Topic by 2046

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  • 2046
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Topic: how to read parameter value from outside of the Pianoteq?

Hi

I wonder if anybody knows how to read a specific controller value?
Say you have an external midi controller which would be able to display the value in a graphical way if it gets the value.

Now, say we have a MIDI knob that supposed to control a PianoteQ's volume. Which is simply done by the MIDI mapping.
The problem is that when you load the preset the values change but the MIDI knob does not as it has no idea about the change. Once the user turns that knob the value is increased/decreased form the actual knob position not relative to the actual value in Pianoteq... Which is hell confusing.

So the question is if anybody knows about a way how to get (all) the values of all PianoteQ controls.. that can be later used for MIDI controller value synchronization? Consequently the name of the actual preset.. and so on
I went thru the manual and I found no trace so far.

I mean any way, programatic any, low high level, on any actual standard communication protocol..
(I bet the data can be read via Native Instruments NKS that PianoteQ 6 supports)

any other idea?

Last edited by 2046 (08-01-2020 17:08)

Reply by tmyoung

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  • tmyoung
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Re: how to read parameter value from outside of the Pianoteq?

I agree that's confusing!  I know I've had that problem with many other midi controllers and midi software in addition to PTQ.

A few ideas:

While I normally have just to had to deal with it, there are solutions on the market that offer "motorized faders" (or similar market terminology) which--while quite expensive--physically change the position of a fader or knob based on the current MIDI value.  This is how most faders on large control room mixers "remember" settings is through motorized knobs that listen for MIDI data.  So if something changed in the PTQ midi value, the assigned fader/knob/slider would actually move accordingly.

A second (and less expensive solution) is that most MIDI pads for drums (or similar controllers) that are LED backlight can be programmed to show a value by color.  While not as immediately functional as the first, it gives you a visual cue that something has changed.

A third option is to change MIDI values between the "P" preset and "G" global midi settings in the midi menu.  That should make it so that any changes to values between presets will either be normalized or not.  While it may take some trial and error, I would suspect that's the least expensive and most effective direction for a possible solution.

There may also be independent software that you can route through and program to show those changes on-screen, like another VST or VSTi or standalone MIDI software, but I don't know of anything specifically for this that runs out-of-the-box.

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