Automap V4 beta

[condra]

I'd have to hear an argument that it's not a good idea to know what you mean.

With Automap, you use your hardware to control a software GUI (automap), which in turn controls a different software GUI (VSTi). Unless you're a very compotent sound designer, the extra mental leap caused by the extra layer, detatches you too much from the instrument and the original graphical user interface of the VST is rendered pointless.

It's by far the easiest way to have control over all parameters in your plug-ins

Have you ever used NI Maschine to control plug-ins?
It does pretty much the same thing as Automap, but is much more straightforward.

By the way, FWIW, I'm a fan of pretty much all OTHER Novation/Focusrite products. I currently have a Saffire and a Launchpad, and have in the past owned a K-Station, Bass Station, and several Remote SLs.

[sporkles]

With Automap, you use your hardware to control a software GUI (automap), which in turn controls a different software GUI (VSTi). Unless you're a very compotent sound designer, the extra mental leap caused by the extra layer, detatches you too much from the instrument and the original graphical user interface of the VST is rendered pointless.

In a way I can sympathise, as Automap has given me a bit of grief over the years, but this particular reasoning doesn't sit. If you want to use your Novation controller as a regular MIDI controller, you can just activate some MIDI channels in Automap, and use the User/FX/Inst/Mixer pages as you would presets on any other controller. In theory.

Once you've figured out how to get the desired channel on the desired section (user/fx, etc.), it is such a breeze being able to change CC's on the fly, without having to upload data to the controller. The problem is that, up until now (just downloaded the new beta), Automap has excelled at making very simple things incredibly complicated, through silly procedures and weird terminology (I'm talking purely from experience with the Nocturn, having only used it as described above; I've never bothered with setting it up for use with VST's, preferring to wrap my VST's in racks).

Since we're on the topic of Novation products: does anyone have a clue if there is a way to completely remove all traces of previous installs, so that both the Nocturn and the Launchpad are installed cleanly? (With previous reinstalls, the Launchpad has "lingered", showing up as "X-Launchpad" in Live's preferences, X denoting a number which increases every time I install via a new USB port). I can't accept that the Launchpad freezes my entire computer. http://forum.ableton.com/viewtopic.php? ... 90&start=0. OK, I could rant about this all day, so I'm gonna try installing the beta instead...

EDIT: If any part of this post comes out as a defence for Novation, let me just say that it was not my intention.

[twisted-space]

does anyone have a clue if there is a way to completely remove all traces of previous installs, so that both the Nocturn and the Launchpad are installed cleanly?

What windows version are you on?

[sporkles]

Windows 7 (incidentally about the same number as the crashes I've had since my last post here) I'm so fed up with Novation's shitty products. I installed the latest Automap beta, plugged in the Launchpad, pressed "view" on the LP... Freeze. I have to forcibly reboot. For some stupid reason, Automap still remembers my CC mappings, and that I had activated channels 5-8. I try to initialise everything, clearing every page. I try to set it up again, and it's the same old travesty: I set up channel 5 for "user", ch. 6 for "FX", and so on; hit "save as default" on every section. Then I cycle through them: "mixer": OK, ch. 8. "inst": OK, ch. 7. "FX": OK, ch. 6. "User": I'm presented with the overview, where I have to select a channel. Channel 5 shows up twice (I mean, WTF?). I pick one, hit "save as default again", repeat the cycle, and every time I'm back on "user", I have to select one out of two "channel fives".

I thought this was supposed to be so fantastically new and fine and dandy, but it's the same old POS as always.

[Valery_Kondakoff]

See the beauty of automap with VSTs is that you can remove it any time and it doesn't affect anything. When you move the automap versions out of your VST folder, your entire set loads regular plug-ins only and it is all as if automap never existed.

Unfortunately I have different experience.

Here is an example:

1. I'm loading and Automap-enabled instance of Novation Bass Station plugin into Ableton Live 8.2.6, changing some plugin parameters and saving the Live set.
2. Now I'm reopening the same Live set to make sure all my changes are saved.
3. After this I'm closing Ableton Live and disabling Automap on Novation Bass Station plugin (I'm using Win7 and Automap 4.1b8, all the Automap-enabled plugins are located in the same folder as not-automapped ones).
4. Stating Ableton Live again and loading the same Live set: the not-automapped Novation Bass Station plugin is loaded successfully, but gives an error 'Bank size mismatch' and reverts to default settings (program 00).

Can you comment on this?

[glitchrock-buddha]

See the beauty of automap with VSTs is that you can remove it any time and it doesn't affect anything. When you move the automap versions out of your VST folder, your entire set loads regular plug-ins only and it is all as if automap never existed.

Unfortunately I have different experience.

Here is an example:

1. I'm loading and Automap-enabled instance of Novation Bass Station plugin into Ableton Live 8.2.6, changing some plugin parameters and saving the Live set.
2. Now I'm reopening the same Live set to make sure all my changes are saved.
3. After this I'm closing Ableton Live and disabling Automap on Novation Bass Station plugin (I'm using Win7 and Automap 4.1b8, all the Automap-enabled plugins are located in the same folder as not-automapped ones).
4. Stating Ableton Live again and loading the same Live set: the not-automapped Novation Bass Station plugin is loaded successfully, but gives an error 'Bank size mismatch' and reverts to default settings (program 00).

Can you comment on this?

Oh. That sucks. Sorry I can't comment. Maybe it's unique to the plug-in? I'm on a mac so I can't say if it's unique to windows. Have you tried other plug-ins? If that was the case I would certainly not use automap. I don't use automap with AUs in Logic for the same reason. Getting rid of automap versions breaks your instances in your song.

[theophilus]

yeah, windows vst doesn't have the auto-replacement of automap with non-automap plugins, i think it's just mac and windows rtas.

though overall, i like automap.

[glitchrock-buddha]

With Automap, you use your hardware to control a software GUI (automap), which in turn controls a different software GUI (VSTi). Unless you're a very compotent sound designer, the extra mental leap caused by the extra layer, detatches you too much from the instrument and the original graphical user interface of the VST is rendered pointless.

I never use the automap GUI except for when I'm assigning parameters. Which is once for any given plug-in. However you have a point that it is learning a new layout on the hardware. I really only like it for smaller "vintage style synths" (that can fit most controls on a single on screen layout) or for mapping the main controls of a complex synth. So for example it's great for things like Oddity, imposcar, Poly-Ana, sylenth1 and other fixed Architecture type synths. Also for something like Alchemy where it's just for control over performance controls, macro envelopes, morph squares etc. Modular synths don't work as well, like Zebra. But it's really up to you how you design the layout so a good template is far better than a poorly thought out one.

Have you ever used NI Maschine to control plug-ins?
It does pretty much the same thing as Automap, but is much more straightforward.

I do have MAschine and it does do pretty much the same thing and for me personally I find the process to be identical. Not sure how Maschine is more straight forward though. The difference is that Maschine has only 8 knobs. That means it would typically take 3 times more pages to have control over the same number of parameters. I can't be bothered to scroll that much. And of course, you have to load the plug-in inside Maschine. I'd rather be able to load it in anything. I like to load the automap VSTS in Kore, Ableton, Maschine or whatever.

[twisted-space]

Windows 7 (incidentally about the same number as the crashes I've had since my last post here)

unplug any device you want "reset"
Open start menu
Right click on computer
Select "properties"
Select "advanced system settings"
Select "enviroment variables"
Click "new" in the user variables bit (top "new")
enter "devmgr_show_nonpresent_devices" aas variable name and "1" as variable value.
Click ok 3 times.
(back to desktop)

Open start menu
Right click on computer
Select "manage"
Select "device manager"
on the menu bar, select "view" then "show hidden devices"
expand "sound, video and game controllers" and you should see multiple, greyed out, entries for the devices you want to reset, right click on each and select "uninstall"
Don't uninstall anything if your not 100% sure, it's easy to hose your system, don't assume that you can uninstall everything that's greyed out (you can, but it will break things).

When you next plug in one of the devices it should install as a fresh instance.

[simpleton]

Windows 7 (incidentally about the same number as the crashes I've had since my last post here)

unplug any device you want "reset"
Open start menu
Right click on computer
Select "properties"
Select "advanced system settings"
Select "enviroment variables"
Click "new" in the user variables bit (top "new")
enter "devmgr_show_nonpresent_devices" aas variable name and "1" as variable value.
Click ok 3 times.
(back to desktop)

Open start menu
Right click on computer
Select "manage"
Select "device manager"
on the menu bar, select "view" then "show hidden devices"
expand "sound, video and game controllers" and you should see multiple, greyed out, entries for the devices you want to reset, right click on each and select "uninstall"
Don't uninstall anything if your not 100% sure, it's easy to hose your system, don't assume that you can uninstall everything that's greyed out (you can, but it will break things).

When you next plug in one of the devices it should install as a fresh instance.

spelling error? uber cool trick. you know I'm gonna hose my system with all those choices

[23kon]

Not related to automap V4 but just my thoughts on Automap.

Personally I LOVE the concept of Automap software window.
With Nocturn I don't actually have my VSTs automapped, I just create User Pages per song and assign all the parameters I need to tweaks to play live gig or record a song on the timeline.

It's GREAT the way you can label things and see them onscreen in front of you without having to make stickers to stick on your controller. Much more easier to manage too.

I actually wish that other manufacturers would come up with something similar.

I wish that Livid Instruments would do something like that for their Code controller.

I would KILL for Novation to make this ........

[twisted-space]

spelling error? uber cool trick. you know I'm gonna hose my system with all those choices

Don't say I didn't warn you.


Re:the aas spelling mistake

not their biggest fan to be honest.