Topic by eriks

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  • eriks
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Topic: Switch output device with MIDI controller, API or instrument preset?

Hi --

Pianoteq is running headlessly on a Raspi. I want to be able to switch the output device from one USB audio interface to another USB audio interface or even to the built-in sound chip (to use the headphone jack).

It seems that audio device switching is not possible at all, it just doesn't seem to be a parameter usable via MIDI, JSON-RPC or as part of an instrument preset.

Is there a good reason for this? If not, would this be something which could be added into an upcoming release?

The only possibility I currently see is saving a different preferences file with another audio interface configured, killing the app and restarting it with a different preference file. But also this is a pain a one of the audio interfaces produces high-volume noise events if it is connected on the software/os side.

All in all at least the standalone app currently seems to be programmed in a hard way to bind to an audio interface. It freaks out if the interface is not available or is switched off while running.

Best
-- erik.

Reply by Sanderxpander

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Re: Switch output device with MIDI controller, API or instrument preset?

eriks wrote:

Hi --

Pianoteq is running headlessly on a Raspi. I want to be able to switch the output device from one USB audio interface to another USB audio interface or even to the built-in sound chip (to use the headphone jack).

It seems that audio device switching is not possible at all, it just doesn't seem to be a parameter usable via MIDI, JSON-RPC or as part of an instrument preset.

Is there a good reason for this? If not, would this be something which could be added into an upcoming release?

The only possibility I currently see is saving a different preferences file with another audio interface configured, killing the app and restarting it with a different preference file. But also this is a pain a one of the audio interfaces produces high-volume noise events if it is connected on the software/os side.

All in all at least the standalone app currently seems to be programmed in a hard way to bind to an audio interface. It freaks out if the interface is not available or is switched off while running.

Best
-- erik.

Can you give an example of a VSTi or host that allows audio interface settings to be modified via midi or some other "live" input? I'm not aware of any, afaik they all work with a preferences file. It seems a guarantee for hang ups and fatal errors.

Reply by eriks

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Re: Switch output device with MIDI controller, API or instrument preset?

Sanderxpander wrote:

Can you give an example of a VSTi or host that allows audio interface settings to be modified via midi or some other "live" input? I'm not aware of any, afaik they all work with a preferences file. It seems a guarantee for hang ups and fatal errors.

My operating system can do this for example (not directly out-of-the-box for MIDI, .

I understand that you do not want to switch audio output during a live session, and also believe that central parts of those audio APIs are still from the 90ies, but I still don't see why this option shouldn't be implementable. It's about being able to run Pianoteq headlessly and standalone.

Reply by Fancellu

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Re: Switch output device with MIDI controller, API or instrument preset?

If it were anywhere it would be under midi/set parameter

I can't see it there.

However it is not an unreasonable feature, to choose the next/previous "Audio Output" from the Devices tab, or a particular one.

Reply by Sanderxpander

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Re: Switch output device with MIDI controller, API or instrument preset?

Fancellu wrote:

If it were anywhere it would be under midi/set parameter

I can't see it there.

However it is not an unreasonable feature, to choose the next/previous "Audio Output" from the Devices tab, or a particular one.

Choosing next/previous output is not unreasonable and available in some VSTis and hosts. Switching drivers altogether is what has me stumped. I guess I can see why in this particular case it might be useful (although I don't see what command you could send since Pianoteq has no way of knowing which interfaces are connected until activating the driver), but it is at least unusual. As I said, I don't know of any pro audio software that allows this with some kind of live input. That includes programs like Ableton and Cantabile which are "notorious" for both live operation and customization. It's just not considered something you'd need to access "on the fly".

It doesn't seem too hard to close and reopen Pianoteq with the correct preferences file tbh.