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  • VI Pro feature request - 1-D matrix control

    The matrix system has many attributes for live control and dealing with the many articulations VSL provides. But it presents challenges for editing in a DAW, working with articulation/expression systems, controllers etc, as you have to coordinate more than one CC/KS to get a single articulation.

    I propose adding a new feature to VI Pro player that lets you address the row+column of any matrix with a single CC/KS/program-change. This would be in addition to the current X and Y assignments and would enhance but not break any existing patch. Since the matrix system supports 12x12 matrices, you could support up to 120 cells (12x10) with a single CC/note/program range.

    Here's how it would work:

    • Add a new setting for a 1-D controller (CC or program change), with a non-conflicting default CC
    • When received, the 10's part of its value would select the column (X), the 1's part the row (Y), of the current matrix.

    So, for any matrix, the first row is 0/10/20/30...110 and the second is 1/11/21/31...111, the 10th 9/19/29/39...119. Some UI support for seeing the cell to 1-D-number relationship would be useful.

    This would give you 1-D control over any existing matrix up to 12x10, and would not disrupt the existing X and Y assignments.

    This would let us:

    • Directly choose an articulation with a single gesture.
    • Edit more easily in a DAW
    • Use articulation systems that only support a single message (e.g. Logic)
    • More easily use controllers that can't send two messages.
    • Use program change (and names) in DAWs without articulation systems.
    • etc

    Thoughts?


  • You could use the matrix list + program change.


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    @TFIS said:

    You could use the matrix list + program change.

    One could, but the point of this is that it could address almost all existing matrices. Also matrices are better for showing many items vs a long list. 

    Finally, a big benefit of this is that, for any particular X/Y cell, the same number is used to select that cell regardless of the matrix dimensions. This would let us set up grid controllers like the launchpad/push/maschine-jam with a single configuration such that e.g. the button in the third column, second row always selects the corresponding matrix cell. This is not possible now.


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    Brilliant idea! 💡

    It's one of those ideas that straight away strikes you as a gigantic leap in usability, and would make, as you say, the VSL matrices controllable by more hardware like NI's. That could be a win-win for VSL and NI and other companies that support this!

    The MIDI standard itself began as stream of one-dimensional (serial) controller messages, and is still so powerful today, and makes it easier to exchange musical-info among a network of diverse hardware and software manufacturers!

    Like moving from the Abacus to our positional notation in maths/numerals! Love it!

    How do you see it being implemented in notation software?

    cheers!👍 
    A

     

    .


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    @Ariam said:

    How do you see it being implemented in notation software?

    Well, you'd still have to use the articulation map system of the DAW or notation software, but at least you only have to map to a single message. Another big benefit is that, being independent of the X and Y assignments, you can change the X/Y controls (say if you get different hardware or want to experiment with another control scheme) without breaking your maps.

    Also it would facilitate sharing those maps. Right now, if two users want different X/Y controls they can't share articulation/expression maps.


  • This is a pretty good idea. It demand a little software development, but not so big... I hope VSL like it and think about... should be a nice Synchron player function as well...

  • That's really brilliant and straight forward! I'd like this feature too.


  •  Now why didn't I think of that? Great idea! It would limit the user to single digit rows and columns, but I already work within that limit unintentionally.


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    So I've been working on this 1-D X/Y addressing idea and at the same time working on a method for managing articulations in Digital Performer, which has no articulation support but has good MIDI patch change support (bank+program). This video demonstrates DP driving VEPro using only 1-D program change to choose cells in the matrix.

    Of course another MIDI standard (and thus supported by DP in their notion of 'patch change') is Bank Change (CC0), and I hope to use that to switch matrices.

    This method uses Bidule to implement the 1-D logic. It would be nice to have VI Pro support for 1-D, as well as the ability to turn off Program Change for matrix selection (I can't see how).