Zero Point for Panning in automation lane/ PRV

[Xel Ohh]

I would like to have a zero point for Panning and not guess what number I should be at when doing automation or when I'm in the piano roll.. just a zero point a +100 for complete right and a -100 for complete left not sure how hard this is but it would help out alot when doing automation for Panning.

[Promidi]

3 hours ago, Xel Ohh said:

I would like to have a zero point for Panning and not guess what number I should be at when doing automation or when I'm in the piano roll.. just a zero point a +100 for complete right and a -100 for complete left not sure how hard this is but it would help out alot when doing automation for Panning.

Sometime when I would like Cakewalk to implement something, I like to try and find work-a-rounds while I wait (which, sometimes, could be a while).

I have written a few CAL scripts that help with my work flow. 

I have written one that shifts the selected controller event’s values so that the average of them is CC = 63.  Of course, if applied to CC10 events, this CAL script makes the lowest value the same to the left as the right is to the right.  If the script is run on a single selected CC10 value, it changes that value to 63 (which, of course is centred.

Then I have another script then draws a line of CC values between the first and the last selected CC events, replacing what is in between with that line.

I know CAL scripts have been officially depreciated in CbB, but they still come in handy to speed things up a little.

[Glenn Stanton]

10    Pan Position / Balance    The Mono Panning CC10 is used to control the Left/Right balance for instruments with stereo signal output. Note: CC8 is occasionally used instead to control panning.    0-127    MSB

8    Stereo Balance    The Stereo Panning CC8 is used to control the Left/Right balance for instruments with stereo signal paths. Note: CC10 is often used instead to control panning.    0-127    MSB

[Terry Kelley]

15 hours ago, Xel Ohh said:

I would like to have a zero point for Panning and not guess what number I should be at when doing automation or when I'm in the piano roll.. just a zero point a +100 for complete right and a -100 for complete left not sure how hard this is but it would help out alot when doing automation for Panning.

I'm not clear what you are wanting. In Cakewalk, a double click on most things will center or zero the control. Many plugins don't follow this action though.

Midi velocity goes to 0, volume goes to 101, pan goes to center or 0.

Wave volume goes to 0.0, pan to 0 or center and gain goes to 0.

Edited August 21, 2021 by Terry Kelley

[Promidi]

4 hours ago, Terry Kelley said:

I'm not clear what you are wanting. In Cakewalk, a double click on most things will center or zero the control. Many plugins don't follow this action though.

 

I think he is after a mid point marker for the PAN CC10 controller.  The centre value for pan is a value of 63, not zero.  If you open up the PRV and select CC10 in the controller lane, there is no horizontal line denoting the value of 63 - which is the centre value for CC10.

To see what I mean, open up the PRV and select “Wheel” in the controller lane.  That MIDI event lane does indeed have a horizontal line showing where the pitch bend value of zero is. This makes it a bit easier to insert Wheel = 0 events (You see a small dot where the event is if the value is zero).  It would be handy if CC10s showed a horizontal line denoting a value of 63 - which is the centre value for CC10.

What I have done is created a Studioware panel (using a very early version of Cakewalk) with CAL scripts attached that inserts default values for the most used controllers - of course, for CC10, it inserts a value of 63.

[Terry Kelley]

33 minutes ago, Promidi said:

I think he is after a mid point marker for the PAN CC10 controller.  The centre value for pan is a value of 63, not zero.  If you open up the PRV and select CC10 in the controller lane, there is no horizontal line denoting the value of 63 - which is the centre value for CC10.

To see what I mean, open up the PRV and select “Wheel” in the controller lane.  That MIDI event lane does indeed have a horizontal line showing where the pitch bend value of zero is. This makes it a bit easier to insert Wheel = 0 events (You see a small dot where the event is if the value is zero).  It would be handy if CC10s showed a horizontal line denoting a value of 63 - which is the centre value for CC10.

What I have done is created a Studioware panel (using a very early version of Cakewalk) with CAL scripts attached that inserts default values for the most used controllers - of course, for CC10, it inserts a value of 63.

Thanks, yeah I get it now.

[Xel Ohh]

So no one wants to have a zero point for Panning...  So I'm the only one... Lol .. so everyone want to use Cal scripts that might be going away to do panning ..WHY..?

Please just put a +1 if you think it would be a good idea. Since we are trying to add feature that will help everyone work faster.

[Teegarden]

19 hours ago, Xel Ohh said:

So no one wants to have a zero point for Panning...  So I'm the only one... Lol .. so everyone want to use Cal scripts that might be going away to do panning ..WHY..?

Please just put a +1 if you think it would be a good idea. Since we are trying to add feature that will help everyone work faster.

+1

Next to the fact that you prefer it, for newbies (that don't yet get how the midi standard 0-127 works, on hardware mixing desks you also don't use these numbers, -100 - 0 - 100 just seems logical in a decimal numeral system world) it will probably be easier whenever they are in need of this.

I got the impression that over time Cal scripts might become too dated, so it would be nice if every Cal script function could be baked in the DAW, be it as standard DAW function or by means of another more up to date way to program your own customised functions.

And yes, it would make sense to upvote anything that helps, even if it is just for just a few of us to get a faster workflow (and doesn't jeopardise the workflow of others - can't judge if this request would lead to that-). In the end it's up to the bakers to decide if it is feasible.

 

Off topic: I love the relaxed, nice and clear way you do your tutorials. Highly appreciated added value to the community!

Edited August 25, 2021 by Teegarden
more clarification

[Mark Morgon-Shaw]

12 hours ago, Xel Ohh said:

So no one wants to have a zero point for Panning...  So I'm the only one... Lol .. so everyone want to use Cal scripts that might be going away to do panning ..WHY..?

Please just put a +1 if you think it would be a good idea. Since we are trying to add feature that will help everyone work faster.

Sorry but I don't understand what you mean by Zero Point ?  ☺️

In the Automation lane , double clicking the node takes it back to the centre position - Yes ?

CC data -I was always told 64 was the middle as there are 128 values and 64 is shown the on the  PRV..now I realise the use 0-127 so technically it's 63

How can it be any easier than this ? 

[Will.]

On 8/21/2021 at 1:24 AM, Xel Ohh said:

I would like to have a zero point for Panning and not guess what number I should be at when doing automation or when I'm in the piano roll.. just a zero point a +100 for complete right and a -100 for complete left not sure how hard this is but it would help out alot when doing automation for Panning.

Are you refering to this? 

[bitflipper]

It's a whole lot easier to pan MIDI tracks using pan automation in the track (as shown above), as opposed to inserting or drawing CC10 events in the controller pane of the PRV. Simply double-clicking on an automation node sets it to the center.

I could see the OP's suggestion potentially being useful for other controllers, though. Maybe an optional horizontal line at the midpoint, like what's done for the pitch wheel. Even better, a horizontal line that can be moved up and down to serve any user-defined reference, such as the maximum modulation or portamento value that sounds good for a given instrument.

[Will.]

1 hour ago, bitflipper said:

It's a whole lot easier to pan MIDI tracks using pan automation in the track (as shown above), as opposed to inserting or drawing CC10 events in the controller pane of the PRV. Simply double-clicking on an automation node sets it to the center.

 

True. It's 10 times faster in the track view. 

1 hour ago, bitflipper said:

I could see the OP's suggestion potentially being useful for other controllers, though. 

Doesn't convert Midi to envelope works for this purpose? I basically do the same for the pitch wheel and modulation information that has been written in during recording and tweak them in the track view to perfection. 

[bitflipper]

Yup. I'm just in the habit of drawing in CCs for obscure stuff that's specific to a particular instrument, such as glissando rate for a solo violin. It feels more tidy to have everything right there in the PRV. I mainly use track envelopes for standard stuff like pan and volume, since it helps when comparing against the surrounding audio tracks. Just my own personal habit.