Macro Knob: Feature to snap knobs to current patch settings

There are two reasons why there is no such feature at the moment:

1. Each knob can be linked to more than one parameter, so which one should set the knob's position?
2. Even if there is only one linked parameter, the mapping of knob values to parameter values is one-to-one, but the converse is not always true. If the response curve is V-shaped, for example, a given parameter value could correspond to either of two knob positions.

Each patch captures the positions of all macro knobs, so the ideal approach would be to set all the knobs to the "best" positions for each patch. In practice, for unified libraries, a set of initial knob positions is chosen which will work (more or less) for every patch.

@getdunne  Thanks.  Yeah, makes sense.  I'll just manually handle each patch.  I am using a 1:1 macro mapping to VST option and using the 2nd curve option that is a line from bottom left to top right.

@getdunne

I think

1) linking to the first parameter and

2) setting the knob as if there were a linear curve

would fit in many cases and would be much better as it is now IMO.

Knob display not reflecting parameter values bugs me since the beginning of Unify.

Best regards

Rob

@robkastler

Interesting suggestion, thank you. I'll give this some thought and also discuss with John.

BTW there is currently no provision in Unify for responding to individual plug-in parameter changes (except when macro-link windows are open), so this is non-trivial to add.

While a macro-link window is open and a specific link is selected, the vertical line moves up and down as the parameter changes, Unify monitors changes in that one specific parameter, by polling on a timed basis. This is how it is able to move the horizontal "cursor" line up and down. Would it be useful/sufficient if it also automatically moved the macro knob to a corresponding position?

Posted by: @getdunne

Would it be useful/sufficient if it also automatically moved the macro knob to a corresponding position?

Thank you, Shane, I don't know if I fully understand but I think that polling the parameters at the time of patch loading and setting the corresponding macro knobs would be great. I think this would satisfy @ssquared initial request too.

@robkastler

I have put this on the to-do list, but it's not a quick fix and there are implications which must be studied carefully, so it may not appear right away.

Posted by: @robkastler

I think that polling the parameters at the time of patch loading and setting the corresponding macro knobs would be great. I think this would satisfy @ssquared initial request too.

Oh, I see what you are saying.  That would be cool, too.  I am suggesting something a little different, more focused on when I'm creating Unify libraries.  I am using a linear line from absolute min to full maximum and assign to only a single parameter in the VST.  When I link the parameter, Unify will automatically jump to the correct value.  I have 24 macros assigned and manually doing this for each patch is very slow and time consuming.

I was hoping for something like this.  I switch to a new sound in the VST, and then choose an option where I can select "update macros to current VST values".  All the macros pop to positions matching the VST.  I save and move to next sound.

Posted by: @ssquared

I switch to a new sound in the VST, and then choose an option where I can select "update macros to current VST values".  All the macros pop to positions matching the VST.  I save and move to next sound.

Thanks @ssquared - Oh yes, exactly what I would like to do when creating Unified libs, but I see - there are two scenarios

1) loading a Unify patch

2) switching to a new VST sound inside the Unify patch

I think, in both cases it would be desirable when "All the macros pop to positions matching the VST" at the time of loading/switching, no?

And it would cure the issue (of changing the sound by simply opening the "Linked Parameter"-window) I described here [pts (9) (10)] ...

Yeah.  Actually, the knobs popping into place when switching sounds is a better idea than mine.  I have a touchscreen and use the macro knobs to twiddle things.  This still doesn't help much with keyboard controllers where their knobs will cause jumps.  Bidirectional communication can come in handy for that.

I'm fine with how it is now, but glad there is some more discussion on this.

Hi, I'm following this topic. Here I uploaded a short video showing the way it's implemented in MUX Modular:

https://youtu.be/hcXBzjvP2Cs  

Macro 1 controls 2 Parameters of Melda CC Generator. Macro parameter curves are linear.

Posted by: @robert-p

Hi, I'm following this topic. Here I uploaded a short video ... Macro parameter curves are linear.

That's the straightforward, well-defined case. But thank you for the video nonetheless.

Setting curves in MUX is not as straightforward as with Unify, but that's not the point. The macro knob moves while adjusting parameter 1 without affecting parameter 2 mapped to the same macro knob. Macro knob position supposed to be saved with the preset, so it's up to the sound designer if the curve will be linear or not for the particular patch. Simply, use linear curves for Unified libraries and non linear for other crazy stuff.