Decent Sampler – controlling multiple parameters with midi hardware

[Jeff Curl]

I’ve been experimenting with using my Korg nanoKontrol2 midi controller to live edit midi parameters in the Decent Sampler plugin version of the Winter Voices library. I wanted to control both Expression and Dynamics, and was able to get it mostly working with one issue described further down.

First I duplicated the .dslibrary file, changed the extension to .zip and expanded it. Then I opened the enclosed .dspreset file and edited the midi element section. For this example I’m using “DYNAMIC EVOS SLOW”.

<midi>
    <cc number="1">
      <binding level="ui" type="labeled_knob" position="0" parameter="value" translation="linear" translationOutputMin="0" translationOutputMax="1.0"/>
    </cc>
  </midi>

I duplicated the contained cc element, modified the ‘number’ and ‘position’ to define a connection for cc 11.

<midi>
    <cc number="11">
      <binding level="ui" type="labeled_knob" position="0" parameter="value" translation="linear" translationOutputMin="0" translationOutputMax="1.0"/>
    </cc>
    <cc number="1">
      <binding level="ui" type="labeled_knob" position="1" parameter="value" translation="linear" translationOutputMin="0" translationOutputMax="1.0"/>
    </cc>
  </midi>

After saving with these edits, I recompressed the folder and changed the .zip extension back to .dslibrary.

This lets me play while adjusting values with both faders. However, I noticed that if the fader for either Expression or Dynamics is moved while playing a note, and then the other fader is moved, a perceptible jump in the quality and volume of the sound is heard. I suspect that this may be because the .dspreset file uses a linear translation for Expression, but defines 3 separate translation tables for Dynamics. I think this may correspond to the Quiet, Medium, and Loud groups (P, MF, and F in sample filenames).

I didn’t see documentation for midi elements in the .dspreset file format (file format doc link), and am not sure how to reference (or define new) translation tables for the Dynamics midi input signal. Can anyone more familiar with the construction of Decent Sampler files tell me if I’m on the right track? Also, does anyone know if a “Learn MIDI” feature is in development for the Decent Sampler plugin?

I’m developing a mobile video game (a puzzler), and am currently in the experimental stages of building the audio effects and soundscape for it. I’ve enjoyed getting drawn into the world of sampling fairly recently, starting with Spitfire Audio’s LABS, BBCSO-Discover, Originals series, and now Winter Voices and several other Pianobook DS libraries. It’s cool to see how Decent Sampler can open this world up to even more people without requiring the investment of a full Kontakt license, but I suppose eventually I may need to pay up if I want to wire up these kinds of workflows more readily.

[Sid]

You might want to contact the Decent Sampler people (person?), of course as there is a contact form on their website. That being said, I had a look around the code.
1. You don’t need to keep unzipping and rezipping the files. If you pull the files out of the zipped folder, I have found that it will run the .dspreset file from the file system (save a bit of time).
2. I found that the two knobs are controlling essentially the same parameter: Amplitude at the group level. This causes competition when both knobs are moving at the same time. Therefore, I changed the binding of the Expression knob to one line:
<binding type="amp" level="instrument" position="0" parameter="AMP_VOLUME" />
instead of the current three lines. Note that the level is set to instrument not group.

This seems to work better. Let me know how it works for you.

[Jeff Curl]

Thanks for the feedback Sid, that did the trick! So nice to have smooth hardware control of both parameters now.

I’ll still send a note via the contact form like you mentioned, as this might be useful for them to be aware of and perhaps mention in their file format docs.

Thanks again!

[Author]

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