notes from the field BFX2
-
Starting to dig into BFX2 and will share some odd behavior findings here as I can. So far quite pleased with the app and see some items that could use some work in the near future.
#1 Harmonizer
Odd behavior with saving (or "not" as it may be) presets using the Harmonizer. I chose the Harmonizer *Program "Octave Echo" for a starting point and edited it to suit. I saved the whole preset and then switched to another preset and switched back. The Harmonizer saves changes to the "Scale" but all other parameters reset to factory.
*Program - appears to be no way to make save or alter this short list and seems like this is a missing feature.
#2 Scenes
I really like this feature but it appaears to need some work too.
Easy to set up the 4 scenes and easy to assign midi foot-switch control to change the scenes however:
Once I have changed a scene it appears to enter a modified control mode with unintended results. In this "Scene mode" my "Toggle" switching capability stops working as "Toggle" and turns my instant FX access switching into a "one shot either off or on and nothing after switching mode"
Apparently I either have to choose using only scenes to toggle FX inside a Patch or not use scenes so I can continue to "Toggle" my FX "on/off" like before.
Seems this needs to be addressed so that I can toggle individual FX on/off "inside a scene" and thus get the best of both worlds.
#3 Preset MIDI Toggle Assignments
With BFX1 I can upload a preset and download it as a copy and it contains the same CC toggle numbers that I assigned to each FX stomp
With BFX2 I upload and download a copy of a preset and my Toggle settings are N/A again instead of saved. (CC #'s also do not migrate with the old presets)
#4 FULL MIDI Implementation in ANY DAW on ANY OS [EDIT]
Current BFX2 version in this setup works well - only thing I have yet to get it to do is switch actual Presets ( @Mike gets credit )
Set up fast to record 3 tracks: Midi / Bias FX output / Dry Guitar input (soundcard input 2 )
Being able to capture our midi data live and the audio is huge - this can make or break a persons state of mind when they are trying to create
I want even more because I want each pedal and amp to be it's "own midi unit" INSIDE the app that use REAL WORLD MIDI - example: I step on pedal one and get what you call "a scene" [distortion on - chorus off - delay change - reverb mute] for instance. So what I want from the REAL WORLD is to program my distortion to receive on midi channel 1 and my chorus on midi channel 2 and my delay on midi channel 3 and my reverb on midi channel 4 just like FOUR REAL WORLD HARDWARE UNITS - then I can simply set my single midi switch to send 4 different commands on 4 different midi channels to the 4 different FX stomp boxes inside BFX2 and use my midi controller as it was INTENDED to be used from the maker. (the 16 midi channels have always provided the needed path to creating "scenes")
Seems like there should be an easy way to get the standard audio plugin above to act like a stack of gear and respond to outside midi with ease - the instrument plugin does this good
+# Rock on guys and thank you as always
-
-
Excellent post. Rather than gripe about the misses, you are proactively helping the product be better.... We need more of this.
-
Hey don't blame ALL the DAW makers for this! REAPER, at least takes whatever MIDI you give it and passes it thru to anything smart enough to take it (and by smart enough, I mean BASIC midi implementation, which as you note, many fail at), and further, fixes shortcomings in Bias' MIDI implementation adding autoengage and other tricks
-
@pipelineaudio yes but Reaper is still not there yet either - when a Guitar Amp/FX sim unit functions exactly as it's real world physical counterpart regardless of where we use it (Standalone or DAW) we will be there. Just hard to believe that we get Full Midi control of our Guitar apps standalone, but when we go into the studio (a DAW) we lose full midi control and only have limited control - not good for those who wish to record all parts Live.
It's up to either the DAW coder or the Guitar app coder to solve this once and for all - we should not have to tell our DAW app what we already told our Guitar app when it comes to midi control - it's absolutely absurd and only yields limited control as it is now
I am going to put Reaper to the test now since you brought it up - The Goal = full midi control of ANY AmpFX sim plugin on an audio track with NO workaround out of the box. This includes preset switching and all my other midi info fully functioning with little to no set up. I suspect that just like in the past this will not be the case and will require compromise instead of full midi control out of the box.
If it does it then it is a new mark for others to reach and well overdue
-
What part of your MIDI messages are lost in any way went a pedalboard is sent to REAPER?
None of it.
There ARE shortcomings in the plugins themselves, which is why LBX Stripper and stuff like SWS Live Configs were created.
Maybe you can show an example of what exactly REAPER is stripping away from the MIDI messages and not passing on.
I would encourage you to run the ReaControl to MIDI plugin, but it won't be a requirement, simply take the MIDI pedalboard to an armed input (as if you were going to record a MIDI keyboard) and send the MIDI from that track to the track with your Guitar FX and itll work fine
But for WAY more advanced switching and control than any MIDI hardware could possibly give you in the real world, look into LBX Stripper
-
@pipelineaudio Score 1 for reaper (ALMOST) - (I knew Justin could get it right before anyone else)
Thought this was going to do it but it requires some workaround and should not for sure with Reaper it should be without a workaround by now (It is almost there) Unfortunately it is not there yet either but closer than any other.
A single track in Reaper can load BFX2 or any Guitar app and that track can receive MIDI "OR" Audio but Not "Both" at the same time (when set to midi record, the midi control to BIAS is direct and full functioning which is cool)
-
If you are really interested, we DEFINITELY need your input! We've tried to tackle this all in many different ways: Daniel Perry has created really magical track based crossfade scripts that can run under SWS live or on their own, LBX stripper has incredible powers. Mschell has created crossfading plugins and midi auto engage plugins and scripts. We're all on Facebook and everywhere else together skinning this cat in different ways and ALWAYS want to hear from more people
And don't forget for a second, our own forum members here who make Gig Performer!
-
@pipelineaudio Speaking of Gig Performer as a means to fixing this mess with BFX2 midi control... I recently switched to Gig Performer from Ableton Live 10 (based, at least in part, on the praises heaped on it in this forum.) But I'm pretty unfamiliar with scripting language. Trying to learn some. In the meantime, does anyone using BFX2 in Gig Performer have any pre-written scripts for auto engage wah and setting minimum/maximum limits on cc# (i.e. MIDI compression.) for volume expression pedal???
Amazingly, someone seems to have solved these issues in the iOS version of Bias FX using a script in an app called "Midifire" (Looks remarkably similar to the back panel of Gig Performer, but deals only in MIDI data.) They even setup a link to obtain the script! Cool!
-
@guitarkite somewhere I have an auto engage script that one of the developers wrote, I'll see if I can find it. Gig Performer is mindblowing, I wasn't 100% happy with the way it crossfades, but that's just because I was trying to use it in a way its not meant for, and if I really tried, Id probably figure out a way to get it right
-
@tafkad Thanks for all your feedbacks! For the #4, you can use the "side chain " on the top-right of the plugin window to select the audio input for MIDI-Controlled FX
-
@mike said in notes from the field BFX2:
@tafkad #4, you can use the "side chain " on the top-right of the plugin window to select the audio input for MIDI-Controlled FX !!!!!!!!!
Mike for the win ! you so rock and come in with the right answer
Damn with that I can now get 99% there
When I enter my midi pedal into CC mode for Instant FX access I have complete toggle control via midi out of the box (as I set my pedal up that is) - yes
For the expression pedal I used the new Automation feature set to 0 and "Learned" it, seems to work well this way - yes
Last hurdle is : Preset Switching (not scenes, deal with those next) this is the only thing left to get working and seems like it just should with the Midi-controlled FX plug
-
Sound like people in this thread we would love to come to our Facebook group, Bias Fx1&2 and Bias Amp1&2 (and Bias pedal) facebook group tone, tips and sharing. https://www.facebook.com/groups/biasfx/
Trying to build a little different group than just an unorganised posting group, tags different subjects, presets, tone and other useful sharing so its easy to find...