Old 07-25-2019, 06:20 AM   #1
Steve0712
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Default Live Config Problems

Hi there,

I'm trying to use Live Configs and i've encountered a big problem.
I successfully managed to have 2 different live configs for testing configured. My plan is to change the configs on the fly with a controller that just sends fixed midi notes and a few cc's (but they are not enough). (A&H K2)

The problem in the end is very simple: I'm able to change the presets inside a config via doubleclick. So that works. But if I midi-learn to change the config and try that, nothing changes. In the upper toolbar, I can see the learned command got recognised by Reaper but there's no change happening with the preset.

For info: This is for sequenced live vst House music. So no gaps are allowed and I'm using the latest version of sws tools. Also my goal is to have say three or four vst's on different tracks change at the same time with one config switch. One button per config, so 4 buttons to change between "scenes" would be perfect.

Please help, I think I'm about to go crazy, since Reaper seems to be my tool of choice and I need to get this to work.
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Old 07-25-2019, 08:41 AM   #2
mschnell
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I don't suppose it's possible to change the settings in LiveConfigs in another way than by editing it with the mouse and the computer leyboard in the LiveConfigs GUI.

I did a (rather complex) setup using LiveConfigs to change patches (i.e. switching tracks and initiating program changes with (e.g.) Kontakt.

I did some JSFXes that store 17 CC values each and that I can remote-control in realtime by my Surface device (and that are initialized on start and optionally saved in the Reaper project file). These CCs are sent to the tracks (and with it to the VSTis and VSTs) shortly after each patch change by LiveConfigs. Now when calling up a patch it gets the parameter values I previously tweaked while live playing.

Thinking more about your post: maybe I should add an option to save the CC values to disk by remote-control, other than by using the mouse and have Reaper save the project.

Anyway, If you want have LiveConfigs push presets to multiple tracks you supposedly need to use multiple Config "pages". I did not test this, but I think one "master" config page (i.e. the appropriate line) can be set to fire an action that switches another config page to the desired line.

-Michael

Last edited by mschnell; 07-25-2019 at 08:52 AM.
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Old 07-25-2019, 02:22 PM   #3
Steve0712
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Hey Michael,

Thanks for taking the time to answer. I fooled around a bit more, but it seems there are too many limitations and dead ends. It's kind of sad because I like Reaper a lot and it looks very stable and trustworthy.

I'm thinking of doubling and muting now, which also doesn't feel very clean or even usable to the point, where I'll be able to built up the routing more, as I get more experienced with the planned setup.

To sum it up: Cantabile 3 it is. It's very flexible, has multitrack recording to a single file and the routing is visually pleasing and feels organised. But the material, which I will be recording surely needs mastering and polish. So Reaper seems to be a good option to do just that and I didn't watch three hours of getting started videos for nothing.

Danke, vielleicht bis bald!

Stefan
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Old 07-25-2019, 10:15 PM   #4
mschnell
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Steve0712 View Post
it seems there are too many limitations and dead ends.
To achieve exactly what (technically)?

A beauty of Reaper's is that there are lots of add-ons (most free, some payed) that can make it any kind of tricks.

Loop based production is it ?

I feel you might be interested in the "Playtime" Reaper session view. But I have not tried stuff like this, yet.

-Michael (not even a decent idea what "house music" is...)

Last edited by mschnell; 07-25-2019 at 10:51 PM.
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Old 07-26-2019, 08:45 AM   #5
Steve0712
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It's just too fiddly to configure. Live configs is a nice tool, but when it comes to simple and fast configuration, it's not as capable as Cantabile. The view and the modular layout just wins. Recording to a single .wav is a bonus. Also, thank you for the playtime thingy.

If I would have wanted something like that, I already were pushing little Ableton blocks. I'm looking for live-sequencing...more like arrangements, not loops.

House music? Well, you guys around here seem to be more on the non electronic music page and that's fine too.

Cheers
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Old 07-26-2019, 01:44 PM   #6
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You could give lbx stripper a try. It's a script from Lb0 wich is very stable and responded to all my need for switching/ tweaking tracks live.
You can build a strip with every fx/track control you need for your show and use snapshots to switch smoothly beetween scenes. It can do macros and modulations too. And it can control SENDS!!!
Sadly, As often in reaper, it has its learning curve... And manual is videos, but it delivers.
That said Cantabile looks nice and seems to be taylored for that use. Hope you find your tool...
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Old 07-27-2019, 03:30 AM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Regisfofo View Post
You could give lbx stripper a try.
While I did hear good things about lbx stripper, I never gave it any consideration for such use, because it's name suggests a completely other purpose (as a mixing channel strip), and there is no documentation / feature list at all. Nonetheless I did "blindly" mention it in the sticky thread in this form.

Maybe on the long run it might make sense to use the appropriate part of the lbx stripper code to create something that might be able to replace LiveConfigs for sophisticated patch changing.

-Michael

Last edited by mschnell; 07-27-2019 at 04:18 AM.
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Old 09-17-2019, 06:40 PM   #8
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There's something wrong with Live Configs....this used to work like Steve mentioned.

I used to use Live Config to switch track presets for Mach 5. Then I went to Kontakt and used simple Program Changes...but, it used to work.

What I was doing was setting a track with ReaMidiControlTrack (CC31) into MIDItoReaControlPath_x64. On this track I would set automation points which represented CC31 values. The value would be converted by the two plugins and fed Live Config, which for every song, would select an FX Preset for my track with Mach5. It's not working any longer.

I need to get this working on an older laptop as a backup. With the older laptop, and with my newer live laptop, Live Configs does not seem to be seeing input.
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Old 09-17-2019, 10:44 PM   #9
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LiveConfig does not handle Program Change, neither as an output nor as an input.

The way Kontakt handles Program change is rather complex: It switches instruments in an instrument bank.But an instrument setup does not use the parameters of the included instruments when the instruments are saved after they were pushed in the instrument bank. In the bank the instrument parameters are preserved as they were when including.

-Michael
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Old 09-17-2019, 11:32 PM   #10
Xane002
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mschnell View Post
LiveConfig does not handle Program Change, neither as an output nor as an input.

The way Kontakt handles Program change is rather complex: It switches instruments in an instrument bank.But an instrument setup does not use the parameters of the included instruments when the instruments are saved after they were pushed in the instrument bank. In the bank the instrument parameters are preserved as they were when including.

-Michael
Not really the point, but thanks for clarifying this for others. I suppose one could have inferred that Live Config sent program changes, based on my post. You are right, it does not. Using the "Rea" plugins, one must convert automation points into FX Preset assignments through Live Config.

When I moved to Kontakt 5, I abandoned Live Config and simply used ReaControltoMIDI to automate the selection of patches in the Kontakt bank.

For this backup PC, I don't want to use Kontakt 5, so that's why I'm back to Live Config. I want to use Mach5 3 again since it has synth and sample functions.

Yes, Kontakt 6 does have some synth functions now, but I have not yet updated to Komplete 12. Just trying use what I already have.

When trying an old session which used Live Config with Mach5 3, it's still not working. Something broke either in Reaper, or SWS since 2014, the last time I used Live Config.

Last edited by Xane002; 09-17-2019 at 11:39 PM.
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Old 09-18-2019, 05:52 AM   #11
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I very happily use the latest versions of Reaper and SWS for my live setup, that heavily is based on program switching Kontakt instrument banks.

-Michael
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Old 09-21-2019, 02:21 PM   #12
Xane002
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Xane002 View Post
There's something wrong with Live Configs....this used to work like Steve mentioned.

I used to use Live Config to switch track presets for Mach 5. Then I went to Kontakt and used simple Program Changes...but, it used to work.

What I was doing was setting a track with ReaMidiControlTrack (CC31) into MIDItoReaControlPath_x64. On this track I would set automation points which represented CC31 values. The value would be converted by the two plugins and fed Live Config, which for every song, would select an FX Preset for my track with Mach5. It's not working any longer.

I need to get this working on an older laptop as a backup. With the older laptop, and with my newer live laptop, Live Configs does not seem to be seeing input.
I figured out my problem: if using Reaper64, use the 64bit version of MIDItoReaControlPath, i.e. MIDItoReaControlPath_x64.vst (MacOS)
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