AZSlow

Hello Alexey

Bandlab have included support for the FX bin bypass in the latest Cakewalk release.  Here is the note from the update log:-

----------------------------

Allow track FX bin to be bypassed via control surfaces rather than just individual FX

In addition to individual effects, entire track FX Racks can now be bypassed via control surfaces.

Passing an FX index of -1 (65535) will bypass the entire track FX Rack.

The Mackie Control surface has been updated to use M1+Select button to toggle track FX Rack bypass.

------------------------------

Do you need to do any update to AZ Controller for this to work?

Regards
Robert

Quote from: norfolkmastering on September 25, 2020, 02:17:30 PM
Hello Alexey

I've just read Mark's latest reply about the -1 error issue.  It looks like you will be able to implement the FX bin bypass once the next CbB release is available.  Hopefully good news!
Regards
Robert

Yes, I have to update AZ Controller for this. I am currently busy, at least till the next week.

Okay, no problem.  Let me know when you have done the update and I will test.
Kind regards
Robert

Hello Alexey

I am mapping out the full AZ Controller setup for my Cakewalk controlled analogue audio mixer.
At the moment I am focusing on the control information which is outputted when:-

a. Cakewalk is loaded
I observe that a full status of all AZ mapped controls is output to MIDI

b. A Cakewalk project is loaded
I observe that a full status of all AZ mapped controls is output to MIDI

I have four questions please:-

1. Is this the expected behaviour of the current AZ Controller version?

2. Is there anyway to prevent the duplicated status output, e.g. could the output at the loading of Cakewalk (before a project is loaded) be suppressed?

3. Is there any theoretical limit to the number of controls status which can be output during this start-up phase?  ( I noticed that some control status information is lost if the buffer length is too long, so I am concerned about any limitations once I have a full AZ mapping of my mixer in place).  So I am trying to understand how this start-up status is working?

4. I need to understand the order in which the control status is output.  This is really important because in my application I must output all 'track interleave' status before the rest of the control status information.  I use the track interleave status (mono or stereo) to set up control pairing of analogue mono channels (in my mixer) when they are being used as a stereo pair.  This affects how all of the other controls (e.g. track level, pans, routing) are  controlled in my PIC's C programme.

e.g.

Cakewalk
T1 Mono
T2 Mono
T3 Stereo
T4 Mono

I must translate to
Cakewalk T1 map to Analogue Channel 1
Cakewalk T2 map to Analogue Channel 2
Cakewalk T3 map to Analogue Channels 3 and 4
Cakewalk T4 map to Analogue Channel 5

Thank you for your continued support for my project.

Regards

Robert

1. yes, the behavior is expected. Monitors are triggered when (a) they was never triggered before (Cakewalk+AZ Controller+Preset are loaded) and (b) when parameter OR value changes (so, even in case let say current track has volume 0dB and you change current track to another with 0dB, volume monitor is triggered. Sure, on Project load everything is changed and so triggered).

2. possible but not easy. In case you do not want send anything till there is some project, you can put "Context:NoProject Undefined (final)" in every monitor which sends something. If you do not want send the same value, you will need to organize that yourself (f.e. save proposed value as a State and send MIDI in State monitor, so if the value stay the same in Value monitor, it will not trigger State monitor).

3. AZ Controller sends everything it wants in "one go". I have not noticed any info skips, but I have not tried to abuse the system as you do (I was using controllers only, so the max number of info was approximately the number of physical controls, which in turn is 100-200 at max).

4. each monitor has "Priority". Within one priority the order is undefined, but higher priority monitors will be triggered before lower priority monitors, assuming both have "ultra" speed.

Hello Alexey
Thanks for answering my few questions.  It helped a lot to clarify.
With reference to 4.  I have been able to use the monitor  "Priority" to ensure that the 'track interleave' status is output first.

Let me know when you have had the chance to update AZ Controller for the FX bin bypass function so I can test.

Regards
Robert

b406 should be able to bypass FX Bin (strip parameter "FX Bin enabled", since API define logically revered to "bypass" value, so "1" means enabled and "0" disabled").

Hello Alexey

Thank you for adding the "FX Bin Enabled" functionality.  I checked it out on the latest version of Cakewalk and it works perfectly.

Right now I am assembling the prototypes of my digitally controlled analogue mixer which I will use with Cakewalk and AZ Controller.  I'll send you a couple of photos once the boards are tested.

Again thank you for your continued support!

Regards

Robert

Quote from: azslow3 on November 19, 2020, 03:07:27 PM
b406 should be able to bypass FX Bin (strip parameter "FX Bin enabled", since API define logically revered to "bypass" value, so "1" means enabled and "0" disabled").

Hello Alexey

First, to thank you again for all your help in getting my project to the successful prototype stage.  I have attached an image of my prototype set up showing a two channel audio card, a twp stereo bus mixer card and my PIC computer card which talks to Cakewalk and AZ Controller via MIDI.

I am now beginning to build the AZ Preset for the full 24 channel 8 bus mixer and have noticed that there does not appear to be AZ control of the bus input pan control?  If this is missing could I please ask if it could be added.

Best regards
Robert

Looks complicated 

Bus input pan is not exposed to CS, from what I know. Technically speaking input controls for buses are "redundant" in DAWs, since there is no "one to many" sends and so input controls make sense only for FXes of that bus. And since adding buses is not a problem, no one will ever miss that feature.

I understand that for hardware the picture can be different..

Hello Alexey

Yes, for my hardware mixer I have included bus input pan in my design.  I had not realised it was not exposed in CS.

If I can get Bandlab to expose bus input pan in Cakewalk would you be willing to look at whether implementation is possible?

Regards

Robert

Quote from: azslow3 on December 10, 2020, 02:38:10 PM
Looks complicated 

Bus input pan is not exposed to CS, from what I know. Technically speaking input controls for buses are "redundant" in DAWs, since there is no "one to many" sends and so input controls make sense only for FXes of that bus. And since adding buses is not a problem, no one will ever miss that feature.

I understand that for hardware the picture can be different..

If that parameter is added (or already exist), I will add it into AZ Controller.

BTW I have really hard time to imagine when that parameter can be useful. Even in case you have EQ/Comp on that bus, I don't think the result (EQ+Pan vs Pan+EQ) is going to be different. Pan+Comp vs Comp+Pan for sure will react on implemented Pan law and so harder to control. Pre-FX volume (input gain) I can understand, as a "pure man" send level VCA master, but pan...

Thank you Alexey.

If you could please check and let me know if I need to approach Bandlab to have the parameter added in Cakewalk.

Regards
Robert

If that was not clear: yes, you need to ask Bandlab. There is no such parameter in IDL I know, so they have to implement it first.

Okay thanks Alexey, I will ask Bandlab.
Regards
Robert