before that GitHub's function isn't to be a place where you download programs, and hey, I have to agree that they have done a great job of keeping to that, but then why do people post GitHub links as a way to obtain this or that program?

GitHub is a platform for open source projects. It is not forcing providing binaries and installers, but many people do (in fact GitHub has build-in feature to auto-recompile on changes). There is source code, documentation, place to publish issues (and a possibility to link version in which the problem is fixes) any more.
Website + Forum + download area + developers repository + issues tracker "all in one" for open source projects. For commercial projects outside GitHub you just don't see developers repository and issues tracker, but they are exist and they look similar.
BTW Cakewalk control surfaces API and binaries are also on GitHub.

1 hour ago, Starship Krupa said:

Ah, GitHub, the place where the hope that you'll be able to just download a program goes to die.

I still fall for it, though, because I can't resist the temptation of something free. Gave up in this case, like many others. Is there actually a downloadable program there somewhere or is it just code that people can incorporate into their own programs?

Any reason you have not started with the first link in the list (UVR)? The one which has an installer?

BTW many project on GitHub have ready to use installers. The place just indicate the project has open source, not that the project is for computer freaks only...

I have mentioned "original" demucs/steeper links because there is detailed information what they really are. I prefer that over descriptions like "brilliant"/"perfect"/"best".

For just removing vocal or separating instruments, there are many free solutions with complete description which AI/training DB was used.
F.e. https://ultimatevocalremover.com/ https://github.com/facebookresearch/demucs https://github.com/deezer/spleeter

Commercial solutions normally laud in case they have made something completely new and distinct, so if you see just common words about separation, that means inside is one of free algos, may be with a bit tweaked DB, but don't expect significantly different result 😏 F.e. moises at least 3 years ago was using spleeter algo (I just have not found more recent posts, it can be it still use it).

@johnegenes@gmail.com Looks good, I mean I will be able to convert.

@johnegenes@gmail.comI had a look, and I can try to write SPP to RPL converter...

But for that I will need an example from plug-in in question. So an SPP with 2-3 (not more!!!) presets included and corresponding RPL (with the same presets). Upload these 2 files somewhere and PM me the link.

It can happened the result will work with some other plug-ins, but not all. So for other plug-in separate examples may be needed.
The reason is existence of several preset formats and corresponding differences in SPP and RPL. Note that I am not working for Cakewalk nor Cockos, so I do not have access to the documentation/source of these formats (for RPL more information is "known" and developers are more friendly in explaining internals, but for SPP that is not an option).

There are some plug-ins for which that will not work (I couldn't understand preset structure). But with some luck your EQ is not in that list...

To clarify all that a bit...

What plug-in is drawing is common for all DAWs. But each DAW has own controls and extra functions. So the icons inside plug-in are working the same way in any DAW,  f.e. "Acoustic Guitar"/"Default" are DAW specific present management sections.

Both DAWs can export/import FXP (single preset). FXB can be a collection of FXPs, but that is not forced.

Cakewalk is using SPP for collections of presets, REAPER is using RPL. Both are proprietary DAW specific formats.

Writing a converter is theoretically possible, but that will probably take more time and effort then converting 200-500 presets...

You can use build-in export/import as pointer by Scook. That will work for sure.

Alternatively you can try FXP way. You still have to load and export each preset separately, this time as FXP (using VST2 menu in Cakewalk). But then you can combine them into RPL using mentioned utility. So you don't have to import and save each preset separately in REAPER, that cat significantly reduce total conversion time. But check with several presets that such procedure works.

If you can save FXP/FXB, they should be loadable directly (if the plug-in is the same). Alternatively you can try to convert them into RPL, https://www.azslow.com/index.php?action=downloads;sa=view;down=75

I don't think that helps, but who knows...

1 hour ago, Bruno de Souza Lino said:

Yes, the separation in MDX is better than that of Demucs and Spleeter, but it only separates vocals from instrumental, which makes it not as useful. Granted that could be circumvented by Using UVR's  "Ensemble Mode" and operating multiple models, but that already makes an operation which is not fast (My separation times for songs of varying length tend to be around 40-50 minutes) into something even slower.

In each tool the separation is "good" or "bad" depending how target material match a set from training data. In one of recent exercise demucs has separated the voice and guitar way better then spleeter,  but it has failed to "find" drums and percussion in that recording, spleeter has found them.
 

It can make sense to separate by different tools, f.e. remove (separate) vocal with MDX/other and then separate the rest by demucs/spleeter. Separation not always have to "sum" correctly. F.e. in re-mixing live recording it is possible to use "the best" tracks for drum replacement, side-chained input for dynamic/eq, etc. For that purpose most important the existence of signal in particular tracks, not fidelity of it.

3 hours ago, JohnnyV said:

Sorry about the side track. But I will be using the Real Tek audio on my playback laptop like I have for the past 20 years with out issues. And it’s not the ASIO driver involved.  

I also was using Realtek on my 2 notebooks since 2007... On the first one with ASIO4ALL, on the second with native ASIO driver and then with WASAPI. Native ASIO was hanging one or two times, but in general I had no issues. Playable with MIDI keyboard (no guitar nor mic inputs, the latency is not critical).

When real RTL does not match reported in the DAW,  the recording is misaligned. Under 1ms is not significant (for most people), but running Oblique or just loopback and adjust in settings is fast way to avoid that.

X(R)12-18/X32 are nice. Pre-amps are a bit noisy, the latency is not small and some effects have algo-delays but don't have PDC. But for live recording all that is not important😏   BTW Behringer has Midas MR18/M32 with a tick better pre-amps (and so higher price), otherwise they are the same.

11 hours ago, JohnnyV said:

Behringer @ 256 ms buffer = 14ms.              @ 64ms = 5.1 

Motu @ 256 ms  buffer= 16.2                           @ 64ms = 6.1  

My  Focusrite is  @ 256ms= 17.2 ms             @ 64 ms =7.3

So the Behringer is pretty good for a more or less medium quality interface.  

Have you really measured all of them? And if yes, how? Also the frequency is important (44.1 / 48 / 96)?
And exact models are also important.

The numbers for Focusrite and Motu look like for relatively slow models (not the slowest, but they also have better ). For Behringer I have not really found any 100% reliable numbers, but from the information I could find, measured RTL can be (significantly) different from reported, all posts with screenshots of audio to audio at 64 samples point toward 6ms (reports -  toward 5ms).

Note that I know that Behringers (with ASIO driver) have good latency, for what they are. It just should not be called "ultra-low", the term they was always using even for Xenyx mixers
 

52 minutes ago, Glenn Stanton said:

that's because they're called "UMC Driver" 🙂 basically in their downloads, lower units clearly show ASIO4ALL as the driver, and all the bigger units they call the UMC drivers. i can go as low as 8 samples (0.5ms) on my 202HD unit but typically don't go lower than 64 samples which is about 1.5ms each way so about 6ms total round trip. and only use it when recording live stuff. otherwise for mixing and virtual instruments, i just keep it at 2048 samples (about 100ms round trip).

My point is that Behringer had ASIO driver for lower units (and Xenix mixers) and was giving better performance then ASIO4ALL (I have compared 2015 after I have reinstalled one of my computers and couldn't find original drivers quickly).

I believe in 1ms RTL with 32 samples / 96kHz with Quantum and perfectly optimized special audio oriented computer under low load. Usable ~3.3ms RTL with RME and "normal" computer.  ~5ms RTL with some other constellations. Achievable ~6-7ms with most interfaces. But Behringer with "ulta-low" latency is science fiction 🤪

12 hours ago, RexRed said:

Someone once told me that Behringer's ASIO drivers are not actually ASIO but a rebranded form of ASIO for All.

For Berhinger's low end interfaces: http://forum.cakewalk.com/Behringer-ASIO-drivers-disappeared-m3294586.aspx

So they had ASIO driver which was not ASIO4ALL but at some moment they have "cleaned" all references to it (without explanation). It probable was some re-branded generic driver for which license/support was over, but that is just speculation.