Internal "bank" support for live performances with guitar rig emulation software (like AmpliTube) #157

n3wkular · 2022-06-08T01:19:03Z

n3wkular
Jun 8, 2022

This is similar to #155, but I am NOT talking about MIDI banks on the device we are controlling (like a synth); rather, I am talking about a logical "bank" internal to the controller. Let me try to explain ...

Consider this scenario (using AmpliTube as an example):

AmpliTube allows the user to define 128 different guitar rig presets (NOT OpenDeck presets!)
It also allows the user to program a MIDI controller to send PC commands to load presets. For example, sending PC#0 loads preset 001, sending PC#1 loads preset 002, and so on.
I've built a controller with 4 momentary footswitches and everything works great when selecting between AmpliTube presets 001-004 (or whatever I've programmed to the four footswitches).
I can also easily program 2 of the footswitches to increment and decrement through all 128 AmpliTube presets with no troubles.

However, this doesn't work well in a live setting:

Going from preset 10 to 37 is a nightmare, for example, unless you've programmed them to one of the four buttons on the controller.
But that quickly becomes a problem because a guitarist uses far more than just 4 presets in a performance (20+ is more typical).
And, no, I am not going to build a controller with 128 footswitches 😁

A pattern I've seen on guitar amp software controllers:

A small-ish number of footswitches (4-10, usually) to send PC commands to select presets in the software.
2 footswitches that increment and decrement through logical "banks" on the controller side, NOT in the device being controlled. (So, no MIDI message is being sent from these footswitches).
A logical "bank" in the controller is really just an index offset. For example, if our controller has 4 footswitches for PC messages, and we are on logical bank 0 in the controller, then pressing footswitch 1 would send PC#0. However, if we're on logical bank 1 in the controller, then pressing footswitch 1 would send PC#4. On logical bank 2, we'd get PC#8, and so on.

This pattern works fairly well as long as the guitarist has arranged their presets so they rarely need to change logical banks during a song. Typically, each logical bank is used for a single song (or multiple songs that use the same presets) and the performer changes presets for the intro, chorus, solo, etc.

Now, if you've already thought of this and I just haven't figured out how to make OpenDeck do it, I'd be a happy man. But if OpenDeck can't already do this, what are your thoughts? Functionality too specialised to consider?

P.S. Parting thought: it is possible to "script" an entire performance so that the performer is simply cycling through a fixed sequence of presets. You could get through a whole show with just a 2 button controller, in theory. However, this isn't practical for at least 2 reasons:

It is very likely you need more than 128 total program changes in a performance.
Not all performances are predetermined; often, set lists change on-the-fly for various reasons.

paradajz · 2022-06-08T11:38:46Z

paradajz
Jun 8, 2022
Maintainer

If I understood correctly, this is roughly what you want:

There is a new option for button message type called Program Change Offset
Putting the button in that mode and selecting the offset will just set internal offset for sending program change to some value without it sending any messages
If you have other buttons configured in program change mode, then the value should pass through configured offset as a final step and be sent incremented by that value. For example, if you set a button to set program change 10, and the offset is set to 4, the final sent value should be 14. Correct? What about the incrementing/decrementing type in that case? How do you expect the offset to influence those values?

8 replies

paradajz Jun 8, 2022
Maintainer

Initial implementation is on master, feel free to try it out. You'll notice new message type for buttons in the UI: Program Change Offset. Select that and all further program change messages will be incremented by that offset (until it's changed).

n3wkular Jun 8, 2022
Author

Great work. I'll be able to try it out tomorrow morning EST. I haven't tried the Docker image for development yet either, so there will be a learning curve before I can build it.

Cheers and looking forward!

n3wkular Jun 9, 2022
Author

OK, a few things:

The CI is failing its tests on the last build (but I assume you know that): https://github.com/shanteacontrols/OpenDeck/actions/runs/2464169720
I've built the binaries and flashed them to a Mega 2560. However, in the Configurator, I do not see the new message type for buttons: Program Change Offset. (When you say "in the UI" above, you mean the Configurator?)
The Configurator still shows v7.2.0 in the upper right hand corner. I assume the version is simply not bumped by a local build (and only bumped with a tag and a CI build or something like that?)

Just to be sure I built the right commit:

ubuntu@select-grunt:~/OpenDeck/src$ git status
On branch master
Your branch is up to date with 'origin/master'.

nothing to commit, working tree clean
ubuntu@select-grunt:~/OpenDeck/src$ git rev-parse --short HEAD
1008d3f8
ubuntu@select-grunt:~/OpenDeck/src$ git log -3
commit 1008d3f8e080c57d5388c599eb618ea4ae903541 (HEAD -> master, origin/master, origin/HEAD)
Author: paradajz <[email protected]>
Date:   Wed Jun 8 21:53:43 2022 +0200

    app: add the ability to set offset to MIDIProgram

commit adbaddaf12ea9e6d46d942a3fcd7777ee0a691e9
Author: paradajz <[email protected]>
Date:   Wed Jun 8 21:50:11 2022 +0200

    app: refactor io/common, use common util for inc/dec of values

commit 209fcc98b5eeb9963364a30d0d6d1c07497fc71e
Author: paradajz <[email protected]>
Date:   Mon Jun 6 23:47:58 2022 +0200

    flash.sh: fix discovery of avr mcus

From there, the make script is successful with the mega2560 and mega16u2 targets. The resulting merged hex files are different (simple cmp check) from the v7.2 hex files posted on the releases page. But when flashed onto my board, there is no joy: everything works but the new button message type is not in the dropdown.

In the code, I can see PROGRAM_CHANGE_OFFSET added to the messageType_t enum, but I have no idea how the Configurator discovers this (and then translates it to a common English string in the UI.)

Do you see anything obvious I've done wrong? How can I help troubleshoot?

Cheers!

paradajz Jun 9, 2022
Maintainer

The CI is failing its tests on the last build (but I assume you know that):

I went to sleep before it finished. It takes its merry time... I've broken regular program change and tests caught that. Fixed now, but not related to your problem.

I've built the binaries and flashed them to a Mega 2560. However, in the Configurator, I do not see the new message type for buttons: Program Change Offset

It's the last option. If you don't see it try reloading the configurator without cache (Press F12, then right click on the reload button, then Empty Cache and Hard Reload). Now that I think of it, I should move this option below the existing Program change option group.

Just to be sure I built the right commit:

You did.

but I have no idea how the Configurator discovers this (and then translates it to a common English string in the UI.)

shanteacontrols/OpenDeckUI@6583ff0

n3wkular Jun 9, 2022
Author

try reloading the configurator without cache

D'oh. I thought I had. 🤦

Now that I think of it, I should move this option below the existing Program change option group.

Yea, good idea.

Here, I am setting the message type to Program Change Offset for Button 10

Log looks good to me.

Now I've moved to Button 11 and come back to Button 10

Yep, the value is 4 (but it's querying that twice ... probably not important). Message type is 25 further down in the log. As expected.

At this point, pressing Button 10 on the controller does nothing. No MIDI message, no system activity registers, nothing. I think this is what you intended and this is just a prototype of the offset functionality.

Here I am programming Button 4 to send PC#4 and then pressing that button on the controller

Seems like Button 4 is sending a PC#0 message, but we were expecting PC#8. Confirmed in a MIDI Monitor.

(Timestamps are different because I cleared the log and pressed Button 4 again.)

A few other observations:

No matter what value Button 10 is set to, every PC is PC#0 globally.
Did a factory reset. Programmed Button 4 for PC, and it still sends PC#0. Every PC is PC#0 globally, even without setting the PC Offset anywhere.

I realise this is just prototyping the offset maths, but is assigning the Program Change Offset value to a Button the best way to do this?

In my mind, the offset value is a global variable, and we should have message types like Program Change Offset Inc/Dec that we can assign to controller Buttons.
And these message types should have a value for how much we want the Program Change Offset value to increment or decrement. (This is a little different than the idea of 2 variables [one for offset value, another for offset increment value] further up in this thread. Assigning the inc/dec value to Buttons with such inc/dec message types might be a better idea, IMO.)
Of course, these message types are meaningless to any other device, so technically, there's no need to send out a message (the state change is only relevant to our controller and the internal Program Change Offset value.)

If all of that makes sense and we're on the same page, just ignore my blathering. Cheers again for taking the time to tackle this!

paradajz · 2022-06-09T10:52:39Z

paradajz
Jun 9, 2022
Maintainer

At this point, pressing Button 10 on the controller does nothing. No MIDI message, no system activity registers, nothing. I think this is what you intended and this is just a prototype of the offset functionality.

Yes. It only sets the offset.

No matter what value Button 10 is set to, every PC is PC#0 globally.

This was actually a bug - are you on latest commit? It's fixed on master.

1 reply

n3wkular Jun 9, 2022
Author

Seems to work now. In image below:

Set B5 to type PCO and its value to 4
Set B4 to type PC and its value to 4
Pressed B5 on the controller
Pressed B4 on the controller and PC#8 was sent
Set B5's value to 10
Pressed B4 and PC#14 was sent

Awesome. So, now the offset maths work. Still thinking about the last bit of my message earlier:

I realise this is just prototyping the offset maths, but is assigning the Program Change Offset value to a Button the best way to do this?

In my mind, the offset value is a global variable, and we should have message types like Program Change Offset Inc/Dec that we can assign to controller Buttons.

And these message types should have a value for how much we want the Program Change Offset value to increment or decrement. (This is a little different than the idea of 2 variables [one for offset value, another for offset increment value] further up in this thread. Assigning the inc/dec value to Buttons with such inc/dec message types might be a better idea, IMO.)

Of course, these message types are meaningless to any other device, so technically, there's no need to send out a message (the state change is only relevant to our controller and the internal Program Change Offset value.)

Am I making any sense? Would a quick mockup help demonstrate what I am thinking?

paradajz · 2022-06-09T12:17:15Z

paradajz
Jun 9, 2022
Maintainer

Ah, so the thing that's missing is the ability to press the offset for the 2nd (and 3rd, and 4th etc) time - right now if you configure a button in offset mode with offset being 4 for example, no matter how many times you press it it's not going to change further.

Right, so, to revise this, a following would be required:

Message type Preset Change Offset Inc
Message type Preset Change Offset Dec

And the flow:

Set one button to Preset Change Offset Inc mode, offset is 4
Press that button once -> offset 4 is set
Press it again -> offset 8 is set
Press it again -> offset 12 is set

Now, here comes the junction point:

Configure another button in Dec mode, offset is 2
Press that button
What happens now with the current offset being 12? Is it set to 10, or, is it initially set to 2 and then on consecutive press to 0?

The same question actually goes if you have 2 inc buttons: set one offset to 2, and the other to 4. What happens on change? Immediate inc/dec or relative inc/dec depending on the current offset?

19 replies

paradajz Jun 10, 2022
Maintainer

This would enable the use case I am trying to implement. That would be awesome.

Added the new option for LEDs. It's visible now in the UI. Just reflash the board. Note that the latest changes will wipe your config since I've added new database parameter. Don't have a setup currently to try this out, so let me know.

I've already started telling guitar players about it wink

Much appreciated!

n3wkular Jun 10, 2022
Author

That is GREAT! However, it will be a few days before I can test. Headed out of town for the weekend. Enjoy yours and cheers!

paradajz Jun 11, 2022
Maintainer

Added the tests, everything is passing, also tested it out on my physical test setup, seems to work fine. Will release the new version after confirmations from your side. Possibly help text in the UI needs some tweaking... let me know on that next week.

If you decide to release this, can I help with the documentation?

Would you be interested in writing a guest blog post on my site on what kind of controller you're building and how these new features helped you in making it possible?

n3wkular Jun 13, 2022
Author

OK, everything is working as I'd expect. I placed an order for parts needed to complete the physical prototype; they should arrive later this week.

I don't think the help text needs much work at all, honestly. But that might be because I understand the use case already. What's more important, IMO, is documenting how the new options work together; it's niche and a little complicated. So, a blog post, wiki page, or both? Maybe I can write the blog post, we'll review it, and then take the salient points and publish a wiki page. What do you think?

Cheers again!

paradajz Jun 13, 2022
Maintainer

Glad it works out for you.

The documentation for buttons:
https://github.com/shanteacontrols/OpenDeck/wiki/Configurable-features#type

And for LEDs:
https://github.com/shanteacontrols/OpenDeck/wiki/Configurable-features#global-parameters

As for the blog post, you can open PR on website repo with the only change being newly added Markdown-formatted blog post (website is hosted via GitHub and gets rebuilt and deployed on each push). You can also add some images. See for example how I've written blog post announcing the new boards:

shanteacontrols/website@8eef0a6

n3wkular · 2022-06-12T14:36:47Z

n3wkular
Jun 12, 2022
Author

Brilliant. Yes and yes. Will get back to you tomorrow EST.

…

On Sat, Jun 11, 2022, 08:54 paradajz ***@***.***> wrote: Added the tests, everything is passing, also tested it out on my physical test setup, seems to work fine. Will release the new version after confirmations from your side. Possibly help text in the UI needs some tweaking... let me know on that next week. If you decide to release this, can I help with the documentation? Would you be interested in writing a guest blog post on my site on what kind of controller you're building and how these new features helped you in making it possible? — Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub <#157 (reply in thread)>, or unsubscribe <https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/AZQL6JOXVJ2GNOZXULZDOJDVOSEBNANCNFSM5YEZWQHA> . You are receiving this because you authored the thread.Message ID: ***@***.*** com>

0 replies

paradajz · 2022-06-13T20:34:38Z

paradajz
Jun 13, 2022
Maintainer

The release is out: https://github.com/shanteacontrols/OpenDeck/releases/tag/v7.3.0

3 replies

n3wkular Jun 13, 2022
Author

👍 All the doc looks good; great work. No need to tweak anything unless people are confused about how to use it. I'll submit a PR with a blog post sometime this week. I'd prefer to have pictures of a physical prototype available.

n3wkular Jun 18, 2022
Author

Real life strikes: had a family emergency the last few days. Haven't forgotten and will be able to write something up by early next week.

paradajz Jun 18, 2022
Maintainer

Hey no worries. Hope everything's fine.

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Internal "bank" support for live performances with guitar rig emulation software (like AmpliTube) #157

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