Tim Exile's "The Finger" - how to midi control?

[Jan Chlupáček]

Hi all,

so I have been trying to use this VST and managed to run audio through it so I can trigger the effects by using my mouse, but what I cannot figure out is how to route it so I can trigger the effects from my midi keyboard. What I have found how other DAWs use is to either setup a bus and use that as a audio feed into Finger, which is then setup as vst instrument track, so midi comming from the keyboard trigger the effects. Another way used is there is an audio track with the loop used as the feed, on the same track is Finger as vst fx and that is triggered by a separate midi track which has an output set to that audio track's finger fx input...works for Cubase. But I didn't manage to do the same in Cakewalk. Say I have a simple audio track with and audio I want to use as a feed. I can put Finger as vst fx on that track, but it seems to be grayed out by default and when I turn the fx rack on, manually it lits up, the audio is coming through and I can trigger the fx by mouse (track needs to be running, thus feeding the audio, for that to work). But I cannot midi control it, because the inputs are only listing synth vsts outputs (on another tracks) and not a midi track. Or I tried to make a new instrument track with Reactor and Finger in it and used it's output to trigger the audio tracks fx input and that works also, but also only without midi triggering. I have my NanoKeys as an input in that instrument track, output is to Master out and in that audio track setup input as the output of the finger vst and when on that instrument track, thus having it focused, midi keyboard stil does not trigger anything. 

I am sure I am doing something silly stupid here, not seeing what. Could someone help me out? Maybe try to replicate and if it work for you describe how you set it up, so I can try that as well? I will try to attach a screen with the routing when I get home from work.

[Brando]

You have to specifically enable Midi input for it to work. Having Finger installed as an effect on the audio track is the right approach though. Honestly I haven't opened Cakewalk since the Sonar Platinum  days so I can't be certain the following looks exactly the same in CbB. But the following should get you on the right track (Go down to the "To Enable VST Midi Inputs...." section).

https://www.cakewalk.com/Documentation?product=SONAR&language=3&help=Mixing.40.html

Edited January 3, 2019 by Brando

[Jan Chlupáček]

20 hours ago, Brando said:

You have to specifically enable Midi input for it to work. Having Finger installed as an effect on the audio track is the right approach though. Honestly I haven't opened Cakewalk since the Sonar Platinum  days so I can't be certain the following looks exactly the same in CbB. But the following should get you on the right track (Go down to the "To Enable VST Midi Inputs...." section).

https://www.cakewalk.com/Documentation?product=SONAR&language=3&help=Mixing.40.html

Correct, thank you very much for your help. I think I also needed to check "configure as synth".

[scook]

Starting with SONAR X3 there is no need to configure any effect as a synth. If the VST plug-in reads MIDI data, make sure "Enable MIDI Input" is selected on the VST2/3 drop down above the plug-in UI. If the plug-in sends MIDI data select "Enable MIDI Output" from the same drop down. Doing this will cause the plug-in to show up in the input and output drop downs of MIDI tracks

Here is an image of both options selected for the MidiShaper plug-in by CableGuys

 

To summarize, the setup is the same for any effect plug-in that reads MIDI data. The steps are:
1) add the plug-in to the FX rack of the track/bus to be affected
2) Use the VST2/3 drop down above the plug-in UI to "Enable MIDI Input"
3) Add a MIDI track with input set to the controller, output set to the plug-in, enable input echo

For plug-ins that send MIDI data in step 2 "Enable MIDI Output" then there is an additional step to add the plug-in to an instrument or MIDI track input.  The additional step may be instead of step 3 depending on the plug-in.