AZSlow

Hi Alexey

I did some tests to send Compressor Gain Reduction 'level' data to drive VST based 'moving needle' type meters.

I have been able to send MIDI CC values to drive 20 VST meters simultaneously (via AZ) and Cakewalk is still playing audio and its controls are responsive, no problems so far.

I send a packet of 20 CCs at a time (Meter1 then Meter2 etc), so that takes about 20ms which is close to the Cakewalk refresh rate of 25ms.

I compared the 'animation smoothness' of the VST meter needle animation, of the meters I am driving from my PIC/AZ, compared to a VST meter driven from internal dsp data.  They look very similar.

I guess this means I can work on a meter refresh rate of 20-25ms with no animation issues.

It would all be so much easier if I had some way to detect when a VST panel is actually open to view on the PC screen.  Then I would only drive level meters when they are being viewed.  Is there any kind of flag in Cakewalk API to do this?

Best regards
Robert

Hi Alexey

Thanks for your continued support for my new project.
I will try to optimise meter level data using the PIC.

Can I ask two more questions for now please:

1. If AZ receives multiple value updates for a control (from my PIC) during the window between the Cakewalk surface refresh (every 25ms in my case), does AZ output these multiple values in the same order as they are received (like a FIFO) or are some of the values lost?

2. Can I send CC type messages via OSC or must it work to a different data format?  So how could I send control data from my PIC via OSC to AZ Controller? (I am going to buy an Ethernet interface for my development PIC which allows SPI to OSC using C language).  So I would like to get PIC to AZ comms working for the future.

Regards
Robert

Hi Alexey
Thanks for clarifying what AZ can and can't do.

Please tell me if I understand correctly?

1/
Yes I have set my Cakewalk rate to 25ms (which is the fastest possible)
So if we relate that to level meter updates in a VST, which I am controlling via MIDI messages from PIC to AZ FX parameters.
Does that mean that:
Every 25ms, AZ/Cakewalk will send a batch of new FX parameter values to the VST plugins?

2/
Taking your advice about level (refresh) rates not being important;
I can do work in the PIC at higher 'scan' rates to determine what new values to send via MIDI to AZ and also how often it is necessary to send a new value.
Does that seem like a sensible approach?

Regards
Robert

Hi Alexey

With Blue Cat you cannot send/receive direct MIDI input/output.  So the only alternative (to having lots of Cakewalk MIDI tracks) is to send/receive MIDI input/output to Blue Cat via AZ Controller.
Blue Cat allows their meters to be driven by CCs, so I have been able to send meter values from a PIC to AZ and on to multiple Blue Cat VST instances.

So to summarise:
Blue Cat is an easy solution for Custom VST panels to control (via AZ Controller) external audio hardware for most functions, e.g. knobs, buttons.
I can drive Blue Cat level meters via AZ but using MIDI CCs may not provide fast enough throughput rate.
Blue Cat VST panels can be named, which means I can find and map FX parameter names for each Blue Cat VST panel in AZ but Cakewalk slot number, FX name and FX parameter.

Can you tell me if AZ Controller could receive meter level data via OSC? and so use AZ as an OSC/MIDI bridge?

Of course, I will have another look to Ctrlr.  Yes it would be a very big advantage to be able to do direct MIDI communication from my PIC to VST.

Thanks for helping my with this.  I want to choose the best solution before I start spending lots of time designing VST panels and of course the audio hardware!

Best regards
Robert

Hi Alexey
Sorry!  The questions in my last post were badly constructed.  Let me try again please:

I have been able to test the Blue Cat Audio 'Remote Control' VST Plugin (have a look to https://www.bluecataudio.com/Products/Product_RemoteControl/)
This VST plugin allows custom FX control panels to be designed.
Very importantly, it allows level meter inputs to be directly addressed via AZ Controller.
So I have a solution!

My question is:

If I dedicate one MIDI port and one instance of AZ Controller exclusively for feeding multiple VST control panels, will AZ Controller be able to handle a continuous stream of incoming CC messages to send to multiple VST panels?

So I mean one stream of CCs which will feed:
T1 VST
then
T2 VST
then T3 VST
etc., in rotation.

If continuous stream of CC handling is not possible, then what throughput rate do you think that AZ can handle?

Best regards
Robert