[SUGGESTION] Create shortcuts for Plug-in Manager Collections

[Mr_Aero]

Hello everybody,

I don’t know if anyone need it but,
I recently update my collections in Plug-in Manager to improve my worlflow.

I thought about separating my current collection containing too many folders, which made it unreadable on the Media Bay because I like to classify by color type of EQ / Comp etc. (to my sensitivity)

I had an enlightenment “but why not create a collection by type of effect” (EQ/Comp/Limiter etc.) Then create folders to classify as I had done previously, which results in lighten and fit perfectly with the Media bay interface now. (with pictures)

Now I would like with my stream deck that I use with MIDI Remote, to switch between the different collections of plug-ins. I already have a good experience with the MIDI Remote, so I guess I looked at everything and unfortunately, I realized that there was no functionality that allowed me to do that.

I even had the idea of creating a macro trying to open the Plugin Manager window and trying to cheat with the “Navigate” shortcut keys to try to navigate the window after opening but no…

There you go, maybe someone has already had the problem and has the solution; otherwise, it would be cool to add a shortcut that would allow this kind of configuration!

THANKS

[rickpaul]

@Mr_Aero

I thought about separating my current collection containing too many folders, which made it unreadable on the Media Bay because I like to classify by color type of EQ / Comp etc. (to my sensitivity)

I had an enlightenment “but why not create a collection by type of effect” (EQ/Comp/Limiter etc.) Then create folders to classify as I had done previously, which results in lighten and fit perfectly with the Media bay interface now. (with pictures)

I can understand how the shortcuts for plugin collections could be useful for some, but I’m not sure I understand the issue with making Media Bay unreadable when using pictures. It is possible to have nested menus, and collapse and expand the various menus and submenus as you see fit to reveal the pictures of the plugins underneath them. For example, here is a portion of the “Dynamics - Multiband” menu in my custom setup:

Of course, it does involve being tidy in expanding/contracting things to avoid a mess of pictures. Also, organizing them does take some time, but probably no more than managing multiple plugin menu collections (and I do have some plugins I put in more than one area of the menu for convenience).

The only “mess” I see in mine is something that is hinted at in my screen shot in that I don’t have any of the Dynamics - Multiband submenus expanded, so the plugins it is showing are ones that are not in submenus but are in the higher-level category. So, when I expand the “MB Transient Shapers” submenu, which shows the pictures of those plugins, there is no divider between the last plugin in that list and the first one in the more general category, thus making it hard to tell where the submenu ends. While I could have made a Miscellaneous submenu to collect those, I’m not a fan of miscellaneous categories, so I just live with the minor inconvenience. (And, in truth, I don’t use the sidebar that often as I’m more likely to just start typing a name or browsing categories in the inserts slot when wanting to insert something.)

[Mr_Aero]

Hi rickpaul,

Yes, i made and remade so many times collections and carefully, to find my preference.

And for me, collections by type are by far the best solution to have an effective result in the workflow when I have an idea, I’m looking for a tool and I want to be creative and not " as usual".

So, I completely understand the problem you’re encountering, it’s one of the many problems I encounter when dealing with a single collection of folders / subfolders / subsubfolders etc. If it is necessary because such compressor is more versatile / colorful / I don’t know what.

It is above all the reduction of the first branching (thus type of effect) which makes it, for me in any case, much clearer.

I’m just disappointed not to be able to add a shortcut to change the banks, which would save me a few more minutes in my day

And thank you for your sharing

[raino]

@Mr_Aero

it’s one of the many problems I encounter when dealing with a single collection of folders / subfolders / subsubfolders etc.

Did you know you can include the same plug-in multiple times in the same Collection - for example if you’ve got a compressor you like you could put it in both a Dynamics folder and a Faves folder.

[Mr_Aero]

Hey raino,

Yes i know that’s not the goal,
i want to purify not to pollute collections into work with Media Bay

That’s just a preference.

Edit :

Sorry I’m French so maybe I’m not very clear…

I put here an image showing my organization, maybe that will clear things up

In fact there is no way to get a shortcut to connect the drop-down menu of plug-in collections with a MIDI controller and unfortunately we can’t do this kind of setup even though for me at least I have it optimized perfectly so that visually I am more optimized in my work that’s all (afterwards it makes me lose 2 clicks + 3 movements of the mouse) but it’s still annoying sometimes.

For example EQs :

In fact when in addition to these folders the EQ is already in sub-folders I usually reduce EVERYTHING so as not to have to go back up. And in this case, I’m looking for an EQ so I stay in the EQ collection and I don’t have to search in the crowd the EQ folder, just and then at a certain moment when there are too many subfolders I find this just less ergonomic…

I want to have this kind of workflow if you want :

I’m looking for a tilt EQ, I press the EQ logo of my stream deck (this opens the EQ collection) I look in the Media Bay, I click on Tilt, I look, I drag and drop. Just much more ergonomic for my brain, too many subfolders in the same collection waste my time due to a mental bug, maybe I’m weird

[Rene_L]

@Mr_Aero,

I’m having a little trouble fully understanding what you’re looking for, but in VST Plug-in Manager you can choose the default configuration and sort it by category and just reorder the plugins that don’t seem to associate with a category . In fact, from here you can create subcategories if absolutely necessary. You can do what you want.

In the example below, if I need a Reverb, I just click the Reverb tab and all my Reverbs are available. Same thing for EQs or whatever.

Simple and quick to access. Also, I prefer to use the media without images, this takes up less space and allows you to see more plugin names which improves access time by having less scrolling to do.

[Mr_Aero]

Hi Rene,

I know how it work,
If you can see the topic is a feature-request
i’d like to add a shortcut keyboard or MIDI cubase fonction ( cause i want to send this shortcut to MIDI)

This shortcut in the Idea just allowed you to change Collections ( in my idea of workflow.
I don’t like work with ALL sort plug-in in one collection, yesterday i got the idea to separate Type of pluug-in BY collection and not :

1st folders for : EQ/COMP/LIMIT/ETC.

2nd folders (1st sub folders) for type of EQ / type of comp etc.

i think you understand this part.

Edit : if you don’t understant i had this type of organisation (only one collection), now i just wanna change to purify Merdia Bay of folders and have a better workflow.

So it’s just explain WHY i suggest to add MIDI fonction/Cubase fonction/shorcut in MIDI Remote to change the collection with a midi controller or in my case Stream deck (using midi CC control notes)

Thanks for your attention !

[SurrealistBunny]

@raino

for example if you’ve got a compressor you like you could put it in both a Dynamics folder and a Faves folder.

Didn’t know this - thanks

[Rene_L]

Hello Again @Mr_Aero,

Well, I’m not sure I understand. It’s especially the aspect of using MIDI that I don’t understand very well. I would need a concrete example.

However, for my part, in order to have quick access to various collections already pre-organized according to my needs, I created a keyboard shortcut (cntrl+alt+M) to open and close the VST Plugin Manager easily. From there, I choose the collection that meets the needs of the moment. The result is simultaneously reflected in Media VST Effects. It’s not perfect, but it improves accessibility to certain plugins that I use on a regular basis.

[Mr_Aero]

Re @Rene_L

yes I know shortcut for plugin manager (cntrl+alt+M for you) and i can sand it on MIDI, no problems, but i prefere in that case not opening Plugin manager cause there’s already an arrow on right of Media Bay to sroll between collections so i do it for now ^^

For the MIDI example, i don’t know if you know how it’s work but i’ll try to explain :

I put a add-on on Stream Deck (not in cubase that’s my controller) to Send MIDI CC Control note (that’s the name of MIDI notes)

Cubase receive MIDI CC control notes in the MIDI Remote part (window bottom of cubase there’s a tab)

I already configure my Stream Deck to Control A/B Metric from ADPTR
to control A/B references, Filters on/off, match, type of filters (sub/bass/etc.)

Then i Had a Page to switch between 2 profile on my stream deck, A/B metric and Plugin collections
(You can Had Images or text on buttons on Stream Deck so it’s super ergonomic)

But i Can’t assign a shortcut to send MIDI CC notes that control the switch of the Collection

I want to had one button per collection with an image on stream deck, it’s Possible if they just have the fonction in a new “shortcut” like this : Colletion/Bank 1 PLugin Manager

But the only shortcut exist for Plug-in manager is like you said (cntrl+alt+M for you ) is Open Plug(in Manager that’s all.

I search in all shortcut, i try to make a maccro too to try to do it Manually with open PLug-in Manager and “Navigates” Shortcuts. But you can’t reach the arrow with Navigate shortcuts so you can’t do it.

Edit i’ll share some screens :

My MIDI Remote :

Cubase assignations you have to ways to do it :
Click on a thing on cubase or search in funciton or shortcuts

Function explorator (no functions find and at the end you got the shortcuts in french : “Raccourcis clavier” and no shortcut neiver ) and i repeat i search shortcut for alternate between plugin collections/bank but i know that he does’nt exist i just SUGGEST to add it

[Rene_L]

@Mr_Aero,

Okay, I understand how you want this shortcut to be useful. If it were possible to have this functionality, I believe that users would make more intensive use of the possibilities and advantages of creating collections in VST Plugin Manager.

I don’t have your Stream Deck app, but I think it’s a great idea and I very strongly support your request. Even without this app, I only see advantages.

+1

[Mr_Aero]

Thank you Rene

[Mr_Aero]

You can vote on the top of the page to support @Rene_L

[mlib]

+1 on having key commands to select plug-in collections (as well as being incorporated into MIDI Remote). Great FR!