AmpliTube 5 (and other FX plugins) will not "MIDI Learn"

[mdb_reaper]

Hello (apologies for the crosspost of a nearly identical message in the newbie forum)

While admittedly a newbie to REAPER, I have been using it (Windows version) to good effect in conjunction with a Focusrite Scarlett 3rd Gen interface, Amplitube 5 (among other virtual stomps / effects / amps / etc.) for guitar and bass, and a with variety of MIDI-based controllers to play synth and piano parts using virtual instruments as FX within REAPER. All good.

However, for the life of me, I can not get these various effects, amp sims, stomps, etc. to "MIDI Learn" such that I can control them with footswitches or expression pedals, or even keyboard controller / pad presses and the like.

I've read and/or watched a number of tutorials on this sort of thing, but either the author's REAPER is skinned differently such that I can't quite follow with fresh, stock installation of REAPER, or the author's starting point in the demonstration is beyond what I'm able to initially reproduce.

Keeping things relatively simple for starters:

i) I've acquired a Nektar Pacer (much of its functionality is admittedly beyond my ability level right now...) for which, at the moment, I simply want to use switches 1-6 to send on and off messages to some effects stomps in Amplitube 5 as well as other FX (can list some if there is interest).

ii) I also have other, simpler footswitches and expression pedals correctly connected to the PC via MIDI that I'd also like to use, and for that matter can serve to illustrate the problem here.

iii) Using the "Pocket MIDI" testing / monitoring app, I know every single one of my MIDI-based footswitches, keyboards, other controllers etc. are correctly connected to the PC, properly configured, and sending appropriate and discrete messages. So I know the device(s) ---> PC setup part is OK.

iv) Using REAPER and various MIDI controller devices such as a keyboard controller, and loading (for example) a piano VST in REAPER, I can open a track, arm it, choose a particular MIDI device, load the instrument, and play. I can see the input light up in the REAPER interface upon e.g. keypress on the MIDI controller that I've selected for that track. I take this to mean that REAPER can correctly see my MIDI devices, and thus we are good from the controller/footswitch ---> PC ---> Windows ---> REAPER standpoint.

v) Within (for example) Amplitube 5 (called as an FX from REAPER upon opening and arming an audio track from the Focusrite, into which a guitar is plugged in e.g. Input 1) I can control all of the stomps, amps, etc. using footswitches (e.g. for stomps) and expression pedals (e.g. for wah) using the *mouse*. I correctly hear the resultant effect. I take this to mean that Amplitube is functioning properly, and it and REAPER are playing nice, at least with respect to REAPER and my interface processing the *audio*.

vi) However, I've been completely unsuccessful at getting AT5 (or any other plugin) to "MIDI Learn". I located a tutorial suggesting that one open and arm a track for MIDI input, (either a MIDI single device or all devices) then route that track into the audio input track from which I call the plugin. I've tried this to the best of my ability. (I am absolutely new to routing, and ignorant how that works, and thus I could be messing this up...) Nothing happens. It is as if AT5 (or any other plugin) does not sense the MIDI message, though within REAPER I can see the lights corresponding to MIDI activity on that MIDI track. Indeed upon attempting "MIDI Learn" for one of the AT5 stomps, the screen waits at "Waiting for MIDI..." despite pressing footswitches or moving expression pedals.

It is as if the MIDI instructions are not being passed through REAPER to AT5 or other plugin.

If someone could point me toward a very basic document or video (ideally one which starts with a completely clean, uncustomized REAPER) or perhaps provide a few very basic, idiot-proof bullet points (like, what to click -- that level of idiot-proof) to enable "MIDI Learn", I would be forever grateful.

The existing docs and tutorials -- at least the ones I've found to date -- are over my head. I'm really trying to avoid moving to another DAW, as I otherwise like REAPER very much, and have invested the time and licensing expense such that I'd rather not just abandon it.

Thank you very much,
-Michael

[Funkybot]

Because Amplitube5 is modular by nature there are no "pre-built" automation assignments. So you can't just MIDI Learn it like you can 99.99% of other synths and effects. There are 16 automation assignment parameters and they are mapped to nothing by default. It's a pain in the ass, and it has nothing to do with Reaper, this will be true of all hosts.

So what do you do...

1. Open Amplitube5
2. Click the top-right menu bar
3. That opens the Automation assignment window
4. You have 16 (this is a paltry number) automation assignments you can make in this window per patch (I believe it's per patch)
5. Select the gear on the left, drag to the automation parameter on the right

Then you can go into Reaper and MIDI learn one of those 16 parameters as per normal. Right up until you change presets then you break your MIDI learn assignments. And now, you may be asking yourself, "but what if I don't change the preset but just change amps, then what?" Well, you have to rebuild your automation assignments anyway. "Well that's dumb" you may be saying to yourself. Yes, yes, I agree.

What they SHOULD have done is created a bunch of automation "generic" automation parameters that would map to almost all amps, then just gone from there. For instance:

AmpA Bass1
AmpA Mid1
AmpA Treble1
AmpA Presence1
AmpA Drive1
AmpA Gain1
AmpA Drive1
AmpA Chan Switch
AmpA Bass2
etc...

If they did that, they could map all their existing to one of those parameters, made them all available to the host, and no more broken host learn features and/or extra steps. But they did not. So you, as the end user, get stuck in automation assignment hell where you can assign 16 parameters per preset.

[mdb_reaper]

Originally Posted by Funkybot

Because Amplitube5 is modular by nature there are no "pre-built" automation assignments. So you can't just MIDI Learn it like you can 99.99% of other synths and effects. There are 16 automation assignment parameters and they are mapped to nothing by default. It's a pain in the ass, and it has nothing to do with Reaper, this will be true of all hosts.

So what do you do...

1. Open Amplitube5
2. Click the top-right menu bar
3. That opens the Automation assignment window
4. You have 16 (this is a paltry number) automation assignments you can make in this window per patch (I believe it's per patch)
5. Select the gear on the left, drag to the automation parameter on the right

Then you can go into Reaper and MIDI learn one of those 16 parameters as per normal. Right up until you change presets then you break your MIDI learn assignments. And now, you may be asking yourself, "but what if I don't change the preset but just change amps, then what?" Well, you have to rebuild your automation assignments anyway. "Well that's dumb" you may be saying to yourself. Yes, yes, I agree.

What they SHOULD have done is created a bunch of automation "generic" automation parameters that would map to almost all amps, then just gone from there. For instance:

AmpA Bass1
AmpA Mid1
AmpA Treble1
AmpA Presence1
AmpA Drive1
AmpA Gain1
AmpA Drive1
AmpA Chan Switch
AmpA Bass2
etc...

If they did that, they could map all their existing to one of those parameters, made them all available to the host, and no more broken host learn features and/or extra steps. But they did not. So you, as the end user, get stuck in automation assignment hell where you can assign 16 parameters per preset.

Thanks very much for this, Funkybot. This (for the automation bit within AT5) along with a reply from DarkStar in the newbie forum (connecting the assignments to REAPER) I will try.

I should state though that even for simpler, non-"modular" (as you describe) it FX plugins (e.g. Blue Cat's AcouFiend, that I am also trying to get going) I've not been successful. This leads me to believe my problems are beyond just AT5.

One quick question here: to implement your suggestion here, do I *still* need a second (MIDI) track along side the audio track, and need to route the MIDI track into the audio track (with the FX enabled in the audio track?)

Thanks again,
-Michael

[DarkStar]

Duplicate threads (and one on IK Multimedia) will get you different answers. Funkybot's reply above is correct, but you have said elsewhere that that is not the path you wish to follow.


Please continue with your thread in newbieland.