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BCA Remote Control and AZC

Started by Astraios, October 13, 2026, 11:26:33 PM

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Astraios

:) Hi Alexej,

perhaps you can help me out. I want to trigger the parameters of my Spire synth using your mignificent AZ Controller, but for now I'm stuck in the Logic window. I've got a handle on the 'Options' and the 'Hardware' side of things...
The only 'Action Condition' the VST parameters offer is the "Rack" option. Could you please give me a hint as to what other settings need to be configured so that the OSC-1 knob on my 'BC Remote CTRL' actually sends the command to the synth? I'd really appreciate it.

Best regards from Berlin




azslow3

Hi,

I don't completely understand from which peace of software/hardware you try to control Spire, but since you have "Last MIDI event" with CC12 and some value, I guess you have managed to get your input working with AZ Controller.

In AZ Controller, you need at least 2 Actions to set parameter:
1) the first (or more) specify what you control
2) the second change the value, so specify how you control.

In your screenshot, there is (1), so you select the parameter.
As (2), you always use "Value" action. Default parameters should work fine ("Direct linear"). You can also try "Catch" option.

From the screenshot, I see you have defined "Action Condition". I am not sure you do this intentionally, it only make sense you you want control several different things by the very same Knob.
In any case, I propose you get basic functionality first, without any Software Sets and Conditions. Reset to "Any" for any condition you have set...

BTW the "Quick start" tutorial https://www.azslow.com/index.php/topic,9.0.html defines 2 Actions. It is easy to follow and you get something "working" :)

PS. "ACT Map" condition means you want do something only in case "Spire" synth is in "ACT Dynamic Mapping" focus. Rack/FX Actions are using an alternative route to control parameters, they work independent from the "ACT Map".
But if you really want control Spire only when it is in ACT focus... Keep the condition and add it also to the "Value" Action as well.
I repeat, I am just not sure you do it intentionally at the moment :)

Astraios

#2
Vielen Dank für die Antwort.  ;D Ich möchte das Spire Plugin mit dem 'BC Remote CTRL' Plugin (virtual MIDI Controller) triggern, was mit dem Sonar Remote auch gut funktioniert (funktioniert aber nur mit loopMIDI).
Das BC Remote CTRL wird mit einem Hardware Controller angesteuert und wandelt die MIDI-in Daten (OSC-1  Chn 15/CC 15) in MIDI-out (OSC-1  Chn 9/CC 12) um.
Ich habe schon Stunden mit Deinen AZ CTRL verbracht, aber ich bin leider kein Programmierer/Informatiker und auch nicht so fit in der Birne. Man könnte auch behaupten, ich bin schwer von Begriff...
Gestern habe ich auch das StartUp Tutorial studiert und bin immerhin ein Stück weit erfolgreich gewesen.
Stimmt genau, diese ACT Funktion will ich nicht benutzen, ich habe es auch mit 'Context' probiert und überhaupt alles Mögliche.
Vielleicht ist diese Einstellung (siehe Foto) schon etwas besser?  ::)
Sorry, das ich auf die Nerven gehe... ???



Astraios

#3
Danke - sehr cool  8)

Ich habe es hinbekommen!!!

https://youtu.be/4v8gQnX0ZCM

Astraios

#4
Uuups - next problem,,,

I need to get beyond 500

Is there a way to manage this?

Ah, I see, it's a slider - not a rotery  No. 216

00:54 quite late - but I solved it already by myself!
ACT Type:  Slider = 216
Now it works fine


azslow3

I still recommend do not use any "Action Conditions" at the beginning. Well, once you want control several parameters with the same knob, you will have too.
To get the idea, try to follow "ACT MIDI Explained" tutorial/explanation (you will have to follow more or less all existing tutorial to make complicated presets in AZ Controller).

AZ Controller can work with Hardware devices directly, you don't need "an intermediate" layer. It is in fact more flexible and has access to the information "normal" plug-ins don't have (DAW state, context, focus, etc.).

If "500" limit somewhere is a problem, I can increase it. It is just so, I put some value till someone ask it is too low. And in all these years, extending "500" on that place was not requested  :D 

Programming experience give advantage, but it is not an requirement for making AZ Controller presets. But understanding some "natural logic" is required for more or less complicated presets, not possible to get without:
1) we need to define WHEN we want do something. That can be Sonar state(s) or some artificial states (like "Ctrl"/"Shift", many-states-switches, etc.). "Condition" and "Software State Sets" are used to define the logic.
By default, "ALWAYS" is obviously reasonable default. And the simples to use at the beginning.
2) we need to define WHAT we want to control. To control parameter, we need to select which (Strip/FX/Send/Synth).
3) we need to define HOW we want control. That is (hardware) and desired effect dependent, but it is (almost) always single "Value" Action (till you want something special, like mapping value ranges)

Once you understand that logic, you can find your way in AZ Controller. So, Input Message (with value ) -> what exactly we want to control NOW (or we always control the same thing on this message) -> selecting the parameter -> setting target value (possible using input value).

The rest is "Monitoring" (rather tricky concept in AZ Controlling, primary for feedback on hardware devices) and fancy manipulations (device specific parsing, "scripts" to auto-operate Sonar dialogs, etc.). Which you normally don't need (till you need it... lol).

azslow3

I have installed Spire demo, yes, it has a bit more then 500 parameters... around 600.

Getting it completely controlled from any device is not one minute task. And from the beginning, hardware device has to have Encoders, not knobs. You are going to switch between different "pages" often (f.e. from one Osc. to another), you want physical knobs are "auto synced". That is only possible with encoders (they send "+"/"-", so absolute value has no meaning) or motorized sliders.

You will need quite some buttons / knobs just to select the "page" you want to control. Plus reasonable number of knobs and buttons on one page.

And not to be lost, you need display with current page layout and current values. Near monitor, it can be AZ Controller own "display". Otherwise some device running OSC App can be used.

Defining logical "tree of pages" and implementing all of them, for 600 parameters, is going to take some time.
Note you need at least parametrize (with Software State Set) the shift for the synth. Just imagine you realize you have 2-3 Spire instances in you project... without adding corresponding parameter before "cloning" controls, you will need to modify 600 Actions to add that later.
In practice, working with more states and "functions" can rabidly decrease the number of Actions: it seems like the parameter order is logical. So something like OSC(<osc number>, <parameter number>) reduce the number of Action proportional to the number of oscillators multiplied by the number of parameters in each (when you have another function which define the mapping between <knob number> and <parameter number> within oscillator).
But for such kind of thinking, you need to think as a programmer :)