Using Electra One for VST patch parsing on Ableton: Max 4 Live?

Ideas / Feature requests
1

Hi, I might be tempted to start building presets for software VST (espeicially those from Waldorf , Arturia , Cherry Audio, Full Bucket, GForce, Korg, Usual Suspects) on the Electra One, operating similar to those I make for hardware synths, so including preset browsing, name setting and parameter parsing & control. I use Ableton 12 as a DAW.

I’m being suggested that the key to make this happen in a generic way is by involving Max 4 Live in the process, so it can be used to create sysEx like data for the Electra one to understand. Perhaps I can make some king of wrapper with Max 4 Live so the VST -specific work on the Electra can be limited to all the info I cannot get out of a VST (such as the option lists, the preset bank structure, the slots for the parameters to be shown)

What do you guys think I should use?

2

Can I ask why? Because with a remote script such as the one by @jhh jhh you get all that functionality automatically

3

Well it’s out of my comfort zone. If I would work with a remote script, how does such concept work? (Never needed to use any scripting for hardware synths). But max 4 live is equally unknown to me. I just need to be guided in a good direction.

4

Also relevant is I want to control the VST regardless whether they are in focus on the DAW or not. So any VST being used in the DAW should be enabled to be controlled via the E1, as long as it has been assigned to a DAW track, but without it being visible on the PC screen.
Is that possible without Max4 Live ?

5

Yes, you can lock to a device, but I don’t know if Jaap’s script has that implemented

6

I’d suggest to just try Jaap’s script, it’s mainly open source.

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7

And if you run into issues, let me know. Maybe I can help. (Yes, the remote script supports locked devices)

8

Thanks @jhh,

I’ll probably need your help. The plan for me now is about studying and learning first:

  • take the assumption Max 4 Live is not needed for this goals
  • understand the concepts you’ve already made with Ableton
  • get your Ableton mixer up and running
  • understand the Github concepts (so far I’ve always maneuvred around it, but it’s time now to take the dive, I guess)
  • understand how Ableton deals with control surfaces and scripts
  • only then see how all this new knowledge can be used for the end goal i.e. have VST’s behave via the E1 as if they are like any other hardware synth in the studio that is too far to control on the device itselve and thus require the E1 to control them.
9

I’m hiking this week without access to my gear, so all help this week will have to be from memory :wink: and there may be delayed responses…

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10

If your goal is to study, then go ahead! :blush:

But you don’t need to, a remote script isn’t just for mixer control, it’s also for device control and all (exposed https://help.ableton.com/hc/en-us/articles/209073089-Saving-plug-in-parameter-configurations ) parameters are automatically mapped and therefore bidirectional and accessible from Electra One.

Only caveat for Ableton is that vst and vst3 plugins are limited to 128 parameters. If you want more you need to wrap the VST in a M4l wrapper (quite a few out there already)

Iirc there’s a video of using the script on Electra on yt

1 Like