Some controllers have motorized sliders and “encoder” knobs. (For example “Behringer Touch Mini” or “Behringer Motor 49/61”)
Do “some VSTs” and/or “Gig Performer widgets” support sending the state of controls so that the “sliders and knobs on these controllers” can “capture the state (level)” and automatically show the initial settings (e.g. upon loading a rack)?
The point here is: Having the “jump/catch” option is nice, but ultimately, having hardware controls (i.e. motorized sliders and “encoder” knobs) being able to “capture the state” and automatically set hardware controls to the initial state seems more ideal. I imagine eventually there will even be motorized foot pedals, which is the controller I would really most like to have it be automatically be set to the initial state (level).
Try it!
Take a look at I don’t think I can “try it” until I get a controller that has motorized faders and encoder knobs. I was really thinking I want a motorized foot pedal, but so far cannot find one.
Seriously, if motorized faders are being added to midi controllers, certainly a motorized foot pedal is “just as possible to manufacture” and is at least as, if not more, useful.
@dhj
Seriously, if motorized faders are being added to midi controllers, certainly a motorized foot pedal is “just as possible to manufacture” and is at least as, if not more, useful.
I have doubts about this becoming available commercially. The manufacturing quantity for motorized pedals is likely to be much lower than for motor faders - this and the necessary engineering effort would make these pedals quite expensive, to the point where I figure this is not a sustainable business model.
But out of interest: Which problem would a motorized pedal solve for you where an unmotorized version would not be feasible?
I have found that with “jump”, I have had times where I get an unwanted jump in level, and with “catch” I have had times that I get no response because I have not yet passed thru the “catch” point.
Alternatively…a setup that uses “capture status” to “set the position of a motorized fader or pedal” would avoid both of those issues.
I think one workaround (when motarized controller is not available) to solve the inherent issues with jump/catch is to use a big highly visible slider widget that has a text note to indicate the desired starting level. Before playing notes, I can move pedal and make sure I park the pedal at the desired starting level. That way there will no unexpected jump, nor the other catch issues that come up when not knowing if initial pedal position is above or below catch point point (e.g. sometimes I start making the first slight changes and nothing happens because I have yet passed throught the catch point).
The issue with jump/catch brings me to an idea.
In a Max patch you can define sliders wich react “relatively”.
So whenever such a slider gets a message it moves up or down relatively.
I am wondering if such an option could make sense for widgets?
Yeah, that has been on our list for a long time (I knew about it from Max as well), was never high priority. You’re the first person to mention it.
This would be perfect with a twisting pedal having an infinite rotation course.