Want to send CC# Message to MIDI controller to light up LED button. Can Reaper do it?

777funk · 01-02-2023, 12:08 PM

I have an Akai APC Key 25 that has a button matrix on it. I have the buttons programmed to do various things (arm for record, play etc).

Is there a way to have Reaper send a CC# MIDI message OUT to the controller to light up its buttons?

I'm just trying to do something simple in this case and light the button red when a track record button is armed.

Puck · 01-02-2023, 06:16 PM

The simplest way is Realearn, in my opinion. There are some introductory videos and I believe there is already a controller preset for that midi controller (I think!)

There’s a little bit of a learning curve but literally everything in this space of daw/controller integration takes a little time to wrap your head around.

777funk · 01-05-2023, 04:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Puck

The simplest way is Realearn, in my opinion. There are some introductory videos and I believe there is already a controller preset for that midi controller (I think!)

There’s a little bit of a learning curve but literally everything in this space of daw/controller integration takes a little time to wrap your head around.

Cool! So it will take actions done in Reaper (record arm button pressed for instance) and output a CC message to a controller?

If so, this should make it possible to light up the buttons. That'd be awesome!

helgoboss · 01-07-2023, 03:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 777funk

Cool! So it will take actions done in Reaper (record arm button pressed for instance) and output a CC message to a controller?

If so, this should make it possible to light up the buttons. That'd be awesome!

Hi 777funk, that's exactly what it does (feedback direction).

777funk · 01-20-2023, 11:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by helgoboss

Hi 777funk, that's exactly what it does (feedback direction).

This is great. Just downloaded ReaPack and installed and it seems to work in newer OS's. My synth and Reaper computer is running XP still. I know... XP... but it has most of the software I need.

Is there by any chance a ReaLearn version that works in XP?

helgoboss · 01-20-2023, 01:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 777funk

This is great. Just downloaded ReaPack and installed and it seems to work in newer OS's. My synth and Reaper computer is running XP still. I know... XP... but it has most of the software I need.

Is there by any chance a ReaLearn version that works in XP?

What exactly does it say when you start REAPER (when it scans ReaLearn DLL)?

777funk · 01-20-2023, 01:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by helgoboss

What exactly does it say when you start REAPER (when it scans ReaLearn DLL)?

It gives an error opening that I can click OK out of and the extensions menu doesn't show.

helgoboss · 01-20-2023, 02:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 777funk

It gives an error opening that I can click OK out of and the extensions menu doesn't show.

Can you post a screenshot of the error message?

BTW, it's not a classic extension. It shows up as VST instrument.

777funk · 01-26-2023, 02:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by helgoboss

Can you post a screenshot of the error message?

BTW, it's not a classic extension. It shows up as VST instrument.

Thanks and sorry for the delay! The error ( bcrypt.dll was not found ) shows up immediately upon launching after installing the .dll into the User Plugins folder within Application Data\Reaper

Screen photo of that pop up box is attached.

helgoboss · 01-26-2023, 03:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 777funk

Thanks and sorry for the delay! The error ( bcrypt.dll was not found ) shows up immediately upon launching after installing the .dll into the User Plugins folder within Application Data\Reaper

Screen photo of that pop up box is attached.

I will have a look which part of ReaLearn uses this DLL and see if I can solve it differently. BTW, upgrading to a more recent Windows version would work

This is only an XP issue. Even Windows 7 is okay.

777funk · 01-26-2023, 03:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by helgoboss

I will have a look which part of ReaLearn uses this DLL and see if I can solve it differently. BTW, upgrading to a more recent Windows version would work

This is only an XP issue. Even Windows 7 is okay.

Thanks for the reply, unfortunately, I have pretty much all of my recording setup based around this 2008 Lenovo laptop and it just works (except being very old!).

To be clear it's the file:
reaper_reapack-x86.dll

that was dropped into the user plugins folder. I also tried it in a separate VST location and same results.

Again, thanks for the follow up. I'd love to be able to use it if it's possible to work. I have an Akai Key 25 that this would be perfect for along with Reaper.

helgoboss · 01-26-2023, 04:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 777funk

Thanks for the reply, unfortunately, I have pretty much all of my recording setup based around this 2008 Lenovo laptop and it just works (except being very old!).

To be clear it's the file:
reaper_reapack-x86.dll

that was dropped into the user plugins folder. I also tried it in a separate VST location and same results.

Again, thanks for the follow up. I'd love to be able to use it if it's possible to work. I have an Akai Key 25 that this would be perfect for along with Reaper.

Ah, if it's ReaPack, then it might help to install ReaLearn manually. Just get the 32-bit DLL from the GitHub releases page and put it into REAPER's resource folder (there's an action to open it in explorer) /UserPlugins/FX.

It's still possible that some DLL is missing but it might be another one. Let me know.

777funk · 01-26-2023, 05:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by helgoboss

Ah, if it's ReaPack, then it might help to install ReaLearn manually. Just get the 32-bit DLL from the GitHub releases page and put it into REAPER's resource folder (there's an action to open it in explorer) /UserPlugins/FX.

It's still possible that some DLL is missing but it might be another one. Let me know.

Ok great! I went to this page:
https://github.com/helgoboss/realearn

but didn't see the ReaLearn.dll

helgoboss · 01-26-2023, 05:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 777funk

Ok great! I went to this page:
https://github.com/helgoboss/realearn

but didn't see the ReaLearn.dll

Read "Install manually" section

777funk · 01-27-2023, 10:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by helgoboss

Read "Install manually" section

The install read me seemed to have some info but I must be missing something. I downloaded and placed the ReaLearn.dll in the User Plugins folder in Application Data and it doesn't show up in the Reaper list of plugins.

helgoboss · 01-28-2023, 05:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 777funk

The install read me seemed to have some info but I must be missing something. I downloaded and placed the ReaLearn.dll in the User Plugins folder in Application Data and it doesn't show up in the Reaper list of plugins.

It's the folder "UserPlugins/FX/" (within the REAPER resource dir).

777funk · 01-28-2023, 08:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by helgoboss

It's the folder "UserPlugins/FX/" (within the REAPER resource dir).

So would that be maybe?:
C:\Program Files\REAPER\Plugins\FX

I inserted just (nothing else) realearn-windowsi686.dll there as well as in:
C:\Documents and Settings\user\Application Data\REAPER\UserPlugins

and just incase, in my normal folder I use for plugins/

And it isn't causing any crashes but maybe I have the wrong dll or am missing others because it doesn't show up.

helgoboss · 01-28-2023, 10:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 777funk

So would that be maybe?:
C:\Program Files\REAPER\Plugins\FX

I inserted just (nothing else) realearn-windowsi686.dll there as well as in:
C:\Documents and Settings\user\Application Data\REAPER\UserPlugins

and just incase, in my normal folder I use for plugins/

And it isn't causing any crashes but maybe I have the wrong dll or am missing others because it doesn't show up.

Both wrong.

It's this: C:\Documents and Settings\user\Application Data\REAPER\UserPlugins\FX

777funk · 01-28-2023, 12:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by helgoboss

Both wrong.

It's this: C:\Documents and Settings\user\Application Data\REAPER\UserPlugins\FX

Reaper automatically creates that directory structure all the way up to \FX (no \FX folder by default reaper install)

So I went ahead and added \FX folder within \UserPlugins and put:
realearn-windowsi686.dll

into that folder. Still does not show after rescan plugins and restart Reaper (as I do with .dll plugins)

This is a 32 bit machine btw.

777funk · 01-31-2023, 10:34 AM

Is there any way to get this working in Win XP 32bit? I think the controller was made for Ableton but it'd be awesome to use it in Reaper.

helgoboss · 01-31-2023, 04:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 777funk

Reaper automatically creates that directory structure all the way up to \FX (no \FX folder by default reaper install)

So I went ahead and added \FX folder within \UserPlugins and put:
realearn-windowsi686.dll

into that folder. Still does not show after rescan plugins and restart Reaper (as I do with .dll plugins)

This is a 32 bit machine btw.

Sorry, didn't see the reply. Yes, that's the correct folder. It doesn't exist by default.

Does it show up in the list of unsuccessfully scanned plugins ins preferences / VST?

777funk · 01-31-2023, 08:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by helgoboss

Sorry, didn't see the reply. Yes, that's the correct folder. It doesn't exist by default.

Does it show up in the list of unsuccessfully scanned plugins ins preferences / VST?

That's a new one for me. Where do I find this list?

helgoboss · 02-01-2023, 12:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 777funk

That's a new one for me. Where do I find this list?

Preferences => Plug-ins => VST => Re-scan... => Plug-ins that failed to scan

777funk · 02-03-2023, 08:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by helgoboss

Preferences => Plug-ins => VST => Re-scan... => Plug-ins that failed to scan

I don't see that option when I go to that area within Reaper. Sorry for the actual screen pictures. This machine isn't connected to the network so it's the easiest way to capture.

helgoboss · 02-03-2023, 04:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 777funk

I don't see that option when I go to that area within Reaper. Sorry for the actual screen pictures. This machine isn't connected to the network so it's the easiest way to capture.

Make sure you use a recent version of REAPER. Which one do you use?

777funk · 02-03-2023, 08:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by helgoboss

Make sure you use a recent version of REAPER. Which one do you use?

I think I've got version 4.6 (pretty sure) going by memory.

helgoboss · 02-04-2023, 02:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 777funk

I think I've got version 4.6 (pretty sure) going by memory.

I think you need at least 5. ReaLearn itself, I only test it with REAPER 6.