MIDI CC control

I was wondering if it’s possible to use some kind of envelope generator or something along those lines to modulate a parameter in a synth that cannot be internally modulated by ADSR etc.

What I mean is, there is an effect in a synth I want to slowly change ADSR style as the note is held, but the parameter cannot be linked to an ADSR envelope in the synth, and my apparantly only other option is to introduce automation for it but that would mean drawing in the automation for every note played.

So I was hoping there is a quick way around this.

Thanks in advance.

You should check out MIDI Shaper, from http://www.cableguys.de (I think it costs $30).
It is a bit complex to set up, but does some cool stuff :wink:.

Hi and thanks, that seems to be exactly the thing I need, but before I buy it, do you know how to set it up to work with MIDI CC’s , I can only manage to get it to control the mod wheel so far.

I assign the parameter in the vsti to quick control 1, but then nothing I do seems to work to get MIDI Shaper to control QC1…

If it will work though, i’ll be buying this, excellent idea although i’m still stuck working out how to get the graphic to be the ADSR ! lol

Well, you already get a bonus point for getting it to do something! :smiling_imp: :smiley:

I assign the parameter in the vsti to quick control 1, but then nothing I do seems to work to get MIDI Shaper to control QC1…

Depending upon what exactly you want it to control, there are two methods (depending upon whether the receiving parameter can be controlled directly via MIDI, or whether (as I think you are saying?) you need it to control the faders of Cubase’s Quick Controls…
In the first case…
o.k., so you have already got it to control CC#1 (the mod wheel). (so I am guessing you already found out to put a non-zero value in “Source 1>Mod” of MIDI Shaper’s Modulations matrix.
To do the same thing for other CC#s, just click on another column (where it currently says “off”), and select a CC# number from the pop-up list.

In the case where you want MIDI Shaper to control the faders of Quick Controls, you need to do a MIDI “loop back”…
Are you on PC or Mac?
Mac…
make sure you have an IAC MIDI bus enabled in the Mac’s Audio MIDI Setup utility.
PC…
you need to have launched MIDI Yoke (or some other MIDI routing software)
(I’m on Mac here, so I cannot be sure if the following is available on PC)
At the bottom of the Modulations matrix, where it says “Out To Host”, click to see the pop-up for the other options…
On Mac, select the IAC Bus
On PC (this is where I am not sure if this is available), do you see the option for MIDI Yoke?
Now it gets a bit more complicated (like it wasn’t already! :smiley: )…
In the Project window, if you are using a regular MIDI track, routed to the VSTi rack (or to an external synth), use a MIDI Send on that MIDI track, to the IAC Bus (or MIDI Yoke).
If, on the other hand, you are using an Instrument Track (which doesn’t have any MIDI Sends, unfortunately), create, and record-enable, a 2nd MIDI track, and route it to the IAC Bus (or MIDI Yoke)

Here’s the complicated bit…
Go to the Devices menu>Device Setup>Quick Controls, and set the MIDI input for Quick Controls to be the output from the IAC Bus (or MIDI Yoke)
(Alternatively, you could create a dedicated Generic Remote Device to “simulate” the Quick Controls… here’s a screenshot of the one I did here… note that the “Address” column is the list of the eight MIDI CC#s you are using to control it)…

If it will work though, i’ll be buying this, excellent idea although i’m still stuck working out how to get the graphic to be the ADSR ! lol

For MIDI Shaper’s four AHDSR envelopes, just change “EG Off” into “EG On” (and, probably, you’ll also want to switch “Wave 1” for that source to “LFO Off”, then set the EG knobs as required.

Well, the TV was lousy tonight anyways! :stuck_out_tongue:

Thank you very much for your detailed answer I appreciate you taking the time to do that.

I couldn’t get MIDI Yoke to install, probably as it is an older driver, but thankfully the VST I was most concerned about getting to work with this setup has MIDI Learn, so I can assign shaper to send to a specific CC.

I think I need to make a purchase.

You saved my bacon, thanks again.

I ran into the cableguys plugins only yesterday, it looks really useful. I downloaded the free plugins for panning etc, but I might get the generic controller as well as that’s much more useful obivously.
Cheers for the instructions Vic, I might need that :slight_smile:

I bought it, it is a great tool to have, and now I can modulate stuff in a bonkers way easier :slight_smile: