VST Plugin To Send Timing Info And 64 Parameters From Your DAW To Lightjams

[Mathieu]

That's a little prototype at the moment. It's a VST 2.4 plugin for Windows that should work with most DAWs like Ableton, Reaper, FL Studio, Cantabile, etc. The plugin sends all timing info (bpm, beat position, time signature, etc.) to Lightjams via OSC. It seems to be more reliable and precise than using MIDI clocks. There are also 64 knobs you can control as parameters from your DAW and use the values in Lightjams. 

The plugin broadcasts OSC on the network or localhost on port 9001 so that Lightjams can run on the same computer or another computer on the network.

You can try the attached LJ project file which has all the OSC values already mapped.

The parameters being sent to Lightjams are:

- bpm
- beatIndex: current beat index in the bar from 0 to (numerator-1)
- beatProgress: progression of the current beat between 0..1
- beatBarProgress: progression inside the whole bar between 0..1
- numerator and denominator for the time signature
- PPQPos: current song play head position

- lastBar: last position when the bar was at the start
- samplePos: number of seconds since the start of the session
- cycleStart and cycleEnd: position of the loop (if currently looping)
- transportIsRunning: 1 if playing
- transportLoopEnabled: 1 if looping (which is always 0 for Cantabile)

- 64 knobs

VST plugin download (use the version that matches your DAW, not Lightjams):

64-bit: https://www.lightjams.com/app/lightjams-vst2-64.dll

32-bit: https://www.lightjams.com/app/lightjams-vst2-32.dll

You can also use an optional configuration file to change the OSC settings and the name of the knobs. See the attached .config file and the comments inside. Put this config file side-by-side with the .dll file.

[o865324]

Mathieu this looks great. I tried it with Cantabile, and it fired up straight away. I could see the beat index coming through and OSC values. I tried saving presets in Cantabile which all worked fine.

I'd definitely want to be able to rename the knobs - can we have a config file/gui to define the knobs, OSC port and IP please?

Reason for this is that within Cantabile you create actions that work with those knobs, so selecting "knob4" in Cantabile is not helpful.

I'll try some more testing later.

Cheers.

[Mathieu]

Thanks for the tests! I've added the optional configuration file. Check the first post for the test config file and download the new VST dll version (v36). Also, I've updated the LJ test project since the first / was missing for some OSC messages.

[Mathieu]

I've also improved the way to work with OSC in Lightjams. You can now only see the mapped OSC values with the addresses instead of only seeing the numbers.

[jur1...@gmail.com]

Cool... :-) that's great

very usefull for me.

Thanks !!

Cheers 

Jürgen

[jur1...@gmail.com]

Maybe you can add a function to display the values of the Knobs in the vst-Dialog.

Would be better to dial a specific value.

[Mathieu]

Hi!

I guess you're using the value to move a source and activate a scene? This effectively require precise control. Maybe you can try using one source per activation attribute you want to control and link each source's power to one knob of the VST plugin. This way, you don't need precise control and may be easier to understand since you can name each knob based on what it activates.

[jur1...@gmail.com]

Hi Mathieu,

i would test the vst with cantabile today but I could not get a conection to lightjams.... yesterday it works like expected.

...only your posted file (no changes) and all on port 9001(default) but there is no reaction in lightjams.

any idea what happens?....or what I can do?

Cheers Jürgen

[Jürgen]

...sACN and Artnet is working so I don't know why there is no OSC-connection ???

[isaac]

Have you checked the adapter selection in the OSC Input Configuration in LJ?

Is the VST on the same computer or another?

Do you have the correct OSC Mappings inside LJ?

Maybe Windows Firewall is blocking something? But then again you said it was working yesterday...

[Mathieu]

If it was working without the optional configuration file, delete it. Otherwise, edit the configuration file and change the network_adapter from 0.0.0.0 to 127.0.0.1 

If this is a network problem, sending to 127.0.0.1 (localhost, inside this computer only) may fix it.

[jur1...@gmail.com]

tested all ideas but I can't connect the plugin.... all other network devices working.

I have no idea what's going on????

[Mathieu]

A few things to check:

In Lightjams, go in the view/configuration and OSC tab:

- click the monitor for the input. Do you see something coming in?

- does the 0.0.0.0 network adapter selected for the input?

- is this port 9001?

In the VST plugin, delete the config file and restart Cantabile.

[jur1...@gmail.com]

I have tested all configurations and checked if the port is not in use by other programs...

port is opened for lightjams I can see but nothing happens.

looks like the vst-plugin is fireing nothing ????

I think the problem ocures in cantabile/vst  or do you have any ideas what Ican do.

I have deleted the dll-file also and copyed new into the path....but no reaction

[jur1...@gmail.com]

tested with cubase and here it works..... but not in cantabile

[Mathieu]

That's pretty strange... I've developed the plugin with Cantabile. Are you sure you're using the proper 32/64 bit version? It needs to fit your Cantabile version. Also maybe there are difference between the various Cantabile edition.

In Cantabile, are you able to see the custom plug-in interface with the knobs? 

[jur1...@gmail.com]

I must say it is installed on a surface Pro 4 (there are going some other things than on a 'normal' machine.....maybe also with network-processes) 

in cantabile in some windows there are no scroll bars and on my 'normal' PC all is OK

maybe I can test if there is a connection when i run the plugin on the other PC (in Cantabile) ...later

[jur1...@gmail.com]

.....the plugin I can see and use normaly in Cantabile and with the config file it shows all correctly....

but it takes no effect when moving a knob or sending midi start /stop etc.    (lightjams monitor shows nothing)

[jur1...@gmail.com]

....tested to remote from my second PC but with same result....nothing happens

adress is correct ....i have no idea what to do

[Mathieu]

You can try disabling the firewall on both computers.

Have you tried to send on the same computer by editing the config file and entering 127.0.0.1 for the network adapter (not the destination IP)?

[jur1...@gmail.com]

I tested again on my surface with Cubase9.5 in all modes with the contig file ......works perfect 

disabled the firewall and tested with cantabile >>> no result ( testet with all network options)

[jur1...@gmail.com]

Once it works for a while with cantabile .....but then I closed the programs and restart cantabile there is no conection.

[jur1...@gmail.com]

....today Win10 closed because an automatic Update was installed... after rebooting I could open the OSC 1 time and it works 

(INFO: ....the buttons with changed Names in your Configfile did not react only the numbered buttons)

but after first restarting Lightjams / cantabile .....no OSC Connection    :-(

[Mathieu]

Sorry about this very strange bug... I'm having a hard time reproducing it. I'm using Cantabile Performer v3.0 build 3558 64-bit. I can close Cantabile and reopen it without loosing the connection to Lightjams. I can also close Lightjams and reopen without problem. I've also tested the same things with Reaper.

I've updated the VST plugin and added more error handling. The version of the plugin is now 38. You can see this number in the VST plugin UI at the bottom (below the knobs). Check if there's an error message just above the version number.

When you change the name of the knobs in the config file, in Lightjams, go in the view/configuration and OSC tab and map these new names by clicking the mappings button.

[jur1...@gmail.com]

Thanks Mathieu,

 ...I have tested your new version an have got an error Message for you: socket send error 10093

(built 3559 64-bit)

Cheers Jürgen

[Mathieu]

Thanks. I've updated the plugin version (v39) with a little change related to the error code you're getting.

[jur1...@gmail.com]

Hallo Mathieu,

many thanks for your great and fast support.....

So far I can see this version is working like expected.... SUPER !!!!

Great man! 

Cheers Jürgen

[jur1...@gmail.com]

1 Problem i have:

when I am opening your testfile in lightjams everything is ok..

then I changed to my project-file and lightjams shows no more OSC in the right corner ( instead of this it shows DMX OUT ????

same network addapter than in your file

when i hit the source and change to OSC there is green aktivity shown but nothing reacts to an input

also when restarting cantabile...

so what is the difference between your test file and my projekt file ?????

[Mathieu]

With OSC, you need to map the messages to slots (channels) in Lightjams. Go in the view/configuration and in the OSC tab. Then click the mappings button and go in the learn tab. You should see incoming OSC messages from the VST plugin. Ideally, reload the VST plugin to force it to send all messages. Then you can select them all and click the map button.

There's also another thing to do: set the min&max scaling for each message. Most messages have a min&max of 0-1. But some others like the BPM have a min&max of 0-100 to avoid scaling. If you're not familiar with this, send me your project file and I'll add the OSC mappings.

[jur1...@gmail.com]

Thanks for your help but it's ok

after restarting my computer this evening it works fine.

Now the green OSC-In-light is illuminated everytime  when I open a song in cantabile with your plugin inside.

Should work now....

Thank you very much

Jürgen

[o865324]

I've just changed all my integration between Cantabile and Lightjams from MIDI to using this VST, and it is working a treat. Much easier to debug without trying to remember which CC I used for what! And now I have proper beat and tempo coming through as well.

Brilliant tool.

[Jürgen]

That's Right... I also use in much cases but not for Timing because in my case cantabile is not fast enough to read the MIDI-Clock from outside

so detecting and sending over OSC is to slow.... (this is not a Problem of Lightjams)

so I am routing the Clock from my Keyboard directly over C3 to Lightjams because the lightjams-detection works very fast (thanks Mathieu)

…..so for me  > midi.clock.speed(x) <  is working perfect.