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New MidiFX Available


Variorum

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22 minutes ago, Elffin said:

Would you consider creating a midi compressor???

The Velocity MFX that comes with CbB almost does it, but not quite.

A midi compressor would actually be pretty easy... I'll add it to the list (unless the bakers add one more slider to theirs) 😎

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  • 2 weeks later...
On 1/24/2019 at 5:28 PM, Elffin said:

Cool - great stuff tbh!  Would you consider creating a midi compressor???

Hey Elffin... I still plan on making a Midi Compressor, but in the meantime, check out this MFX component by azslow. I just noticed it on his site.

It allows you to draw in a velocity response curve (with ur mouse!), which makes it useful as a velocity compander. You can even save curves as presets...

Here's the page and here's the download link.

AZVelocity.png

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On 1/7/2019 at 12:36 AM, Variorum said:

I decided to brush the brain dust off my C++/COM/UI programming and write some plugins for Cakewalk...
The first (little) one is a MidiFX plugin called CSHumanize... because randomization is easy :)

Thank you for your work, I'm a little bit jealous about your programmer's skills ;)

Do you know a Digitech SDRUM?  It is a hardware pedal primarily for guitarists with some kind of "random" intelligence.  If you teach it kick/snare pattern, it is able to compute and offer several variation of hi-hats, cymbals, stick and so on.  I'm desperately searching for this type of VST but no results. The closest solution is "Tap 2 Find" from EZDrummer2, but it is "only" a search engine for pre-prepared midi drum grooves.

How easy/hard will be to create something similar to SDRUM? Of course just a MIDI, without drum VSTi or guitar audition SDRUM feature. I think I'm not alone who miss this functionality in a computer world.

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16 hours ago, filo said:

Do you know a Digitech SDRUM?

Nope! Had to look it up 😋

Cool device... It would certainly be possible to implement the basic functionality (the variations on a rhythm, etc.), maybe use a little 2 bar GUI to click in the basic beat or use a Midi keyboard to tap it in. Strumming in the pattern on a guitar would actually be the (relatively) easy part, but that would require a VST... I think sticking to MFX for this one is a good idea.

Not an easy project but not extremely difficult, either. Thanks for the suggestion! I'll add it to the list 🎸

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  • 2 months later...
  • 3 months later...

CSVC.gif

I finished up a new MFX plugin. This is a Velocity Compander... or a Velocity Squisher/Stretcher😀
It lets you pull up lower velocities, push down higher velocities, and adjust the overall offset of the modified velocities. It also lets you set a hard minimum and maximum for the final velocities.

It's particularly useful for remapping between instruments (like pianos) that have different velocity curves. Also good for smoothing out percussion tracks. If you've ever tapped in a hi-hat part on the little rubber pads on some keyboards, you know it's really difficult to get anything close to consistent velocity on those things. You can use this to even things out while retaining accents and the general live feel.

It's up now at Viramor.com.


Let me know if you Guinea Pigs find any bugs!

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The compander looks really useful, and efficient. So, would one use be to set the levels then bounce to clip to effect the track velocities? then remove? - or is the idea to keep this in an effects bin and treat it as a real time plug only?

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It wouldn't hurt to leave it on the track for the entire project; it uses virtually no memory or processor power. I guess it really depends on the type of track you're using it on and your personal workflow. If  you're happy with the track after wiggling the knobs, you can process the effect and remove the plugin. You can always add the plugin back later and re-adjust the velocities if you need to.
But, remember that you don't want to bounce to clip to apply a Midi Effect... just select the clip(s) or the whole track and go to Process/Apply Effect/MIDI Effects on the Cakewalk menu to permanently apply the velocity changes. The pop-up box will ask if you want to remove the plugin from the track after the changes are applied. 

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  • 2 weeks later...
  • 2 weeks later...

Thanks @Klaus  😀
The velocity display component is actually 127 pixels tall and the bars are sized using literally the same function that modifies the Midi velocities, so it gives you a really accurate representation of the changes you'll get... and it was 90% of the coding work for the MFX.

Well, actually, 90% of the work was tracking down an obscure bug that sporadically caused heap corruption... Gotta love C++ 😫

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@Variorum,

Thank You!  Thank You!  That's two heartfelt words of thanks.

Thank you number 1 is for sharing your talent and expertise with us.   Any thing that can make MIDI more user friendly is welcome.

Thank you number 2 is for your cheerful and upbeat attitude in all your messages.  I can't express how uplifting and refreshing it is to read your posts.

You inspire me .  This forum is very lucky to have you as a member. 

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On 8/22/2019 at 4:18 AM, Variorum said:

I finished up a new MFX plugin. This is a Velocity Compander... or a Velocity Squisher/Stretcher😀...

Was just passing by only to find out the new plugin. Wow! Some nice work done, Variorum, thanks a lot! :)

Your graphical visualisation instantly took me back a couple months ago when I was trying to edit huge amount of expression controller data and had to fiddle heavily with prv's transform tool to achieve the desired results. Normally should be easily doable with either transform tool or the Find/Change command, if I knew the destination values, but I didn't and had to judge by ear each time I touched the transform tool, thus a lot of fiddling to achieve the effect. Maybe if I had those sliders I could cut the job load by half... 😂

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Thanks for the encouragement @Jim Fogle 😀

11 hours ago, chris.r said:

I was trying to edit huge amount of expression controller data

I'll see if I can modify the compander to work with controller data in addition to velocity... or maybe just modify it into a separate effect for now. I like the Transform tool for smaller changes, but an MFX  might be useful for track-wide CC modifications.

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1 hour ago, Variorum said:

I'll see if I can modify the compander to work with controller data in addition to velocity... or maybe just modify it into a separate effect for now. I like the Transform tool for smaller changes, but an MFX  might be useful for track-wide CC modifications.

I played around with the Velocity Compander as a real-time midi processor.  It was soooooooo nice.  Much easier and far more useful than trying to select from a small set of velocity curves.  If you tweak a version to do real-time processing of channel aftertouch, please let me know. A couple of controllers I have that use channel aftertouch that have no flexibility at all--other than painfully trying to develop a personal performance technique to match  the hardware.

Thank you for the tools you have developed and shared so far and for your willingness to explore other possibilities!!!

Ohhhh. Ages ago I wrote a D0/B0 routine (Commodore 64, IIRC) to convert/map aftertouch to a sound module that didn't respond to aftertouch.  If you do develop an aftertouch compander and/or a CC compander, the D0/B0 [Dn/Bn] feature might also be useful for others.  (Mine was D0/B0 because it was hard coded to channel 1 based on my controller and module.)

Thanks.

Steve 

Edited by MusicMan11712 (aka Dr. Steve)
to fix glaring typos :-(
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