Sending (recording) Program changes from controller, through to plugin

Hi, I am using VEP pro, hosting SINE player.

I am using program changes (PG) to patch different articulations in SINE via Expression Maps. This works just fine (so, Dorico is sending PG via VEP to SINE).

But, sending the same PG from my midi controller, stops in Dorico and is not sent through to the VST.

It will, however, accept the PG as a MIDI command in the Key Command settings. This means that Dorico reads PG from my MIDI controller.
And of course, regular MIDI such as notes and regular MIDI CC is sent trough to the VST.

So:
Controller: MIDI CC → Dorico
and
Controller: MIDI CC → Dorico → VST
and
Controller :MIDI PG → Dorico
are all working.

but
Controller: MIDI PG → Dorico → VST
is not working.

Is there a workaround?

Hi eirikbj, With the default key switches provided in the Sine player it works for me. I have three channels loaded in the Sine player and can send the key switch notes to change articulations from my midi keyboard (Komplete Kontrol S61) for all three. Maybe give this a try to check if the issue is related to program changes only.

What I do have is that the Dorico instrument fader only shows a level for the first of the channels used in the Sine player. There is sound however for all three. The other two channels only show in the output channel fader specified in VE Pro which can be made visual in the Dorico mixer by activating the “unused” mixer filter.

Yes I know! What I have done is to route all mic positions to separate busses in VEP, that I again control with my SSL UF-8 (all Close Mics to one channel, all Trees to another one and so forth).
This means I do all my mixing in VEP, works like a charm :wink: )

Hi Eirik That is indeed an option but I like to do at least the volume balancing, project specific, in Dorico. I use the same VE Pro template for Cubase, Logic and Dorico. So I do not want to do project specific mixing in VE Pro.

I did post on the somewhat surprising effect of activating independent voice playback fo players with multi-timbral Sine instances. Here is the link Unused tracks

Suddenly I once I had three voices for the player, did get three faders, one for each of the loaded Sine channels.

I see. But what if you save a copy of your VEP template with the project specific balance, the you can connect the same copy to Logic/Cubase if you are going to work on a midi export there?

OR: if you decouple or “unpreserve” VEP, the settings shold be saved with your Dorico Project. I you then Open VEP without your template, then open your project in Dorico - all instances will populate in VEP with the changes.

I haven’t done this in a while so I’m not sure how it works though.

Also check if you can utilize the automation feature in VEP by sending cc commands from Dorico (either manually or through ExMaps).

Thanks Eirik I am familiar with the coupling and decoupling instances.
There are a lot of options to balance and mix.

I am fine with my workflow. I use mainly VSL Synchron libraries which are already balanced (using CC7) and panned for classical orchestral setup. If I use instruments or a choir from other vendors I have balanced those with the VSL instruments in their respective plugins loaded in VE Pro also using CC7. If needed and possible I also adapt levels for different articulations (shorts have a tendency to be louder at the same CC levels than e.g. legato in many libraries) in the plugins. I keep all VE Pro faders on equal level. So this is a “one off” exercise.

With those I go into Dorico where I in general use the dynamic controls provided using the library controls CC1 or CC2 + velocity or CC11. I did tweak the dynamic curve and range a bit and reduced the effects of different accents and first note settings in Dorico and saved it as my default. If needed I adapt some individual note velocities if they stand out too much project specific. I often also add a vibrato automation curve.

When the piece is finished I export all players and voices to audio files and mix in Cubase or Logic.

1 Like